My 10 Reasons 3rdGen 4Runners are INCREDIBLE!!!

[BamaDrewski]

1. The 3rd Gen 4runner body style and features are in high demand.

2. The legendary reliability is exemplified throughout the T4R.org forum and real 3rd gen owners.

3. Look around you one day on the road and take notice of how many 3rd gens are still on the road.

4. Most of our 3rd gen T4R’s are paid for and they still deliver reliable performance – from daily drivers to weekend four-wheeling jaunts.

5. Easy to fix and repair: Our rigs don’t require and Rocket Scientist degree with 30 years of technical experience to maintain or repair.

6. They are still “damn sexy” on the road.

7. They are held together with “Superman technology” and rarely fail nor suffer from catastrophic failures like GM, Chrysler and Ford products.

8. Just a “little TLC” keeps em going and going and going….

9. These rigs are EASY to work on when needed……no need to have a hypercomputeradvancedtechnologydegreeinastrophysics to work on them.

10. The cost to repair/mod/improve is minimal compared to an "extortionistic" level of a new car payment……

 

[Bstrom]

Just having bought a '99 with 184k on the ticker, I want to be as optimistic as you. However, a good deal of preventive attention is need to make any of what you say true.

I love the body style for sure and everything works, right now. That said, if a boastful 3rd gen owner doesn't heed the many caveats recorded in this forum he will have plenty of reason to disagree with you.

My list of Must Do's for the new owner includes:

Rear differential breather mod
Milkshake tranny cooler mod
All ignition maintenance - plugs and wires every 100k miles or less
All lube maintenance - differentials and tranny fluids
Driveshaft lube every other oil change
Big 3 wiring mod or at least the ground strap
LBJ replacement after 150k miles
Radiator surveillance

That's a lot of attentin and some real coin to keep these idols alive. I am budgeting $8-9 grand for total cost of ownership over the next five years, a bargain in my book for such a vehicle. Do all that and you (and I) will get to 300k and beyond!

 

[Jason B]

I agree to that list. My truck is 19 years old and I love everything about it. They body style still looks current and new. It's one of the best aging vehicles on the planet.

 

[BamaDrewski]

Just having bought a '99 with 184k on the ticker, I want to be as optimistic as you. However, a good deal of preventive attention is need to make any of what you say true.

I love the body style for sure and everything works, right now. That said, if a boastful 3rd gen owner doesn't heed the many caveats recorded in this forum he will have plenty of reason to disagree with you.

My list of Must Do's for the new owner includes:

Rear differential breather mod
Milkshake tranny cooler mod
All ignition maintenance - plugs and wires every 100k miles or less
All lube maintenance - differentials and tranny fluids
Driveshaft lube every other oil change
Big 3 wiring mod or at least the ground strap
LBJ replacement after 150k miles
Radiator surveillance

That's a lot of attentin and some real coin to keep these idols alive. I am budgeting $8-9 grand for total cost of ownership over the next five years, a bargain in my book for such a vehicle. Do all that and you (and I) will get to 300k and beyond!

NOTE: ANY vehicle you purchase requires preventative maintenance. The difference in our rigs and some others is that the PM last longer and provides more of a return on the initial investment. A "Big 3" wiring mod is just that - a modification - not PM as your rig will most likely run WITH OR WITHOUT this modification.....just saying.......

A mod is a mod. PM is just keeping your rig running in the best shape possible and there are a lot of T4R 3rd gen owners who have done minimal mods and the PM has kept them "alive and running" in the road even after the last year of production of this generation of T4R!!!!

 

[GangsterOfLove]

All ignition maintenance - plugs and wires every 100k miles or less

I smiled when I saw this.

It wasn't that long ago I owned American trucks where you had to do a complete tuneup every 20K miles - plugs, distributor cap, rotor, condenser, filters, wires every other tune up - and I thought nothing of it. Now changing plugs at 100K seems like a chore.

OTOH, those trucks were not likely to see much over 100K miles without some really major work - like rings and transmissions. I generally swapped them off at about 80K and bought new ones because at that point they were pretty much used up. The idea that I would someday buy a truck with nearly 200K on it and expect to keep it another 100K+ would have been unthinkable.

Now we look at how long our trucks will last and start calculating how many 100K plug changes will be required over the life of the truck with every expectation we will be doing that work at some point.

Brave new world...

