Anyone recognize this 4Runner?

[willyd520]

Hey everybody!

Been on the forum for years, never really posted. I'm just wondering if anybody has seen this 4Runner around or on the forum. It was my first car and I stupidly sold it back in 2015. Last I saw on the Carfax was that it was over in Boulder City NV.

If anyone has seen it or recognizes it or knows where it is please let me know!

Oh and for the specs - it's a 1998 4Runner SR5 with a 3.4, 5 Speed, 2.5" OME lift kit and Mickey Thompson aluminum wheels. Last I remember it had 265/75/16's on it. It's pretty unique with the black stripe down the side. I've got some more pictures of it somewhere.

Thanks!

 

[RodrickHeffley]

Hey everybody!

Been on the forum for years, never really posted. I'm just wondering if anybody has seen this 4Runner around or on the forum. It was my first car and I stupidly sold it back in 2015. Last I saw on the Carfax was that it was over in Boulder City NV.

If anyone has seen it or recognizes it or knows where it is please let me know!

Oh and for the specs - it's a 1998 4Runner SR5 with a 3.4, 5 Speed, 2.5" OME lift kit and Mickey Thompson aluminum wheels. Last I remember it had 265/75/16's on it. It's pretty unique with the black stripe down the side. I've got some more pictures of it somewhere.

Thanks!

bumping for exposure, hope you find it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[willyd520]

bumping for exposure, hope you find it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you!! Appreciate the BUMP!

 

[FD7683]

If the current owner hasn't crashed it I bet it's still around as it's in the desert. Have you tried tracing it to the direct owner by VIN/your old plates other than CARFAX? I know some VIN websites can trace the car to the owner but you have to pay for it - pretty damn creepy if you think about it but I think it "might" work. Hope the owner isn't arrogant if you find him/her :thumb3:

 

[nissanh]

Just like mine but mine is 97 and Auto. If you plan to buy it back, good luck, you'll pay about 3 to 4 times you sold back in 2015. Its a 5 speed and pretty expensive.

I like the simple look of a toyota truck (like yours). Those are tough solid looking from the factory.

 

[turbo8]

I'm in Boulder city, I'll keep an eye out.

 

[WeakSauz]

This is going to sound pretty "stalker-ish", but if you really want to know where it is, run a CarFax (assuming you still have the Vin on you somewhere from the past).

This may show you some recent dealer maintenance (given that the owner didnt do maintenance themselves), it'll show if it got in an accident (totaled, scrapped, etc)

Just a start!

I'm sure if you knew a law enforcement officer, they may have things they can do for running a vin, but it would probably be an improper ask of them/ unethical for them to help you stalk

Best of luck for you to find it!!

 

[Bad Luck]

This is going to sound pretty "stalker-ish", but if you really want to know where it is, run a CarFax (assuming you still have the Vin on you somewhere from the past).

This may show you some recent dealer maintenance (given that the owner didnt do maintenance themselves), it'll show if it got in an accident (totaled, scrapped, etc)

Just a start!

I'm sure if you knew a law enforcement officer, they may have things they can do for running a vin, but it would probably be an improper ask of them/ unethical for them to help you stalk

Best of luck for you to find it!!

I'm pretty sure he already ran a carfax on it

 

[willyd520]

Thank you everybody! So I still had the owner's name and number in my phone from when I sold it, but unfortunately the number has changed and I can't seem to get ahold of a new number.

I'd be happy to pay more for it, I'm guessing by now it would have 230-250k miles on it. When I sold it back in 2017 it had right around 185k IIRC. In case anyone is wondering I sold it for a measly $6,500 back then......what the hell was I thinking?!?

I had every single receipt for that car, and it was my brothers first car and then mine. He drove it for 5 years and then I had it for about 3.5 years. It was a rare bird for sure, being the 5 speed manual but it had the sunroof and every power option.

God I miss it...

 

[willyd520]

Bump! Hoping someone has spotted it!

 

[T4R2014]

If you have his name then you should be able to figure out his address. Internet searches will probably give you old landline numbers. Odds are he cancelled his landline anyway. However, why not just mail a letter? People put more thought into those than they do with a random phone number calling them.

 

[willyd520]

If you have his name then you should be able to figure out his address. Internet searches will probably give you old landline numbers. Odds are he cancelled his landline anyway. However, why not just mail a letter? People put more thought into those than they do with a random phone number calling them.

I unfortunately only had his first name. Tried doing some research on the number and the name to no luck. :sad:

 

[willyd520]

So time for a little update on this - I finally caved in and hired a PI in Las Vegas to track down the owner through the VIN. They were able to find the owners information very quickly and due to privacy laws had to contact them on my behalf to see if they were interested in selling the truck….

