Buying advice

[Yellowknifer]

I'm considering puchasing a 2000 4Runner Limited with 52,000 miles on am not familiar with these vehicles. Are there specific things that I should be focusing on in terms of pre-purchase inspection and/or maintenance issues?
(I did a search to see if this question had already been addressed and couldn't find anything).
thanks

 

[elemint]

If more than 60k miles ask if the timing belt was changed. If all the fluids have been changed as needed you should have nothing to worry about. 100k on a 3rd gen T4R is like a new car.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

Timing belt changes are due at 90k on 3rd gens.

 

[elemint]

That is what I thought, but when i went to the dealer the mechanic showed me otherwise.

Timing belt changes are due at 90k on 3rd gens.

 

[ebelen1]

That is what I thought, but when i went to the dealer the mechanic showed me otherwise.

They're only 60k on the 4-cylinder models.

 

[pat161]

60k on 4 cylinder what? 4 cylinder 4Runners have a timing chain which has no scheduled change, could last the life of the vehicle. I think the confusion is that on the early 3.4 Toyota recomended 60 or 65k and upped the mileage in later years.

 

[peter78]

I see there is a bit of confusion on when to change timing belts. When I first bought my 4Runner the dealer said 60,000 miles on the timing belt, only to find the manual says 90,000 miles.

It is my understanding that the first 3rd generation model (1996) recommended 60,000 miles on the timing belt. My 2001 model Toyota recommended 90,000 miles. So, it is fair to say the recommendation changed somewhere between 1996 to 2001. My best guess would be 1999.

The 2.7 4 cyl. was (is) indeed a timing chain. I say (is) since Toyota is still making the 2.7 for other current models. They did make variable timing on the new engines. Still a great engine.