Considering 2nd gen 4Runner

C

Cerpin TaxT

New member
hey guys,

for a while now i have been considering buying a second gen 4runner, but there is a lot about them i dont know. im looking to get one to daily drive and to double as something i can use when i go camping. im not new to working on my car and i have plenty of friends to lend a hand when it comes to DIY work.

are there any problems that i should be aware of?

any problematic years?

should i worry about higher mileage cars? i know that toyotas are pretty bullet proof.

thanks in advance.

Matt
 
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While the 3.0 is anemic and prone to HG problems, if you find a 3.0 Runner you like and can verify the HG recall was done (if needed), don't rule it out.

With any Toyota truck frame rust can be an issue (depending on where you live), check the frame thoroughly.

For either engine find out when the timing belt/chain was last replaced.
 
Don't worry about the mileage, as long as the truck was taken car of and there are no problems with rust.
I am approaching 300,000 on original drive train (3.0l v6 w/ 5spd) and this truck was not babied - My brother had it before me, and he is very hard on vehicles (Cotton Consultant = many miles on rough/dirt/gravel/dusty/muddy roads). When he purchased the truck @189,000mi it had Q78 Buckshot Mudders which are some "Heavy Duty" 35.5" mud tires, so I bet the other owner didn't go easy on the truck either. BTW- This is my daily driver.

However, I did just have to replace the Head Gasket and did not enjoy performing all the work required to complete the job. The area under the hood gets very cramped with the v6 in it.

To me the ideal 2nd gen 4runner is a 4cyl w/ 5spd trans.
 
A 2nd gen. would be great for a daily driver and to go camping in.
they are nice trucks if you can get around the fact that they are somewhat slow. I love the huge sunroof and the back window that rolls down. in the summer you can open up all sides of the car. cargo area is rather large. and you can go on whatever road you would like to because its a 4Runner.
 
not to detour you...but i have had 3.0 liter with vo6 headgasket recall completed starting to show up in the shop..if that doesn't stop you maybe the lack of power will...if that doesn't maybe the poor gas milage. I would rather have the first gen. 4runner with a v6...same lack of power...same milage.. but not as much headgasket problems..(I could never figure that out....does anyone else notice that the older v6 didn't have as much problem..)

or jump up to the 3 gen. 4run. ..better all around motor.
 
thanks for all the info guys its exactly what i wanted to know. im still finalizing all my finances, but this wont be too far off.

rust isnt really a major issue here in so cal, i just dont want something that was terribly neglected. i made that mistake with my current car and have spent many hours getting it back into a better state.

how would you go about verifying if the car had been recalled for the head issues?
 
Cerpin TaxT said:


how would you go about verifying if the car had been recalled for the head issues?
Click to expand...

Get the VIN and check with a dealer.

The HG recall only applied if the vehicle had the problem (blown HG). Not all 3.0's blew a HG, so if a vehicle doesn't show up as having the work done it isn't a big issue, just nice to know if it was and one less worry.
 
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blown or not the vo6 head gasket recall replaced any 4runner within vin range. so they are a good buy i guess... if you can find a clean one. ...you can also ask the dealer to check the vin if its been done...they will even tell you when and where it was repaired.
 
blown or not the vo6 head gasket recall replaced any 4runner within vin range. so they are a good buy i guess... if you can find a clean one. ...you can also ask the dealer to check the vin if its been done...they will even tell you when and where it was repaired.

also ask the deal if they replaced the shortblock or head during the recall that would be nice to know to.
 
are parts expensive when it comes down to replacing things?

my friend has an AE86 corolla and the parts for that thing are more expensive then parts ive ordered from the stealership for my BMW.

i might be comparing apples to oranges though.
 
I just bought my 91 v6 about 2 weeks ago, and I love it...though, it does lack power and I drive about 25 miles on the highway to work, and it get's about 15 mpg if I stay around 60-65 mph...anything more than that and I drop to about 12 mpg. I got lucky on mine, only 137000 miles, one owner, old lady, never been offroad. this thing is like brand new...
 
I just bought a 93 with 104k on it with a blown headgasket. I bought the Toyota gasket kit, installed new shocks and fixed the antenna mast. I was going to sell it but I really enjoy driving it. It does lack in power and gas mileage but still a fun truck to drive.
 
make sure when you check the vin at the dealership to see if they have any other recalls on it

right after i got mine i took it to the dealership and they did a bunch of recalls on it
 
love my 2nd gen

I bought a 91 4runner with 185,000 miles on it, from the original owner who babied this thing. Like new. Only repairs are things that naturally just go, like axles and alternators...
 
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