Buyers advice, please help

[dwilliamson3]

So im in the search for a new car, my current ride (a volvo wagon) was handed down and is comming up on the end of its road. Im very interested in getting a 3rd gen 4runner. Now, what i need help with is should i try to find a decent deal with my financial predicament? im a fulltime student, and my budget is about 4500, not much at all i know. Ive done a little research so far and have heard that the 3.4L V6 runners are pretty reliable and the engines last a long time if taken care of properly. Would i be able to find something that will last me years? im looking to get a 4runner if its something ill have enough time to be able to learn on and put work into, as well as use for my daily driver without worrying about it crapping out on me. Everything ive seen so far in my price range appears to be fair? (online so thats without inspection) condition, with high (190K +) miles. Is it worth it? Should i accept that i wont be able to afford a quality 4runner at this time in my life?? advice welcome!!

Note* i really like the 4runner body style, interior, and back space. I have a dog which i dont want on the seats of my vehicle so i was hoping to find a small/mid suv, truck, or wagon to accommodate my pal. The 4runner seems like a good choice seeing as its got the space as well as enough room for friends, and id also like to try some (mild) off roading

 

[MN4runnerman]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82033-3rd-gen-4runner-buyers-guide.html

Best purchase I've ever made which is why I bought 2. Just continue to search the classifieds and craigslist for one that seems worth it to you. It took me 8 months of searching before my sport popped up and I pulled the trigger on it. My 99 that I bought about a month ago was a more holy crap its a 5 speed I gotta have one purchase. It needed a lot of maintenance but it was worth it