Contemplating on selling my 2015 4runner trail with KDSS and getting a 3rd gen. Reason being is just to get out of payments everyone month. Just rather have more extra money than a little extra money at the end of every month to do things. But I love my 5th gen and have a hard time finding a nice clean 3rd gen.
5th gen for a 3rd gen 4runner?
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Thai
Elite Member
You will be giving up A LOT...ride comfort, safety, performance (both on-road AND off-road), and reliability/durability. 3rd gen at this time is well over 13 years old...so, have you factor in maintenance of a 13+ year old car? That could add up to being nearly as much as what you're paying now!! In addition, your loss on the 2015 when you sell it will be big.
IF you're strap for cash, then you need to think SMALLER and LIGHTER and MORE MODERN...like a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla or Camry/Accord. Going from one expensive car down to a money pit (any 13+ car is) is NOT financial smart IMHO.
Seattle_SR5
New member
There's a lot of hyperbole in the above statement.
This hasn't been my experience in nearly 2 years of owning a 3rd generation 4Runner. I service what I can at home and take it to a local indie shop for maintenance. Maybe if one goes to a Toyota dealer for service the cost of maintaining a 3rd generation 4Runner would be comparable to payments on a new 5th generation, but I doubt it.
My other vehicle is a 2004 BMW 330i, and even factoring in the $2k I just dumped into it for a cooling system and suspension refresh - I'm far ahead where I would have been in terms of payments and depreciation expense had I purchased a new 328i in 2010 instead of paying cash for my used BMW at that time.
Smart financial decision. The money you're spending on payments on a depreciating asset could be used for other things - such as investing and actually earning returns.
This hasn't been my experience in nearly 2 years of owning a 3rd generation 4Runner. I service what I can at home and take it to a local indie shop for maintenance. Maybe if one goes to a Toyota dealer for service the cost of maintaining a 3rd generation 4Runner would be comparable to payments on a new 5th generation, but I doubt it.
My other vehicle is a 2004 BMW 330i, and even factoring in the $2k I just dumped into it for a cooling system and suspension refresh - I'm far ahead where I would have been in terms of payments and depreciation expense had I purchased a new 328i in 2010 instead of paying cash for my used BMW at that time.
Smart financial decision. The money you're spending on payments on a depreciating asset could be used for other things - such as investing and actually earning returns.
Porqupine82
New member
Some 13 year old cars are money pit. I beg to differ on your opinion but NO Japanese auto 13 years old will be a money pit. Nwe'd a fix now and then, yes. Money pit, no.
Thai
Elite Member
Yeah, there is a lot of "IFs"...if i do it myself, if it is clean, if it has never been off-roaded, if proper maintenance, etc..
13+ year old 4runner...you gonna run into needing suspension work (shocks, new springs to fix the infamous sag), engine overhaul/tune-up, maybe transmission/converter/clutch, A/C, radio/speakers, headlights, rust, etc..
As for your BMW...you just spent $2,000. Wanna bet when you will need to do that again?! :faint: I owned a BMW...their parts have very short lifespan! Some even say that they are manufacturered to be that way. :tape: Damn Germans and their window regulators is just one example!
I still think that the smart financial thing is to get something cheap and modern.
YMMV.
Thai
Elite Member
My brother's Lexus GS300 ran into a wall at 120,000 miles. Garaged and pampered by his wife for all its life...Lexus dealer serviced religiously. At 90k, small things started to go wrong...then 110-120k major things start to go south...A/C, engine leaking, transmission issues, etc..
Note: Lexus GS300 is the cornerstone of reliability and durability according to most folks.
How about Toyota V8s and their leaking manifolds every 80-100k miles? I think that costs about $1000 per side to fix. How about starter issues?
How about Hondas and their failing transmissions and torque converters? My brother's Honda Ody needed new TC at 60k miles...and then new ENGINE at 90k miles.
Again, above could be exception rather than the rule...but if i was a betting man on a 13+ year old car (of ANY brand), then i think that i would win big! :noidea:
Seattle_SR5
New member
As for your BMW...you just spent $2,000. Wanna bet when you will need to do that again?! :faint: I owned a BMW...their parts have very short lifespan! Some even say that they are manufacturered to be that way. :tape: Damn Germans and their window regulators is just one example!
I've done that before and I know I'll do it again - it's the cost of maintaining a German car in a level of condition where I wouldn't hestitate to drive it across the country tomorrow. With a BMW, if you want to pay you have to play.
And as I said, I'm still financially ahead of where I would be if I had purchased a new 328i in 2010 instead of my 330i.
So let's say you pay $10,000 for a nice 2004 4Runner Limited with a V8. If you run into the leaky manifold issue you're now at $12,000. That's still $30,000 less than where you'd be with a new 4Runner Limited with a V6.
There are many reasons to buy a new vehicle, but saving money is not one of them.
Thai
Elite Member
Ok...isn't that leaking manifold a RECURRING problem? Last i read (maybe outdated), that wonderful manifold design issue has not been fixed.
As for saving money, i agree...to some degree. The problem is that the vehicle in question is over 13 years old AT LEAST.
ajordan1975
New member
I say do it.....
cheap to build, cheap to maintain, cheaper insurance, you won't cry when a tree limb scratches the paint, and in my opinion better off road.
cheap to build, cheap to maintain, cheaper insurance, you won't cry when a tree limb scratches the paint, and in my opinion better off road.
