Hey guys, I've been throwing the idea of getting a smaller truck or suv for a while now, but I'm in need of opinions. I'm a gmc man, but I've always been a fan of toyotas. I would be using this vehicle as a daily commuter back and forth to school (Around 80 miles round trip), so gas mileage will be a factor. I will probably use it down at the deer lease as well, so I definitely want it to be a 4wd and a standard (4spd or 5spd?). I've been looking at the hilux's (I think thats the name?) with the 22re and the 4runner. I've heard great things about them. Here are a few of the things I've been wondering.

- 22re...would you guys recommend this for my needs?

- V6....what do you guys think about the V6? I realize the trade off for the extra
power would be the gas mileage, but I'd like to hear a little more about it.

- Year models....any specific year models I should look out for? If I understand
correctly Toyota changed some stuff up in the early/mid 80's. Was wondering
if that would be a factor?

- Price range...I've been seeing trucks like this in the 3-4K range in my area. Is
that a reasonable price range?

- Common problems...Any common problems with these models that I should
look out for?


Sorry for all the questions, and I hate to come off sounding ignorant. Just trying to find out as much information as I can.
Thanks

 

first off, if you want a 4x4, don't expect good gas mileage. the most id ever expect out of even the 22re is about 21 highway. now as far as the 22re, they're okay, a little over rated in my opinion, they hate getting over heated. easy to work on, and they're fairly reliable if you find one that hasn't been beat. id check the timing guides. as far as the v6, (3.0) people hate on the v6, there's poor resell on these, and they are turds when paired to an auto. toyota had a recall on them for the head gaskets. the year models? well that's some what up to you. id go for a 90s model if i were you, newer and you don't seem like you'd need a solid axle. (pre-1985, better for rock crawling). i wouldn't get anything with more than like 185k miles. your price range is about right. Look out for rust, especially in the frame. look out for normal stuff like tick and knocks. the valves tick when they need adjusting, and that isn't a big deal, but i have no idea how mechanically inclined you are. i'm sure someone else will chime in. hope you get what you re looking for.

 

I appreciate the info. I'm not expecting to get incredible gas mileage. I'll mainly be putting highway miles on it, so if I can get around 20, I'll be satisfied. Sounds like I need to stay away from 3.0's. I wasn't really feeling the V6 to begin with. I was just curious as to how they stacked up. If the valves need adjusting that's cool, I'd like to think I'm fairly mechanically inclined. Once again, thanks for the info.

 

Just curious where you live.

***There is lots of information here read to your hearts content***

I myself owning a few 22rec 4Runners and Trucks would never use it to commute 40 miles on the interstate Here in Eastern Pa.

Your either crawling at 10 to 15 mph or being passed by traffic at 80 mph or faster

40 miles by back roads for me not a problem.

Just not enough horsepower to drive during rush hour commutes .

In the wee hours going to the Airport in Newark not bad..

Like anything mechanical you take care of it it takes you were you need to go.

 

Regarding the Hilux, most commonly they are shipped from Japan and are right hand drive just an FYI. I'd still love to get one one day... mmm *day dreaming*

 

I live in east Tx. It's pretty rural compared to most places, so traffic isn't a huge concern.