6cyl or 4?? I need your help

[Niitehawkxe]

Hey guys! New user here, and potential buyer of a 4runner. I use to own a 2.4l 4-cyl Nissan Frontier, but the gas mileage really sucked(17-20MPG). So if I buy a 2.7l 4-cyl 4Runner, I'm I just better off driving a 6 cyl.? 80% of the time I'm driving city.

Another quick question...does a 2000 4Runner SR5 come with a 4 cylinder engine!?!?

What I'm planning to buy.

Thanks for the help. Hope to talk to you guys more as soon as I get my hands on these lovely beasts.

 

[mike_d]

i have experience with the nissan 2.4, so i know what you're talking about. no power and bad milage. the 2.4 in my toyota (it would be a 2.7 in the 3G) gets better milage. although, it feels more sluggish than the nissan 2.4. i still suggest the 4 over the 6. toyota 4's are legendary for lasting forever. the 2.4 in my '89 has 245k miles on it, the only major repair is the scheduled timing chain replacement. other than that it's just been normal maintenance. it doesn't have gobs of power, but who cares if you never have to worry about it.

 

[lee]

depends on what youre using it for.

the v6 is clearly more responsive, fun and theres more modding info available on it (super charger, etc).

id always vote for the v6.

 

[bflooks]

i couldn't help but notice that the truck you are looking at is an auto. if you are doing mostly city driving, then you should be alright. but highway....well, just give yourself plenty of room to pass and to get up to speed. i have the 4cyl (2.7) with the 5spd and 16" wheels, and it has plenty of power for me. i can pass when i want, i can climb inclines without downshifting (unless really in the mountains), and i get about 20/21 mpg cruising at 80mph. regardless, good luck with whatever you choose. i would just say drive both engines. see which one you feel will work for your needs.

 

[peter78]

Another quick question...does a 2000 4Runner SR5 come with a 4 cylinder engine!?!?

Short answer: NO.

Long answer: 96 to 2000 they had the base 4Runner which is the 4cyl model. The next step up is the SR5 which has the V6 and a few other up-grades.

In 2001 they stop making the 4cyl and the manual transmission.

 

[lee]

i thought youc ould get a 4 cyl sr5???

perhaps im wrong, but i really thought you could.

 

[bflooks]

i think you could, having the v6 as an option. but that was only up until a certain year. i don't recall what it was, but i am pretty sure that is the way it was. or...we could both be wrong. haha. maybe that is the option i am thinking of. haha

 

[peter78]

I still have a 2000 brochure and it clearly shows the SR5 model as having a V6 plus a few other items. Other years might have a base SR5 with the 4 cyl., maybe, but not 2000.

I have no idea why I have that brochure, since I bought a 2001, I guess I can't stand throwing anything away. BUT I have a deal for any member who has a 2000 model and may want a brochure, PM a message with your address and I'll send it to you, free of charge. (It even has the salesman card still attached.) It also has the color cart and is about 15 pages long.

 

[peter78]

Here is a picture from the 2000 brochure showing what is standard on a SR5

 

[Niitehawkxe]

That's wierd though....if you check the link of the 4Runner I am planning to buy(which is the first post) They are selling a 2000 4Runner SR5 4 cylinder version. Could this engine be rebuilt or something??? Or it just has an SR5 to scare people more.

 

[bflooks]

hey peter! what time of year was that brochure printed/picked up?reason i am asking is this. the link niite gave for the vehicle gives a run down with what seems to be a 3rd party informative source (edmunds, kelley, blah blah), and it states that the standard motor in the sr5 is the 3rz. this also makes sense as the sr5 in that year did come with the 15" wheels as well. i believe that 2001 was the first year they did away with the 4cyl in the runner, but kept it in the taco. and i am thinking that perhaps you have a brochure from later in the year when the 2001's were arriving.

and niite, just beware! the 4cyl and auto tranny are going to be terrible on the hills and passing. it looks like you have 15" rims on it, correct? i may be wrong, but the lower gears come along with the bigger tires from the factory to help keep you in the power band. i may be wrong, as the auto may have the lower gears to compensate. when you take it for a test drive, i run at about 27/2800 rpm at 75mph. i have the 4.56 gearing. that will give you something to compare it with.

regardless though, that truck looks nice. how is the paint in the sun? the sun shows all on a black paint. also, make sure you aren't paying for what you don't have. one of the links on that page gave a run down on how much each option costs. i did not see leather listed, and that was an option, so make sure that is no the dealer's generated list of options on the truck. i do NOT see a rear wind deflector, nor a trailer hitch. even if it knocks off a couple hundred, that pays for tax, title, and hopefully registration as well. not to mention it will give you a good feel for the dealer as well.

