Nelsonmd
New member
Hi All,
I just bought my first 4runner this weekend and already have some work to do on it.
I got a 2000 SR5, automatic, dark green with the hood scoop, 102k miles on it. It has the leather interior in surprisingly good condition.
Now the negatives. After driving 4 hours home from the dealership in northern Vermont, I found the entire tailgate was spattered with some kind of smelly oil. A little poking around revealed that it was differential fluid. The undercarriage in the back is super rusty (like pretty much all New England vehicles), and apparently it has rusted through the diff housing. I have been reading up on this problem here and found I am not the only one with this problem. There was no sign of this problem until I drove it home on the highway, nothing showed during the test drive.
I am going to a salvage yard tomorrow to check out some potential new rear axles to replace it, so my first project on the 4runner will be to replace the entire rear axle; a little trial by fire I guess.
I am super frustrated that I discovered this right after buying it (vermont has no used car lemon laws to my knowledge, just as-is sales), and bummed I can't really drive it right now.
If you have any advice for me, I would love to hear it.
I just bought my first 4runner this weekend and already have some work to do on it.
I got a 2000 SR5, automatic, dark green with the hood scoop, 102k miles on it. It has the leather interior in surprisingly good condition.
Now the negatives. After driving 4 hours home from the dealership in northern Vermont, I found the entire tailgate was spattered with some kind of smelly oil. A little poking around revealed that it was differential fluid. The undercarriage in the back is super rusty (like pretty much all New England vehicles), and apparently it has rusted through the diff housing. I have been reading up on this problem here and found I am not the only one with this problem. There was no sign of this problem until I drove it home on the highway, nothing showed during the test drive.
I am going to a salvage yard tomorrow to check out some potential new rear axles to replace it, so my first project on the 4runner will be to replace the entire rear axle; a little trial by fire I guess.
I am super frustrated that I discovered this right after buying it (vermont has no used car lemon laws to my knowledge, just as-is sales), and bummed I can't really drive it right now.
If you have any advice for me, I would love to hear it.
