In the next month, I will be purchasing my first toyota for 2500. It is a 84 4Runner with 220xxx miles. Just rebuilt engine. Paint is about 5/10, interior 3/10 (seats are shot). I realize this is an older suv with high miles, but I've always wanted a toyota truck or suv, so this seemed like to good of a deal to pass up. I wont be rock climbing or doing any heavy mudding, just taking it off road once a week probably. Im fairly knowledgeable about automobiles (work at Tire Kingdom). What should I look into as far as upgrades? I know I will need seats, rear mail seal should be done soon, and possibly shocks, but is there anything else I should do? I make about 400 extra dollars a month 500 . Thanks for any advice.
First Yota
- Thread starter Trevs_4X4
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Bad_Vision
Moderator
first off thats too much!!!
if it has that many miles and its a fixer upper then you want to spend about 1,000 or less.
you can find these suvs all day long for 1000, for 2500 you can get one in great shape.
get us pictures and dont buy it yet we can help.
also make sure you give us your location someone might have a better one for sale near you!
if it has that many miles and its a fixer upper then you want to spend about 1,000 or less.
you can find these suvs all day long for 1000, for 2500 you can get one in great shape.
get us pictures and dont buy it yet we can help.
also make sure you give us your location someone might have a better one for sale near you!
I live in columbia south carolina. I thought this was a decent deal. It has had a rebuilt trans and a just rebuilt engine. Its not a beater, it runs fine, just has things that need replacing in the near future that I thought weren't so bad, but apparently its a bigger deal than I thought?
Bad_Vision
Moderator
if it has the 22r motor the 4cyl it had to have something go wrong in order to have it rebuilt like he was beating on it.
the 22r motor is known for 500,000 miles befor it has no compression to run anymore then it gets rebuilt.
Its not a good deal, the repair bill is what he is trying to get out of it not the truck, you get what im saying?
?1. does this guy have all the reciepts for the "work" it had done?
?2. can it drive down the road right now and make a 2000 mile trip?
PRO's
solid axle front
old school
CON'S
Needs love
motor was rebuilt at half life
auto tranny?
high priced.
the 22r motor is known for 500,000 miles befor it has no compression to run anymore then it gets rebuilt.
Its not a good deal, the repair bill is what he is trying to get out of it not the truck, you get what im saying?
?1. does this guy have all the reciepts for the "work" it had done?
?2. can it drive down the road right now and make a 2000 mile trip?
PRO's
solid axle front
old school
CON'S
Needs love
motor was rebuilt at half life
auto tranny?
high priced.
Man. trans. The guy used to be my service manager here but he got transferred to another store down the road. He had it for 2 years and is selling it because he just had his second baby. All the work he's had done is in the comoanies database because that's where he's had all the work done.
Bad_Vision
Moderator
unless he has a pysical copy for you to look at including the list of parts they used to rebuild the engine, it is not a good idea any time someone says they had work done if they don have the reciept then it didnt get done! and just because some place has it in there data base doesnt mean jack, you need to see the list of all the parts they replaced and when it was done and what did it cost.
there are many levels of rebuilding a engine, the top half of the engine is a common rebuild shops will just re ring the pistons and then rebuild the heads. this is a base rebuild, and does not cover a lot of the bearings that can lead to full engine sieze.
its your money do with as you will but im going to tell you straight out right now that the numbers just dont add up he is trying to make as much money off it as he can, tell him its only worth 1200 that a fare price for that i think.
if he takes it your good if not find a different truck.
there are many levels of rebuilding a engine, the top half of the engine is a common rebuild shops will just re ring the pistons and then rebuild the heads. this is a base rebuild, and does not cover a lot of the bearings that can lead to full engine sieze.
its your money do with as you will but im going to tell you straight out right now that the numbers just dont add up he is trying to make as much money off it as he can, tell him its only worth 1200 that a fare price for that i think.
if he takes it your good if not find a different truck.
the_dingman
New member
No offense, but no.
