Keep my 97 4Runner or buy a new one??

[GreatCatch08]

I love my 4 Runner!!!!
I have a 1997 4Runner Limited with 172,000 miles.
I have a little oil leak as well as a Antifreeze leak.
My Leather seats are starting to fall apart as well.

Any advice should I spend the money and fix the current issues or should I buy a New Runner?

 

[Trevloc]

if youve got the money, i would buy a new one. but it would obviously be cheaper to just fix your current one. which probly still has some life in it.

if it were meeee, i would do both. get a new one, and fix the older one and make that my fun n games runner.

 

[MikesToy]

I say buy a new one (Trail Edition).

 

[peter78]

I love my 4 Runner!!!!
I have a 1997 4Runner Limited with 172,000 miles.
I have a little oil leak as well as a Antifreeze leak.
My Leather seats are starting to fall apart as well.

Any advice should I spend the money and fix the current issues or should I buy a New Runner?

I tend to keep cars a long time. I like to get new cars mainly for the new safety items. For me I feel a car is past it's life if it cost more to fix than the car is worth. I feel around 17 years & mid to high 200's. A 4Runner may be worth more than say a used Previa, I have a 1991 Previa. It only has 162,000 miles, but at 20 years old, it is past it's time and any big expense, it is gone.

So, from a purely financial point of view. A anitfreeze leak and a oil leak can be dealt with. As long as the antifreeze is not leaking into the oil. My feeling there is still good use yet in the car. Of course, if you want a new 4Runner or a new used 4Runner, then just do it and don't worry about the finance point of view.

 

[philsey]

^^^ What he said. Replace it while you're ahead, it's a slippery slope ahead.

 

[Aerostone]

I just a 2011 Trail edition. Cannot explain how happy I am with my decision! Bought it right before the blizzard hit here and I was one of the few who were driving on the road with no problem. Safety features and the offroading/inclement options are just awesome!

 

[chris360hawks]

Its probably leaking out of the water pump for the coolant and valve covers for the oil. I would suggest fix it and keep driving it! The 3.4s will run forever if you maintain them well. It is way cheaper to just put gas in a truck and do a few maintenance items than to have to pay for gas and a brand new truck payment!

 

[VinnyM]

If everything else is looking good you should be able to fix those few problems and get another 30k out of it, so I'm pretty confident that is most economical. Of course, if you have the money and want a new toy I'm sure you could find a happy buyer for your old one, but selling it would probably be easier if you fixed all the problems then drove it for a year or two (assuming new problems don't arise). Without knowing your financial situation, I say get it fixed up and keep squeezing out more miles.

 

[chris360hawks]

Your truck will last way more than just 30k miles. The truck will out last how long you want to keep it.

 

[VinnyM]

Well what I meant by 30k was an out-of-my-a$$ estimate of when new problems would start arising. If this wave of problems is making him think about getting rid of it I don't imagine he would keep it through the next wave.