Used 3rd Gen advice

T4R_Finally

T4R_Finally

New member
Hi 3rd Gen'ers. We have a 2011 5th gen and we love it. It's our first 4runner but we've always wanted one. I still think the 3rd gens are some of the best looking 4runners ever made. I currently have my daughters little mazda up for sale and, as soon as it sells, we'll be looking a used 3rd gen for her to take off to college next year. She'll be going to school in the mountains, so we want her to have 4wd and a 4runner will have much more room in it for her to take things back and forth.

Anyway, I've already started looking and am wondering if anyone would be willing to share some advice on what to look for and/or what to look out for in a 3rd gen, especially relative to the mileage that is likely to be on the clock of anything we find. I've seen them for sale with as few is 105k miles and as much as 250k miles. Even though these things last, we'd still opt for the lowest mileage possible, assuming everything else about the vehicle is in good shape.

Are there particular year models to maybe stay away from? Or known problems with certain year models? Are there certain things to look for to have been done at a specific mileage interval that we'd need to make sure was done or go and have done after purchasing?

Mostly, I'm seeing 99, 00, and 01's in our general price range. My tendency would be to go with the newest possible, with the lowest miles possible. But, while 120k miles would be considered low to average on a 10 year old vehicle, I would want to make sure necessary maint. was done or gets done if I buy it.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
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For your college age daughter, I would recommend the 01-02 models becuase those were the only years of 3rd gen that had Traction control and stability control, also they have on demand AWD in addition to 4WD.
 
depending on where you are from you want to look out for rust on the frame ect. out west its not so much of an issue but back east north east specifically it can be bad. also timing belt should be changed every ~80k miles. there is two things that come to mind as far as costly issues that can happen if neglected. one is the lower ball joints, and the other is the "pink milkshake". if your over 120-150K and the LBJs have not been replaced then id sugest doing so just for peace of mind. get factory toyota ones from the dealer if possible, its like less than $250 for both sides and will save you over $2500 in damages and repairs if they fail(look/search for lower ball joint failure if you have questions) and id say if you are over 100K and the radiator hasnt been changed then look at changing that. you can also add an external transmission cooler and completly by-pass the radiator for your auto trans cooling and eliminate the risk of the pink milkshake that way too. basically what happens is the seperation between the facotry trans cooler(which is in the radiator) and the coolent fails and mixes the two liquids, while this dosent so much hurt the motor, it will destroy a transmission. coolant oddly enough will not work to lubricat the transmission or keep it cool.

other than that, rear axle seals can be leakers. the front brakes are not the greatest -thats why a lot of us have done the tundrea brake upgrade, stock 4runner rotors are prone to warping or getting too hot and having too much pad transfer(big debate of this). im sure im forgeting some stuff.
 
4-Ripcord said:
For your college age daughter, I would recommend the 01-02 models becuase those were the only years of 3rd gen that had Traction control and stability control, also they have on demand AWD in addition to 4WD.
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x2 and marginally safer then the 2nd gens, so a third gen is the best option for sure.

that said, there is no particular year to stay away from they are all about the same, some say stay away from the 2000+ model years becuase of the more advanced and more likely to break 4wd system, but those people tend to be hard core off roaders, for your average college girl and if the thing was well maintained the 2000+ will be a great truck for her, also the 2000+ do feel a bit newer on the inside so she won't feel to outdated in it and the 4wd system in it is great for people who just want to drive with out thinking about it, so don't let those comments about the later 3rd gens 4wd not being quite as good throw you.

beyond that the 2 main killers of these trucks and things to check besides the standard used car check list, is, and search these terms,

pink milkshake
*%*&! lower ball joint failure

that really the only thing i can think of besides the usual things.
here is a couple of lists you can print out and bring with you to make the whole thing easier, i always print something of this sort out and go step by step checking things off the list, it help to keep me from getting warped up in it all and missing something, i have only bought 1 lemon in my life and i have since learned from that mistake bu using list of this sort, also keep in mind i just pulled these ones and only had a brief look, you maybe able to find better if you search for a bit, "used car check list" in google turned up hundreds.