The 22R is a highly reliable engine, and will often get to 300k + with proper maintenance, however 500k without at least needing a new head gasket is, at the very least, unlikely.
There is a possibility that the PO simply decided to rebuild due to high mileage, to have better comfort in reliability, or to do the small amount of extra work on top of the head gasket.
I will say that I agree that $2,500 is too much for an '84 without a perfect body and interior, even with a recently rebuilt engine (does he have paperwork to prove the rebuild, including re-torquing the head)?
Bad_Vision
Moderator
even if you have the reciept in hand im still not sure its worth that, unless the engine was bored out and new rods pistons and the head was totally re done would i consider it for that much.
Lets try this again and see if it sinks in this time.
IF YOU DONT SEE THE LIST OF PARTS THAT WERE REBUILT NEW OR USED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS "REBUILT" THEN DONT BUY IT!
like i said there are many stages of rebuild and you have no idea what was done when the engine was "rebuilt" (i hate that word, its never true) here is a list of things you need to make sure are new on the labor/parts sheet
Full engine rebuild (NEW ON ALL)
1. main bearings
2. cam bearings
3. block cylinder honed
4. piston rings
5. piston oil control rings
6. cylinder head shaved
7. oil and colant passages acid cleaned.
8. valves
9. valve seals.
10. camshaft grinded
11. rotating assembly balanced
12. warranty.
13-50 gaskets, seals, misc. bearings, timing chain all the other crap.
if it does not have a warrany or had a warranty it was not fully rebuilt.
Lets try this again and see if it sinks in this time.
IF YOU DONT SEE THE LIST OF PARTS THAT WERE REBUILT NEW OR USED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS "REBUILT" THEN DONT BUY IT!
like i said there are many stages of rebuild and you have no idea what was done when the engine was "rebuilt" (i hate that word, its never true) here is a list of things you need to make sure are new on the labor/parts sheet
Full engine rebuild (NEW ON ALL)
1. main bearings
2. cam bearings
3. block cylinder honed
4. piston rings
5. piston oil control rings
6. cylinder head shaved
7. oil and colant passages acid cleaned.
8. valves
9. valve seals.
10. camshaft grinded
11. rotating assembly balanced
12. warranty.
13-50 gaskets, seals, misc. bearings, timing chain all the other crap.
if it does not have a warrany or had a warranty it was not fully rebuilt.
niteman
New member
I'll have to jump on the bandwagon here on the too much $$. I may be new to 4runners, but I'm not new to cars/trucks. For that kind of money a first gen should have very good interior and body plus a good engine and tranny. No offense but it sounds like the guy, however well you may know him, is taking advantage of the fact that he knows you want the truck. I'd offer him $1500 - $1700 on the high side. Keep in mind that you can find these trucks in ok shape without looking too hard for that price. I paid $4K for a a 94 in true mint condition with 111K miles on it. The math just doesnt add up for this truck man.
Not to be a total noob, but I was wrong about a few things. Its an 88, not an 84. He had the engine bored, resleeved, new pistons. The interiors not trashed, just 2 cracks in the dash, and seats are tearing along the seams (cloth interior). Also only had 203xxx. Again sorry to sound like a total noob, but I appreciate the advice.
Bad_Vision
Moderator
thats even worse then, the fact that you said 84 made me think it was a straight axle but its IFS so its only worth about 1,000 you can find them all day long for that price and you can get one in REALLY good shape for 2500
1995 Black Toyota 4-Runner SUV FWD
took you guys' advice and looked around, found this. Better deal? If so was thinking of offering 2k in 20s. Let me know. Again thanks for the advice.
took you guys' advice and looked around, found this. Better deal? If so was thinking of offering 2k in 20s. Let me know. Again thanks for the advice.
3.sloRunner
New member
it says it needs new freeze plugs, if you dont mind putting it in the $hop or you can do the work yourself it doesnt seem too bad to me.