Looking for 3rd gen advice. Noob warning.

P

piranah

New member
If this is in the wrong section, I am sorry and feel free to move if needed.

I am new to the world of Toyota cars, but decided I need something for fishing, camping, and mountain biking. Not looking for 3+ inches of lift with full decked out off roading. I want a daily driver that I can take on the back roads.

I am a big Ford guy, but they dont make anything reliable enough in my price range that is decent off road. Yes Explorers, but not exactly reliable, from my experience.

So in my searches, I found the 4Runners. After searching this site for the last two weeks, I have created an account and had some questions.

What are the better years for the 3rd gens? They seem to be pretty much the same through all the years with minor differences.

My price range is in the $7-9k area. Being in Iowa, most cars that are for sale around here I am worried about rust, so I might have to buy out of state and ship/drive home.

Speaking of rust, how bad does the rust on these trucks get? Coming from Ford, Ive seen frames rust in half.

When looking at a truck, is there a way to tell if it has the pink milkshake issue before buying? I would obviously love a truck with all records, but that is not very likely.

Maintenance wise, are these trucks decently easy to work on? I cant work on vehicles where I live, but I can do minor stuff on weekends at the in-laws. Is one of these trucks in my price range going to break the bank?

Thanks for the time and looking forward to learning a ton more.
 
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Being a Ford guy I can tell you that doing anything to the front brakes is a thousand times easier on a 4runner.

You want rust free cars come to AZ.

There are people waaaaaay more qualified to answer your other questions here.
 
Your price range will get you a decent selection unless you are hunting for a V6 5 speed manual with the e-locker. But based on what you said you wanted it for go for a V6 automatic 4x4 and you will be set.

I personally like my 01 because of all the 12V power outlets but you really can't go wrong with any year 3rd gen.

The frames rust just as easily on the 4runners but unless someone sprays over it you should easily be able to figure it out by crawling underneath.

As for pink milkshake, ask if and when the radiator was last replaced. If never then it might be an issue but short of draining some tranny fluid it will be hard to tell. During your test drive if the tranny is shifting harsh then it might be a concern.

Maintenance wise, I have found the parts to be readily available and not too pricey. For example, I bought a new radiator, B&M ATF cooler, 6 spark plugs, spark plug wires, and an Airlift 1000 kit for just around $300. There's a complete timing belt kit with Toyota brand parts on Amazon and eBay for $250. Oil changes are messy unless you remove both skid plates but there's plenty of room under the hood to get most of the work done easily enough and at best I call myself an amateur mechanic.
 
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With 7 to 9k for a budget you can find a really nice 3rd gen.

Definitely read the buyers guide info posted above. That will answer most of your questions regarding differences between model years. Basically you find more modern features as you move toward 2002. Things like cup holders, climate control, push button 4x4 rather than manual shift lever, fog lights, etc. Your best bet would be driving as many as you can. That way you'll get feel for what you like. I kinda made a hasty decision when I bought my truck simply because I wanted black and it looked nice. I only drove 3 3rd gens before making the purchase. I should have test driven several more. I test drove a 97 manual that was absolutely pristine. I Wish now I had bought that one.

And for you it sounds like you would be happy with stock suspension regardless of model year, as long it's in good condition. And it's good that you know you don't want a lift, because they get very pricey and unless done right will prematurely wear out other parts. I learned this from experience.
 
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X2 on AZ as a source for rust-free units. There are no "bad years" in this generation 4Runners. 5-speed disappeared about 2000 or 2001(check then FAQ), a swanky all-wheel drive with center diff became available as compensation for the lost manual trans at that time.
I wanted a 5-speed for longevity reasons.
The V6 engine compartment is somewhat cramped, but not unusually so.
Swapping out belts, hoses, radiator, spark plugs, and other typical jobs are all pretty easy.
Be prepared to replace the lower ball joints,,,plenty of info on this.
 
+1 for the above buyer's guide. It helped me a lot when I went from my '96 to my current '99. I personally like a lot of the mid-gen upgrades that 99+ vehicles got, but nothing bad to say about 96-98s. I'm on my third 4runner (second 3rd gen) and it is hard to imagine driving anything else to be honest. Very easy to work on, super solid, and as long as you buy from a reputable place, rust is easy to avoid. My 4runner never left Oklahoma and has next to no rust underneath. You may need to travel a bit, but if you're patient, you can find a really nice truck that will last you a long time for your budget range. Good luck!
 
Welcome

piranah said:
If this is in the wrong section, I am sorry and feel free to move if needed.

I am new to the world of Toyota cars, but decided I need something for fishing, camping, and mountain biking. Not looking for 3+ inches of lift with full decked out off roading. I want a daily driver that I can take on the back roads.

I am a big Ford guy, but they dont make anything reliable enough in my price range that is decent off road. Yes Explorers, but not exactly reliable, from my experience.

So in my searches, I found the 4Runners. After searching this site for the last two weeks, I have created an account and had some questions.

What are the better years for the 3rd gens? They seem to be pretty much the same through all the years with minor differences.

My price range is in the $7-9k area. Being in Iowa, most cars that are for sale around here I am worried about rust, so I might have to buy out of state and ship/drive home.

