How many miles on your 4runner?
- Thread starter BrianDavid
- Start date
onemanarmy
Member
Not even close. The truck is almost 20 years old.
U joints and starters fail on all vehicles. Bad Toyota design when it comes to fixing the 'old' car issues.
True. And maybe even planned obsolescence on the driveshaft. Non-serviceable and non-replaceable u-joints. Either incredibly stupid, or it is beancounters running the engineering department (we mechanical engineers despise that). Or intentional, so you have to go spend $1,500 at the dealer. But now, thanks to going all surgical on the driveshaft, I have grease fittings on the u-joints that are now replaceable. Should they ever wear out again, which they won't, because I keep them greased, then I could just quickly install new ones. You can't replace them on an OEM shaft without some very careful metal cutting and an arbor press (which I did, and got). And you can't even grease them on OEM, because there are no grease fittings.
And the starter still hasn't worn out with 191k on it. But that $28 contact inside it wore out a long time ago. I wonder how many people got duped on that and spent a ton on a new starter.
But at least I know that the interior of the engine is probably good for 400-500k miles. If I can keep the rest of it going until then.
Been lurking on this forum for months, finally made an account today dont know why I waited so long.
Little back story but in short:
'01 4Runner with 249k and only thing that has been replaced has been catalytic converter. Along with regular maintenance.
Long story for those interested: My girlfriend's family bought a Silver 2001 4Runner SR5 back in Fall of 2000. It was for her sister while she was in high school and her sister used it for College. (they live in CA, sister went to school in Virginia). Drove it there and back. When her sister finished college, my girl friend got the car (they're 8 years apart in age so worked out). Girlfriend drove it from high school through college. She went to school in Santa Barbara while folks were in East Bay-ish area and would go back and fourth, did countless road trips in it. Folks moved to Bend and she drove it up there and visited and then moved schools to San Jose and also would go back and fourth between SJ and Bend OR.
Last year we went on a road trip in the 4runner through Eastern Oregon, Coeur-d-alene ID, Glacier National Park, and then back to Portland, around 1800mi-ish.
After that, around 245k her folks wanted to get her a new car as she moved to Portland and they wanted her in something bit newer as she would drive back and fourth from Bend to Portland over the pass and didn't want her in a 'old car'. She got a '17 XC60.
When she came to Portland that is really when we now started dating and she got her new Volvo. The 4runner sat in her parents heated pole barn on a battery charger and just sat there for a year. They started 'threaten' to sell the car and get rid of it as it was no longer being used and there was no purpose for it. At this point I have gotten on her folks' good side and I stepped in and told them I would buy it from them on the spot. They didn't want to sell it to me but they just wanted to get rid of it. So I told them we can bring it to Portland instead of having it in Bend and I will find a place to park it and take care of it.
Got a full detail service on it, tinted the front windows, bought a roof top tent + awning for it and we have camped multiple times this summer with it. I absolutely LOVE the 4runner and can't believe they were wanting to get rid of it. Don't think they understood what they had. After spending some money and cleaning it up her dad a few weekends ago just said he would sign over the title to me because I have shown more care for the car than anyone has in the past year. I even sold my 07 S4 Audi which I LOVED (V8, 6spd all the options) because I couldn't justify keeping it as I drove the 4runner more than the Audi and we needed to consolidate cars (First world problem I know).
So that is how I got my 4Runner. 1 (Family) Owner, 249k!
Bonus: Girlfriend LOVES Sterling (Name of 4runner) and admires that I love it. She has funny stories of road trips with it and everything but she never maintained it the best. Sterling is now on his 2nd life with me and all has been well! She always says she would get rid of the Volvo in a heartbeat if it was between that and the 4Runner which cracks me up.
Little back story but in short:
'01 4Runner with 249k and only thing that has been replaced has been catalytic converter. Along with regular maintenance.
Long story for those interested: My girlfriend's family bought a Silver 2001 4Runner SR5 back in Fall of 2000. It was for her sister while she was in high school and her sister used it for College. (they live in CA, sister went to school in Virginia). Drove it there and back. When her sister finished college, my girl friend got the car (they're 8 years apart in age so worked out). Girlfriend drove it from high school through college. She went to school in Santa Barbara while folks were in East Bay-ish area and would go back and fourth, did countless road trips in it. Folks moved to Bend and she drove it up there and visited and then moved schools to San Jose and also would go back and fourth between SJ and Bend OR.
Last year we went on a road trip in the 4runner through Eastern Oregon, Coeur-d-alene ID, Glacier National Park, and then back to Portland, around 1800mi-ish.
After that, around 245k her folks wanted to get her a new car as she moved to Portland and they wanted her in something bit newer as she would drive back and fourth from Bend to Portland over the pass and didn't want her in a 'old car'. She got a '17 XC60.
When she came to Portland that is really when we now started dating and she got her new Volvo. The 4runner sat in her parents heated pole barn on a battery charger and just sat there for a year. They started 'threaten' to sell the car and get rid of it as it was no longer being used and there was no purpose for it. At this point I have gotten on her folks' good side and I stepped in and told them I would buy it from them on the spot. They didn't want to sell it to me but they just wanted to get rid of it. So I told them we can bring it to Portland instead of having it in Bend and I will find a place to park it and take care of it.
Got a full detail service on it, tinted the front windows, bought a roof top tent + awning for it and we have camped multiple times this summer with it. I absolutely LOVE the 4runner and can't believe they were wanting to get rid of it. Don't think they understood what they had. After spending some money and cleaning it up her dad a few weekends ago just said he would sign over the title to me because I have shown more care for the car than anyone has in the past year. I even sold my 07 S4 Audi which I LOVED (V8, 6spd all the options) because I couldn't justify keeping it as I drove the 4runner more than the Audi and we needed to consolidate cars (First world problem I know).
So that is how I got my 4Runner. 1 (Family) Owner, 249k!
Bonus: Girlfriend LOVES Sterling (Name of 4runner) and admires that I love it. She has funny stories of road trips with it and everything but she never maintained it the best. Sterling is now on his 2nd life with me and all has been well! She always says she would get rid of the Volvo in a heartbeat if it was between that and the 4Runner which cracks me up.
octanejunkie
Elite Member
Earlier today 
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
2k_4runner
New member
00’ limited 4wd automatic with about 85k came in on trade at my work! 3rd owner and it couldent have been any more well taken care of.
bigtuna
Member
I just had a HG scare. Was losing an ounce or two every other day. Replaced the coolant, added a little Bars leak stop and a week later still holding. Was getting nervous I would have to replace my beloved 3rd gen! 306k and racking miles hope to get her to 400 we will see....
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Attachments
Tomffmedic
New member
Miles of my Runner
289455 on my 2001 SR5.
289455 on my 2001 SR5.
frodiesel
New member
Did you check the rear heater lines? They are notorious for rust and were the source of my coolant leak
Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
bigtuna
Member
Thanks for the heads up!
I had P0300 codes for misfires and could smell antifreeze in the exhaust on cold startup. Pretty much can only be head gasket/cracked head etc. The misfire never happened again after adding the leak stop.
I will check for a leak on the rear heater lines next time I am underneath, didn't see any coolant leaks on the garage floor so I didn't think to look there but good to check regardless.
I am hoping that regularly washing under the 4runner after snow storms will help with corrosion. I replaced the fuel pump in the tank when I hit 200k and was happy to see it was relatively clean up there.
I never thought I would use a leak seal but at 300k I can't invest head gasket money in the original motor. When the time comes I will be getting a newer 4runner for my daily driver and might get a JDM motor and turn my 3Rd Gen into a toy to play with
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
