At my disposal for t4R are...
98 LTD w/ 200,000 miles. Sorta Clean, runs good, $5000
00 SR5 w/ 155,000 miles. Sorta Clean, runs good, $5800
02 SR5 w/ 178,000 miles, clean, runs good, $7000

Leaning towards the 00.
Any advice?????

 

Any pics and more info on them? Sorta clean and runs good can mean anything.

 

http://reno.craigslist.org/cto/4670806193.html
http://reno.craigslist.org/cto/4677595602.html
http://reno.craigslist.org/ctd/4671605525.html

 

I drove all, and except for the 98, they drove the same. The 98 needs tires, but they are worn fairly evenly except the outer edges are slightly more worn (normal as far as I can see). I'm betting on a timing belt / H2o pump and trans service.
The 00 got belt w/ tensioners and pump. Radiator looks good, cloth OK. Rear door got boinked in the bottom middle, opens and closes just fine.
02 Lot car. They claim a belt and pump. No knowledge of tensioners being done.

All three go straight. The traction lock on the LTD is a plus. The low miles on the 00 is a plus. The color and "spiff" on the 02 is nice.

 

Only you can know what you want.

Is this your first 4Runner??

Do you do your own work or pay to have it done ??

Any of these can be at the point they need major suspension and maybe brake work .

If they still all have the original radiator with trans cooler another thing that could fail at any time .

Something to always think about.

It never seems to fail I always end up spending another $1000.00 to $1500.00 or so doing neglected maintenance

 

I would see what you can get them to come down to on all of them. They are all good candidates. I think the 00 is the best option personally as I virtually refuse to but from a lot.

Plus I like buying from someone that owned the car and can tell me the real story with it.

Are any of them 4wd?

Also like said above just plan on 1000-1500 extra on any used cars if you plan on keeping them for an extended period of time.

 

All are 4x4. Yes, I do my own work, why do you think I'm not buying a Pathfinder. $500 gives me heated leather and $600 gives me a locking diff, neither of which I need instantly. I will not do a trans service on an automatic, too messy, I hate the stuff. After all, this aint no Chevelle. As for the radiator, walk in the park except for bleeding the system. Any brake recommendations? I suspect I may be good to 200K on the calipers, so what's the ticket for pads & rotors?

 

I think you missed the point!!

These vehicles with auto transmissions have the trans cooler built into the radiator .

if the radiator fails the mixing of coolant and transfluid is not pretty or cheap.

 

If you do your own work and everything checks out on the 00, thats what I would do. IIRC there was some things changed in the 01+ models that were not all that great. They got the nearly useless traction control I know but not sure what else.

Once you get it, I would just go ahead and do a complete tune up to make sure everything is good to go. better safe then sorry.

Properly maintained these trucks are nearly bullet proof with few issues.