So over the past few months I have been looking for a 3rd gen 4runner. At first they were everywhere then as the weeks passed they all disappeared. Now all i have been seeing is 99-2002 for 10-12k from small dealers. They all have 130ish k. Every now and then a good one shows up and is sold within 12-24 hours. Earlier today i found a 99 highlander edition for $6700 from a private owner. It has 131k, and i'll find out if the timing belt has been changed tomorrow. The 2 back tires are in good shape, but the front 2 need to be replaced soon. He also said it needs an alignment. The owner said he bought it from toyota about 2 years ago and it had good maintenance records. The owner claims that it is virtually rust free, and when he bought it he power washed the undercarriage to make sure he could even see everything. Oh! he even said it has a rear locker, which is awesome. The guy seems pretty honest which is a good thing, but what do you guys think about it? I'm off at school so i will hopefully be sending my dad to take a look at it for me. Anyways what are your opinions? Should i wait and hold out for something else? I know i want a 99-01, i wanted the center diff lock, but a rear locker is still good. i want it under 140k. I don't know i think I'm second guessing myself.
Good deal?
- Thread starter vthokie
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scottyb
New member
That sounds pretty good for not seeing it. And it essentially has a 'center diff lock'. All you do is put it in 4WD and the center is 'locked'. Basically that truck runs in rear wheel drive and then you can engage 4WD and the center is 'locked'. The other versions you were referring to run in all wheel drive and then you lock the center for 4WD. Also the rear locker is very desirable if you do any offroading, I'd go for it
cj80cruiser
Senior Member
I'm guessing you want the center diff lock for snowy conditions?
cj80cruiser
Senior Member
How is this any different than a 96-98 then? The point of having a center diff is to change from AWD to 4WD unless there is something funky going on with the 99-2000 center diff lock that you speak of.
AWD (center diff unlocked) is where all 4 tires share power until any 1 of the 4 lose traction and all power is directed to spinning wheel whether it's front or rear...different than rear wheel drive.
After you lock the center diff it becomes like a standard 4WD system in that if you lose traction on your rear tire then your front tires will still pull you through with that rear tire spinning.
sorry i must not have come across clearly the truck has a rear diff locker, not a center diff locker. I wanted one with a center because of the awd option. Yes, i will be heading up to the mountains quite often so 4wd is a must and the center diff lock would be cool then if the roads were patchy and not fully covered in snow.
Scottyb - i never though of it that way but yes you are right, i guess i want the ability to unlock the center diff so i can have awd?
What do you all think about the center diff lock vs. the rear diff lock? I know what they are/do, but what do you all prefer. I will be doing lots of snow driving and plan on doing some light/moderate off-roading.
Scottyb - i never though of it that way but yes you are right, i guess i want the ability to unlock the center diff so i can have awd?
What do you all think about the center diff lock vs. the rear diff lock? I know what they are/do, but what do you all prefer. I will be doing lots of snow driving and plan on doing some light/moderate off-roading.
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scottyb
New member
I'm aware of the differences in the AWD and 4WD drive trains. My comment was in response to my interpretation of the OP's statement, "i wanted the center diff lock, but the rear locker is still good". This made me think that the OP thinks the rear locker is a step down from the center diff lock, indicating he does not quite understand the different drive trains. If the vehicle has a rear locker, that is an indication of it also having 4WD. That's that point I was making. I was assuring him that the vehicle he is interested in has 4WD...
Let me know if i'm wrong in my assumptions vthokie.
cj80cruiser
Senior Member
If you want AWD then center diff will give you that....i mean because your truck is equiped with center diff lock therefore you will have AWD. You locking your center diff is the same as me putting my truck in 4wd high but then I have a rear locker too so that makes it even better and seems like the truck you found has a rear locker so you basically one up'd me. AWD drive is good for on road driving...Negligible advantage offroad.
exactly, just get an aussie.
scottyb
New member
Agreed. And i'd say AWD for most snow and 4WD for plowing through the really heavy stuff
cj80cruiser
Senior Member
That's cool, but when you said it was rear wheel drive when center diff was unlocked that would be inaccurate....it's awd at that point and front tires are sharing power....just a minor tweak on what you stated...no biggie
scottyb
New member
I said 'locked' in quotations to show that it's not actually locking a center diff, but the effect is the same. We agree, it's just a misunderstanding. I'll try and be more explicit next time.
Vthokie, the that's the 4runner I wanted to get. You should grab it =)
cj80cruiser
Senior Member
Hope this question helps myself as well as the OP. If stated that the 99 highlander has a center diff lock is it not a true AWD when center diff is "unlocked"? I don't see the point of having a center diff lock if it's not AWD because that's the same as just an average 4wd system.
brian2sun
Elite Member
Only the Limiteds for '99 and '00 had the center diff lock/AWD feature so you won't find a '99 Highlander with one. Then, every 4x4 trim model for '01 and '02 had a CDL. You are correct that when the CDL is unlocked, you have the same thing as AWD. Locked is normal 4hi/4lo.
The rear locker kills the CDL. The CDL is a nice luxury, but it won't get you anywhere a normal 4x4 won't and if you want an off road machine, the more complicated CDL system just has more to go wrong with it. There are some days I wish I had a CDL like in patchy snow and stuff, but most of the time on the trails, I'm glad I have a simpler J shifter. The rear locker will get you through stuff that 4x4 (with or without a CDL) can't so if it were me, one with a rear locker would be much more important to find.
Haha well that got a little more compilcated than it needed too lol. Anyways i understand the differences between lockers, and i guess they each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Now can someone explain the highlander package to me? I know it is like 1" taller than stock, but what else is so special about it? What models does it come on? how can i check to make sure it actually has it and the owner isn't just saying it has it? Does anyone know which locker is known to have more problems, if they even do have issues?
my dad is taking a look at it in the morning, hopefully all goes well. We checked the carfax(i know carfax doesnt show everything, but it was free) and there have been 4 owners. 2 for 4 years and 1 for 1.5 years the other for only a few months. Does that seem odd? the current owner has had it for 1.5 years. maybe people just like to get new cars pretty often, i prefer keeping one and driving it until i can't drive it anymore...
cj80cruiser
Senior Member
I can only speak for myself but I change often....the grass is always greener with me.
