Urgent Advice/Opinion Regarding Buying a truck today
 

Hey guys,

i've been looking for a 4runner and i found one today. it's an hour away from my place and if i like it i'm gonna buy it today.

Some background: all i know is that it's a 95 4Runner Limited, leather, 6cyl, auto, 146000miles. The owner claims it's in excellent condition.

1- general opinions regarding this model
2- is it true that it's underpowered (3.0 only?)?
3- any know issues that i need to watch out for?
4- any weaknesses i need to know about?

and finally: How much would you pay for that truck?

lol
a bulldog or a shih tzu

Since you're in the rust belt (I think), check the rocker panels, fenders, and bottoms of the doors closely. Also, both of the rear upper shock mounts on my 1993 broke through due to rust, so check there also.

The rear cargo hatch door is another prime rust location.

Try all the windows (power windows?) out to make sure they still work well (especially the rear hatch)

Is it underpowered? Yes, but I found it manageable... you just won't be passing any transport trucks going uphill, that's all. Take it for a test drive on the highway and you'll see if it's too underpowered for you.

Test the 4x4 system out to make sure that the transfer case shifts easily and smoothly. The linkage coming out of adjustment is not unheard of, and the ADD system up in the front diff can be troublesome if 4x4 is not used occasionally.

regarding the whole underpowered thing. is that top end or low end?
I don't want a fast truck, i want a powerful truck (torque, acceleration...) can all that be solved with a trd supercharger? or should i drive it today and decide if i like it or not and that would be what i would expect out of it?

I'm thinking overweight diabetic, arthritic shih tzu.

it can't be that bad?!?!?!

Okay, maybe not arthritic. It definitely won't have the get up of the 3.4, but it will make a decent driver, just do basic maintenance as if it has been neglected its whole life. As for trans fluid, reuse the old fluid and just change the filter and pan gasket. The old fluid is thicker than new fluid and is currently taking up any excess clearances(wear) the new fluid wouldn't. I've had too many transmissions rebuilt because I was changing fluid and filter every time I bought a used vehicle. I had an old transmission guy tell me to reuse the fluid and knock on wood, haven't had to get one rebuilt since and it has been nine years and probably thirty vehicles.

top end is where it's weak. It's torquey enough at low RPM. You can still drive "fast" (75 - 85 miles per hour) if you want to... the A/T will just be downshifting a lot on any sort of hills to maintain that. Of course, you won't be maintaining that speed on large hills (unless it's downhill :D).

Like mentioned above, there are no good, economical mods to the 3.0 to get significantly more power. You can, however swap to a 3.4... but again, not really cost effective. I say test drive it expecting that what you see is what you get. If you can't live with that, pass on it and try to find a '96+ 4Runner with the 3.4L.

ok well i guess that's it then... go see what it feels like and if i feel like its slow pass on it.


damn... i was excited...

how much would you guys pay for this?

I wouldn't count it out just yet... I didn't mind my 3.0 very much at all... I was used to it I guess.

I don't know how much you'd pay for it down there. Go here and punch in the info for the truck to get a better idea, I guess.

Excellent
$4,030
Good
$3,605
Fair
$3,105

Owner's asking 2500. I'll have to see what I can find once I see it.

i'm surprised no one mentioned the head gasket problem. Very common with the 3.0.

?????

That's right. The 3.0 is notorious for blowing HG's, and Toyota did a recall years back. You can contact your local dealership with the VIN to see if the HG recall was ever done on it. Check for any signs of white smoke from the tailpipe when the truck's running.

Go get it, you'll enjoy it. That was the only year the limited option was offered in the 2nd gen...I like the badging.

true story on the head gasket, i've been there. Now i have a 3.4/3.awsome!:banger:

Yes sure the 3.0 gets a bad wrap, but look at all the problems with the other engines.

you got it towards the later years and i thought the headgasket problem was mostly taken care of.

Mine has 257,000 miles and on original head gaskets. It depends on how it was treated.

Go test it out first before you knock it.

I am going to test it out tonight in a bit for sure. If I feel like it's powerful enough I will consider all other things mentioned. If I feel like it's underpowered than at least I know for sure that I need a 3.4.

How much better is the 3.4? is it worth say another 3 thousand on a 97 with leather and auto?