anyone interested in a 97 T4R SR5 with 25,000 miles?
- Thread starter BlackCat914
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
farmerjon
Senior Member
Just like mine, different color! wow... only 25K miles. $16K is a lot though.
Its impressive to see that is only has 25k miles but it is way over priced. I would offer $8k, if I really wanted it. They need to correct it and say that it doesnt have any leaks, YET. If it has sat for that long, all those seals and gaskets are cracked and dry rotted like the tires were. After about 5k miles it will be leaking from everywhere. All the springs will probably need to be replace due to metal fatigue. Radiator will have to be replaced right from the start and have the cooling system reflushed. It is highly doubtful that this was stored properly given that they have to give it an oil change. Back in 09 the wife saw a 2004 4runner that she really wanted. SR5 V6 4x4 with the third row seats. It only had 34500 miles on it and very clean inside and out. Paid 14k for it.
BlackCat914
New member
just because it has low miles doesn't mean it wasn't started and ran regularly. I happen to know of several cars that are the same age with LESS miles on them that don't leak anything. One of them happens to be this car, which sits in climate controlled storage most of the year down the street and belongs to my father.
And if it's not leaking now, chances are it won't be leaking in 5k miles, either. Running a vehicle after it's been sitting for long periods does nothing but re-hydrate seals and gaskets and cause them to re-swell.
PitbullRescuer
New member
The swelling of gaskets and seals after they have dried up will absolutley cause them to leak. They won't swell the same way a "conditioned" if you will seal does. They get brittle and then warp, crack, break and you guessed it, leak.
The Vette that is stored in a climate controlled garage is a totally different situation. The climate controlled garage will do a ton to save things like I described above from happening.
The Vette that is stored in a climate controlled garage is a totally different situation. The climate controlled garage will do a ton to save things like I described above from happening.
BlackCat914
New member
welp, we can agree to disagree then. If you occasionally run a car that doesn't get driven very often to operating temperature, you'll be fine. I've been in the auto industry for a long time, and that's a rule I'd bet my reputation on. Now if we're talking old school, with cork gaskets, then that's a different story. A car doesn't need to get driven to be maintained properly, but it does need to be run. I'm not saying the car I posted was run regularly, but just because a car has low mileage doesn't mean it's going to be a basket case with leaks.
Yes as you stated, that your daddy stores his car properly. Given that, I will agree that a car stored properly will not have any of the issue I stated. What I did state was that these issue are going to occur because it was NOT stored properly. If they can prove that the 4runner was in a climate controlled enviroment and regularly maintained in the environment is one thing. The chances of this 4runner being in a climate controlled environment and/or maintained are slim to none and slim is standing in the door way.
Stick Figure
New member
Even if it did develop a few leaks, seals are far easier for me to fix than the fading paint on my truck. Same with the interior that starting to show its age in spots, or the countless other parts that have been abused for 211k miles etc. I would absolutely pay the $16k for it if it were a 99+ to start off with all of the options I like. Of course the other deal breaker is anytime you have a vehicle priced that far out of blue book you better have cash to pay for it because a vehicle loan isn't going to happen, and I don't have $16k sitting aside right now 
BlackCat914
New member
Ahh, I see. Well, since you seem to think the end-all-be-all to properly keeping a vehicle is it being in a climate controlled facility, then I'll just stop here. Apparently, "all services done by Toyota", or "all documents and paperwork included" mean that this vehicle was clearly neglected. I guess I'll throw my extremely well maintained POS 1997 4runner up for sale since my garage isn't climate controlled. I've totally neglected it over the years with all the damn temperature fluctuation. I can only imagine what my seals and gaskets look like.
Oh, and all my performance cars I've owned over the years that had very low miles that were stored in a barn all winter, or all the low mileage Corvettes I've worked on for the past 10 years that are stored in regular garages and rarely driven are all stored incorrectly as well.
Last edited:
PitbullRescuer
New member
LOL. BlackCat, I think you're getting a little bent out of shape here. You're right, I guess there is no guarantee that this thing will start leaking. But there's no guarantee it won't either. We're all just trying to bring up valid points. I've been into cars for well over 20 years now as it sounds like you have as well. Low miles doesn't always = a good thing.
If it we're me, I'd probably rather buy your truck. Not because it's as nice as the one you posted but because it has been used/driven.
the great him
Elite Member
this isnt the first time i have seen this 4runner pop up on the forum before, i have a gut feeling that its "too good to be true"... a 4wd suv that has never been driven in inclement weather, never in rain...? i only know of a few cars like this and only a couple of people who treat their cars in this manor, and they are all award winning show/collector cars... not 4runners
BlackCat914
New member
No, I'm not bent out of shape.:frog: I guess the one thing that bothers me on this forum is that there's a lot of people that mean well, but give incorrect or bad advice. You're right, I can't guarantee that it won't leak, but in my experience with cars, both as a hobby and at a professional level, chances are if it's not leaking now, it probably won't be leaking anytime soon, either. Simply saying "well, that thing wasn't cared for properly, and because of that, it's a POS, will be leaking everywhere, and nobody should consider buying it", is asinine IMO. I'd much rather replace a few seals or gaskets on a 16 year old car with only 25k miles, than deal with 16 years and 150k+ miles of wear and tear and not have any leaks, but that's just me.
BlackCat914
New member
Ya, I thought about that as well, and you may be right. The N/W burbs of Chicago can be pretty affluent, so I just made the assumption that maybe the owners travel out of state for winter, like a lot of older people around here do.
I think you need to brush up on your automotive knowledge and go watch some more power block TV. Also, tell your daddy barbie called, she wants her car back after you're down cruising around boystown. :flipoff:
That is a nice vette. I hope its not auto. Why the supercharger instead of going for a turbo set up.
the great him
Elite Member
405 motors?
Hepar
New member
Good guess, but not who I was thinking of. Although they'd probably ask something like that too.
cordrayj1
New member
8k. thats funny.
Similar threads
