98 4 runner... what to look for?

[akfodysvn]

Never owned one and don't know much about them. It's a 98 limited, 4x4, with 100k miles. Had some recent maintenance such as Driver side valve cover replaced with a brand new one, new valve cover gaskets, new plugs and wires, new upper and lower intake plenum gaskets, new spark plug tube gaskets, new cam seals.

Long story is my family is growing by 1 more and I want to get my wife out of a full size sedan. We have a 1 year old and the car seat fills it up as far as the back seat. Adding another rear facing infant carrier to the mix is going to put us in SUV zone. I have always had the tendency to buy older vehicles with low(ish) miles and had good luck. I love the look of these 4runners and came across this one that is pretty sharp and priced reasonably (at least I think so based on how well they seem to maintain value). Any insight would be great.

I am also going to sell my loaded 04 crew cab silverado with 94k miles. Hoping to free up some funds by locating a nice 01-03 Screw F150. Can be a 2wd but they are hard to find without rust around here. Another Chevy doesn't allow me to save the $ I want to.

[Cannon88]

3.4 is a damn good motor. I was looking for one of these years ago when I got into a Land Cruiser instead. Lots of good info here for for your selected year.

http://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/3rd-gen-4runner-faqs.341631/

[4EyedTurd]

Cannon, what about the 3.0 4Runners? A buddy has one that looks good and cheap but from what I've read the 3.0's suck.

[mstng86]

find out if the timin belt has been changed.

Also, a rear facing baby seat may leave no room in the front seat. Definitely test fit. I couldn't use my passenger seat in my four door Tacoma and I know a guy that bought a four door Tacoma and had to trade it in due to the car seat. 4 door tacomas have pretty much the same cab area.

[the spindoctor]

The 3.4 is a great motor, many get 300k miles out of them, although not the fastest thikg out there. The 2 big issues that I know of are the lower ball joints have had failures (only replace with Toyota parts and use blue lictite on the bolts), and the radiators had a tendency to crack internally which would leak coolant into the integrated transcooler and kill the transmission which is super expensive. I've had two 3.4 tacomas and they have been good to me.

And the 3.0 is a turd with no real way to make it more powerful, random head gasket problems, bad gas mileage, hard to work on.

[Cannon88]

Cannon, what about the 3.0 4Runners? A buddy has one that looks good and cheap but from what I've read the 3.0's suck.

And the 3.0 is a turd with no real way to make it more powerful, random head gasket problems, bad gas mileage, hard to work on.

Pretty much this regarding the 3.0.

Also, I agree with mstng86 regarding interior room. They can be a bit undersized for some. Test fit the seat if you'd like.

[Sean88gt]

PM me info about your chebbie. I'm needing a 4 door truck.

[akfodysvn]

Thanks for the feedback. The link was badass...wish every car had a forumthat dedicated. I am on the fence and keep going back to the Tahoe/Yukon. The size is just so much better... I am such a car whore I can never make up my mind.

Pm incoming about the truck sean88... I am in Kansas if that's a game changer. I will be asking the premium that crew cab, 4x4, loaded silverados bring up .. Definitely not going to be a "steal"

[2011GT]

I have a 2010 ford escape with 2 car seats in the back. One faces forward the other faces back. They fit fine. I have the fwd facing car seat behind the driver's seat. I need the driver's seat all the way back but I'm also 6'2".

Also older cars may not have the car seat anchors that newer cars have. The Escape has them for both back seats except the middle seat. Another car seat can't fit in the middle anyways... My 04 Sequoia has them in the middle row but only in the middle seat and the seat behind the driver's seat.

What kind of sedan does she currently have?

[Treybiz]

Ford Escape < 4- Runner. Just sayin.

[Sean88gt]

Thanks for the feedback. The link was badass...wish every car had a forumthat dedicated. I am on the fence and keep going back to the Tahoe/Yukon. The size is just so much better... I am such a car whore I can never make up my mind.

Pm incoming about the truck sean88... I am in Kansas if that's a game changer. I will be asking the premium that crew cab, 4x4, loaded silverados bring up .. Definitely not going to be a "steal"

No worries, send away, most of the ones I see down here are ragged out.

[2011GT]

Ford Escape < 4- Runner. Just sayin.

The 4 runner has the escape on the cool factor. I also feel that the escape is pretty butch. At least the body style I own. But it also gets 26mpg on the hwy. 6 speed auto and 240hp 3.0 v6. Can tow 3500lbs. Very peppy for what it is. I have 91k miles on it and have had zero problems. I have only done fluid changes. I'm even still driving on the original tires! I wouldn't buy one of the newer ones though. They look like a potato.

[akfodysvn]

I have a 2010 ford escape with 2 car seats in the back. One faces forward the other faces back. They fit fine. I have the fwd facing car seat behind the driver's seat. I need the driver's seat all the way back but I'm also 6'2".

Also older cars may not have the car seat anchors that newer cars have. The Escape has them for both back seats except the middle seat. Another car seat can't fit in the middle anyways... My 04 Sequoia has them in the middle row but only in the middle seat and the seat behind the driver's seat.

What kind of sedan does she currently have?

She has a sonata. Primarily keep car seat in the middle as it's the safest location but obviously with two that will change.

I am surprised that escape works. We just rented the jeep equivalent and it sucked for room. No way I could have moved the drivers seat all the way back if it wasn't in the middle seat. Also cargo room blew in it... a jogging stroller would fill it up. Sequioas were on my radar but they are $$ and I am a cheap ass bargain hunter. My daughter is one so she will not be forward facing for well over another year or possibly two and she is off the charts for measurements. She will rear face as long as possible and I will buy a vehicle to accommodate that. Working in EMS has made that decision for me. Not to start a debate for other people's choices but just not my choice until she is much older. I am 6'1" and need the seat back pretty far. The sonatas can't handle that and neither could my Cherokee. Just in this text I am selling myself on full size. I was thinking mid size and get a carrier for the top but it seems like most second rows struggle for room.

[akfodysvn]

The 4 runner has the escape on the cool factor. I also feel that the escape is pretty butch. At least the body style I own. But it also gets 26mpg on the hwy. 6 speed auto and 240hp 3.0 v6. Can tow 3500lbs. Very peppy for what it is. I have 91k miles on it and have had zero problems. I have only done fluid changes. I'm even still driving on the original tires! I wouldn't buy one of the newer ones though. They look like a potato.

A 2010 is gonna be more than what I want to spend, especially on an escape, no offense. If I can find a nice crew cab for around 6 then I will pup the price range on the SUV. I am hoping the new GM body style drops the price on the 07+