Opinion on this T4R?

[islanderoffroad]

1988 Toyota 4Runner

I went and looked at it yesterday. The guy doesnt want to go below $3500 on it, which seems kinda high to me, but I don't know these very well.

Good:
3.0 rebuilt 30k ago, feels very strong
No Rust
A/C Works
Really good paint for the age

Bad:
Dash cracked
Steering felt very loose. I had a lifted 94 Cherokee, and this had much more play than that did
Check engine light on

I dug the thing way more than I thought I was gonna, but I wanted to check with some experts on whether the price is in-line or if I should wait for another one.

Thanks!

 

[tor-redneck]

pics or it didnt happen!

 

[KidVermicious]

I'd offer 3000, and maybe let him talk me up to 3200 or 3300 if it's super clean. I think he's dreaming at 3700, but I don't know that area, maybe that's what they go for.

 

[SV_Dude]

That runner does look pretty clean from the pics. If it's clean inside and out with a good strong drive train then I would think that it's worth between 3500-4000. It looks to be kept original which helps the value. Once you start cutting and welding on them the value drops.

$3500 sounds reasonable.

 

[4runnertank]

Soooo how many miles did the engine have before it was rebuilt??

 

[1st.Gen.Runner]

id take it on the freeway make sure its not like a 3legged dog going up hills, but looks clean hope it works out for the better.

 

[Bad_Vision]

STOP!!!!
you guys always forget to ask the important question
DOES HE HAVE PAPERWORK FOR THE REBUILD? if not then you automatically need to assume it didn't happen there is no proof then he could just be trying to sell it for more then its worth.

check the codes it will tell you alot about whats going on
Toyota 4Runner and Pickup: Cheap Tricks
Toyota Tech - Diagnostic Trouble Codes
E
if its just a oxegen sensor then no biggy but if it comes up with a ECU TPS or AFM fault code then it could be more critical not to mention costly.

i cant repeat this enough, when buying a used vehicle NEVER NEVER NEVER believe what someone says they had done to a vehicle if they don't have proof.
my truck has a titanium crank shaft but i lost the receipt for that $40,000 worth of machine work. and i had platinum diodes installed in all my lights but you cant see them.
not all people are bad but its your money don't risk it without taking everything they say with a grain of salt. everything i do for my vehicles i keep receipts even if i do it myself i still keep the purchase receipt.

no rust $1500
4x4 $300
runs and drives $500
Clean interior and paint $400

IFS joint replacement to fix wonder steer -$200
check engine light -$50-$500 depending on code


$2500 is what i would go. the truck is in great shape but the engine blew?
if he has reciepts for the rebuild then maybe 3,000 but i would be on the fence at 3k.

 

[A10MileHusker]

^^^ best reply ever!!!!

 

[Bad_Vision]

sorry i dont mean to rave

 

[SV_Dude]

BV, I think you're being a bit too picky. These are 25-30 year old 4runners. You can expect them to be used as such. Top notch 4runners have gone on ebay for upwards of 15k. I know this is not a top notch 4runner but $3,500 sounds like a good price even if the motor hasn't been rebuilt. The fact that the motor has been rebuilt is just a kicker to help sell it. Obviously if there is something wrong with the vehicle then the price can be adjusted accordingly. But If I had a clean looking runner that was left alone and not hacked up, I would feel insulted if someone offered me a measly $2,500. These 4runners are starting to get harder and harder to find in good rust free and original condition. Maybe I'm out in space here...

 

[GonOvr]

Well I bought my '92 in '09 for $3500 with a burnt exhaust valve on the #4 cyl. It was a v6, auto, 4x4, sr5 without a sunroof. It ran but had zero compresssion on that cyl. Mine was extremely straight, zero rust, zero leaks and had the cleanest interior i have ever seen minus the cracked dash. I bought mine for the body and frame since I knew what I was going to do to it. The guy selling it was straight forward and honest so I pulled the trigger. The fact is the v6 is known for its headgasket issue.

Finding awesome 1st gen's is rare, heck finding 1st gens at all is getting rarer and rarer. No matter what you buy more than likely it is going to need some work of some kind. Im with the 3k guys. Steering needs work, CEL is on, and for the dash I would just get a dash mat. 30-40 bucks and it covers all the cracks.

If you go back, take a friend with you and find out what is going on with the steering. Take a paperclip and flash the codes.

 

[zidaro]

I dont know where OP is from and planning on registering this, but if there is a check engine light on, it will NOT pass smog or be eligible to register until it clears (islander leads me to believe Hawaii?). Engine light must be investigated and resolved prior, It could be a HUGE can of worms and expense that makes the rig yard art. Here in Cali. it is the SELLERS legal responsibility to provide a smog cert. on sale. It does not matter what type of Release Of Liability you think you have signed, the buyer can come back at you if it will not pass.

If this was Cali. and the runner was CHERRY inside and out including running sound, then I would feel OK about paying mid $3K's. If it was a cherry shell, but non-op (as it is unless it can register) i would cough up $1500 max. Come over to Cali., find a gem and ship it back.

 

[Bad_Vision]

you have to be a 4runner collector to know that, no non4runner person is going to fork that much cash for a 25 year old vehicle that may have had the engine rebuilt.
i agree that they are getting harder to find rust free but remember what happens when vehicles get hard to find rust free some company starts making fiberglass or metal full body's

 

[combatmedic]

Some peoples rebuild, is a whole block disassemble w/ new gaskets, internals etc. Other peoples rebuild is sparkplugs and an airfilter... Be cautious.

 

[islanderoffroad]

thanks for the help everyone.

I'm in Texas. The islander thing is from when I lived in Cali, on Catalina island for a few years.

I spoke with the owner, he has receipts for all the rebuild stuff. He came down a bit on the price, I made an offer, he countered and I said if he had the receipts the price was fair.

Picking it up this Friday.

See you all here, I'll have tons of questions

 

[Surf89]

thanks for the help everyone.

I'm in Texas. The islander thing is from when I lived in Cali, on Catalina island for a few years.

I spoke with the owner, he has receipts for all the rebuild stuff. He came down a bit on the price, I made an offer, he countered and I said if he had the receipts the price was fair.

Picking it up this Friday.

See you all here, I'll have tons of questions

Congrats...from the outside it looks like a nice stock example.

 

[islanderoffroad]

Picked her up last night, drove home very well.

The PO had removed the rollbar. I have it, but he lost the hardware. What size bolts do I need to get it back in? I read that the top has to be removed to put it back in place, is this accurate?

 

[combatmedic]

Post some pics

 

[thatoneguy]

Picked her up last night, drove home very well.

The PO had removed the rollbar. I have it, but he lost the hardware. What size bolts do I need to get it back in? I read that the top has to be removed to put it back in place, is this accurate?

Even if it does, pulling the top off takes 10 minutes.

Enjoy your new 4runner!

 

[islanderoffroad]

Got the rollbar in place without removing the top.. I'd post an edu, but the gist of it is open a side window and stick one of the legs out.