Manual Locked 4Runner Value?

edelm

New member
Hi Guys,

I have a 1998 Manual 4runner with e-locker. I was unfortunately rear-ended last week. The damage is definitely repairable, and I am going to fix it, but insurance has declared the car totaled.

I am therefore in a battle to try and convince them that my car is worth more than they say. In order to do this, I need examples of other manual locked t4r's that are for sale at their actual value, preferably at the higher dealer price.

So, do any of you know of any manual locked t4r's for sale currently? I'm in the Seattle metro area, and I can't seem to find any online. I'm going to talk to some dealers this afternoon.
Or what do you all think is the reasonable value for them? It's surely not the 3.5-5k that KBB suggests. Mine has 195k and I just did head gaskets / valve stem seals / water pump / timing belt in August.

Thanks!
 
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From what you said about yours, it's worth $8-9k around here in Tennessee.

Just found this one: 1999 Toyota 4Runner SR5 Sport 4x4 SUV 5 speed Manual Rare leather sunr

If nothing else, that just confirmed how much of a deal I got for mine. haha. Exact same except for the leather seats... $4000. So glad I snagged it when I did.

Regarding OP's question though, I think convincing the insurance company is going to be tough. The market for a 4runner with our options is certainly niche, and to them it's just one of several million 3rd gen 4runners still on the road. You're best bet, I'd think, is pulling all the data on which option were made available for that year or generation. I've read that somewhere around 4.5% of 3rd gens came with a manual transmission, so even fewer came with a manual and locker. Maybe a Toyota dealer could pull those numbers though?
 
If nothing else, that just confirmed how much of a deal I got for mine. haha. Exact same except for the leather seats... $4000. So glad I snagged it when I did.

Nice price! I bought mine for $2300 in July, but it had a blown head gasket. The seller didn't even advertise the locker. I'm at least 4k in with all of the parts and labor.

You're best bet, I'd think, is pulling all the data on which option were made available for that year or generation. I've read that somewhere around 4.5% of 3rd gens came with a manual transmission, so even fewer came with a manual and locker. Maybe a Toyota dealer could pull those numbers though?

Yeah, that's a good idea. I'm going to check with the dealer.
 
The market for a 4runner with our options is certainly niche, and to them it's just one of several million 3rd gen 4runners still on the road.

3rd gen 4Runners EVER produced: 748,000 units.
Soooooo, what you are saying is that they are out there making babies????

With an attrition rate of 30% (conservatively), there should be just about half a million out there still. But MILLIONS........?:kiss:
 
Is it your insurance company that you are dealing with, or the other driver's? Usually in a rear-ender the fault is with the person who rear-ended you, so it's his/her insurance that is responsible for paying. I'm going to assume that's the case here. In that case, it's their liability policy that pays, not the collision or comprehensive on your vehicle.

The reason this makes a difference is that the other insurance company is not insuring your car. They are instead insuring the other driver against damages caused by careless driving, and paying you for your loss, whatever it is. (It might include your grandma's heirloom china that you happened to be transporting that got smashed up in the collision.) They can't really "total" your car or direct its disposal since they have no claim on it. They can only pay you for your losses and you are free to take that money and do whatever you want with it - repair the vehicle, get a new one, move to Tahiti, whatever.

They can attempt to limit their payment based on the blue-book value of your vehicle, but they really need to compensate you for your total losses, which may be more than the simple value of the vehicle. Loss of use, sentimental value, replacement difficulty, etc., all factor into this. Also, they can't take the vehicle and/or make you buy it back with a salvage title, since again, they have no claim on the vehicle. What you do with the vehicle after you get the money is strictly up to you.

State laws do vary on this, so check locally for rules. But don't assume you have to accept their "total" language. It's not the same as if you were pursuing a collision damage claim with your own insurance company for an accident that was your fault.
 
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I have only see one around my area with the manual and locker for sale and it was listed for $11,500. I'm looking for the ad now.


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3rd gen 4Runners EVER produced: 748,000 units.
Soooooo, what you are saying is that they are out there making babies????

With an attrition rate of 30% (conservatively), there should be just about half a million out there still. But MILLIONS........?:kiss:

Well it definitely feels like there's millions of them out there! Probably just a little Baader-Meinhof phenomenon going on :zoom:
 
I could make up a craiglist ad and post mine if it would help give you ammo. Definitely not selling though.
 
Isn't the install of a elocker a weekend's work and 2-300 in junkyard parts?

Seems like everyone who knows they have one think it's worth 2k premium, but I can't imagine they're actually selling 20 year old 4runners for ~10k.
 
If you're planning on keeping the vehicle forever you can buy it back from them too. We did this for a family car we use as a hauled. Insurance company declared it totaled, they gave us the option of $X and forget about it or a little bit less than $X and we get to keep it.

We repaired it and it now has a rebuilt title but we don't really care since it's going to stay in the family until it's time to go to the junk yard. Also, in my experience with BMWs, clean titles do demand a premium but since many of the running E30s and E36s have been in accidents even rebuilt titles get bought up.


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If you're planning on keeping the vehicle forever you can buy it back from them too. We did this for a family car we use as a hauled. Insurance company declared it totaled, they gave us the option of $X and forget about it or a little bit less than $X and we get to keep it.

We repaired it and it now has a rebuilt title but we don't really care since it's going to stay in the family until it's time to go to the junk yard. Also, in my experience with BMWs, clean titles do demand a premium but since many of the running E30s and E36s have been in accidents even rebuilt titles get bought up.


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Yeah, I'm planning on keeping it. New bumpers, rear hatch, and some body work on the rear quarter panel--it'll be back on the road before too long. I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to put some aftermarket bumpers on too!
 
Is it your insurance company that you are dealing with, or the other driver's? Usually in a rear-ender the fault is with the person who rear-ended you, so it's his/her insurance that is responsible for paying. I'm going to assume that's the case here. In that case, it's their liability policy that pays, not the collision or comprehensive on your vehicle.

The reason this makes a difference is that the other insurance company is not insuring your car. They are instead insuring the other driver against damages caused by careless driving, and paying you for your loss, whatever it is. (It might include your grandma's heirloom china that you happened to be transporting that got smashed up in the collision.) They can't really "total" your car or direct its disposal since they have no claim on it. They can only pay you for your losses and you are free to take that money and do whatever you want with it - repair the vehicle, get a new one, move to Tahiti, whatever.

They can attempt to limit their payment based on the blue-book value of your vehicle, but they really need to compensate you for your total losses, which may be more than the simple value of the vehicle. Loss of use, sentimental value, replacement difficulty, etc., all factor into this. Also, they can't take the vehicle and/or make you buy it back with a salvage title, since again, they have no claim on the vehicle. What you do with the vehicle after you get the money is strictly up to you.

State laws do vary on this, so check locally for rules. But don't assume you have to accept their "total" language. It's not the same as if you were pursuing a collision damage claim with your own insurance company for an accident that was your fault.

It's the other guy's insurance, and he admitted fault. I didn't realize that they couldn't brand my title--thats good news for sure!

I could make up a craiglist ad and post mine if it would help give you ammo. Definitely not selling though.

I appreciate the offer but... after talking to insurance today and also a lawyer, they will only base their price off of vehicles within 150 miles. I'm going to throw the two that I've found at them even though they're outside of the boundary, then I'll try the argument that only xx% have the manual & locker, and if they're still being difficult, I'll ask for the value of a manual t4r and also the cost to add a locker. I just don't want to go to court over it!
 

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