 

[lee]

im pretty sure all runners are either limited, sr5 or sport. i dont think theres a 'base' model in the sense that it is different from those 3.

so its an sr5 base model.

 

[bflooks]

lee, i would have to dissagree with that. i have a 98 base model. i has options such as power windows/locks/mirrors, it has factory upgrade to 16" wheels (which came with steel rims), and has 4x4 as an option. however, the seats are different (no lumber), and has no heated mirrors. mine also came with the 4cyl and tow package. that is a base model, just with many options. my buddy, pat161, has a 2000 base, with all the same options, except he has abs which comes with day time running lights. so...in a 3rd gen, there is base, sr5, sport, and limited. i believe they did away with the base in 2001/2002 when they did away with the 4cyl. in the runners. however, i must say. i do wish i had the sr5, as the mirrors are heated (come on with rear defroster), and they are pre-wired for fog lights.

 

[lee]

does yours have an sr5 badge on it?

just curious, you guys are probably right.

 

[bflooks]

nope. neither of ours do. it says 4runner. that is all. his is now closer to an sr5 though. he put in the stock fogs, put in limited leather seats all around, and purchased the stock alloy wheels. not like ours, lee, but the other ones. i laugh though. i find it hard to believe that a base model vehicle like mine is built so well, and yet is still the BASE model. just says a lot of toyota.

 

[peter78]

The brouchure I got says copyright 1999 on it, but I got it in the fall of 2000. There are 3 models for that year, the base 4Runner, SR5 and the Limited. I think the Sport is a up-grade in the SR5 model.

I know the guy selling the 4Runner in the ad says it is a "SR5", my point is that he is strecthing it a bit. The base models that I saw had most of the options, power windows, ABS brakes, CD / Cassette radio, colored mirrors, 16" wheels. BUT it is not a SR5 model. I can't see in the picture if it has a "SR5" badge in the back. If it does, he is intentionally deceiving you.

By the way, the brouchure is 40 pages, not 15. Anyone what it??

 

[pat161]

Simple answer is, a real 2000 SR5 will have the 6 cylinder, as someone stated for either 99 or 00 the V6 became the only motor for the SR5. They did still offer a base model in 00 w/ the 4 cylinder and choice of manual or auto tranny. There are a few weird points about that truck though, it has the standard SR5 flares as opposed to the thin rubber w/ chrome strip like mine. It looks like painted mirrors and door handles but on a black truck it is hard to tell, check taht feature, if they are not painted it is not an SR5 in 2000, also those mirrors shpuld be heated. Also the SR5 should have 6 speakers instead of 4. I would get the vin and contact Toyota to find out what the real story is. As for the power I would think w/ the 2wd the 2.7 and auto will be a fine combo, it may downshift on hills but is that really a big deal in an auto?

 

[pat161]

peter78, I have a 2000 I bought used and I would not mind having a peak at that brochure, I've always wanted to look at the factory options and such. I got the brochure w/ my 97 tacoma and when I traded it I put the brochure into one of the seat pockets for the next owner, I wonder if they appreciated that. Anyway let me know what I need to do to get a copy of the brochure from you, and thanks in advance for the offer.

 

[peter78]

Anyway let me know what I need to do to get a copy of the brochure from you, and thanks in advance for the offer.

Go to "Members" and click on my name, peter78, then click on send me a Private Message, a screen will pop up and you can write in your address. No one else will see it & I'll send it to you.

You can also click on send an e-mail as I allow members to see my e-mail address, either way, it will be in the mail soon.

 

[servo_fan]

Here's a site that has a good history of the 4Runner, especially the 3rd gen which is being discussed here. Looks like the 2000 4Runner was the last year a base model and 4 cyl engine were available, as well as a manual tranny.

http://www.top4runners.com/ja/runhist.html