Another Price question

90RunnerRed · 10-06-2009, 03:46 PM

So I know this is probably the 3 or 4th most asked question on here, but well I'm here to propagate the problem.

So I went and test drove an '85 4Runner, 22RE, auto with 260K miles on it last weekend. The only rust on the truck is just starting on the wheel wells, mainly surface. The frame is very clean and there's no leaks. Interior is fair along with the overall apearance of the truck. No lift or lockers, or anything like that.

The engine sounds good, oil looks good, coolant looks good, has an LC Engineering header already on it, no noises, and it rides smooth going down the road.

Now the bad (and what he neglected to tell me before I drove 100 miles to see it, no surprise I know), it is very underpowered taking off and getting up to speed. It will cruise at 65 no problem but it's slow getting there. I've had two 22RE's before and I drive my brother's 85 pickup all the time so I have a comparison. He stated this was because the kickdown cable on the tranny isn't working, but that shouldn't matter from a dead stop should it?

Also I smelled a faint sweet coolant type smell while driving the car off and on, wasn't extermely noticeable, and when we got back I blipped the throttle with my hand and looked at the exhaust and thought I could see a little puff of white smoke come out and then disappear.

So anyways, with all that background, down to the question. He was asking $2500 for it and I left without even giving him an offer because I knew with all the questions I had it wasn't even close to being worth that. But he emailed me today and said he really needed to sell it and to make him an offer. So I explained all my reservations and offerred him $1K, going into it thinking I'd have to replace the engine and tranny worst case. He came back with $1500. So with that said if I could get it for 1200 would it be worth it? Thanks. And sorry about the book of a post.

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tortis · 10-06-2009, 04:18 PM

Let me tell ya something about rust. If it is on the surface, chances are it has spread real bad on the back side. 4runners are bad about rust on the fender wells, that has spread way up on the inside.

1500 bucks plus a new motor, and maybe and new trans, I would be very careful.

Evil.Dingo · 10-06-2009, 04:33 PM

If everything is solid on the truck, as in no rust, good frame, good suspension, etc etc.... Then I think 1200.00 would be fair. Just plan on rebuilding the engine top and bottom end for around 850.00 since it already has an lc exhaust on it. I think for 3000.00 dollars you should be able to get a good condition body and engine of the same year. So I think 2100.00 is fair for a truck that is solid with a new motor. Now the price I told you is for you to rebuild it. If you are going to have a mechanic do it. I would say pass on the vehicle. Cause then your gettin expensive.

90RunnerRed · 10-06-2009, 04:59 PM

My hesitation is that I am already rebuilding a 289 for my '65 and I don't even really have time or desire for that right now. So I would most likely be buying a long block from a local machine shop here in town that I trust for $1300 and just dropping it in myself, so add 300 dollars for a decent W56 and misc parts from a junkyard for the clutch pedal and it looks like I'm pushing $3K pretty fast even if I got it for $1K. So why not save the headache and start with one that is driveable to start with...

Huh.....apparently simple math is all I needed. Thanks guys.

turn1andburn1 · 10-06-2009, 09:38 PM

One thing i didnt do when i bought my 84 was lift up the rear seats, they sit on the rear fender well and chances are you would have some rust holes there, as well as look in the engine bay, at the top of the fire wall on the corners. For some reason alot of the trucks and 4runners ilooked at had rot there. Here is a picture of the rear wheel wells on my 4runners after lifting the carpet and a little buffing with the wire wheel.

90RunnerRed · 10-08-2009, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turn1andburn1

One thing i didnt do when i bought my 84 was lift up the rear seats, they sit on the rear fender well and chances are you would have some rust holes there, as well as look in the engine bay, at the top of the fire wall on the corners. For some reason alot of the trucks and 4runners ilooked at had rot there. Here is a picture of the rear wheel wells on my 4runners after lifting the carpet and a little buffing with the wire wheel.

I wouldn't have thought to look there, thanks for the heads up. I passed on the one I was talking about above, but that is useful for the next one I look at. Man, I'm used to having to know all the rust tricks on old mustangs, but thought most of the 4runners were visible.

theAuthority · 10-08-2009, 04:54 PM

don't buy it ....

90RunnerRed · 10-08-2009, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theAuthority

don't buy it ....

don't worry, I came to my senses (thanks guys), I've been looking for about 3 months now (I know that's not that long, but I'm impatient) and I was just to the point where I wanted to just buy one and tear into it if I had to.....search goes on

tortis · 10-08-2009, 06:03 PM

when u can't decide, don't make a move.

the deals are out there.

85toy · 10-09-2009, 10:33 AM

im in the same boat as you, ive looked at two 4runners so far an 85 and an 86 the 85 had a solid drivetrain but a beat up body, the 86 had a nice body/paint but the thing had 270k miles and it felt really tired,burned oil and would definetely need a rebuild. the guy with the 85 wanted 2700 and the guy with the 86 wanted 2200 i think, both said they would take less without me even asking about the price. but i didnt want either so i didnt make an offer. just though id share my experience.

90RunnerRed · 10-09-2009, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 85toy

im in the same boat as you, ive looked at two 4runners so far an 85 and an 86 the 85 had a solid drivetrain but a beat up body, the 86 had a nice body/paint but the thing had 270k miles and it felt really tired,burned oil and would definetely need a rebuild. the guy with the 85 wanted 2700 and the guy with the 86 wanted 2200 i think, both said they would take less without me even asking about the price. but i didnt want either so i didnt make an offer. just though id share my experience.

