4Runner Help needed

[Rundie]

Hi all,
New to this forum (not new to Toyotas though)
Need a little bit of guidance, about to buy a 4Runner 3.0 TD ('96) and wondered if there are anything to look for on them.

Been reading through and picked up some info but most relates to the Surf which I guess is the same as the 4Runner with a few differences?
The one I'm getting is a manual by the way.
Noticed slight bubbling under the paint (rust) on the bottom radius of the rear side windows, nothing major but is this a common thing with these?

It looks well looked after and receipts etc for general service items.
Another question is do these have 'forlife' in as coolant as with other Toyotas?

Thanks in advance

[andycook]

Hi and welcome

I also have a 4runner, reg'd in 1996,
and yes, it has plenty of "bubbling" with rust in places e.g. along bottom of doors, and rear door/boot, where glass meets boot.
and various other places
but it has lived on salty (in winter) scottish roads for a decade

Surfs less likely to be rusty as they have lived in a salt free Japan for a few years before being imported here

I got coolant from Toyota this summer and it was red 4life stuff i think

I wouldnt pay more than 3-3.5k for a 4runner,

[Rundie]

Thanks for the welcome.

The one I'm looking at buying has very little sign of rust really considering the year it's just that the signs of it in the rear side windows area is starting by the looks of it.

What sort of MPG you getting? Would 25mpg be reasonable on average?

How long have you had yours, any mechanical issues with it?

[andrewlee31]

25 is fair mpg mate, pretty bullet proof really anything niggling is normally easily and cheaply fixed. (touch wood)

[Philip]

I also own a 4runner RS5 i think. What the RS5 stands for i don't know, but its an imported one and has no rust and in 6 months, no problems, touch wood. I agree with the price quoted, as dealers seem to charge £1000-£1500 more than private sale. I waited on Ebay till car at the time didn't go and then rang guy up and offered him less than initial bid he had on it. The good thing about this was that if car wasn't up to scratch, i could refuse it, without problems from Ebay.
Good luck with new car, when you get it, you'll love it.
Philip

[andycook]

Mine has averaged bang on 25mpg over last 18 months, sad, but i have kept a record of mpg from every tank fill.
Worst 22mpg (towing 2 tonnes) and best 27mpg, long cruise on dual-carriageway at 60mph.
It was dropping to 23 recently, but does on cold winter days, some injector cleaner has bought it back upto 25mpg.

I have had it just under 3yrs.
Had various wear-and-tear issues - e.g. replacing brake discs/pads, front callipers, exhaust, radiator, rear springs, 3 exhaust sections, steering components e.g. track-rod ends, steering idlers, wishbone ball-joints.
and more recently the oil seals on rear and front diffs/prop-flange and transfer bopx front output seal. A lot of these things might have been OK for MOT, but i prefer to fix them before hand

but i accept this on a 160k mile, 10yr old vehicle that has been off-roaded regularly.

[Rundie]

That's great to hear lads!

Just been on the phone to my mechanic guy who knows Toyotas well.
He said how strong they were and said he'd worked on a few.
Mpg seems to be around the right level for me to be happy using it for work etc.
He has agreed to come with me to give it a proper look over as I'm not too up on 4 x 4's or diesels.
A few bits he's familiar with having worked on is something to do with some joint or other that is exposed more when you look on the inside of the front wheels when on full lock? Says he has replaced some seals or other and it's a pig of a job?
Also he had a problem with one that had the head gasket go towards the rear, said that it didn't go fully but something about silicone inserts in the gasket gave in and it weeped oil towards the rear/side of the engine and then it falls onto the prop, getting sprayed well underneath as a result.

Bear with me as I might have got the details wrong slightly, does any of this ring any bells with anyone? (could have been Surfs or 2.4 Diesels I guess?)