Opinions on this '99 4x4 please.

S

Supraformance

New member
Hey guys, I have been looking for a decent 3rd gen for a while and just found one within my price range and in the color I prefer. Just wanted to know what you guys think of it at first glance, and what questions you would ask if you were interested in buying. I go to see it on Tuesday. Thanks for your help. Really looking forward to owning one of these.

Patrick

1999 Toyota 4Runner 4x4
 
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It looks good but look at the under carriage. look for signs of paint over rust. check fluids before and after driving. If there aren't service records, don't buy it. it could be getting to the point where a TB and WP are needed. Hopefully those have been handled. Check that the transmission has been flushed regularly to avoid pink milkshake.
 
I will ask for service records on Tuesday. I've read a lot about the pink milkshake on this forum and will definitely be checking in detail for trans fluid flushes. The Koyo rad/B&M fan setup will probably be my first modification to the car seeing as to how the summers out here are ridiculously hot. I think I may even have an extra Spal fan in the garage somewhere already.

I read in this thread (http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82033-3rd-gen-4runner-buyers-guide.html) the timing belt and water pump should be done every 90k miles so I will check to see if it was done the first 90k and also if it was recently done as it is coming up to 170k. I am capable of replacing the water pump and timing belt myself and actually look forward to what I like to think of as getting to know the car if it turns out they were not recently replaced.

I will also be checking the lower ball joints for any excessive wear or play. Is there anything in particular to look for as far as being able to tell how worn the suspension is? I'll be under the car doing the inspection for rust so wondering what else I should shine my flashlight on. Thanks.
 
Just like arkmaster said, check the undercarriage for rust or coverup of rust. I would ask him about the timing belt for sure, make sure it was done at the first 90k. Also check around that dinged up bumper, make sure there isn't any further damage from there or that the front suspension on that side wasn't damaged or replaced. Good Luck!
 
I think the 4runner look good and the price is a done deal. but you want to check on the car fax to make sure service has been done consistently and effectively all mean better to know than buying with regret. Good luck and hope this help you.
 
Thanks TN, I will make sure I double check everything around the bent bumper. Good call.

Thao, I did a quick VIN search and saw nothing other than 0 accidents and regular registration renewels every few years. Will one of the $40 CarFax reports show maintenance checks on the vehicle?
 
Since the main things have been pointed out, there's other, less important questions like, does it have the E Locker? :)
 
Thanks I will check for the e-locker switch on the dash to the left of the steering wheel. I doubt it would be necessary for me to have but who knows, maybe I'll get out in the dirt with it every once in a while if it does.
 
Supraformance said:
Man those are both killer deals! I actually found a relisting for the same vehicle in my OP here (1999 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4WD 168,500 SUV Well Maintained) and he's asking a thousand less so we will see what I actually get this car for! I've got my fingers crossed that the owner has all the maintenance records.
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Well, I wouldn't pay a dime more than the lower priced ad.
Just tell him you are responding to this price.

Anyways, how many people here have ever bought 170k mile vehicles with all the service records? I have once in my life and I have bought and sold many vehicles in my 24 years of driving. From your other posts, you sound mechanically knowledgeable if you can do a tb/wp change so what are service records going to tell you that you can not see on your own.

As far as worrying about the tb/wp, the 3.4 is a non interference motor so if it breaks the only thing that happens is you are getting a tow. But if you can do the work yourself, the cost of replacing isn't much anyways.
 
I mean, if the current owner doesn't know much about maintenance but says "Here's a folder of various invoices from when I took it to get serviced", it's gonna tell me a lot about the car. If he doesn't have any knowledge of what has been performed over the life of the vehicle, it's the difference between me putting cash in his hand right then and there or me scheduling a time where I can come pick the car up for a day and pop the timing covers off and hell he'll probably even get a free trans fluid flush out of it if I don't end up buying it.

I do feel confident in my ability to perform maintenance on the vehicle but having history on the car is always to the benefit of the buyer.
 
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Supraformance said:
I mean, if the current owner doesn't know much about maintenance but says "Here's a folder of various invoices from when I took it to get serviced", it's gonna tell me a lot about the car. If he doesn't have any knowledge of what has been performed over the life of the vehicle, it's the difference between me putting cash in his hand right then and there or me scheduling a time where I can come pick the car up for a day and pop the timing covers off and hell he'll probably even get a free trans fluid flush out of it if I don't end up buying it.

I do feel confident in my ability to perform maintenance on the vehicle but having history on the car is always to the benefit of the buyer.
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You do realize that a lot of people aren't car people, right? So if he hands you a folder full of receipts but isn't sure of the answers to your specific questions about maintenance, you'll walk? It shouldn't tell you anything about the car, other than it was serviced. People who aren't car people don't look at them the way we do. Just because he isn't exactly sure when the trans was last serviced doesn't mean it was poorly cared for. If the fluids look good, what's the big deal?
 
I think my post was misinterpreted or maybe I came off a different way than I actually meant. If he hands me a folder of service receipts they should all list what's been done to the car and when, in which case I wouldn't need to ask him much because all the answers would be right there. At least I would feel more comfortable pursuing the close to the deal if this was the case.

On the other hand, if he says he's owned the car for 10 years and can't remember the last time he changed the oil or even took it to a shop and doesn't have any documentation of any type of service, I would rather continue my search. Not trying to seem like a jerk here, I just prefer knowing the car has been with a owner who cared (or maybe cared more than average?).
 
Get the VIN and head over to toyota owners website...

toyota.com/owners

...and lie and say you own it. It will give you any dealer service records!

That's how I found that mine probably had a milkshake and the previous owner dumped it quick... I needed a new trans 3 months after I bought it...
 
VIN: JT3HN86R4X0237646 in case anyone has access to a better report system and wants to check it out ;)

Thanks for the toyota.com/owner info. I will have to add my Supra in there too!
 
I'd offer a lot less. I found a 99 limited for $5500 with elocker a few months ago. $5600 looks a little high for that. If you want pm me an I can help you look for a runner around san Diego, if ur interested.
 
I think the OP is just suggesting it will provide more peace of mind when making such a big investment. No one can argue with the fact that you would rather have the service records than not. There are parts of the vehicle that you can't see without pulling things out and moving stuff around, and if the service records show it was done only a year or two ago, you no longer have to worry about that area as much.
 
Exactly, thank you :) ^^

LuckyRunner, I've been searching San Diego Craigslist but if something worth mentioning pops up in the next few days please let me know. Thanks!
 
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