AIS Used-Car Pre-Purchase Checklist - MSN Autos
http://www.cars.com/go/advice/shopping/cpo/images/Suzuki.pdf
http://www.cryan.com/pdf/UsedCar.pdf
Checklist and Worksheet for Inspecting Used Cars Before You Buy at DMV.org: The Unofficial DMV Guide
How to inspect a used car - illustrated used car checklist

good luck and good choice!
 
imvegas said:
How much is it to replace the head gaskets and the rear main seal for a 94 toyota 4runner?
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dr_evil_one_million_dollars.jpg

.......ONE MILLION DOLLARS.......
 
Thanks for the redirect on the hijacking. I hear y'all on the pink milkshake, so the first thing to do is to check the overflow for it and then ask if/when the radiator was replaced and/or if there are any mods such as a standalone tranny cooler, right? By the way, she won't drive a stick so I'm definitely in the market for an AT model - so this is definitely on the checklist.

For the LBJ issue, did I read correctly that there was a recall on that? If I ask the owner or even check with Toyota to see if the recall was performed, am I set, or do those still need to be replaced every 80k miles, regardless?

Rust check is a no-brainer - I would do that on any vehicle. In this area, it just depends on where the vehicle was used. Not a lot of salty road issues here but over 10 years, maybe something to consider. However, it's very possible the truck could have been driven close to the ocean - several places to do that around here.

The death wobble issue is one I'm familiar with and would show itself on a test drive. I've had warped rotors before on my truck from pulling a heavy RV across several states, so I know what it feels like.

The rear axle seal issue would show itself as well as long as I check around the rear end and wheels.

It's nice to be able to go used car hunting informed and with a specific list of major issues to check for.

I know I've seen several ads for Gen 3's recently that mentioned timing belts having been replaced, so that's on my list as well.
 
T4R_Finally said:
Thanks for the redirect on the hijacking. I hear y'all on the pink milkshake, so the first thing to do is to check the overflow for it and pull the radiator cap look at the coolant too.
and then ask if/when the radiator was replaced and/or if there are any mods such as a standalone tranny cooler, right? By the way, she won't drive a stick so I'm definitely in the market for an AT model - so this is definitely on the checklist.

For the LBJ issue, did I read correctly that there was a recall on that? If I ask the owner or even check with Toyota to see if the recall was performed, am I set, or do those still need to be replaced every 80k miles, regardless?
i dont know that toyota ever issued a recall for the 4runners. but as long as its not a lifted truck or one with a heavy after market bumper id say your would be safe with it at the 120kmile mark. no need to change them at 80k imo

Rust check is a no-brainer - I would do that on any vehicle. In this area, it just depends on where the vehicle was used. Not a lot of salty road issues here but over 10 years, maybe something to consider. However, it's very possible the truck could have been driven close to the ocean - several places to do that around here.

The death wobble issue is one I'm familiar with and would show itself on a test drive. I've had warped rotors before on my truck from pulling a heavy RV across several states, so I know what it feels like.

The rear axle seal issue would show itself as well as long as I check around the rear end and wheels.
this isnt something that i would walk away from just because of this. its a fairly simple fix just takes time and the tools to do it, most shops can do this in less than 2hrs and its not a big deal, so dont let this be a deal breaker

It's nice to be able to go used car hunting informed and with a specific list of major issues to check for.

I know I've seen several ads for Gen 3's recently that mentioned timing belts having been replaced, so that's on my list as well.
the 3.4l motor is a noninterfearance motor, meaning that if the belt does break, it wont hurt the motor. the truck will just die and cost to a stop on the side of the road. then just replace the belt and you are back in business
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answers in green
 
Kid, thanks for the responses. Agree, the rear axle seal isn't a deal breaker, but at least I know what to look for. In the buyer guide thread posted above, on the LBJ issue, it mentions a large recall on the issue. So, I would think I should check to see if the specific vehicle was part of the recall and then see if it was taken care of. When I bought the Mazda I am trying to now sell, I called Mazda customer service with the VIN and they were able to tell me all recalls that were issued and verify for me that they were handled and when they were handled. I assume Toyota can/will do the same.

On the timing belt issue, it's good to know it won't cause catastrophic damage, but letting it go until it leaves my daughter on the side of the road is not a realistic option in my household. The wife would never forgive me, and neither would the daughter for that matter. Either it will have been done when it was called for or it will be one of the first things I have done after purchasing.
 
