What is High Mileage?

[fotorunner]

My 97 runner was purchased in 2003 after I totaled my 98. At that time it had 110,000 on it. It now has 261,000+. I live out in the country so every day it’s gone at least 12 miles on dusty or muddy gravel roads. I’ve used the heck out of the 4 wheel drive but haven’t really done any serious offroad stuff.

I’ve replaced, wires, plugs, two timing belts (when I bought it the belt hadn’t been changed) alternator, shocks, struts, brakes (within the past 20,000). In December I had the front end partly rebuilt because it was getting a little loose.

It needs to have the shocks and struts replaced again, tires, it really could use a driver’s side seat and valve cover gaskets. But it doesn’t use oil and even though the gaskets are leaking it isn’t enough to leave anything in the garage.

Currently I’m looking at a 2000 with 110,000. It’s a one owner, in a rust free area and I know the guy very well. It’s been serviced at a dealership all its life. Only drawback............... I really hate to part with the 97, I love that vehicle.

 

[bherde]

97 that just won't quit.

I have a 97 4x4 that I purchased used back in 01. At that time it had 103k on it. It was originally an Ohio truck and shows the effects of salted roads here and there on the underside. I run the h-ll out of this truck. Initially I had repeat problems with the rear axle leaking, until I convinced the dealer to replace the whole thing as it was apparently bent by the previous owner. Once out of used car warranty, I put in a Detroit locker in the rear, and added some airlift bags in the rear springs. I did blow the heads one weekend while towing the big trailer with 2.5 tons of concrete bags up a mountian. (this is typical for me) That was at 206k miles. While I had it apart I replaced belts and did the valves. One head revealed a crack and had to be replaced. This truck has been in some really gnarly places out in the desert here, and usually it is the one pulling the Wranglers out of the sand. Both running boards have been forcibly "altered" then removed by boulders or some other thing that got in the way. Once I holed the sidewall of the front right tire and it still continued up another 1/4 mile of boulders to get to a spot where I could change it. That adventure put the front skid pan into the radiator a bit so I had to put some quick epoxy on it and drive out with the radiator cap off. So a new radiator went in then. At 230k we changed all the bushings in the front end. It stopped a bit straighter after that.

If you want to make some reliabilty comparisons here, I puchased a GMC 1500 brand new in 98. This was supposed to be the work truck. Within the first two years, a front spindle was bent, the variable assist power steering went bad, and it began rattling all over. When I got rid of it in 02, the transmission had been slipping for about a year, and it had just bent a pushrod. Since then, the runner has been doing all the work.

I always run full synthetic in it, and only recently switched up to 10w-40. Changes are every 10k whether it needs it or not. It is just about to turn 250k and my wife has just now made me buy a newer truck to replace it. So I bought a used 04 runner with 107k on it! The old one is now the proud possesion of my son and we will go wheelin together now.eace:

 

[T4Rex.]

310,000....

 

[4'running'26]

2000 SR5 bought at 191,000 last May and running better than ever at 212,500+. I would love to get at least 300k out of her!

 

[02_SE_Runner]

Read the name, with 85,XXX.

 

[ncWILLI5]

1999 SR5 4WD with 205,000

 

[cdthiker]

holy bring a thread back from the dead batman!
this one hasent been touched since jan of 2012! and was started in 09
dang
I think that it is more a time and abuse issue then a miles thing
you can make any rig run as long as you want if you keep spending money
just becasue it has low miles dont mean it is in good shape if it has been beat or just sitting for the last 20 years....
my 95 sr5 has 174. just grabbed it a few weeks back droping about 1k right off the bat on it but hope that will be it for a while. this truck 3.slo and all will run as long as i want to have work done on it
cheers

 

[sakoluvr]

My '97 just turned 266,000 miles. I can go 5,000 mile without adding more than a 1/2 quart of oil.

 

[Hacker]

holy bring a thread back from the dead batman!
this one hasent been touched since jan of 2012! and was started in 09
dang

True, but there is certainly utility in keeping a thread like this "up to date" in terms of what mileage on average the different 3rd gen years have on them by this time.

I know that when I bought my '99 in 2009, I used threads I'd read here as a yardstick of how my truck compared to others in terms of mileage and condition.

EDIT: I guess I'll add my data to the thread; just passed 200K in a '99 4x4 Limited. Nothing significant broken or fixed in the 40K I've owned it -- just normal operator maintenance (fluids, plugs, tires, etc).

 

[98LtdT4R]

I have a 98 Limited with 232,xxx and have only performed regular maintanence. I'm the second owner, the first was my uncle so I knew it was well cared for. I expect to hit 300k easily, hopefully even more. By the way it's supercharged too.

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

Just hit 190K on my 99 4WD SR5. Bought it with around 135K in 8/2010 and she has been great. Replaced or upgraded some stuff on her, but other than that regular maintenance. She does need a new drivers side wheel bearing I believe. And I have the parts to do a second timing belt, I'm just not sure when to do it. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Hacker]

I have the parts to do a second timing belt, I'm just not sure when to do it. Anyone have any suggestions?

The 3rd Gen buyer's guide on this forum says 90K between timing belt/water pump changes. Do you know when it was done last?

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

The 3rd Gen buyer's guide on this forum says 90K between timing belt/water pump changes. Do you know when it was done last?

Yep, it was done at 90K. I'm thinking I'll probably do it at 200K. Should be OK till then. At that point I'll do all the motor stuff that needs to be done. But that should only be VC's if need be. Everything else has been done. May need some new plugs by then.

 

[TNRunner99]

I'll add my 2 cents. 99 SR5 4wd sitting at 177,600. Did timing belt, water, pump, CV boots, and LBJs this year thus far. VCs are in the near future.

 

[toyorgy]

I purchased my 2002 at 20k and it now has over 230k. I replaced the timing belt and water pump at 90k, later replaced the catalytic converter, then the CV Joints - but the rest is rarely maintained.

I need to pay more attention to maintaining it or I will find myself stuck somewhere eventually.

 

[jgue467]

That what I thought when I bought mine with around 80k. Now I'm at 91k and both my valve covers are leaking :nono:

You tried tightening the bolts already? Mine were so loose I could turn several of them several turns by hand!

 

[19963.4lsr5]

When I find them in a junkyard they have over 250,000 miles on them and holes in the frame. And so far I've only seen 1996's in the EZ-Pull junkYard.

 

[wc11]

Bought it new. 296,---k and counting.
Maintenance by the book and then some.
Oil every 5k, All and I mean all fluids every 3 years.
Front brakes last me 70k and the rears were done......at 217k for the 1at time!
These will 4Run forever if you take car of them.
I suspect rust will kill the body long before the motor dies.

 

[GenIIIPauly]

Did somebody say something about some high mileage?

 

[hilajaeh]

I just bought a 2001 with 208k on it. No body rust whatsoever as it came from CT. Previous o was a Vermonter (as I am) and oil undercoated the hell out of it for the winters. I’m stoked- and I bet this girl will keep going another 200k. Meticulously cared for!


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