Man I've seen 2 or 3 '85 4Runners in California on craigslist that looked awesome from the pics and specs and they were only asking 2-2500k. I'll have to see if I can find the ad's for you. That's a little to far for me to drive.

Good luck, I hope your's turns around.

90RunnerRed · 10-10-2009, 02:46 PM

Wow, I had to post this....

I had emailed a person about an '85 asking them a few questions about mileage and such and here is the response I got:

"Ya the top is back on it. Has the normal rust and the 22re engine with approx 120,000 miles on it. The 4Runner iteself has 623,000 miles on it. I forgot to put in the ad that it has air lockers front and back."

That thing is going to be giving that million mile guy a run for his money....

10-06-2009, 04:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
tortis Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: shreveport, La Posts: 1,273	Let me tell ya something about rust. If it is on the surface, chances are it has spread real bad on the back side. 4runners are bad about rust on the fender wells, that has spread way up on the inside. 1500 bucks plus a new motor, and maybe and new trans, I would be very careful. __________________ 89 Truck X-tra Cab LCE Timing Chain 31'' Maxxis Buckshot 4.88's built by ZUK(the mind reader) Aussie Locker Front and Rear 63'' Chevy Springs Marlin HD Clutch Bilstein HD Shocks 2.5" Exhaust W/Dynomax Muffler 2-50 Watt Backup Lights

10-06-2009, 04:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
Evil.Dingo Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: PA but my heart is still in CO Posts: 263	If everything is solid on the truck, as in no rust, good frame, good suspension, etc etc.... Then I think 1200.00 would be fair. Just plan on rebuilding the engine top and bottom end for around 850.00 since it already has an lc exhaust on it. I think for 3000.00 dollars you should be able to get a good condition body and engine of the same year. So I think 2100.00 is fair for a truck that is solid with a new motor. Now the price I told you is for you to rebuild it. If you are going to have a mechanic do it. I would say pass on the vehicle. Cause then your gettin expensive. __________________ 88' reg cab, 31" Mud Ter, work in progress.....hand me down... I now own the truck that pulled my Jeep out of a mud hole back in 1989!

10-06-2009, 04:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
90RunnerRed Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 247	My hesitation is that I am already rebuilding a 289 for my '65 and I don't even really have time or desire for that right now. So I would most likely be buying a long block from a local machine shop here in town that I trust for $1300 and just dropping it in myself, so add 300 dollars for a decent W56 and misc parts from a junkyard for the clutch pedal and it looks like I'm pushing $3K pretty fast even if I got it for $1K. So why not save the headache and start with one that is driveable to start with... Huh.....apparently simple math is all I needed. Thanks guys. __________________ 1986 4Runner, 4.88's, 4.7 Transfer, 3 in Rough Country, 33's (need's some lovin) 1987 4Runner, SR5 1990 4Runner, 22RE, sliders, play pen, 265's, 1998 wheels (SOLD) 1997 4Runner LTD, E-Locker, ISR, Deck Plate, PIAA Fog Lights, (SOLD) 2000 4Runner LTD, E-Locker, Stock (Wife's) 2002 Tundra, Fipk, SS Headers, Flowmaster exhaust, TB Spacer

10-06-2009, 09:38 PM	#5 (permalink)
turn1andburn1 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Rocky Mountain House Alberta Canada Posts: 25	One thing i didnt do when i bought my 84 was lift up the rear seats, they sit on the rear fender well and chances are you would have some rust holes there, as well as look in the engine bay, at the top of the fire wall on the corners. For some reason alot of the trucks and 4runners ilooked at had rot there. Here is a picture of the rear wheel wells on my 4runners after lifting the carpet and a little buffing with the wire wheel. __________________ 1984 4Runner 22r 2007 Toyota Tundra DC TRD Offroad

10-08-2009, 06:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
tortis Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: shreveport, La Posts: 1,273	when u can't decide, don't make a move. the deals are out there. __________________ 89 Truck X-tra Cab LCE Timing Chain 31'' Maxxis Buckshot 4.88's built by ZUK(the mind reader) Aussie Locker Front and Rear 63'' Chevy Springs Marlin HD Clutch Bilstein HD Shocks 2.5" Exhaust W/Dynomax Muffler 2-50 Watt Backup Lights

10-08-2009, 04:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
theAuthority Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Lynnwood, WA Posts: 1,646	don't buy it ....

10-10-2009, 02:46 PM	#12 (permalink)
90RunnerRed Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 247	Wow, I had to post this.... I had emailed a person about an '85 asking them a few questions about mileage and such and here is the response I got: "Ya the top is back on it. Has the normal rust and the 22re engine with approx 120,000 miles on it. The 4Runner iteself has 623,000 miles on it. I forgot to put in the ad that it has air lockers front and back." That thing is going to be giving that million mile guy a run for his money.... __________________ 1986 4Runner, 4.88's, 4.7 Transfer, 3 in Rough Country, 33's (need's some lovin) 1987 4Runner, SR5 1990 4Runner, 22RE, sliders, play pen, 265's, 1998 wheels (SOLD) 1997 4Runner LTD, E-Locker, ISR, Deck Plate, PIAA Fog Lights, (SOLD) 2000 4Runner LTD, E-Locker, Stock (Wife's) 2002 Tundra, Fipk, SS Headers, Flowmaster exhaust, TB Spacer

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