I think you might be able to do this online via Toyota's Owners website.

Toyota Owners - Official Toyota Owners Website

When I bought mine I created an account, entered in my VIN and I was able to see all the dealer provided maintenance done to my 4runner. I checked for the recall done for the rear springs, but it wasn't applicable to my vehicle.

Not sure if that's a help for you or not but I thought I'd throw it out there. I believe you also get access to see what recalls have been published for our gen 4runners.

Tim
 
T4R_Finally said:
Kid, thanks for the responses. Agree, the rear axle seal isn't a deal breaker, but at least I know what to look for. In the buyer guide thread posted above, on the LBJ issue, it mentions a large recall on the issue. So, I would think I should check to see if the specific vehicle was part of the recall and then see if it was taken care of. When I bought the Mazda I am trying to now sell, I called Mazda customer service with the VIN and they were able to tell me all recalls that were issued and verify for me that they were handled and when they were handled. I assume Toyota can/will do the same.

On the timing belt issue, it's good to know it won't cause catastrophic damage, but letting it go until it leaves my daughter on the side of the road is not a realistic option in my household. The wife would never forgive me, and neither would the daughter for that matter. Either it will have been done when it was called for or it will be one of the first things I have done after purchasing.
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toyota will do that for you as well,


in regards to the timing belt, if it hasn't been done then figure another $800 to get that done with water pump unless you can do the work yourself,
also look into buying AAA it's $50 a year for 3-4 100 miles tows,lock outs,what have you, totally worth it imo and worst case your daughter is only stranded anywhere with anyone for an an hour, meaning if she has AAA and she's with a friend and their car breaks in the middle of nowhere she can get AAA to tow her friends car back as one of your daughters 3-4 trips, meaning yeah she's out a tow for the year but she got home safely and quickly even with her friends car conking out or locking themselves out of the car, i have AAA for both me and my wife as a just in case and you have no idea how handy it really can be for a young person when daddy isn't around to save your butt any more, i'm 30 so those days aren't to far gone
when i remember being in college and having those oh crap moments in my cars and in buddies.

i think the recall of the lbj's was only on 2000+ models as well but a massive issue on all 3rd gen 4runners and need to be inspected regardless of year and/or mileage.

also if your really worried by it take it a shop and get the used car buyers inspection, most shops charge $100 for this and will give the car a proper going over.
 
yes toyota can, but to my understanding there is no recal currently avaible to our 4runners at this time, if you didnt bring it in when the recal dates where valid then you lost out. besidesi think most 4runners at this age need to have them replaced, even if you find one with only 100k miles on it. i mean they are 10+years old the nylon socket that the ball joint sits in will deteriorate after time along with the grease that its packed in. so if they current owner dosent know what you are talking about or dosent have a clue when they where changed and has no record if it, it could be safe to assume its never been done.
and no i wasnt stating that you should just ignor the timming belt till it breaks, yeah not a good idea leaving your daughter on the side of the road with a broken down car to the mercy of some back-woods, barrel burnin, hick who takes a fancyin to your daughter... ahh not good at all! (maybe buy her some mace as a "going away" gift idk -comes in handy for jerk boyfirends too)
 
Dude. Its a recall, its always available unless the vehicle has had the service done or was not included in the recall. Its the law for motor companies to always honor any pending recalls.
 
4-Ripcord said:
Dude. Its a recall, its always available unless the vehicle has had the service done or was not included in the recall. Its the law for motor companies to always honor any pending recalls.
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well my first 4runner never had the rear coils done, nor the lower ball joints and toyota would not honor it cause it was past the effective dates, and my father inlaw works for a dealer, we both tryed pushing for it, it went to toyota motor co usa, and they also said sorry but you missed the dates. my current runner had the rear coils replaced, but not the LBJs and i was told the same thing on this
 
Whether it's true or not about the effective dates and Toyota not honoring it, I just want to make sure I account for it. If something needs doing and it hasn't been done, I'll use that to negotiate a price relative to the book value and condition of the vehicle vs. the work that hasn't been done. And I'll make sure the work gets done before I turn her loose with it. AAA is a great idea as well but no sense putting her out on a ticking time bomb if it can be avoided by doing scheduled maint. or getting recall work done, even if I have to pay for it.

Thanks for all the feedback, etc.
 
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