p00kienrayray

ok, im really looking on buying a 90-95 4runner. ive come across what i believe are a couple of good deals.

found a 91 v6 at 4x4 on 31"s @ 115k mi for $4500, and a
91 v6 at 2wd @ 110kmi for $4200

sorry to go off topic, but heres the problem that might hold me back from buying one: the gas mileage. what kind of mpg can i expect? i drive mainly to work @ 80/20 highway/city. and my previous car was an integra, which had excellent mpg. although im not expecting the same from a 4runner but i certainly do not want to downgrade (mpg-wise) to a point where its ridiculous. i was HOPING to get at least 17mpg avg since i travel like 65 miles a day. im not expecting someone to give me an exact answer, only a rough estimate.

another question is since bigger tires throw off the speedometer/odometer, doesnt that mean the car actually has MORE miles than what it tells you?

Fink

WELCOME TO THE BOARD!

Let me start off by saying that no matter what kind of mileage you get out of a 4Runner...they are great trucks and will last a LONG time given they are taken care of. Anyway, I get ~12-13mpg...with that said, I am a pretty rough driver and do mostly city driving. As far as the tires, with 31's you should not notice a difference in the speedo/odo since they most likely came on your truck from Toyota.

And about those two rigs you found...the top one seems like a better find given that its 4WD and only has 5k more miles on it. I would personally never buy a 2WD SUV just because of the peace of mind it offers if I ever get in a situation when it is needed and plus...I LOVE TO WHEEL!

Let me just say that I paid 7800 for my '95 with 125,XXX miles on it and I LOVE it!

Back to the mileage question...17mpg isn't impossible but its rare on a 2nd gen, or atleast in my experience. I've never gotten above ~12.5 on my rig while doing mostly city driving.

If there's anything else you wanna know, just post about it.

Fink

Brendan

get the 4 cylinder. better gas mileage, simple to work on, more aftermarket parts.

p00kienrayray

dang, i calculated @ 13mpg, in a week, that'll be double the mpg that im used to with my acura! that was what i was afraid of. but nonetheless because its so tempting, im gonna go take those 4runners i mentioned for a testdrive.

also the 4cyl's are kind of hard to find. the only ones ive found are in 5spd, which i dont want. my dads 04 tacoma double cab is a 4, and the mpg rating's not much lower than the 6. but maybe the new engine is a lil different from the "legendary" earlier toyota 4's??? im not sure, im new to toyota trucks.

but thanks for the input guys.

Robinhood150

No, you'll never get 17mpg ave. I get 17 on the freeway.

31in tires come standard on a lot of 4runners.

Never get a 4cyl and an auto, you'll be hating life when VW beatles pass you. The 6 cyl auto is bad enough.

Be sure if the V6 head gasket recall has been done on it and if not get the VIN and ask a dealer if it is still eligible.

breakerfalls

You should check to see if the head gaskets have been replaced if they are 3.0 Liter engines. Call a Toyota dealership with the VIN #'s.

Other than that they will be solid and dependable rides. I'd base your decision on what you intend on doing with it. If you never intend on taking it off-road and live in an area with a moderate climate then maybe you might want the 2wd. Mechanically speaking there is a lot less that can go wrong with a 2wd because 4wd has more major parts. That's not to say you should expect them to break, but why take the chance if you will never ever use them. Usually 2wds are a little better with acceleration too.

Personally I have recently become more interested in off-roading and wish I'd spent more time looking for a 4wd instead of taking the first good deal that came along. I blame it all on this board of course, reading everyone's stories has made me jealous I suppose.

Take your time to think about it and research it, that is the best advice that I can give.

-Keith

Brendan

V6s combined with auto trannys had 4.88 gear ratios which should help a bit with gas mileage over a 4.56

ldivinag

once... while travelling south on HWY 99 (down to fresno), using my street tires and rims and the they were pumped up more than normal, i got 22 MPG!!!!

this is gps corrected odometer.

one thing to try is synthetic lube in the rear diff. ditto t-case and tranny.

maybe a good tailwind too...

Robinhood150

Yeah, but average he said.

I get slightly higher than 17 when I come down from the sierras.

p00kienrayray

do the recalls apply to all the 2nd gen's? or just a specific year?
b/c this dealer says it doesnt apply to the 95, only earlier.

Brendan

I heard that it was fixed on the 92s and later. could be wrong..

Fink

Maybe later '95 models but I have a '95 and mine has had it done already.

I would ask the dealer for clarification our wait for someone on here to post about it.

Fink

breakerfalls

The 2nd half of the production year in 95 the head gasket problem was dealt with and those particular 4Runners are exempt from being serviced. I'm pretty sure that all 2nd gens excluding those at the end of the 95 production year were subject to blowing head gaskets.

Was this a toyota dealership that told you it didn't apply to 95's or was it the dealership you are buying the used 4Runners from. I'd double check it with another Toyota dealer just to be safe, but that's just me.

Once again, as long as there is no head gasket problem you have yourself a very reliable engine, don't let that scare you away from the 4Runners you are looking at.

-Keith

p00kienrayray

yea it was a non toyota dealer. but now that im looking around, im thinking i should just finance a 3rd gen. they look very nice, and from the posts here on this site, it seems like they get better mpg. let me know if im wrong. dont wanna buy a car knowing nothing about it. btw, you all have been a big help, thanks.

breakerfalls

That depends on how much you can spend. The 3rd gens are definately worth the extra money if you can afford it. If you look really hard you can probably find a 96 or 97 in descent shape for 6,500 or 7,000. The interiors of 3rd gens are a leap foward over 2nd gens, and the engines give you a little more bang for your buck in power and gas milage.

I'd get a loan from your bank and buy a truck from a private owner. The dealerships are usually a rip off. Your money will go alot farther if you buy it outright, plus you get to meet the cars original owner and see what kind of person they are. Meeting a vehicles owner can tell you alot about how it's been treated.

Just my $.02

-Keith

anthony1

iTrader: (1)

If you don't want 2nd gen with 5spd, your mpg will be around 13-17. I have 5spd and my mpg is around 17-18. like someone said, if you can spring a little more and get the 96 and above, you'll be happier with the mpg number.

Flygtenstein

If you are asking about mileage, I think that you ought to look for a different rig.

I got 21 going east on 80 through Nebraska with 31's, auto and 4.56 gears. This was before heavy bumpers, skid plates and mud tires.

The 96 and newer rigs have a stronger, and what I would regard as better engine if you have the dime as the others said.

Los Gatos?

I have a lead foot, but no serious weight adding or tire changed mods, came stock with 4x4, auto, 31s...I get 15-16mpg with a heavy foot in town, 20-21mpg going 75 on the highway.

eric-the-red

If you want good gas mileage get a Civic or Corolla. Just don't take them to Home Depot to buy drywall or plywood.
I get about 22-25 mpg in my 93 V6 5-speed, about 50/50 city/highway, but then that is calculated using 'real', ie Imperial gallons. It may use more gas than some vehicles, but repair bills in the 5 years I've had mine have been almost nothing.

KING

The only way, I suppose, to get the mileage you are looking for is to ditch the 4RUNNER and get a 2ND GEN P-U.

I average about 17 miles per gallon on my truck, but I also drive like a granny.