Question about buying high mileage 4Runner

[Carpenterjake]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum, and 4Runners.

I need a bigger vehicle for work, driving in snow, and backwoods adventures, and the 4Runner seems a lot more capable than others such as the Pathfinder.

I really want a standard shift, and they are hard to find. I will be looking at a 1995 2nd gen and a 2000 3rd gen in my price range, but both of them have about 250,000 (155K miles) on them. (both are v6, the 3.0 and 3.4L)

So I'd like to ask members of this forum, do you think it's a bad idea to buy such a high mileage 4Runner, if it has been well-maintained? If I opt for automatic, I can get lower mileage, like maybe 150 - 180,000Km, but would worry more about a used automatic, as well as enjoying driving it less.

I will get the vehicle checked at a mechanic, but aside from the timing belt and clutch, are there any major potential expenses I should consider?

I'm leaning more toward the 3rd gen, cause it's larger and has rack and pinion steering.

I appreciate all comments and insight.

Thanks,
Jake

 

[Nunyabiz]

Personally I would opt for the 3rd gen with the 3.4L engine.

I bought mine about 7 months ago with 157xxx miles on it and thought nothing of it because whom I bought it from had very good maintenance records, a folder about 3"+ thick.
If properly maintained I feel I should expect at least 250,000 miles out of it if not quite a bit more.

I wanted a 5 speed also but gave up on that as in my area of the country (East Coast) at least 5 speeds are virtually non existent.
My personal preference since a 99' Highlander 5 speed was out of the question was a 2002 Sport Edition which after I found "the one" ended up being really the perfect truck for us anyway.

Other than Timing Belt/Water pump I would check the Ball joints and also the Radiator if its automatic.

Most of your questions can be answered in this excellent thread by Ripchord.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82033-3rd-gen-4runner-buyers-guide.html

 

[kzak]

High mileage doesn't scare me in a 4Runner. I vote 3rd gen also. While I've never owned a 2nd gen, many of the reviews and opinions of other owners lead me to believe you will be happier in the 2000. Of course, the price has to be right too. I wouldn't pay over $3000 for such high mileage.

 

[the great him]

High mileage doesn't scare me in a 4Runner. I vote 3rd gen also. While I've never owned a 2nd gen, many of the reviews and opinions of other owners lead me to believe you will be happier in the 2000. Of course, the price has to be right too. I wouldn't pay over $3000 for such high mileage.

155K is not high mileage for a 3rd gen, and unfortunately you wont find one for under $3000 unless its just been trashed and abused. its simply isnt going to happen. i bought mine a little over a year ago with just over 200K and spent $5500 and i feel i got a great deal. i have not heard of a 3.4l 4x4 3rd gen going for under $4k in good shape. i know location of the sale has a lot to do with price by i think $5-7 is fair pricing for what you get, these 4runners are great trucks and at 150k miles you can expect at least another 100k if you take care of it and do proper maintenance on it.

 

[Hepar]

Stay far away from the 3.0. If you do a little searching you'll find that they are notorious for blowing their head gaskets.

 

[DanoT]

My friend who sells GMC and has a 1991 3.0L Tacoma told me to get a 1997 or newer 4runner because the 3.4L has more power and better fuel economy than the 3.0L.
I just bought my 1997 4runner a month ago from the Toyota Dealer in Victoria B.C. They were asking $11,900 with 189k kms (about 125k miles) SR5, rear diff locker, manual transmission. I paid $9300 with a $75 gas fill up and 1 free oil & filter change coupon and 1 $10 coupon. I paid a premium price for a very well maintained premium condition vehicle. It was only on their lot for 3 days before I bought it.
At the same time that I was buying this truck, there was a ad for a 2001 4runner, private sale (less likely to drop the price as much as the dealer did) in Parksville, with 130k kms, Limited, auto trans. for $11500.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

I paid $5500 for my 99 with 191K miles on it, it was super clean. I just bought my 97 with 187K on it for $2800 but I stole it. Not real clean but it's straight and was maintained well. A little elbow grease, some parts and a major major clean up I'm into it for less than $5K and have a pretty capable truck, basically bullet proof that I enjoy owning. I have no doubt it'll go over 350K miles.

 

[kzak]

155K is not high mileage for a 3rd gen, and unfortunately you wont find one for under $3000 unless its just been trashed and abused. its simply isnt going to happen. i bought mine a little over a year ago with just over 200K and spent $5500 and i feel i got a great deal. i have not heard of a 3.4l 4x4 3rd gen going for under $4k in good shape. i know location of the sale has a lot to do with price by i think $5-7 is fair pricing for what you get, these 4runners are great trucks and at 150k miles you can expect at least another 100k if you take care of it and do proper maintenance on it.

I misread the original post, I thought it was 250,000 miles instead of km. My bad. I agree, I wouldn't consider 155k miles high at all.

 

[JohnsD90]

Personally I would opt for the 3rd gen with the 3.4L engine.

I bought mine about 7 months ago with 157xxx miles on it and thought nothing of it because whom I bought it from had very good maintenance records, a folder about 3"+ thick.
If properly maintained I feel I should expect at least 250,000 miles out of it if not quite a bit more.