Speaking of rust, how bad does the rust on these trucks get? Coming from Ford, Ive seen frames rust in half.

When looking at a truck, is there a way to tell if it has the pink milkshake issue before buying? I would obviously love a truck with all records, but that is not very likely.

Maintenance wise, are these trucks decently easy to work on? I cant work on vehicles where I live, but I can do minor stuff on weekends at the in-laws. Is one of these trucks in my price range going to break the bank?

Thanks for the time and looking forward to learning a ton more.
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Welcome. I was a GM guy for some years. GM cured me, after a couple of disastrous experiences including a Suburban from HELL! Over the last 15 yrs I've owned Hondas, Mazdas, Mitsubishi's and Toyota's (now) and have been very happy with everyone of them! The Mazda and the Honda both lasted beyond 380K km and my Corolla has 280K Km so far--- with no signs of problems! I will never own anything other than Japanese--- my favorite, of course, is Toyota.

As far as 4Runners are concerned, I'm partial to 3rd gens--- 1996-2002. Overall, They are probably, the best overall choice between cost/reliability/economy/durability etc. Rust can be a problem. Bumpers, rear hatches, quarter panels and frame members can become perforated in extreme cases. If your area is bad for corrosion, I'd look South--- I believe someone suggested AZ.
Your price range is more than enough. For $7-9k you should be able to find a 4R in excellent shape. If you want a truck a little bigger or with a V8, you should be able to find a 4th gen for 9k.
I love my truck as it is great to work on and has plenty of parts and mods available. These trucks are very well engineered. They do have their issues but these are well documented and are minor, as far as I'm concerned, with regular maintenance.

check this link:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82033-3rd-gen-4runner-buyers-guide.html

I love my truck and I've found it to be the perfect compromise--- I can tow, it's economical for a truck, I don't hesitate to take it into the bush, as its extremely reliable, I do all my own maintenance, as its relatively simple, and it still hauls the family and lots of stuff when I need it to. There is no other truck like it.

Here is another one:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...faq-tutorials-documentation-reference-v2.html

Good luck in the search!!
 
If you throw in a little more I'll sell you my fully built 4runner that is on 37s. All the women will want you. All the guys will hate you and all the other 4runner owners will be envious of your new SAS 4runner.

Blue
 
Thanks for the advice. Are there any interior bits beside the clock that are known to fail? Regarding a rust free south west car. I doubt I could get the time to go find one and drive back, so might have to look at shipping.
 
Best kept secret is to look for used 4x4s on the Denver Craigslist - because most are rust free. You can find a solid, automatic, rust free, 4x4 4Runner for about $5-7k on the Denver Craigslist just about anytime. Yes, in Colorado. I love to drive, wouldn't mind driving one out towards you (from the west, go to school in IN).

I would avoid the 96,97 years, they seem a little more prone to a head gasket issue on the higher mileage ones. Most of the time though, you really can't go wrong with any model year. The 2000's are the last year with a manual.

Otherwise, what everyone else said. Looks like you've been doing your research! These trucks will take care of you for a long time, I doubt you'll ever regret it.
 
Thanks for the offer. I guess one other question I have is, for doing a 1 inch body lift, do you have to extend any wires or brake lines? The few threads I have read didnt seem to mention it.
 
piranah said:
Thanks for the advice. Are there any interior bits beside the clock that are known to fail? Regarding a rust free south west car. I doubt I could get the time to go find one and drive back, so might have to look at shipping.
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Not really. The interiors are very solid in 3rd gens. The most common issue you will find would probably be tearing in the leather seat models.


piranah said:
Thanks for the offer. I guess one other question I have is, for doing a 1 inch body lift, do you have to extend any wires or brake lines? The few threads I have read didnt seem to mention it.
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No, you can add 1" spacers without doing anything else to the suspension. Just throw them on and drive

Edit: with a 1 body lift you do need the proper spacer to put between the steering shaft and rack. It will also give a gap between the bumper, so you would need to address that if you don't want that gap. I would just add 1" suspension spacers instead of a body lift. That's what I meant you can just throw on and be done
 
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farmerjon said:
Best kept secret is to look for used 4x4s on the Denver Craigslist - because most are rust free. You can find a solid, automatic, rust free, 4x4 4Runner for about $5-7k on the Denver Craigslist just about anytime. Yes, in Colorado. I love to drive, wouldn't mind driving one out towards you (from the west, go to school in IN).

I would avoid the 96,97 years, they seem a little more prone to a head gasket issue on the higher mileage ones. Most of the time though, you really can't go wrong with any model year. The 2000's are the last year with a manual.

Otherwise, what everyone else said. Looks like you've been doing your research! These trucks will take care of you for a long time, I doubt you'll ever regret it.
Click to expand...

Good advice here. I bought my truck in co, and I frequent Denver Craigslist just to see all the awesome toyota trucks for sale. There are so many great options.
I would trust a co truck far more than an Iowa truck.

Op, just take a day off work and make it a 3 day car shopping weekend trip! Schedule several test drives in advance. Then drive your rust free co truck home
 
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