Be honest, late 3rd Gen 4Runner a good daily driver?

[animator]

I've owned mine since 2005 or 2006, and it's been to the shop exactly one time for reasons I could not fix (cut wires from a cat theft, they had to rebuild the 02 harness back to the computer). Everything else has been basic maintenance done by me, or occasionally the dealership if I don't have time (one brake job, one battery). Otherwise, it has been completely flawless. I've done the lower ball joints, the timing belt, and the trans cooler mod, so I don't expect any serious catastrophic failures any time soon.

But I'm at that point now where I *do* want a new truck. But I can't justify letting go of a perfect vehicle, so I am keeping it for a while longer. I bought it with the intention of driving it until the wheels fell off, and at 210k, it's got no signs of slowing down any time soon, so I am not planning on selling it. Being in Tx, it's also completely rust free.

I never thought it to be too under-powered until I started driving my wife's challenger. Now I wish it had a v8 in it... but it is what it is. It's fine for what I need, and will probably have it long enough to bring kids home from the hospital in it. For a DD with an occasional wheeling trip, it has been absolutely perfect for my needs.

 

[Lindenwood]

Hey OP there are a lot of great inputs on this thread, however, I don't think any of them directly answer the question you're looking for.

First of all I am the original owner of my 4runner. Purchased in October 2000 and had to wait for it to arrive from Japan. Drove it home with 12 miles on it.
Aside from all of the preventive maintenance and all the other insights from everyone else in this thread here's the skinny.

History From 2000 - 2014

• Since 2000, I have NEVER been left stranded.
• I never had a check engine light.
• Around 2012 or 2013 I had a whoop, whoop, whoop, sound from the drivers side and it turned out to be the rear axle bearing.
• That was all the "unscheduled maintenance" that I had to do
• I've had a 0770 code e-Solenoid for the over-drive in the tranny for about four or five years now. I just keep re-setting it. One day it will crap out on me. (I'm expecting to do a replacement .)

Vehicle was primarily used for coaching (I'm a soccer coach and transport a lot of speed and agility equipment and soccer balls etc with me) camping, utility vehicle for dirt, fertilizer, pvc pipe for sprinklers etc... as I live on acreage, work, and 4WD for the occasional rough winters that we get here in the PNW. Spent most of it's time at trail heads. I did not do any true off-roading. Park and hike.

History From 2014 - Current

• In 2014 I got a knock sensor code with a check engine light.
• No idiot when it comes to wrenching and troubleshooting but this one stifled me.
• That's when I reached out to everyone here on the site.
• Replaced the sensors with OEM the KS code went away.
• I got an intermittent 420 code for catalytic inefficiency and replaced both O2 sensors, MAF, filter etc. It didn't fix it but slowed it down.
• Ended up being somewhere in my exhaust because after I changed my exhaust system last year it never returned. Probably the upstream catalytic converter.

Post lift Issues

• Torn inner CV boot - no surprise there.
• Still resetting the 0770 code every so often
• No codes
• Picking up a bit of pinging every now and then but I think it's just bad gas. Lukas and higher octane and it goes away.

So there's a 16 year snapshot on the reliability of the 3rd gen. I have 350,000 miles. As a coach I've been all over Washington State, out to Boise, California, and Oregon. Just did the WABDR post lift without hesitation. Heading to Az in May for the Overland Expo, Zion, Grand Canyon etc and then plan on doing the OBDR in July.

What you need to do is try and do a side-by-side comparison with apples-to-apples. If you can find an original owner in a 2001 Tahoe, Yukon, Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, Escape and any other SUV in a similar price range that 's where you get a true assessment of the reliability of the vehicle.

Be forewarned - you first have to find one with 350,000 miles on it. good LUCK!

I'll echo what some of the guys have already told you but also add my own .02. IF I wasn't an original owner I would NOT have bought a 3rd gen to build up for "overlanding" and offroading the way I WANT to. I would have bought an LC. However, it makes absolutely NO sense for me to do that with a great platform already sitting in my garage.

Now if you're wanting to compare reliability with other vehicles different generations then that 's a different story.

Final Thoughts
Read through this forum and DO YOUR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE! There are things that go catastrophically bad on this generation with higher mileage and you MUST be proactive! Read, read, read. You will learn a LOT by just reading this forum.

• Transmission failures
• Lower ball joint failures
• Rear axle seals
• Front axle bearings
• Radiator failures
• Steering rack failures
• Torque Converters
• Stuck in 4WD
• Head gaskets and cracked heads
• ABS

Some of those items above WILL leave you stranded and can be costly. There's your homework. Research the above ^^^.