And they are!! Picking it up on Saturday in Las Vegas and driving it home Sunday.

It does look a little bit different then when I sold it unfortunately, the previous owner had put on a roof rack for a kayak, bedlined all of the chrome on the bumpers poorly and swapped out my BA Mickey Thompson wheels for some FJ Cruiser ones. Truck now has 230k miles on it, but other than those few things it is exactly the condition I left it in. Here’s an updated pic:

I can’t begin to describe how excited I am to have this back in my life – few things on the list for it:

• Going to rob the ARB bumper off my 04 Tacoma and throw it on
• Ditching the roof rack for a stock one
• Cleaning the rhino liner off of the bumper
• Installing new MT wheels
• Replace all fluids
• New upper and lower ball joints, tie rod ends & anything else the front end needs
• Timing belt
• Valve cover gaskets
• Supercharger…..???!?!

With all this done I should be able to enjoy this rig for a long time and I am NOT letting go of it again.

 

[Bad Luck]

So time for a little update on this - I finally caved in and hired a PI in Las Vegas to track down the owner through the VIN. They were able to find the owners information very quickly and due to privacy laws had to contact them on my behalf to see if they were interested in selling the truck….

And they are!! Picking it up on Saturday in Las Vegas and driving it home Sunday.

It does look a little bit different then when I sold it unfortunately, the previous owner had put on a roof rack for a kayak, bedlined all of the chrome on the bumpers poorly and swapped out my BA Mickey Thompson wheels for some FJ Cruiser ones. Truck now has 230k miles on it, but other than those few things it is exactly the condition I left it in. Here’s an updated pic:

I can’t begin to describe how excited I am to have this back in my life – few things on the list for it:

• Going to rob the ARB bumper off my 04 Tacoma and throw it on
• Ditching the roof rack for a stock one
• Cleaning the rhino liner off of the bumper
• Installing new MT wheels
• Replace all fluids
• New upper and lower ball joints, tie rod ends & anything else the front end needs
• Timing belt
• Valve cover gaskets
• Supercharger…..???!?!

With all this done I should be able to enjoy this rig for a long time and I am NOT letting go of it again.

That's awesome that you found and bought your old 4Runner back! It's hard to tell from the photos but I think that rack might be a Whitson rack. He legally can't make them anymore so it should be worth a decent chunk of change. If I was closer I'd be interested in buying it but shipping that would be insane.

 

[willyd520]

That's awesome that you found and bought your old 4Runner back! It's hard to tell from the photos but I think that rack might be a Whitson rack. He legally can't make them anymore so it should be worth a decent chunk of change. If I was closer I'd be interested in buying it but shipping that would be insane.

Did a quick google search of some other racks and it seems like it is too - I'd keep it but I'm not a roof rack kind of a guy and the stock rails always worked for me for small things!

What would this thing be worth? I honestly was thinking a stock rack + $300 or something like that.

 

[WeakSauz]

Did a quick google search of some other racks and it seems like it is too - I'd keep it but I'm not a roof rack kind of a guy and the stock rails always worked for me for small things!

What would this thing be worth? I honestly was thinking a stock rack + $300 or something like that.

Love that you're getting your truck back!

The whitson racks are awesome-- unfortunate legal clash happened back in 2015 or so between Gobi and Whitson.

Keep in mind this was a $600+ rack in 2012, and anything comparable on the market now is $900++. Could probably do a bit better than 300. Just want you to get a fair price

 

[repo]

Hiring a PI to track down your old 3rd gen is the most awesome thing I've read in ages. I'm getting a proximity 4runner high just thinking about how pumped you're gonna feel being back in the driving seat. Think I'll go sniff some ATF in the garage.

 

[Bad Luck]

Did a quick google search of some other racks and it seems like it is too - I'd keep it but I'm not a roof rack kind of a guy and the stock rails always worked for me for small things!

What would this thing be worth? I honestly was thinking a stock rack + $300 or something like that.

If it's in good shape I'd say $500 would be fair for both parties.

 

[AnotherDude]

Now this is the type of read I needed today! Congratulations. I've only had my 3rd gen a couple years and love it more than any vehicle I've owned to date.

 

[3bears]

nice story and am glad your getting your old rig back. I had a friend who did something similar but with an old land cruiser.

that rack may have been mounted to the roof in such a way that you might have some holes to deal with. I actually like the full racks and will be putting one back on my current rig. I camp a lot and sometimes haul long materials.

I also like the FJ wheels better than the mt you want to put back on. we all have our own taste

but it is neat that you are getting our old rig back.

nice Christmas present for you