Considering buying this 2002 Limited with Lockers

[Jubsz]

also, dont take a dealers word for anything....get the vin and run a car fax on it...but even that can be misleading.....Ive seen cars that were selling as "limiteds" that were not. I seen one that still had the locker switch on dash...being sold that way....yet locker rear end had been replaced with a non locker at some point.. and ive seen car fax that said minor damage, listing only a bumper, tail light and tailgate...when looking at it hard.....it had been hit a whole lot harder and a lot more than that replaced. like spliced in a rear quarter panel , new rear window ( what caught me was the missing antenna in that window) and the fender well inside had wrinkles you could feel through the carpet.
If your new to 4runners,,,get a good independent guy to look at it.

Definitely agree to not trust dealers or car fax wholesale. Car fax is a good tool but is imperfect. Good mechanics can be great but again, these things are old and will require some stuff. I think you'll need to account for a budget to baseline every wear item you don't have a record for. All fluids, the rad, lower ball joints, etc.

Seeing your post about it being a forever car and you really want a 3rd gen... If that's true, I think it's worth holding out for the 99-00 limited. Though they aren't available every day, a clean 99-00 with 200k will come up in that price range if you remain patient. 99 is when the interior was updated which made a huge difference IMO. 01 is when the electronic crap was introduced and I think the weaker transmission planetary gear design, which I don't understand, as well. For those reasons, the 99-00 is desired. Clean is a priority but if you have some time and money, I'm pretty sure there are well over 100k 99-00 4runners out there and you'll find one.

I love the 3rd gen design. It was also my first vehicle and I have nostalgia for it. If I were in the market right now, I'd probably be purchasing a v8 4th gen. The power and towing capability would be nice while still not being way too large.

 

[T4topher]

The rear diff lock was not exclusive to Limited trims only, but the last year for that factory option was 2000.

But was the awd/center diff lock specific to limiteds? (4wd push button j shift tcase)

 

[TheSaturnV]

At 11k I'd walk away just based on the price. OR step up to a 4th Gen.

Isn't that a step down? :flamethrwoer2:

Triple down on the radiator. I would pull the dipstick and see if that stuff has gone milky. The top of my rad was nice and black but underneath one of the hoses was that same green tinge and that area shattered in my hands.

That thing is about to blow.

 

[Bad Luck]

But was the awd/center diff lock specific to limiteds? (4wd push button j shift tcase)

Center diff lock is only on 99-00 Limited's. 96-98 Limited's had a electric actuated transfer case, but it didn't have a 4HI in addition to 4HI locked. All 01-02 4wd 4Runner's have a center diff lock, but the transfer case lever in those only changes high/low range.

Edit: I wasn't implying that your earlier comment about 99-00 Limited's was wrong or incorrect. I just wanted to make sure the OP knew that he didn't have to look for a Limited to get a factory rear locker.

 

[3bears]

But was the awd/center diff lock specific to limiteds? (4wd push button j shift tcase)

my 01 is an SR-5 and has the awd/center diff....but is not a j shift, its a straight line... but I beleive the 99 & 00 limiteds were j shift and awd/center diff lock....could be wrong

 

[HiLife]

The top of my rad was nice and black but underneath one of the hoses was that same green tinge and that area shattered in my hands.

That thing is about to blow.

That's crazy! What would cause something like that? It's limited to where the hose makes contact with the plastic. Chemical reaction??
Are the radiator and hose aftermarket?

 

[02_SE_Runner_DAD]

One thing I found out about our '02 is when a light bulb is out the cruise control won't work(crazy I know).

 

[TheSaturnV]

That's crazy! What would cause something like that? It's limited to where the hose makes contact with the plastic. Chemical reaction??
Are the radiator and hose aftermarket?

Dunno. That was the original radiator and probably a supply house hose. I'm wondering if was possibly the focused heat from the hose. If it was chemical from my choice of coolant then there should have been widespread damage to the rest of the plastic.

In fact, I've since cut the upper and lower tanks off and then the lower one in half. The plastic was still in fantastic condition.

 

[raincoyote]

I bought this rig!!!

Thread here!

 

[Chim]

I have mine listed local to you for $16,500 and has thousands more into it than that one!!

 

[Bassturd]

I would also be concerned about the flashing transfer case light you mentioned in your negatives section. Was that when you tried to lock the central diff lock or engage 4H or 4L?