All the other stuff is typical of any old car, bushings, suspension components like ITRE, OTREs, gear oil, filters, fuel pump, bla bla bla.

Unfortunately I have NO OTHER vehicle to compare this one to as I've NEVER kept any of my vehicles longer then a few years. The ones that I've owned did give me problems but never left me stranded.

The scariest time for me was in my 1970 Trans Am making a run after midnight from North Carolina (Stationed in Goldsboro) back home to New York for the weekend. Got stranded on the loop in DC at 0,dark hundred popping open the hood with sandpaper filing the points and gapping to a matchbook. Old school dual ignition, points condenser type folks will know exactly what I'm talking about.

One other time I was left stranded. AMC CJ7 Renegade with a 304 (V-8). Stationed in Tucson. Did some crawling in Mt Lemon, returned and just finished installing a flex fan and a new four core radiator. Ready to hit the tanque verde wash. I was hauling until....whop, whop, whop, bang bang. "What the hell?" Helps to finish the job before you head out. Forgot to secure the radiator.

Anyway, you won't go wrong, but it's an old rig and you will need to do mtx. If you lift it, expect to do more "unscheduled" maintenance. Hope this sheds a bit of light on the lifetime expectancy of a 3rd gen. Find one with the lowest possible mileage you can get for a reasonable price. Good Luck.

Thanks for that excellent post! I wrote down my assignment for later .

I'm seeing too much of the same thing here, so I'm gonna play devils advocate, and be very honest about a few gripes I have. Call me wimpy or butt hurt or whatever. But read my points first.

I would say the third gen is not a great choice for a daily driver, DEPENDING on what type of driving you mainly do. Of course everything is relative to what else you've driven. Here are my reasons.

- Gas mileage is poor
- Seats are on the stiff side for long drives
- The suspension is antiquated and ride is rough. It's pretty harsh on a bad city road
- Creature comfort's are limited, at least compared to newer vehicles
- Road noise and wind noise are fairly loud
- Stock brakes are not strong enough for the weight of the truck
- you're basically driving a box, so when it's windy out the truck thinks it's a sail boat
- It's underpowered

People who think the 3rd gen is sufficiently powered are delusional, have never driven another vehicle, or have never tried driving one at 6000+ feet on a windy day. Looks like you live in Florida so it might not affect you as much, but around here at higher elevation it's just way too underpowered. When I drive up to the local mountains I have to keep o/d off to keep the revs way up or else deal with constant shifting. Honestly, I don't like driving the truck up the pass.

I currently live at home with my parents (not because I want to, but because I got really sick about two years ago and had to move back home and I'm still trying to recover). I drive my moms 05 Accord frequently when going to my appointments in Denver. The thought of having to drive my 4runner on the highway at 75 mph and constantly having to brake quickly in Denver traffic is unnerving. I hop in the accord and everything is just so much easier, faster, and more comfortable. Highway driving back in Wisconsin where the elevation is lower and the roads are flatter and the wind doesn't blow 100 miles an hour was no concern. But driving on the highway here is a completely different experience.

I should also add that I have had an untraceable vibration since I bought my truck, which makes me avoid the highway. If I could get that worked out it would be bearable.

All that being said, I still love my 3rd gen and would have a hard time getting rid of it. There are a lot of great things about it, most of which have been mentioned

Thanks for the honest response . I plan on replacing or upgrading a good chunk of the suspension components, and am already liking the idea of the TBU, so hopefully that will help!

I am actually moving to NM next year and will be doing a lot of my drivibg at or above 4,000 ft. But, I was already expecting to go up to 4.56s and this information might just move that up. Still, I drove a 2010 Honda Fit for the last 6 years until trading it toward the TRDP, and then took over from the wife on the Civic. I drive pretty modestly and generally focus on hypermiling more than peppiness. I never once had to take its 109hp 1.5L above 4500rpm at half throttle to merge into traffic or whatever, even on aggressive highway ramps, so I am overall not particularly worried about peppy acceleration .

Thanks again!

Stock yes, it's a fine daily driver for anyone, just keep in mind it's an old truck. The design on these trucks and motors is 20+ years old.

It's not "underpowered" really, everything else just got fast in the last 20 years. A new Camaro V6 will do 0-60 in 5.1 seconds, a stock Twin Turbo Supra was only slightly faster at 4.6 seconds... One was the king of the streets, the other is a pretty common car. That said, I don't have a problem jumping out into a reasonable gap in traffic in mine which weighs close to 5,200 pounds. I wouldn't be pulling into a gap any smaller in a Camaro because I don't drive like that...

