Opinions wanted… what would you do?

[wtfemery]

So, long story short… I have a boat that I bought for $6k this spring that I’m sorta trying to get rid of for the same price I paid for it. I saw this interesting post on facebook of a 3rd gen that a guy had spent thousands on , upgrading it to be an off-road rig. It’s a 98 V6 5spd with locking diff. Has 275k miles. He specifically wants to trade it for a fishing boat in the $5k-7k range. He’s interested in the one I have.

Within the past 20k miles he’s done:

• timing/fan/alternator belts, water pump
• stereo/amp/subs/custom box
• OEM LBJs
• OME 891 rear springs
• toytec boss rear shocks
• icon 2.5 remote coilovers with cdcv
• total chaos upper/lower control arms
• diff drop
• panhard drop
• new 315 tires
• inner/outer tie rods
• Tcase output shaft seal
• cold air intake
• radiator
• front tube bumper/winch
• durabumps/bump stops all around
• brakes all around
• extended travel CV axles
• steel rear bumper with spare tire arm
• couple other small things. Battery, camber bolts, etc.

Problem is, I already own one… lol. it’s an automatic and no locking diff

While I love mine, it’s at 290k and due for a timing belt, radiator, shocks, the valve cover gaskets are leaking a bit, a speaker is blown, sunroof doesn’t work, etc. just all around it probably needs $2-3k worth of odds and ends to be back in good shape, even though it’s still my daily driver. More if i don’t do it myself. Besides the front bumper kit, 5100s and OME springs it’s pretty much stock. And I don't exactly have time to work on it myself and i don’t have a backup car in case things like the timing belt job take longer than expected (they always do)

As it sits I can probably sell mine for $3.5-4k (Denver area) if i put $2k into it i can maybe get $6k. and that’s before any of the fun mods i wish mine had…

So i guess what I’m asking is… would you jump on this deal to trade a $6k boat for this guys rig? And WWYD with the other 3rd gen? My wife is scared to learn manual but wants to still be able to borrow my car in a pinch like we sometimes do. So there’s that. That alone makes me want to hold onto both of them anyways and not get rid of mine lol.

Initially i was like “perfect! i can trade with this guy, sell my old one for $6k, and its like i never even owned the boat but have an upgraded truck!” but then i was brought back down to earth when i realized what my car would *actually* go for, with the few things it needs done soon. For some reason I had an inflated number in my head

 

[pluton]

Your 4R is a candidate to be replaced because of mileage.
OTOH, I'd be thinking about making the trade and then seeing what the "new" one could be sold for. Big $$$$ sale, then service your old one, and have some $$$ left over?
Folks are still crazy for 3rd gen 4Runners.
I'd want to know with what level of skill the mods were installed.
Did he beat it up wheeling?
Is there rust?

 

[wtfemery]

Your 4R is a candidate to be replaced because of mileage.
OTOH, I'd be thinking about making the trade and then seeing what the "new" one could be sold for. Big $$$$ sale, then service your old one, and have some $$$ left over?
Folks are still crazy for 3rd gen 4Runners.
I'd want to know with what level of skill the mods were installed.
Did he beat it up wheeling?
Is there rust?

Haven’t seen it in person yet but from what i can see, i don’t think there’s much rust, and said he’s only had time to take it out a couple of times since getting a new truck

at this point i’m thinking maybe it’s not a bad idea to trade and keep both of them, and slowly fix the things that need fixing on my first one since i have a spare car to drive, then decide which one I want to keep… maybe swap some of the mods over to the first one (i really like my anthracite paint color and this other one’s paint is boring white)

 

[ch1966]

That 98 with a five speed and locker is money if it's solid.

I picked up a 99 @240K last week to go with my 01 @325K.

The 99 with AT and has the locker.
It's cherry for it's age.
This is the one I'll build on.

The 01 has been beat like a mule but I still entertain thoughts of a build
even though the interior and paint are looking long in the tooth.

The 01 is my FurRunner:

The 99 is now my PartsRunner:

My boat sits 8 months out of the year but it isn't going anywhere.

Choose wisely!

 

[Hungryhawk]

As a large boat owner for 15 years I can confirm Old Sayings are true:
A boat is a hole in the water you attempt to fill with money.
The 2 best days in a boat owners life are 1) the day he buys the boat and 2) the day he sells the boat.
My suggestion is check for sales or use taxes you might be responsible for?
Do the trade to achieve happiness. Sell the newly acquired 4runner. Use the money to repair your 4runner.
Your 4runner you know its mechanical issues.
The new 4runner is unknown.

 

[wtfemery]

Your 4runner you know its mechanical issues.
The new 4runner is unknown.

This is definitely true. I just sometimes wish it was 5spd and had the diff locker. And a totally new suspension. And 35’s. lol.

If I make the trade I think i’ll keep both at least until spring. That’s how long I’d be keeping the boat if it didn’t sell before fall anyways. Maybe I’ll have a better sense of which one is worth keeping by then…

 

[ninethings]

Trade the boat, shift parts from the better of the two to whichever rig you want to keep, sell the other and hopefully recoup much of the balance. At least how I'd go about it

 

[T4R2014]

I never owned a boat but know well enough that if a guy is willing to trade a potentially janky 3rd gen 4Runner of desirable spec for a boat (no explanation needed), then it sound like you can't lose, especially if he doesn't want cash on top.

 

[kishstl64]

The 3rd gen will hold it's value way better than a boat and give you options moving forward.

 

[wtfemery]

Out with the boat…

https://imgur.com/a/V9nB9Xg

In with the 5spd!

https://imgur.com/a/yCgcZGS

Overall she’s solid. Squirrely on the highway because the sway bars are removed, and the body has some dents and rusty spots, but the frame is rust free and the engine/trans are good.Tires rub a bit when turning but only since the guy lowered the front coil-overs, which can apparently be adjusted back up, he just didn’t have the right tool. Excited to play around with it! He even gave me a kayak with a trolling motor too!

 

[wtfemery]

Awe man turns out it’s gonna need the knock sensors/harness replaced hwell: Annoying but not the end of the world. Check engine light on the dash is burnt out or something so i didn’t think to check codes when i picked it up. Failed emissions just because it has a code, otherwise its probably fine to run how it is… but now i have a clock ticking to get it fixed and registered, and i hear it’s an annoying job to do

 

[JohnMc]

Congrats on the (fairly) rare 5-spd!

 

[brillo_76]

Awe man turns out it’s gonna need the knock sensors/harness replaced hwell: Annoying but not the end of the world. Check engine light on the dash is burnt out or something so i didn’t think to check codes when i picked it up. Failed emissions just because it has a code, otherwise its probably fine to run how it is… but now i have a clock ticking to get it fixed and registered, and i hear it’s an annoying job to do

Bogus...:-(

 

[JohnMc]

Gives you a chance to clean out the mouse nest that's probably in the valley under the intake.