A 2,000 4Runner limited with a new engine.

Engine is supposed to be finished up and broken in by 1:00 or so today. Once it's ready the gf and I are cruising down there and test drive it. Assuming everything checks out as well as it has so far... I'll be driving home a 2,000 4Runner, limited trim 4x4 with a new engine back to la casa. I'm pumped as hell.



What are the first things I should do to her? Gotta babe her and break her in gently.

 

Sounds pretty iffy.

 

How so? Seems like a once in a lifetime deal, still going to test drive it and make sure the transmission and transfer case are good.

 

Replace the radiator. Install new LBJ's. Those are the big ones to get done on any 3rd gen 4Runner.

As far as the rest of it goes, what's your planned use of the rig?

 

As soon as you said 'supposed to be finished', I laughed.

Why fix it right to sell it?

Plus, what in the hell happened to the old engine?

That's a super red flag to what used to be a $500 vehicle.

 

Yeah those are some of the things on my list. And it will be over off-road/roadtrip light overlanding trips.

3rd gens are very rare and expensive down here. 5k gets you one with 300k miles in good shape. Or one that is ratted out haha.

Supposed to be finished because it was just posted friday,a the tech has been working on it since Saturday. I called on Saturday haha.

They said it just knocked non-stop and was undrivable. Didn't specify why but maybe the last owner fucked up and didn't change the oil or didn't use enough? Who knows, doesn't matter as long as the transmission feels good. Since it only has 155k miles, it is totally worth it for the prices they go for down here.

 

Good Luck!

 

What did you pay?

 

Thanks!

Nothing yet, the tech didn't have enough time to finish it and do the break-in with enough time left over for us to drive down there test it and do all the talks. Thankfully the sales guy has been calling me and keeping me updated, said he didn't want to have me drive all that way and it not be ready.

Unfortunately I won't be able to see it until Saturday now because of work

 

Photos

 

That's one of my favorite model 4Runners & it's a Limited too... hope it meets all your expectations. As for what you should do first? Probably get a drivers side seat cover because every one I've ever seen has a torn up seat. Good luck!

Edit: I see it already has seat covers.

 

Oh don't worry, I'm going to get a quote from a guy near work to toss the leather out and put in cloth. O hate leather haha. But yeah at least she has covers.

 

I just recently bought a 2000 limited a few months ago and I love it!

 

Well just to update everyone, the drive train was great on this one...except the transfer case was meh and the truck herself was eh.

So, I said screw it and was going to buy the 96 near my office that I've already seen. It is flawless, expensive, and doesn't have the awd mode I want... HOWEVER.. while checking his site the dealer obtained a 2001 limited in the last week or so. I test drove it yesterday with the gf and, like the 96 they have, it drove perfectly.

It's clean as hell, fast/peppy, the transfer case works instantly with no bangs or hesitations. The only thing it needs is a radiator and ball joints, which I would change anyway.

We are letting Toyota look at it today and then based on that I'll make an offer Saturday.

 

Sounds good. Rads and BJ's are easy. Good to get them out of the way.

 

Okay so pretty much the only major things it needs now according to Toyota is

• Radiator (as mentioned above)
• Ball joints (as mentioned above)
• Steering rack/tie rods
• Oil pan reseal (leaking)
• Timing belt / water pump
• Brake fluid flush (planning on this with the tundra brake swap)

I've gotten the part prices, but does anyone happen to know the average labor rates for these items? I'm going to use it all as leverage for haggling

 

Non of those require a Toyota mechanic to replace. Any independent auto shop can do the work. You can save a little money by using an independent shop.

Unfortunately, I can not give you a cost estimate. I would be doing the work myself, so my cost would be much cheaper.

 

Yeah I can do some things myself. Trust me I'm not using the dealership haha. The guy is asking 10k but I'm going to offer him I think 6.5-7.5k

 

Good luck

 

They wouldn't drop down past 9k (before taxes), so I walked. The search continues!