The braking isn't great stock but it's not bad either. With the TBU it's amazing. My truck stops great even with all the weight. After driving an 03 Yukon XL the other week mine seems to stop telepathically.

When you start modding them they can start to become less ideal for DD duty, but if it's something you enjoy then it's worth it. I don't get great gas mileage, but it's not that bad either. (15-16 city/17-19 highway) It's not the most comfortable ride, but it's not that bad either (lift and LT tires). It doesn't have air conditioned seats and lane sensing blah blah blah, but I don't need those things.

It's worth it to me to drive a truck that I like, I enjoy driving, and is one of a kind. Walking out to my truck is great, I wouldn't get the same feeling walking out to a 2012 Civic.

So as long as you accept it for what it is and don't complain about things it wasn't meant to be it's a fantastic DD stock or modded like mine. Walking out to mine the other day I got two compliments in 10 seconds. One from a guy who was taking a picture of the truck and another who had just hopped out of a stock 4th gen. That makes you feel pretty good too.

The reliability is great too. Mine has never left me stranded. The only things I've "had" to replace that weren't preventative maintenance or something I broke were rear axle seal and bearing, transfer case output shaft seal, front diff seal, valve cover gaskets, alternator, and the rubber accordian tube for the intake. That's over 60k miles, and I may have caused the alternator failure with some soupy mud water. That was the only thing that could have left me "stranded", but it gave warning signs, like the horrid noise it started making and therefore did not leave me stranded.

If money really isn't an issue I'd spend the extra cash and get the lowest mileage one you can find. Maybe 120k or so? Then do the maintenance it needs, upgrades it needs (TBU, tranny cooler, LBJs, etc.) and mod from there.

Just my opinion, take it with a grain of salt just like everyone elses. Do what you feel is best.

Thanks for the suggestions!

I have always enjoyed cars, but had forgotten what it is like being in a car people admire until getting the Quicksand TRDP. Probably once a week my wife sees people taking pictures of it at stoplights, and she gets respectfully cat-called ("I love you!" and "you're amazing!") with about the same frequency at gas stations and in parking lots when people see her interacting with it . And then there I go the other direction, most days, in the Civic.... :/ . So, I get a toy too! I always told myself I was over tying my self esteem to a vehicle, but turns out if it allows you to do stuff that you enjoy (offroading, overlanding, etc), what's the harm if it also happens to make you smile walking up to it .


Thanks everyone!

 

[T4R2014]

- It's underpowered

People who think the 3rd gen is sufficiently powered are delusional, have never driven another vehicle, or have never tried driving one at 6000+ feet on a windy day. Looks like you live in Florida so it might not affect you as much, but around here at higher elevation it's just way too underpowered. When I drive up to the local mountains I have to keep o/d off to keep the revs way up or else deal with constant shifting. Honestly, I don't like driving the truck up the pass.

This one always gets me. I've driven 6 and 8 cylinder BMW 5 series variants. I've driven various Porsche 911s. I've driven a few supercars. I just know what I need to expect from a vehicle in relation to its class and time period.

Obviously there are old supercars that would have the living daylights beaten out of them by a 2017 V6 Camry. But does that mean they are slow? No. Those figures were relevant when it was new, but not anymore. You have to enjoy it for what it is. A 3rd gen is very much adequately powered for a midsize, 6-cylinder SUV that was released in 1996. A 4th gen is very much adequate for the changes in SUV demands in the early 2000s. A 2nd gen 4Runner? You were lucky to have a V6 SUV in the late 80s that could hit 60 in 12 seconds. They were supposed to be slow. It's all relative and obviously a mid 90s V6 Japanese SUV is not what fits your criteria.

 

[poleclimber63]

The question is whether a vehicle with 100k on all the critical seals and hoses is more reliable on a daily basis (or even for traveling) than a vehicle with all new said components but which still has 200k miles on the major powertrain components, and everything on down to the door locks and windshield wipers.

I think this is definitely where overall factory build wuality plays a big role. Most every breakdown I have ever had was from some relatovely cheap and easily-replaceable component failing (thermostats, hoses, etc). So, if the vehicles major components are built to last, then I tend to land on the side of "spend a bit every now and then on preventative maintenance, and your vehicle will get you wherever you need to go, when you need or want to." But, I would feel a lot less confident going this route with a lot of other vehicles.

So, really, the thing I am hoping to confirm is whether my above assessment of 4runner build quality is accurate. Again, I am fairly confident it is, but I just want to get some additional perspective .

