Price check on Gen 3 4Runner

Hi all. Been around TW for a few years been inactive and lurking since I sold my taco. My only regret with the Tacoma was that it wasn’t a 4Runner so I’m looking now and found a nice looking ‘97 with good maintenance records and clean interior/exterior.

The truck is a 4cylinder manual 2 wheel drive while I’d prefer 4 wheel drive just for the sake of having it but this truck seems like a good fit for what I want which is an everyday driver that’ll never see significant trails barely any dirt roads and will never see snow living in middle Georgia-lina.

Is $10k for a base 4banger 2wd insane or am I insane? I know they go crazy on BringATrailer but this is being sold at a used BMW dealership. I’d be happy with 5k but don’t think a dealer would cut 50% off a price no matter how good your negotiation skills are. Going to look this weekend and give it a shot just trying to get opinions here. Thanks in advanced and if anyone know of a nice 3rd gen for sale along the i20 corridor from ATL to Columbia please let me know. Will drive to Charlotte, Charleston, Savannah etc. Tried to upload photos may work may not. Will do it on the computer later if they don’t attach.

 

Welcome to TW...

 

I shopped for a 3rd gen 4runner for years to find a good one. I was wanting specifically a 99-00 4wd with a rear locker. I gave up and bought a tacoma. That's seems to expensive to me. I'd rather put 10k on a down payment of 2nd gen tacoma than spend it on a 4 banger 2wd 4runner. That's just my opinion though.

 

Agreed. It’s a pretty penny for the most basic one to be found no matter how clean it is. I’m pretty fortunate that all I’m looking for is 3rd gen and clean as they’re hard enough to find anyway. I had a Tacoma and enjoyed it but it never really satisfied me as I always wished I had gotten the 4Runner I was looking at when I bought it. The Tacomas just don’t have enough room inside for me.

Thanks. I love the look but I’m the same with the price.

 

You literally withheld one of the most important factors in figuring out its value; mileage.

Even with only 100k miles though, that's a $5k rig at best and that's just for the reliability factor.

Look around and you can score a manual 4x4 (harder to find) with under 200k miles for under $10k even here in CA.

 

260k miles.

 

Oof, I wouldn't have even bothered with this thread.

That's a $3k rig right there, anything more would be out of appreciation for the care that went into it.

 

Would've sold you a clean, 4x4 rear locked 4Runner with fresh leather seats, Sherpa roof rack, King front and rear suspension, and other custom parts for only $12k.

 

2 owners and a composite notebook listing all maintenance is its saving grace right now as to why I’m even entertaining anything to do with this price. You say would have sold as in you’ve already sold it?

 

Would've as in I did, and I was the second owner.

First owner was a Toyota master tech (later manager).

My point being, you can easily find something that's actually worth more or brings more value, for as much as that turd above.

 

For 10k? Absolutely, I was just making sure I wasn’t missing anything here. Thanks for your time.

 

That's too high for a base model, 4cyl 2wd 260k miles. You should be able to find a manual 4x4 v6 in that price range (not through a dealership and not through an auction site)

 

Run Forrest, run.

You can do better.

 

for reference, I bought a 4x4 3.4l v6, 5spd manual 96 4runner with 255k miles back in late January for $7,250 here in CA (land of crazy Tacoma/4runner prices). Was a private party sale that @Kwikvette helped me with, you can find good deals out there but they won't be at dealerships or auction sites

 

I can't imagine how slow a 4banger in these would be too, man....the 5 speed will help as well as being 2wd I guess, but I would hold out for a 3.4l. Especially if $10k is within the budget for one.

 

$10k for a 2WD 4banger with that kinda mileage is highway robbery.

Might as well get an 80 series Land Cruiser for that money (just not in SoCal, they are way too proud of those things).

 

Yeah if it was a 4wd I might see the appeal if it's been fully taken care of maintenance-wise..beyond the basics. Have to assume with almost all of these 23+ year old 1990s rigs that you will be investing a certain amount into upkeep on top of the purchase price. But he can definitely find a v6 4x4 in that range private-sale

 

I’ve always struggled with the values of those 90’s/early 00’s Toyota trucks.

Spend $10k on a “clean” 25 year old rig with 250k miles that needs work.

Why not spend $15k and get a rig with 180k miles that’s 5 years newer?

Why not spend $20k and…

That’s how I ended up with a 3rd gen lol

 

It's that appeal of a certain style/build that is long gone, if the desire is strong enough it will beat out logic in the end lol

 

Oh I totally get it. New vehicles are overpriced and the fear of breaking them is high.

A $10k 4x4 has its appeal, I have thought about it. Why do I need a $40k truck whose capability I don’t utilize? (Spoiler: I do not)



I think we answered the original question. @SolKrusher keep looking.