 

[SURF RUNNER]

Here is my list:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/179955-things-i-like-about-3rd-generation-4runners.html

 

[Mr.Rick]

Here are my reasons:
1- It's Toyota
2- I own it free and clear
3- I get compliments everywhere I go
4- It's Toyota
5- Drives better at 19 years old that my 2 year old JK EVER did new
6- Even though its 19 years old everyone still carries parts for it
7- Unbelievably reliable
8- Maintenance and repair are two different things unlike with most vehicles
9- Still worth carrying full coverage insurance on
10- It's a beast in the snow

 

[BamaDrewski]

I agree to that list. My truck is 19 years old and I love everything about it. They body style still looks current and new. It's one of the best aging vehicles on the planet.

I gotta say man - your rig looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor!!! What kind of chrome rims do you have on your rig?

 

[paddlenbike]

There are three 3rd gens on craigslist (in my area) right now that have over 300,000 miles on them...they still look good in the ads and all of them say they run really well. That's a testament to their build quality.

I also own two new cars that cost over $30k each, but the 4Runner is my favorite.

 

[Jason B]

I gotta say man - your rig looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor!!! What kind of chrome rims do you have on your rig?

Thanks. They are 16x8 Epic wheels, then bought out by American Racing, called the Python. I had custom TRD logos made.

 

[jsindorf]

I have my first 4Runner - a 99 Limited with locking rear diff. I love this thing. Previous owners had done meticulous preventative maintenance, so I'm off to a good start.

Now I just need to figure out where some noises are coming from and enjoy it for many years, I hope!

 

[Bstrom]

NOTE: ANY vehicle you purchase requires preventative maintenance. The difference in our rigs and some others is that the PM last longer and provides more of a return on the initial investment. A "Big 3" wiring mod is just that - a modification - not PM as your rig will most likely run WITH OR WITHOUT this modification.....just saying.......

A mod is a mod. PM is just keeping your rig running in the best shape possible and there are a lot of T4R 3rd gen owners who have done minimal mods and the PM has kept them "alive and running" in the road even after the last year of production of this generation of T4R!!!!

Not trying to rain on this parade, but some mods, like the oil cooler, Big 3 and rear diff breather ARE preventive maintenance that ensure longevity. There are plenty of issues posted here that can be avoided with such traditional and preemptive steps.

Believe me, I love my 3rd gen, but it is not infallible and has design issues. Thankfully we have all the remedies right here for high miles and big grins!

 

[wc11]

The unfortunate thing is that up in the frozen north where they love to salt roads heavily, it's a pipe dream that out trucks look pristine after 18 years no matter how hard we try.

 

[BamaDrewski]

Not trying to rain on this parade, but some mods, like the oil cooler, Big 3 and rear diff breather ARE preventive maintenance that ensure longevity. There are plenty of issues posted here that can be avoided with such traditional and preemptive steps.

Believe me, I love my 3rd gen, but it is not infallible and has design issues. Thankfully we have all the remedies right here for high miles and big grins!

I agree with you man. Good point! I guess when I think of "mods" I am thinking of things outside of ensuring our rigs perform better. Your point on the oil cooler (for transmission) is definitly PM item in my mind as well and I would venture to say bypassing the radiator to avoid the "pink milkshake" is preventative as well. I know there is a great deal of discussion on here whether to "bypass or not bypass" but I went the bypass route to guarantee I won't have the pink milkshake.

I guess I am just infatuated with my rig. I literally enjoy every single drive I take in it. It has never let me down and as I have said before; "If I could find a woman as reliable and trustworthy as my 2000 T4R, I would marry her!"

 

[miles2912]

They run forever if you take care of them.

 

[KelOfTheRockies]

1. The 3rd Gen 4runner body style and features are in high demand.

2. The legendary reliability is exemplified throughout the T4R.org forum and real 3rd gen owners.

3. Look around you one day on the road and take notice of how many 3rd gens are still on the road.

4. Most of our 3rd gen T4R’s are paid for and they still deliver reliable performance – from daily drivers to weekend four-wheeling jaunts.

5. Easy to fix and repair: Our rigs don’t require and Rocket Scientist degree with 30 years of technical experience to maintain or repair.

6. They are still “damn sexy” on the road.

7. They are held together with “Superman technology” and rarely fail nor suffer from catastrophic failures like GM, Chrysler and Ford products.

8. Just a “little TLC” keeps em going and going and going….

9. These rigs are EASY to work on when needed……no need to have a hypercomputeradvancedtechnologydegreeinastrophysics to work on them.

10. The cost to repair/mod/improve is minimal compared to an "extortionistic" level of a new car payment……

I especially agree with 2 and 8; I just hit 270,000 miles and still runs like a top.

Thanks Toyota!

- k -

 

[my92t4r]

yup luv mine too...just towed 2 vehicle out of the snow ditches.