Aaron 4.6

Hi all. I am planning on replacing my wife's 1997 Chevy S-10 sometime next summer due to the fact that it is a complete and unmitigated disaster of automotive engineering. My wife wants to get an SUV, and was originally interested in an Explorer-- but I am trying to push her more towards an Xterra or 3rd gen 4Runner due to the reliability issues I have had with domestic trucks (although my gripe is more with GM than Ford).

I have been reading up on the boards to try to get a feel as to what kind of issues people would encounter, but I wanted to solicit some advice as to what to look for (since I will be buying used, probably a 97-98 model). Are there any significant known reliability issues? Have the trucks held up well under the mileage? Is the stock 3.4 underpowered (given that my lighter-weight 190 hp S-10 is a turd on the highway) or can you get by without the TRD blower? How solid is the tranny? The electrical system? Any other comments would be welcome or any tips on buying one used.

Thanks in advance...

HBoss

Hey! Welcome to YotaTech!

As the proud owner of a 1997 4Runner, I'll pipe in here.

I tend to baby my vehicles a bit, but for the most part the 4Runner runs flawlessly. I never worry about whether it will go/stop/start/etc. The reliability is remarkable.

The 3.4L engine is underpowered on paper, but take a drive in it and you'll see it's no slouch. Don't expect blistering, push-you-into-your-seat performance without a S/C...but if you want that, get an S/C heh.

The only issues I think you will/might encounter w/a 3rd gen are:

-rear axle seal leak (also common on Chevy's)
-squeaking power windows when it's cold

In summary:

Engine: never had a problem
Tranny: never had a problem
Electrical: never had a problem
Paint: it's still there hehe / never had a problem
Features: my 1997 lacks a few

Treat it well by keeping parts lubed & fluids changed and it will be the most reliable vehicle you've ever loved to own.

Hope this helps.

Al

loosehead

Hi Aaron, and welcome to the forum.

First, get the Toyota. I like the looks of Xterras, but I thought the backseat was alot worse than the 4Runner, but thats just my opinion. I have a '98 4Runner I bought used this summer after driving everything else, Pathfinders, Xterras, Exploers, Expeditions, etc. Its my first Toyota and let me tell you I am completely sold. It is really fun to drive and I don't think the 3.4 is underpowered and I live at 7000 ft, so I am already dealing with less power than you would have down south.

As far as issues, you can use the search feature and search for rear spring suspension recall. In 96-97, and in some 98 models, there was a recall, but it was a simple dealer fix. Also, there was some head gasket issues in 96, I think. They are relatively flawless and easy to maintain. There are also numerous things you can do to modify them, performance, suspension, etc.

The trannies are good, too. But if you do add a supercharger, it is a good idea to beef up the auto-tranny, as well. Sounds like you need to go out and drive a few different ones and get a feel for them. Hope this helps.

Rick F.

Check out this thread:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...&threadid=4255

I have no doubt that you and the wife would be very, very satisfied going to a 4Runner. Although the 2nd gens are great vehicles, you may want to consider a 3rd gen for a bit more power.

And welcome to the forum!

Beowulf

Welcome to the forums. You'll find most opinions are pretty biased here for Toyotas in general. If you've ever owned one you should already know how reliable their trucks are.

Over the years I have bought Ford, Chevy and even a Heep ... uh, I mean Jeep and have had numerous problems with each vehicle except my Toyota. My 4Runner has turned out to be the most reliable vehicle I have ever purchsed so far and I get out and wheel it as much as possible, so it can really take the abuse without a hitch.

I think the stock 3.4 is slightly underpowered, adding the TRD blower will help quite a bit. There are a lot of mods that can be done to produce more power so the options are always there as long as you have the bucks.

Some of the things I would look for is 4WD, a lot of people often get 2WDs and later regret the fact that they can't go on more difficult trails ... even if you don't plan on wheeling it the 4WD will still be a good idea as it works good in slick and rainy conditions and overall can be a much safer vehicle.

Another thing that I would recommend is to get one with a factory locking rear, these will amplify your off-road ability and this will save you the trouble of upgrading later.

Hope this helps!

Cheers

91Runner

Hey and welcome to the forums. As far as getting a 3rd Gen 4Runner or an Xterra I'm a little biased on both sides

I've been driving a 1991 4Runner for over a year now, and absolutely loved it, but my only gripe with it was the amount of interior room (in the front seats, it seemed like you're a bit squished) and the amount of power. Both of those are fixed in the 3rd Gen 4Runners.

A Little over 3 weeks ago, I bought a 2002 Xterra (hence i'm biased on both sides of this ) I went with the Xterra over a 3rd Gen 4Runner mainly because of the price, and I love how the Xterra looks. The Xterra has a surprising amount of power compared to my wimpy little 3.0L V6 in my '91 4Runner (the Xterra has a V6 3.3L, I chose not to get the supercharged model). I personally can't tell whether a 3rd Gen 4Runner or the Xterra have more power (My mom won't let me drive her 3rd Gen ) But I'm guessing that power wise they're about equal. Then the main thing would be which one has the options that you want, and what not. My Xterra has about 900 miles now, and I haven't had any problems with it, and have absolutely no complaints (I bought a XE-V6 4x4 with Power and Utility Packages).

Personally I think that you can't go wrong with either choice. Both are great trucks.

Good luck!

-Braden

Bob_98SR5

Aaron:

Now that quote really put a smile on my face! I can't agree with you more b/c my friend constantly complains about his S-10. I even had to pick him up when his tranny blew out 2 months ago on the freeway.

I used to work at Toyota's corporate headquarters in their Certified Used Vehicle department. Buying a used Toyota or Honda is a smart move.

Having purchased and owned both a 99 (went to my brother) and a 98 4runner (what I drive now), I can say that both of these vehicles are rock solid. I've had 3 cars in my life: Merkur XR4ti (Ford), and two Honda Civics. The Merkur busted after 4 years but the Hondas lasted quite a bit (one was stolen).

The point in the above is that since I've bought Japanese, I've never gone back to domestic.

Now to answer your questions about known problems, I would highly recommend that you go to a website called http://www.alldata.com and look up recalls on all the vehicles you are considering. Also, check Consumer Reports. Try searching a 98 Ford Explorer vs. a 98 4runner and you will see clearly that the Exploder...err...Explorer has more recalls/TSBs than the 4runner.

Power-wise, the 3.4L V6 is not underpowered at all as far as V6s go. Of course a SC would help but it really depends on your driving style, how many passengers you typically carry, what kind of terrain you drive, etc. But when I was deciding between a 99 4runner and a 99 Xterra, the 99 4Runner had more HP and more "oophmf" than the Xterra (another good vehicle you might consider).

Another known issue not mentioned above is the 99-00 Fuel gauge calibration- nothing serious but this problem affects some model year 99-00 that shows incorrect fuel gauge reading

Overall you can't go wrong w/ a 4runner. Just make sure whenver you buy a used vehicle that you test drive it, have your mechanic inspect it, and you do a title check (esp important if you buy a vehicle from TX or FL).

Bob