You desire a confirmation as to whether your above assessment of 4runner build quality is accurate... well, it is one of the best overall designed and engineered SUV's on the road, in my opinion. Every vehicle requires maintainence, and 4Runners are no exception. Grandma's advice: "...An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure..." is so true!

I replaced my 99 Suburban with a 98 4Runner. The 99 Suburban was ready for the wreckers, despite only having 150k km= 95k mi, everything was starting to fail--- windows, doors, electrical, drivetrain, transmission and brakes etc. I maintained it at least as well as my 4Runner, I did plenty of preventative maintenance as well as repairs, but I just couldn't afford it when the tranny started to fail. It was the most expensive vehicle to own, I've even had. It was a pig to work on. I often felt that various items on the truck were placed as an afterthought. The connectors were cheap, and most connectors and clips were "one use". This truck was amazingly delicate, considering its size. I was reluctant to take the family anywhere in it, as I was never sure if we'd make it home again!

My 4Runner, on the other hand, has never let me down. I've driven it everywhere, rough trips off-road and long, without so much as a hiccup. Yes, I've had repairs, such as a rear axle seal ($200) and a rod failure (engine $1800-- this was significantly cheaper to repair than the rear end failure in my Suburban at $2500), but it never left me stranded--- it was a case feeling or observing something was off. I've done several upgrades and performed plenty of maintenance and I wouldn't hesitate to jump in it right now and drive 1000miles without a concern. I've never had an electrical problem, window failure, power locks, drive-train (with the exception of the axle seal and engine) or any other issue, in my 5 yrs of ownership. I see no end, at this point.

As far as I'm concerned, I'd look for the truck in the best condition, with NO rust, and balance this with the mileage and asking price. Another important issue would be maintenance records. Mileage would be secondary. The average yearly mileage is 15K, with a 2000 truck thats 255K mi! If you find one with 100k mi, that's less than 6k mi a year--- I'd be somewhat worried about that, if the owner could show that it wasn't stored for long periods--- that's almost harder on a vehicle than being driven the average. So, ideally, if one could find a truck with less than 200k, in good shape that's been maintained, you're pretty much assured of getting a solid truck that will last--- with continued maintenance.

Hope these first-hand observations help.

 

[duke808]

2wd guy here. Bought mine so I could take it on dirt roads and sleep in it (camp almost every weekend). I don't do any crazy off roading. Previously had a 09 BMW 3'er which wasn't cutting it for weekends.

I don't regret buying it, but I have had to put money into it. New LBJs, waterpump/tstat/timing belt, some other belts, (1) LCA, all new suspension, new driveshaft. It runs great now, no problems. I get 21 or so MPG on freeway. I personally enjoy it and will likely keep this car forever, but do plan on getting another sedan in a year or two for DD. I've put 14k on it in six months.

Def get 4wd if you plan on going off road. It wasn't a priority with mine, and I picked mine up for $3500 w/ 95k. Could not turn down the miles. Good luck, you'll likely love a 3rd gen : )

 

[Lindenwood]

Thanks again for the continued, very motivating responses. I will be out of the country for another month, but the wife is going to put the civic up for sale in the next couple of days! Then we will pick one up shortly after I get home.

Sigh. I had stuffed all my tools and equipment (welding tanks, an air compressor, and even my 700lb mill) into a cute little workspace in one corner of my garage. This was easy with the space around the tiny Honda Fit I was driving when I set it all up a year ago. It is definitely going to be a tight fit with the 2nd 4runner, though! Thankfully the house we are going to build starting this fall will have a whole third bay for me to play in .

 

[White Stripe]

99 and 2000 are the bet years in my opinion. You can get the multimode tcase and locker. You also avoid the electronic controlled transmission that doesn't last as long that came in 01. You also avoid the electronic brakes that came in 01.

 

[Lindenwood]

Thanks for the heads up! I knew the 01s got some drivetrain "upgrades," though I hadnt read that they were potentially more problematic. I will dig further into it. However, realistically I am not looking for an e-locker because the end goal is to add gears and ARBs.

 

[Rock_Rat]

16 years in an 01. No problems. MTX history is key.

 

[Milo Sporeman]

Bought mine new in 2000. Was my dd until 2015. I'm a Realtor and used it in my business. My two boys drove it, it was on the beach a lot and made many long distance trips. This is by far the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. Currently has 315,000 miles, doesn't burn oil, and still gets 18 to 20 mpg. My only complaint is not enough hp.

