I'm finally about to pull the trigger on a 2004-2009 4Runner, and I've just relocated from California to Maine. Obviously, I'm new to the whole rust thing and I have no exerience with any rust on my cars. Seeing the cars out here, I really am saddened to see them literally rotting away from the rust. So I've been thinking about possibly getting a 4Runner from California and having it shipped out here. Is this overkill? Are 4Runners prone to getting rust? If I find one that is somehow rust free up here, will there be any difference in long term rust resistance if I take care of it?
Should I avoid buying in the Northeast?
- Thread starter Donoharm
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Get one from the West or Southeast and ship or drive it back. I got lucky when I found mine in Buffalo. It was taken care of. Undercoated every year and almost no rust, although the hatch has a bit. All the others I looked at we're awful. Frames looked like trash
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unevolved
Member
Totally worth the hassle. I sold an E30 (old BMW) to a guy that lived in Michigan, and flew down to Texas to buy it. All the ones up there had long since returned to the earth.
abnrml_bmw
New member
Hi all, so my 2000 sport decided to have a frame issue...something to do with water and salt here in the NE.... well i just brought home a 2003 SR5... with a really nice frame and i mean NICE... only been in NE since 2008 so that helped.. good ones are here if you can find one and someone wants to give it up.... -Andy
abnrml_bmw
New member
so where in ME are you? I am in NH, Portsmouth...ish
Ratubbs
New member
I live in Nashville and found one in Maine back in February, I had it shipped down and was a little nervous about frame rust given its location but the owner was a mechanic and owner of an automatic car wash with undercarriage capability and it was ran through there regularly. That said, there is some small areas of surface rust in some spots that I noticed while hitting the zerks. So once I get a chance I'll hit em with a wire brush and rust oleum. Just giving my experience. You decide.
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li_runner
New member
Obvious a truck from the south will have no rust, but don't toss out looking up here either. Proper maintenance will leave you will little rust. Mine has almost none almost 10yrs later.
We just have more to do during and after winters that those "warm" people. ��
We just have more to do during and after winters that those "warm" people. ��
I've been looking on other posts about rust and it's somewhat confusing. One one hand, people like yourself note that with proper maintenance, a 4Runner will be rust free or little rust. On the other hand, there are posts out there of people who say they do all the washing and undercoating, etc, but that their frames are rusting "from inside out".
Maybe it's just the compunds used by local municipalities, but bottom line is I'm not sure how I will be able to tell when buying...
flipflopnfly
New member
Crawl around underneath with a headlamp, take your time with a good visual inspection of the the front suspension bolts, alignment cams, the frame and crossmembers, rear suspension, sparetire carrier (you can try to drop the spare also). Use your hands to feel for rust bubbles on the frame.
You can bring along a socketwrench with a 12mm socket and extension and try to loosen the skid plate bolts, those freeze often.
Inspect the drain/fill plugs on the differentials and transfer case, see if they've been rounded. If yes, walk away. The front diff uses Allen keys for the drain/fill plugs and you would have to drop the skid plate to inspect them - those Allen drain/fill plugs get rounded easily and often.
Carmax will transfer any vehicle to you, I've never used it, just an option for you. Get a CarFax report on any used vehicle and pore over it. You can run any Toyota VIN at toyota.com and get the detailed maintenance report if the maintenance has been performed at a Toy dealer.
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ExpeditionBill
New member
I would find the common rust issues with these. I had a general idea but after buying it I noticed a lot of rusted things I had to replace. Mostly suspension, steering and brake parts (tie rods, end links, seized calipers)
My frame seems to be alright. I planned on wire brushing any rust spots or chipped coating and giving it a fresh coat soon.
LCA bolts tend to all be seized around here. You will have to cut those bolts off and replace the whole thing. See my thread.
Basically see my thread for the issues you may run into and if you plan on modding it....be prepared to replace more then expected. I ordered replacement parts expecting them to be shot. Easier to install all new parts.
My frame seems to be alright. I planned on wire brushing any rust spots or chipped coating and giving it a fresh coat soon.
LCA bolts tend to all be seized around here. You will have to cut those bolts off and replace the whole thing. See my thread.
Basically see my thread for the issues you may run into and if you plan on modding it....be prepared to replace more then expected. I ordered replacement parts expecting them to be shot. Easier to install all new parts.
flipflopnfly
New member
Anybody wants a one owner Colorado 2008 Limited, here it is. $2000 overpriced, but timing belt and water pump replaced on the V8.
Cars for Sale: Used 2008 Toyota 4Runner in Limited, Fort Collins CO: 80525 Details - Sport Utility - Autotrader
Cars for Sale: Used 2008 Toyota 4Runner in Limited, Fort Collins CO: 80525 Details - Sport Utility - Autotrader
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markymark191
New member
Just fly down to arizona and buy one and be done with it. I would rather have to replace an engine than have a bad frame
More than that. Lol.
When I started my search. First one that came up was an 08 V8 limited 4x4 loaded. 65k miles. 18,500. Sold before I could take a look.
Your looking at like 24k out the door with 40k more miles. Colorado is crazy.
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flipflopnfly
New member
Perusing 4th gens for sale in Colorado I see about 90% have been bought at auction from the northeast or rental resales.
Hey Dono,
I've relocated a few times and went through the same thing shopping for GXs. I ended up getting one from LA and shipped out to Chicago. Grew up out west and after owning east coast cars all I can say is you don't know how bad rust is until you work on an east coast car. Yes, your western 4runner will get there but you have 8-12 years time delay.
If i did it again, I would have gotten a CPO from a dealer. Did private party and haven't had any issues but would have been nice for the reassurance. I would also check the toyota owner site where you put the vin in and get dealer service history.
Also get a ton of pics, including:
dash for cracks, front and passenger seats for cracks, headlights for hazing, each tire with a penny to check tread is the same depth (i DID have this issue but was only 1/4"), all doors/fenders for scratches.
Aside from that I have heard stories that you can find east coast stores where they were garage kept and not driven in snow/rain. I find it hard to believe that would happen with a 4x4 SUV and never found a midwest example where this was the case but you never know, it might happen.
Good luck with the hunt!
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