Thai
Elite Member
How is it better off-road? Because it is smaller/narrower?
PlanetExpress
New member
If you are handy i say go for it.
fwak1234
New member
Something to think about. If you spend less a month maintaining an older vehicle than you do on a car payment then you are making out. I have a 1991 that was neglected for a long time and it is still less expensive to replace things as they go bad than it is to just make payments on my 2015 Tacoma. Another thing is that if you wrench on it yourself you will gain knowledge along with saving money. Some of us can't afford to pay people to mod or maintain our trucks but that makes us better of in the long run because when know how to rig or repair when in a pinch. Also setting out with an older vehicle you can set it to your liking; lift, tires, gears, options, and etc. Plus like mentioned before if you scratch it or get a little rock rash it won't break your heart. Not to mention you can actually find parts in the JY when you have an older vehicle. In my opinion if you want to save some money, and you are not in the negative with the 2015, I would sell it. Use whatever money you have let over, say 6 grand, and pick up a third gen with that. Then spend your average monthly payment for the next few months (say 6) to modify the truck to your liking. After that you will see the fun money start to grow every month and allow you to have a nest egg in case something actually happens to the rig.
MeefZah
New member
I'm not sure why you are having a hard time finding a clean 3rd gen in Oregon. I'm in extreme norCal and I see nice 3rd gen for sale here all the time, both car lots and private party.
I've actually considered doing something similar - I really, really like the look of the 3rd gens. Coming from Ohio, there were no 3rd gens that weren't rusted out pieces of shit, so you pretty much had to have a newer truck to have a decent vehicle, so I got a 5th gen. After we moved out here it was sensory overload with the beautiful 1st, 2nd gen 4Rs and even late 80s Toyota trucks running around everywhere.
I've actually considered doing something similar - I really, really like the look of the 3rd gens. Coming from Ohio, there were no 3rd gens that weren't rusted out pieces of shit, so you pretty much had to have a newer truck to have a decent vehicle, so I got a 5th gen. After we moved out here it was sensory overload with the beautiful 1st, 2nd gen 4Rs and even late 80s Toyota trucks running around everywhere.
702 Desert Rat
New member
I'd say getting out of debt is always a good decision. You just need to be careful about the vehicle you buy. My wife and I sold our '12 FJ Cruiser and '10 Jeep Liberty and bought a '98 & '04 4Runner to get out of debt. The '04 is in great condition, we've only had to do regular oil changes at this point. The '98 has required replacement of some suspension items due to natural wear and tear as well as rear axle seal and rear breaks. The truck still runs great, I love the manual. It's nice not having to make the payments, and are able to use that money towards student loans. I'd like to say I look forward to owning this 3rd gen for many years to come, but there are some quirks that bug me and I might change it out in a few years depending on where I get stationed next.
Unner
New member
01-02 3rd gens have stability and traction control FYI.
Cheaper insurance and registration is a huge point. I think without my custom tag I pay like $17 a year registration on my 2001 4Runner.
If you can work with your hands 3rd gens are easy to work on. I've got a lot of money into mine, but the money that I've actually had to put into it is minimal. Most of it has been voluntary.
Required purchases since ~140k miles when I aquired. Today I rolled over 191k.
Steering rack + sway bar bushings - $60
Tie Rods & LBJ's - $400 (tie rods weren't necessary and LBJ's were done as a safety measure)
Suspension (first time I went stock) - $400 maybe
Valve cover gaskets & associated parts - $100
Timining belt, radiator, water pump, pulleys, crank seal - $500 (did this all as precautionary measures)
Tundra Brake upgrade - $300 (needed new brakes anyway, did rear brakes too)
Rear axle seal leak - $400
Front axle seal leak - $30 (wouldn't have replaced the CV had I not lifted and the boot torn)
alternator - $100
Oil pressure sender - $100 (I broke this, my fault but I'll include it)
Oxygen sensors - $150 (didn't need to replace, did it to see if my MPG would improve. It didn't...)
Lower Control Arms - $400 (might be due to me lifting and bushings tearing during alignment)
So all in all I'm $2,940 into maintenance in this truck after owning it for 3 years and 50k miles and I'm very very anal about maintenance as you can tell. I didn't include oil changes, tires, and batteries. All items that would wear out on a new truck too. Pretty good. I could turn around and sell it for within $1000 of what I paid too. Can't say that about a new truck.
Blue Seat Lyfe
New member
I did this last year - my sister was moving to upstate NY and needed a 4WD so I gave her my 2010 Limited and I got her 2002 SR5 + cash
Installed a double din Pioneer touchscreen and backup camera which is 10x better than what comes from the factory in a 5th gen.
I like the simplicity of it and everything still works as it should. MPGs are better, easier to park since its noticeably smaller, not to mention it just looks better to the eye, 3rd gen had the best design IMO.
Insurance 6month premium was literally cut in half.
Ride is more trucklike but similar.
Rear A/C for your passengers / dog is the only thing I miss.
Installed a double din Pioneer touchscreen and backup camera which is 10x better than what comes from the factory in a 5th gen.
I like the simplicity of it and everything still works as it should. MPGs are better, easier to park since its noticeably smaller, not to mention it just looks better to the eye, 3rd gen had the best design IMO.
Insurance 6month premium was literally cut in half.
Ride is more trucklike but similar.
Rear A/C for your passengers / dog is the only thing I miss.
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