Looking at yet another 3rd Gen ...

[MrEMan]

Still looking for a good 4WD 4Runner for my daughter in college ... any comments or suggestions based on the photos below?

2 owner vehicle that has lived it's entire natural life in the SE, 157K miles, original tranny and radiator, no rust, all electronics function, 2 keys and remotes. The negatives are that it's had two accidents (both listed as hitting a parked car, resulting in minor cosmetic damage ... apparently someone can't park very well) and I will need to replace timing belt/water pump. $9300.00. Maintenance records exist, but are incomplete for the first 12K.

Any thoughts?

 

[4-Ripcord]

Get them to take off 600 for the timing belt/ WP and you will have a great truck for a great price.


Can't go wrong with a nice 02 sport.

 

[Kung]

I have to admit that I'd think it'd be worth a bit less than what he's asking - granted, it's 2 years newer than mine, but also needs maintenance and has had 2 accidents, AND has 28K more miles than mine had - and I got mine for $7200. I'd think you could get away with less, but that's just me.

 

[T4R_Finally]

As much as I hate to do it, I agree with the above poster. Negotiate off the cost of the TB/WP and do it ASAP after buying it. Might want to consider going ahead and replacing the radiator as well. That's one part you don't want to go bad before replacing it. I bought my 2000 limited for exactly the same reason - daughter going to college, and everything had already been done except the radiator. I have a new one sitting in the box in my garage. Supposed to be a decent Saturday this coming weekend, so I'll be replacing it then.

Truck looks super clean - nice find. Price might be on the high end but I can't fault you for that as I paid on the high end for mine as well. But it was exactly what I was looking for and I had to beat another buyer to the punch.

 

[tbst]

I paid $7700 for my 01 SR5 with 120k, just as an FYI for price range.

I think that is high.

I think what I paid is high.

 

[MrEMan]

Thanks guys ... I agree that the price seems high, especially given the mileage, but it seems that nice 4Runners go for a higher price in this region. I've been looking for a while and this doesn't seem too far off for the region, especially for a very nice sport. With that said, the original asking price was $9850 so I've already gotten them to come off $550 for the timing belt/water pump. I'm not sure I can bargain much more given the demand for nice 4Runners in this area ...

 

[AZ4FNER]

Same opinion as everyone else, it's a little pricey...but, a nice looking truck.

 

[4-Ripcord]

Clean 4runners are getting further and far between, especially rare trim models like sport editions.

With the price, there is no comparison to a run of the mill SR5..



Which brings up the point, does she really need a sport edition? That alone adds quite a bit to the price.

 

[RunninInGA]

FWIW, I bought my 02 Sport 2WD in Atlanta in December with 100K, all maintenance done (will need tires soon) and I just replaced its original radiator for $9,500. Should be a good comp for you.

Atlanta prices are higher than some other areas though - at least that's what I found during my search. I am positive I bought the cleanest Runner in Atlanta at the time.

 

[quicksilvr]

Thanks guys ... I agree that the price seems high, especially given the mileage, but it seems that nice 4Runners go for a higher price in this region. I've been looking for a while and this doesn't seem too far off for the region, especially for a very nice sport. With that said, the original asking price was $9850 so I've already gotten them to come off $550 for the timing belt/water pump. I'm not sure I can bargain much more given the demand for nice 4Runners in this area ...

You nailed it. If they'll come off the price for the items that need attention, great. But if demand is high, the seller would be silly to take less money. A really nice black 02 sport would be worth $9k pretty easily in my book. That is a sharp truck, and service records to boot. A nice plain-jane SR5 in a boring color is still worth $6k in most parts of the country.

If I was buying another 4Runner right now, I would not hesitate to pull the trigger on this one if I felt like the accidents truly were cosmetic. Paint/body work would bother me if it was more than minor.


Tell you what: Buy this one for your daughter, let her drive it for a year or two. If you come back here to the forum to sell it, and it's still in mint shape....you'll sell it in 2 days. I personally might buy it.

 

[Hepar]

I agree that on paper that the price seems a little high, but coming from an area that sells 4Runners at a premium, I also know that region plays a big part too. It's not ridiculously high and seems like a nice clean Runner for your daughter.

Only other problem I see is that I'm not your daughter.

 

[WHORERUNNER]

I'd rather look at one w/o accidents. Looks nice though.

 

[T4R_Finally]

If it's exactly what you want and you feel it's worth the price, pay it. Or at least that's the approach I took. If the price and miles are an obstacle, there are others out there with different trim levels and lower mileage believe it or not. Mine is a 00 and had 125k on it. I wasn't necessarily looking for a limited but was happy to find one, and so paying a little more wasn't an issue. The next best thing I found was a SR5 with 80k on it but the price was higher then the limited and, because of the mileage, didn't have any of the work done to it yet. But, also because of the mileage, I would have had to invest more money into it almost right away.

You weren't looking at mine in Charlotte, NC a couple of months ago were you? I bought mine on a Sunday night because a guy was coming up from Atlanta the next day to get it.

If you don't care about the trim level (Sport), you can find something less expensive and maybe even with less miles if you keep looking. But if your heart is set on that one, nothing wrong with it.

