'99 or '95?

Which T4R?

  • '95 SR5 4x4 Manual w/ 80k Miles ($5,500)?

    Votes: 2 7.1%

  • '99 Limited 4x4 RR Locker w/ 127k Miles ($9,500)?

    Votes: 26 92.9%
  • Total voters
    28
K

Kanger328

New member
Hello again. First off, thanks for bearing with me with all my questions/requests during my search for the right one (thanks T4R_Finally for the VIN check!). I've run into a dilemma. Found 2 4Runners, a 2nd Gen and a 3rd Gen and would like some opinions.

2nd Gen (asking $5,500):
-1995 SR5 4x4
-Original owner
-Manual
-80k Miles!
-Flawless interior/exterior
-BUT, has been sitting in his garage the past few years, buts the truck runs "awesome"

3rd Gen (asking $9,500):
-1999 Limited 4x4
-Original Owner
-Auto
-Rear Locker!!!
-127k Miles
-Everything works, no rust, very clean interior/exterior
-Has all original papers / service receipts / "major service" was just done (I'm assuming timing belt, water pump, etc)

Questions:
-Which one should I go for?
-How much should I offer?

I'll be using the truck as a daily driver (I'm a career changer back in school). I'm very outdoorsy (camp, hike, snowboard, mtn bike) and really like off roading (recently sold my lifted Nissan Titan). Thanks again fellas.

EDIT: I'm from So Cali. I keep thinking that info is in my profile.
 
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Being that you are on the 3rd gen side of this forum, most of the answers you will get may be biased and therefor will point you to the 3rd gen 4runner. Now with that being said, I think you can find yourself a better priced 3rd gen 4runner.

Use this as a guide and check out not only what to look for when buying/shopping for a used 4runner but for prices you may be able to find when shopping for a 3rd gen: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82033-3rd-gen-4runner-buyers-guide.html

Hope this helps and Good Luck with your hunt...
 
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Thanks for the replies. Yeah, that's def a good thread (props 4-Ripcord). I posted this on the 2nd gen forum too, but I don't seem to get as much feedback from there, prob because less 2nd gen owners than 3rd gen. I was thinking of offering $8,000 for the '99. 4x4s with rear locker are hard to come by here in Socal from what I've seen. I did just find a '99 Limited with 180K miles for $5,999, but no locker.
 
Obviously I'm biased as I have a 99' limited 4runner with 116k on it now, but I'd vote the 99 if you can afford it.

It does seem a bit high though considering I bought mine for $9,300 Canadian 2 years ago. It did have a banged up bumper though.

If you drove the two for a week, I could almost gaurentee you wouldn't think twice about going for the 3rd gen.
 
I had a 92 and 2 95s. They are great trucks, actually a little more rugged and 'trucky' than the 3rd gen. However, they are terribly underpowered. I live in the Ozarks (and lived in Colorado) and I used to have to turn off the A/C and keep the pedal to the floor (in passing gear) to maintain my speed on long hills that were steep at all (and it would still lose speed - I'd be doing 45 at the top of the hill). The 3rd gen also get better mileage. I averaged 15-16 with my 2nd gens. My 98 averages just under 18.

The 2nd gens also had head gasket issues. I had to replace the gaskets in one of my 95s at 135K. THAT is not a fun job!
 
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i have a 95 and a 98, it is night and day between the 3.4 and the 3.slow. i dont take the 95 out of town it is so short on power. so if it was up to me its the 3rd gen by far!
 
On the 99, I'd be happy with spending no more than $8k. Depends on where you are in the country too, but $9.5k is about a normal asking price for my area.
 
The answer is not all that simple. First they are both over priced. Second it depends on what area you live in as these things have a wide difference in pricing depending on the local.
In this area the 95 would go for about 3500 to 4000 private seller. The 99 would go for about 6500 to 8000.
However there is a problem. You did not mention what packages they have if any. Both those prices I gave for private seller in this area are for base models although packages do not seem to raise the price that much when dealing with private sellers.

If you go for the 99 you would need to check the tranny for water in the oil and if clean immediately disconnect the factory transmission cooler and put on an after market one as the factory coolers can ruin the Tranny in that generation.

If you go with the 95 which is closer to its value you do not get the rear locker and have to understand that it setting for years can be a problem even though it starts. In my opinion neither are good buys, but it just depends on how badly you want one of them or if you can wait and find one closer to value.
 
Having owned both a 95 and now a 00 Limited there really isn't any choice between the two. The 95 was nice, but the engine sucked, the front suspension isn't as comfortable and it doesn't have any of the creature comforts that the 3rd gen has.

I struggled to keep 70 with the 95 and it was slower than a semi on the hills. It also got 15 mpg combined whereas I get 17-18 with my 3rd gen. You will regret buying the 95 as I did with mine.

For the prices the 2nd gen is actually right about where I would expect it for my area. The 3rd gen is $1-1.5k overpriced. I got my 00 limited with 102k for $8.5k and that was a good price for my area. It wasn't a steal, but it also wasn't a rip off. I would try to get him/her down to $8-8.5k if you really like it.
 
what on earth? i paid 4,995 for my 3rd gen. runner. the second gen. would be worth it around maybe if you knocked a few grand off.
 
Last time I was in Texas, I didn't see very many 4Runners/Toyotas around. Come out here and everyone has one. They are a hot item. More of a demand, so the price is higher.

The asking price is a little high of course, but there are several reasons to price high being a seller. Obviously you can get the person who has a hard-on for it and pay the full price, you can weed out people that might just be tire-kickers, and then you allow for someone to come down on the price to make them feel like they got a deal.

To the OP, where are you located?
 
I'm from So Cal (LA), so yeah...that price is about normal. It's hard to find a decent priced 4runner around here...and even harder to find a decent priced 4X4 4runner. I just got the VIN check for the '99...looks a bit shady. Thanks Greg (T4R_Finally) for the VIN check!. Gah! the search continues...

Thanks for all the feedback. This pretty much steered me away from the 2nd Gens altogether, even though that '95 I found looks clean. Everywhere I research I see "head gasket! head gasket!" and "3.SLOWWWWWWW", ha.
 
I paid $8900 for my 99 SR5. I bought it with 90,000 miles, and all the items in my sig. The truck was a second owner. Both previous owners lived in AZ. There isn't an ounce of rust on the truck. After months and months of looking, and seeing a bunch of rust buckets. I felt this rig was well worth what I paid. Like others have mentioned. 4Runners and Tacos are in popular damand here in So Cal. The Taco is an even harder rig to find for a decent price.
 
I guess I should feel lucky. With what your saying there asking I got mine for a steal. 98 Limited 110k one owner for 4k.
 
Look at it this way, They had to make the 1st and 2nd gen 4runenrs in order to get it right by then building the mighty 3rd Gen :reddance::lookout:

Trial and Error guys ......TRUE STORY!!!!! :guitar2:
 
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