I wanted a 5 speed also but gave up on that as in my area of the country (East Coast) at least 5 speeds are virtually non existent.
My personal preference since a 99' Highlander 5 speed was out of the question was a 2002 Sport Edition which after I found "the one" ended up being really the perfect truck for us anyway.

Other than Timing Belt/Water pump I would check the Ball joints and also the Radiator if its automatic.

Most of your questions can be answered in this excellent thread by Ripchord.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82033-3rd-gen-4runner-buyers-guide.html

Northeast has loads of 5-Speeds i see um all the time, and i see them for sale, the rest of the country doesnt have as many.

 

[Nunyabiz]

Northeast has loads of 5-Speeds i see um all the time, and i see them for sale, the rest of the country doesnt have as many.

I saw just the opposite for the time I was searching, did not see a single 5 speed anywhere near here. Mid Atlantic east coast like NC/SC/Va areas.
Wasn't interested in any much above Va because of the road salt rust thing.
Saw loads of them on the West Coast though, was just about to plan a trip to Oregon even, if my luck didn't change.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

I understand that manuals are more reliable than automatics but I do think the automatic in these things is pretty damn good. Better than most I think it's fair to say.

 

[Carpenterjake]

Thanks

Thanks everybody for the advice.

It's happening! On Monday I'm picking up the 2000 sr5 5 speed and if the mechanic says its ok, taking it home. I'm so excited.

It's listed for $7500, but I'm gonna try to talk him down to $7000 since it's due for a timing belt before too long. They go for amazingly high prices in Vancouver at least. A typical 2000 from a private sale or dealer is often in the $9000 - $14000 range with low mileage.

The Pathfinders of similar year are 2/3 to 1/2 the price, but from reading around the front suspension is MacPherson struts, so it handles like a hatchback on any serious bumpyness and expensive failures seem common.

I'll post pics when I get the truck. Lots of great information on this forum; I intend to look around lots more.

jake

 

[sprchrgd_4x4runner]

I have 210k miles on mine supercharged autimatic and still runs great

 

[Kung]

I'm sure you'll be fine. I took delivery about a week ago of a 2000 4Runner with 130,116 miles on it. It had been babied for darn near all its life, and had *ALL* service records with it. Had had several replacements, but were all within expectations (e.g., starter contacts, antenna motor, etc.).

Despite having 130K miles on it, it's tighter than my other 2 vehicles, and the only things that actually needed 'fixing' were

- balancing/rotating the tires and
- tightening the valve cover bolts (to see if the valve cover gasket's actually bad or just loose bolts)

Everything else was/is fine. So yeah, I wouldn't sweat it at all - 155K is just a few more miles than mine has and if it's in anything close to my condition it'll run for YEARS.

 

[brian4t]

11K for my 2001 Limited 4WD /w 103K showroom condition, not joking.

 

[AZ4FNER]

Paid $5800.00 for my 1998 Limited 4x4x w/ 197K miles. Took more than 6 months to find the right one. I felt it was a good price for the maintainence done up front and for the condition. Seriously an 8 out of 10.

 

[kelsosv17]

So what do you guys think of a 2000 sr5 automatic factory rear locker with 183k for $6800. 2nd owner who's had it since 62k miles and has all the maintenance records. Although I don't believe she's ever had the timing belt changed, and it has a small crack in the windshield. I drove it and everything works great, runs like a champ. She bout a 2011 4runner only reason for selling.

Thoughts?

 

[nilson]

I have a 96 Limited 4x4 w/ elocker I paid $4000 for... Now in this case it was known to need maintenance before hand (no timing belt change, no spark plug change, and no trans/xfer/diff oil change since new) with 202,000 miles. Ran like **** with lots of sputtering when bought and I later found it to have the original mix of NGK/Denso plugs!

I changed the plugs and it ran like I would consider a brand new one. I've done additional maintenance since as time/money allows but it has never given troubles. The only "changes" to the 4runners came in '99 afaik.

You've got a solid platform there and I think its worth that price.

 

[Kung]

What he said. You might (*MIGHT*) try talking her down just a bit, but even if she doesn't budge, I'd still call it good. I paid $7200 for the same year with 130K; but then again, you've got a factory rear locker, so that more than evens it up IMHO.

 

[Carpenterjake]

Got it

Ya, got my truck the other day. It got the thumbs up from my mechanic, no real problems to be found. Driving it home it kind of felt like driving a boat for handling. But it turns out the tires on the left side were at about 20 psi, and the tires on the right side were something like 5psi.

Bonk.

Surprising I didn't go shiny side down while weaving on the freeway. I'll try it again with air in the tires tomorrow and see if it's a bit tighter.

I'm loving it, it's so big and roomy, the back seat is huge, and it's pretty decently zippy. And it came with a nice 400w sub amp and a huge sub that was blown.

So I stuck an old sub of mine in there and now I can drive around and listen to the pimp music that the last owner left on it, on leather seats with the sunroof open. What's not awesome about that!

And score today, on Craigslist I found a set of 4 Michelin snow tires with about 60% tread left for $120. Didn't want to drop $600 bucks or so for new winter tires cause it doesn't snow much in Vancouver. Now I just have to track down some used steel wheels and I'm unstoppable in the snow.

I love my truck.

Jake