 

[MrEMan]

Which brings up the point, does she really need a sport edition? That alone adds quite a bit to the price.

haha ... got me! Probably not, I'm guessing that it's my own subconscious speaking. With that said, I like the Sport for her as a good compromise between the basic features of the SR5 without some of the fluff of the Limited. For example, she really doesn't care for leather seats ...

FWIW, I bought my 02 Sport 2WD in Atlanta in December with 100K, all maintenance done (will need tires soon) and I just replaced its original radiator for $9,500. Should be a good comp for you.

Atlanta prices are higher than some other areas though - at least that's what I found during my search. I am positive I bought the cleanest Runner in Atlanta at the time.

Thanks ... this is good information to have.

 

[MrEMan]

Only other problem I see is that I'm not your daughter.

Give me a couch to surf everytime I pass through Seattle on my way to Whistler and I'll call you "daughter" .... :lmao:

 

[MrEMan]

You weren't looking at mine in Charlotte, NC a couple of months ago were you? I bought mine on a Sunday night because a guy was coming up from Atlanta the next day to get it.

Nope, wasn't me ... I've been in the market for about a month. I've noticed that 4Runners don't stay on the market long in NC ...

 

[T4R_Finally]

FWIW, my daughter is finding out the same thing my wife did on the leather seats. None of us ever cared for them, certainly not enough to pay extra for them. But my wife's first leather equipped vehicle had leather because it was included in an option package in which she wanted everything else. The seats were heated as well and she really liked them after she got it. My daughter didn't care for leather either. But now that she has them, she really prefers it. I'm still a cloth guy myself. I wear shorts even when most people would consider it foolish. So, when it's hot, I don't want leather or vinyl burning my legs up.

My tastes/wants had a lot to do with buying the limited in the end. But I look at it this way: the vehicle is already in my name. When she's done with it, and it's still in good shape, which it's likely to be, it's gonna revert back to me and I get a new old toy to play with.

 

[MrEMan]

FWIW, my daughter is finding out the same thing my wife did on the leather seats. None of us ever cared for them, certainly not enough to pay extra for them. But my wife's first leather equipped vehicle had leather because it was included in an option package in which she wanted everything else. The seats were heated as well and she really liked them after she got it. My daughter didn't care for leather either. But now that she has them, she really prefers it. I'm still a cloth guy myself. I wear shorts even when most people would consider it foolish. So, when it's hot, I don't want leather or vinyl burning my legs up.

Is it the leather they like? Or the heated seats? There are definitely pro's and con's to each, but my main concern with leather is that on a vehicle this old they tend to be cracking, etc. She just doesn't like the way they feel when wearing shorts ...

My tastes/wants had a lot to do with buying the limited in the end. But I look at it this way: the vehicle is already in my name. When she's done with it, and it's still in good shape, which it's likely to be, it's gonna revert back to me and I get a new old toy to play with.

Exactly ... :driving:

 

[T4R_Finally]

Is it the leather they like? Or the heated seats? There are definitely pro's and con's to each, but my main concern with leather is that on a vehicle this old they tend to be cracking, etc.

Well, the 3rd gen doesn't have heated leather. I don't think that had come out yet as an option on the limited in 2000. I know what you mean about the cracking and they really do look bad and age a vehicle when they get like that. My wife's 04 Jeep was starting to get the cracking even though we did the best we could to keep them cleaned and conditioned. But our 3rd gen leather is literally almost like new. The rear seat shows no signs of wear or age anywhere and neither does the front passenger seat. The driver's seat had slight wrinkling (not cracking) where the driver's butt slides in and out over the outside edge everyday, and down on the side where the power seat controls are, there were a couple of small cuts. Not cracks but where something or someone had done something to cut the seat somewhere in time. I went to the guy that installs leather in brand new Yota's for the dealer I bought my 5th gen from, and for $120, he did his magic to make even the driver's seat like new.

Bottom line, it made it easier on us to find something by trying not to narrow our search criteria too much. My women were more critical about color than they were trim level or equipment. I was more concerned about mileage and maintenance. If you feel the need to find one just the right color, just the right mileage, just the right seats, etc., it's much more stressful and, in the end, you are likely to pay considerably more if/when you find that needle in the haystack.

Here's one in Raleigh, NC that was posted yesterday. Not a bad price with the work that is reported to have been done. By the way, he mentions no keyless entry, but I think I have read here somewhere that it can fairly easily be added to some that already have power door locks.

2000 4Runner SR5 4X4

 

[MrEMan]

Bottom line, it made it easier on us to find something by trying not to narrow our search criteria too much. My women were more critical about color than they were trim level or equipment. I was more concerned about mileage and maintenance. If you feel the need to find one just the right color, just the right mileage, just the right seats, etc., it's much more stressful and, in the end, you are likely to pay considerably more if/when you find that needle in the haystack.

I think my selection criteria has been pretty broad ... a relatively low mileage, well maintained 3rd Gen with locking center differential 4WD. The translates into either a '99-'00 Limited or any '01-'02. While I think that some colors look better than others, I'm certainly not offended by any of the Toyota colors ...

As for my daughter, she says that she prefers lighter colors and cloth seats but that those aren't "must haves".