Might Be Buying a 4Runner - Have ?'s

jjklongisland

New member
Hi guys, first I would like to introduce myself. I am Joe from Long Island and being that I belong to a few forums with my collection of vehicles I figured what better place to get advice about a new purchase than here...

Anyway, I am trying to help my brother out who just sold his ghetto cruiser (02 Lincoln LS) and needs a vehicle to get to college with (Geneseo). He needs something 4wd and that will not give him much problems. I am going to purchase it for him, let him use it for his last year of college and that take it back when he buys is own dam car...

It just so happens a buddy I work with just had his father-in-law pass away who was 81 years old. He was the original owner of this 1999 4Runner SR5 that he is looking to get rid of cheap. It has alot of miles, 213,000 to be exact. Alot more than I have ever put on a car/truck and I have owned tons of vehicles. So I started doing research and went and drove the truck. It is ridiculously clean. Looks brand new, garaged since day 1. Retired Navy man who was so anal that he bought his own Mobil 1 synthetic oil, brought it to the dealer, and he watched them change it religiously every 5000 miles since new. I have seen all the maintenance records. The service manual was followed to the letter by the dealer. He recently had an axle seal go so he changed both just in case and put brand new Good Years on her.

I drove the truck a short distance since the registration was expired and it drove awesome. No motor ticking, ice cold air conditioning, no check engine lights, every thing worked including the moon roof and power antenna. I did not engage the 4wd but he assures me it works. He told me if he didnt trust the truck to drive back and forth upstate 8 hrs each way, he wouldnt have even suggested it.

Now I know its a automobile and 2 days after I buy it the tranny could blow. There has been no major component replacements at all to date. He only wants $2500 for it.

Should I take the chance and buy it hoping it will not have any major issues especially while my brother has it far far away. Or should a spend $5000 (max budget) on a vehicle that I have know known history to and could have been abused.

With the v6 4wd, what kind of average mpg could I expect? After my brother gives it back to me it will only be used as a spare vehicle and train station car and maybe only see 2500 miles per year.

I just need something reliable and am nervous about the mileage. I know these things run forever but I dont want to make a poor decision just because its cheap and then I need to throw another $2500 into her if something major breaks.

Its a 99, silver SR5 213k miles, every option I could see except leather, new rubber, exterior and interior wise a 9 out of 10 for $2500. Motor super clean, no leaks in garage floor or noticeable shakes or rattles.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
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I would jump all over it for that price. Even if you had to put 2K $ into it (not likely) in the next year or two it is still less than your budget and you have a much better vehicle.
 
Buy it. Post some pix of it.

Here are some the day I went to look at it. After a detail it will look really good.

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Geneseo shouldnt be 8 hours from long island, unless you live in montauk! Anyway, buy it, its a great deal!
 
Geneseo shouldnt be 8 hours from long island, unless you live in montauk! Anyway, buy it, its a great deal!

389 miles. Our best trip up was 7.5 hrs. Always traffic getting off the island and roadwork at night.

The truck is actually 15 minutes from Montauk. THat is why I cant take it to my mechanic for him to give it a thorough going through. Its an 1.5 hrs east of me in East Hampton, hence the high mileage. I am pretty handy so I dont care if it gives me problem down here, just dont want it to give him any roadtrip issues or break down upstate cause my brother does not know a thing about cars... I figure it will need to make at least 8 trips max back and forth prior to him graduating...
 
If I was anywhere near New York, I'd be all over that for $2500. In SoCal, that truck would easily go for 6-7k at least. :jealous:
 
And buy him a full survival kit with all the money you save. Lots of room in back.

Battery might need a cleaning or replacement, but the engine compartment looks great. The hitch is in good condition, too, and those usually get rusted easily and abused looking if they are used a lot.
 
And buy him a full survival kit with all the money you save. Lots of room in back.

