'98 vs '99

luigi123

luigi123

New member
I'm in the market for a 4runner and roughly looking to spend $9k-$12k. There are several options here in Denver at that price. Most of them that fall in that price point are '98 and '99 4runners and some '00s. I know there was a slight body change from '98 to '99 (bumper), what are the other changes between the two years. What good changes, bad changes?
Which model would you guys suggest.

Thanks,

Future 4runner owner
 
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yes the cupholders, and the headlights are not frosted and i think 99' was the only year they made the highlander edt. The 99's i think also have 2 new kinds of wheels, the flower design and the 5 spoke. Something else that might be big for some people is the emblem placement on the back, after 98, toyota stopped putting the 4runner emblem on the lisence plate frame and started to put it on the actual hatch so i dont beleive there are pins in it anymore and you could debadge it with no bondo or painting. And the 99's have that black on black color scheme with the hood scoop is sick! thats all i can think of cosmetically right now
 
Cupholders
Multiple power outlets up front and one in the hatch
Auto up/down front windows
Bigger storage cubby in the back
Better headlamps
UV treated glass
Projector fogs available

Highlander/Sport models had the scoop and came with better seats and the Limited 5 star wheels.

I had a '97 and upgraded to a '99 and haven't looked back.

Those are just a few and here's a link with a full rundown.....

http://www.top4runners.com/ja/runhist31999.html
 
luigi123 said:
I'm in the market for a 4runner and roughly looking to spend $9k-$12k.
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For that much money you should be able to find a decent '99/'00 Highlander/Sport Edition - they're the best looking 3rd gens ever made IMHO. Also, the '99/'00s with the optional rear dffy lock are considered by many T4R "experts" :D to be the best off-road performer.
 
Re: Re: '98 vs '99

GatorGreg said:
'99/'00 Highlander/Sport Edition .
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I'm a little light on the lingo here, "Highlander". Isn't that another Toyota Model. Or is it version of the 4runner for that year?

Thanks for everyone's insite. Keep it coming.
 
Re: Re: Re: '98 vs '99

luigi123 said:
I'm a little light on the lingo here, "Highlander". Isn't that another Toyota Model. Or is it version of the 4runner for that year?

Thanks for everyone's insite. Keep it coming.
Click to expand...


The Highlanders became the Sport Package in '01 and then in '02 it became the Sport Edition and was the first to have offical badges and it came with the faux skidplate from the Tacoma.

Toyots must have figured the name Highlander was too cool to piggyback on the 4Runners.

Another perk to the '99s (and early '00s) not listed is a fair amount came equipped with the 1" taller coils and at least in '99 it appears all Highlanders came with those coils and it was only available in black or jade mica.
 
His looks stock to me and alot like mine. I have 36" from the ground to fender lip with my '99 suspension and 265/75s.

I tried a set of 285s that were on my friend's lifted '97 and I could fit them on the truck but I couldn't turn it much and you'll need a bit over 2.5" to get them to fit properly.
 
no lift, stock... 100,500 miles

285's fit on the back, but up front it rubbed on bumper molding and running board molding...
 
broncosi said:
yes the cupholders, and the headlights are not frosted and i think 99' was the only year they made the highlander edt. The 99's i think also have 2 new kinds of wheels, the flower design and the 5 spoke. Something else that might be big for some people is the emblem placement on the back, after 98, toyota stopped putting the 4runner emblem on the lisence plate frame and started to put it on the actual hatch so i dont beleive there are pins in it anymore and you could debadge it with no bondo or painting. And the 99's have that black on black color scheme with the hood scoop is sick! thats all i can think of cosmetically right now
Click to expand...
yea; i did notice the headlights looks better on a 99 and up... will they fit a 97? Cause i want the HID kit and want those healights
 
Drive them both and see which you like. I've never driven a 98/99, but my family has a '96 and '97, and an '01 and '02. I love the earlier 3rd gens, even though I drive an '01. They ride better, IMHO. But like I said, I've never driven a '98/'99.

I love the cupholders in the '96-'98s, because in the summer the air conditioning keeps my water ice cold. If I don't want my drink to get hot/cold, I just turn on the defroster and the middle vents don't blow any air. I know people talk about spillage etc., but if you make sure you have a bottle with a cap, it doesn't spill.

You could also consider options if nothing else: Limiteds have more bells and whistles, but some of the options that were only on Limiteds in '96-'98 became standard on the later SR5s of the 3rd gen.

I personally like the cleaner lines of the '96-'98 4Runners. But the later 3rd gens had more safety features etc. If you can get both for the same price it would make sense to get the later 3rd gen models.
 
You're the first to extoll the virtues of the '80s designed cupholders.
Sorry,those things suck and to make them work for you you have to accomodate the cupholders with lids and such and off roading with anything in them is not tolerable to me. Cpholders also should not interfere with any controls and their vents.

I owned my '97 fo a year and gto my '99 and haven't looked back. Lack of multi power outlets also dates the 'pre '99s.
 
I agree about the offroading incompatibility of the cupholders. I guess I like them because the first car I learned to drive in was a 2nd gen 4Runner and I learned quickly to control the heat/a/c without looking, so I never really perceived them as being in the way. When my family got a 3rd gen it was an improvement on the 2nd in many ways, and I liked how the cupholders were more flexible and you could fit bigger drinks in them.

My daily driver is an '01 Limited and I hate how my water gets hot sitting there between the seats. :D I live out in the sticks so any trip to the store is at least a half hour drive, and my commute to school is an hour. I like having a cold drink, what can I say?

I also realized the other day that I can eat a Blizzard from Dairy Queen if I'm driving a car with cupholders in the dash. I can see the ice cream cup out of the corner of my eye and use one hand for the spoon and the other for driving. If I had been in my car I couldn't have done that because I would have been dripping trying to find the cup between the seats or taken my eyes off the road looking down.

I would like to add the disclaimer that I don't usually eat and drive, but since I live half an hour from Dairy Queen it would have been melted by the time I got home. What else is a girl to do? :biggrin2:
 
I was in a newer Porsche 911 the other day and was surprised to see the cupholders are in the dash :D Friend of mine has one of those funky Cayennes, I'm curious now where they put the cupholders in them since it's supposed to be capable of being driven off the beaten path - I'll check it out next time I see him :)
 
Found it!!!

Well I finally pulled the trigger and got my 4runner. '00 SR5 w/ a bunch of options.. . I tell you what I love this thing, I don't even drive my sedan anymore, but I will when gas goes to $3.00/gal ;-)
Haven't taken it wheeling yet but I'm already thinking about modding this thing

Thanks everyone for their help...


Luis
 
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