Driving an hour both ways today to look at a 1997 4Runner with 130k on the clock. Its a manual which as you all know are hard as hell to find on these 3rd gens. She's asking $7500 and I already talked her down to 7. Just wondering what I should look for in particular to these engines and bodies. I own an 88 with a 22re right now so I'm not super familiar with the 3.4 other than it is supposedly bullet proof. I had a guy tell me that the 3.4 has head gaskets issues just like the 3.0 just not as bad. He sounds like he is talking out of his ass so I thought I'd ask the guys who have never led me astray. Thanks for the time fellas!

 

96 and 97 head gasket issues were known, though not as common as the 3.0's issue, I think. There's a thread on Yotatech asking who's had head gasket failures in the 3rd gen. You might be able to find it by doing a search. Actually, your question is pretty common so you might find some helpful threads if you look hard enough.

Read:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...ers-guide.html

No worries about the strawberry milkshake with a manual. It prolly won't have had the lower ball joints done yet, you'll want to put that on your list. Warped rotors. That's some stuff.

I may not be a fella, but I hope that helps anyway.

 

Price seems a little high. How nice is this thing?

 

It is indeed a little high. Its the used car market here in Washington. Even with that though I think she is a little high. However these manual 3rd gens are like unicorns it seems.

It is this nice :

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/cto/4269680706.html

 

Well...its all bs till you go and make the deal.

Show up with 6k in one pocket and 500 in the other. Offer her the 6 after you have driven it...and went through the whole check it out process. I want you to touch with your hand every ding..scratch or imperfection you see....quietly...while she shes you do it. Say something like...oh...no timing belt replace sticker...act concerned.

Tell her you will do 6k thats it...if she bucks or says no..act like your gonna go then. At last second...offer 6250...no bite...6500....if no then walk and keep looking.

The buyer who is there...with cash...is the one who gets the deal...not someone haggling via text/phone/email. Easy to say no when there is no one there in front of you with cash.

Cash is intoxicating like that.

Go snatch you up a deal and send me $100.

 

LOL I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who haggles like this. I did this exact same thing when buying my 88. Problem this go around is I will be paying with a check from the credit union so its hard to get them cash drunk.

 

If you can get a cashier's check, you can get the cash. The bank shouldn't have too much of a problem giving you $6500 in cash.

Looks nice, though. Manuals are not easy to find.

I prefer the manul 99.7% of the time. There's just that .3% of the time, crawling up big ledges and boulders, where I think I'd rather have an automatic - when 1000 rpm and 1st gear/low range is still a bit too fast, and you end up slipping the clutch some and doing a frantic 3 pedal dance to inch the car along.

 

That timing belt thing HighLux pointed out- nice. Supposed to be done at 60,000 miles on the 96 and 97.....so it should have been done twice by now.

FYI, The 98 and above they increased it to 90,000 miles. Fun. Either way, if it hasn't been done, it'll be due. Arm up with a dealer quote for that and those lower ball joints. If you don't know why the lower ball joints, search.

Oh yeah, look for frame rust, rear diffs can be bad for rust and pinholes, 'specially if it's from out of town, particularly anywhere that uses salt.