Battery might need a cleaning or replacement, but the engine compartment looks great. The hitch is in good condition, too, and those usually get rusted easily and abused looking if they are used a lot.

He already has a brand new battery that comes with the truck. It hasnt been driven much since December and needed to be jump started. Not worried about that though. My hitch on my ram looks bad. May need replacing soon. I think I am definitely buying it. I will have it until the end of August prior to letting him use it so that should get the kinks out...
 
That 4Runner is in great shape. I would jump on that deal!

Well I bought the 4runner. $2500 and I am completely amazed on how it performs with such high miles. It drives like a 20,000 mile truck, not a 214,000 mile truck. I just got it detailed and it literally looks like it is brand new. Apart from a minor bumper ding, and slight curb rash on a wheel or two the truck is absolutely amazing. Will post photos of her all cleaned up...
 
That's not actually all that many miles for that model.
Those have been fantastically reliable rigs since they came out.
 
That's not actually all that many miles for that model.
Those have been fantastically reliable rigs since they came out.

Cool to know...

TIMING BELT ? According to the service records the last time the timing belt and water pump was done was at 161k. It now has 214k which is 53,000 miles since it was done. When should I do it again? Every 90k... What happens if it lets go? Heard horror stories...
 
Interfence Motor,

Cool to know...

TIMING BELT ? According to the service records the last time the timing belt and water pump was done was at 161k. It now has 214k which is 53,000 miles since it was done. When should I do it again? Every 90k... What happens if it lets go? Heard horror stories...

Well Rixxer would know the exact rec replacement interval on that, but the general average interval speced by manufactures is 60,000 miles,

What you may consider doing, since it is a relatively small labor fee bout 4 hrs, is to have it done, also strongly advise to replace cam and crank seals, and water pump, and idlers,

Lot of $ in parts but the labor is not a whole bunch, I just did all that to a Pu with that same eng, really easy compared the older rigs,

or @ least I thought so,
 
Well Rixxer would know the exact rec replacement interval on that, but the general average interval speced by manufactures is 60,000 miles,

What you may consider doing, since it is a relatively small labor fee bout 4 hrs, is to have it done, also strongly advise to replace cam and crank seals, and water pump, and idlers,

Lot of $ in parts but the labor is not a whole bunch, I just did all that to a Pu with that same eng, really easy compared the older rigs,

or @ least I thought so,

You should stop offering advice about things you know nothing about.




5vzfe is a non interference engine.
If the tbelt breaks, it just stops running, no bent valves.
Iirc the 99 and up is a 90k interval on the belt, but they'll go a lot longer.
The plugs are 30k, and more finicky.
Fluids and occasionally a rear axle bearing and seal.
Really good rigs though.

And the cam and crank seals almost never leak.
Valve covers do sometimes, but that's easy.
 
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I should have put a ?

You should stop offering advice about things you know nothing about.




5vzfe is a non interference engine.
If the tbelt breaks, it just stops running, no bent valves.
Iirc the 99 and up is a 90k interval on the belt, but they'll go a lot longer.
The plugs are 30k, and more finicky.
Fluids and occasionally a rear axle bearing and seal.
Really good rigs though.

And the cam and crank seals almost never leak.
Valve covers do sometimes, but that's easy.

Well then no horror stories, glad you set that straight, good job Rixxer,

Now on the seal deal, I just did one of these rigs, and replaced the seals, @ first I thinking hell this is a waste of time they are fine, but I told the guy I would do it so what the heck,
I was quite surprized how hardened they where, so glad I did,
 
"vzfe is a non interference engine.
If the tbelt breaks, it just stops running, no bent valves.
Iirc the 99 and up is a 90k interval on the belt, but they'll go a lot longer.
The plugs are 30k, and more finicky.
Fluids and occasionally a rear axle bearing and seal.
Really good rigs though.

And the cam and crank seals almost never leak.
Valve covers do sometimes, but that's easy.
"

Thanks for this info... make me feel a lot better...
 

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