 

[Bigmd]

I'm from NJ and bought my 2002 in 2014 with 154000 on it. I knew nothing about these trucks up until then. It now has 180000. It's my first Japanese auto. I have had a lot of mustangs in my life and even a supercharged Grand Prix GTP. The truck is fine for a dd but like others have said its an old truck and to me it's a bit underpowered. I had a small lift and a heavy rim / tire combo and it ruined the drive ability for a dd. acceleration suffered and my front end wore out. I redid it last winter with new bushings and bilsteins all around. Went back to factory size tire. I wanted neither v8 rear drive car i could cruise, so over the summer I picked up a super clean low mileage 04 Grand Marquis. Was gonna sell the Toyota but I have a lot into it and its really clean inside. I decided to keep it. It's my bad weather around town vehicle. To me it's the last of the "real" trucks. Manual transfer case and chrome bumpers. Yeah it rides rough but that's the charm of it.

 

[T4R2014]

99 and 2000 are the bet years in my opinion. You can get the multimode tcase and locker. You also avoid the electronic controlled transmission that doesn't last as long that came in 01. You also avoid the electronic brakes that came in 01.

Electronic controlled transmission? What? The 01-02 A340Fs usually suffer from planetary gear or torque converter failure, but this is more related to lack of maintenance than design. Yes, it's weaker than an earlier transmission, but if you are diligent with maintenance then it lasts just as long. They just don't handle abuse as well.

Also, 01-02 gets 4 channel ABS vs 3 channel on earlier ones. If anything, you get multimode without a stupid automatic climate control system.

 

[White Stripe]

Electronic controlled transmission? What? The 01-02 A340Fs usually suffer from planetary gear or torque converter failure, but this is more related to lack of maintenance than design. Yes, it's weaker than an earlier transmission, but if you are diligent with maintenance then it lasts just as long. They just don't handle abuse as well.

Also, 01-02 gets 4 channel ABS vs 3 channel on earlier ones. If anything, you get multimode without a stupid automatic climate control system.

Yea they tend to wear the clutch packs more and they tend to where out at lesser mileage than the older ones. With the older transmissions u can crank down the kickdown cable and get firmer shifts which is especially handy with forced induction.

 

[Lindenwood]

Sold the civic! Goodbye 42mpg, hello sweet rig!

I've got online carts chock full of goodies... now just need a vehicle to put them on . We are looking for ideally a 2002, and toying with a few offers now.

Thanks again for all the info!

 

[ltsr]

Sold the civic! Goodbye 42mpg, hello sweet rig!

I've got online carts chock full of goodies... now just need a vehicle to put them on . We are looking for ideally a 2002, and toying with a few offers now.

Thanks again for all the info!

Congrats on selling it. I was in a similar situation as you. I had a nice 35mpg+ honda accord but sold it and got myself an 01. We're both alike that we find the need to tinker with our cars. Good luck on the search and keep us updated on your findings in this thread.

 

[Unner]

Let us know what you get and start a build thread for her too!

 

[JayRolla]

Yea they tend to wear the clutch packs more and they tend to where out at lesser mileage than the older ones. With the older transmissions u can crank down the kickdown cable and get firmer shifts which is especially handy with forced induction.

The shifts are not firmer the trans just kicks down earlier. I just did this over the weekend.

 

[Jhelms]

01 and 02 daily drivers. Maintained very well WAY above normal standards. Mine is passing 260K and wife's is passing 240K. Both shift and drive as new. Hers an 02 SR5 (my preference, no digital climate control or frills) and mine an 01 limited.

Both see at least 300 miles a week of in city use and I tow a small 6x12 trailer often.

I owned a 98 limited previously, my preference is the 01-02 for my use. Both are geared better than my 98 for highway use / much lower freeway RPM. Also, with very well maintained and adjusted brakes - trac has impressed me several times. Not as much as a locker but for my use which is camping, trails, creek beds and desert sand / mud it has never let me down. And I keep my turning radius over a locker. In short, great for what I do and local landscape.

 

[White Stripe]

The shifts are not firmer the trans just kicks down earlier. I just did this over the weekend.

I noticed a major difference on mine. It actually bucks when it shifts. Before I did that it shifted smooth.

 

[JayRolla]

I noticed a major difference on mine. It actually bucks when it shifts. Before I did that it shifted smooth.

I dont see how it could make a trans shift firmer when all it does is tell the trans when to kick down. Maybe I misunderstand how it works. Tightening it should just make it kick down sooner. We have done full pressure line mods on other autos for more firm shifts.