Is this a good deal? 1988 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

[itsmejme]

I definitely appreciate the feed back. I will go look at the 4runner and keep everyones thoughts in consideration. Nice find on ebay 2aroundtheworld. And thanks again everyone for taking the time to reply.

[austintaco]

Thanks everyone for your replys. If the head gasket has been replaced, would that sweeten the deal? Should i be looking for the 4cyl for the reliability?

Thanks Selk for reminding me about the 3.0 differences. I never verified with mine if it was the old style or new style, but I had great luck with it. Assuming that this truck has the more reliable 3.0, that would change my opinion.
The best thing about the later run of the 1st gen 4runners is that you had more creature comforts. If you have time, go drive the truck, see if he's flexible on the price and then have it checked out.

[Ruined Adventures]

How about this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/85-to...f#ht_932wt_948

X2 on this option. Great find 2aroundtheworld...very clean, and very low miles! I wish I had a sunroof and SR5 options. From what I've been told, the 3.0 doesn't have much more power than the 22RE so I figure go with a 22RE manual and enjoy the MPG. As long as you don't plan on drag racing uphill, you'll be very happy. I've gotten 26 MPG driving thru Yellowstone with mine.

When are you planning on leaving for Central America and what upgrades are you planning for the trip? My girlfriend and I are in the planning stages of a Central America & South America trip in my '87

[Toyotero]

The 1st gen 4Runner is a great platform. Check out RambleWriter's rig: http://ramblewriter.com/travels.html

I had an 88 just like the one you are considering. The truck and engine served me well from 1999-2009 to 235K miles, but it got an exhaust gas leak into the cooling system through a blown headgasket. After a couple of overheating incidents on the highway, a shop verified exhaust gas in the cooling sytem with a chemical test of the cooling system. I had probably been driving it with the leak that way for 20K or so since I had heard gurgling in the heater core for about 3 winters, but thought it was a leaking heater core sucking air in after shut down/cool down... so I "retired" it and sold it to a friend with full disclosure that it could "blow up" at any minute. He's been driving it now for a year.

Other than the 3.0 engine, the 80s Toyota trucks are very solid machines that were sold all over the world. I think that they were designed and built with the expectation that they would not be properly maintained, but would still function safely.

Personally, I would avoid the 3.0. My experience was mediocre, but their reputation is horid. Also, they are complicated to maintain (Compere the water pump change procedures for the 3VZE and 22RE) and renowned for the headgasket problems. After I sold the 88, I bought an 86 and I've been really happy with the performance of the 22RE (keep your power expectations low...). BTW, I think that the 22RE is much more common on Latin American than the 3VZE; something to consider regarding mechanic expertise and parts availability.

Regards,

[Toyotero]

X2 on this option. Great find 2aroundtheworld...very clean, and very low miles! I wish I had a sunroof and SR5 options. From what I've been told, the 3.0 doesn't have much more power than the 22RE so I figure go with a 22RE manual and enjoy the MPG. As long as you don't plan on drag racing uphill, you'll be very happy. I've gotten 26 MPG driving thru Yellowstone with mine.

When are you planning on leaving for Central America and what upgrades are you planning for the trip? My girlfriend and I are in the planning stages of a Central America & South America trip in my '87

HP for the 3vze is 150, 22RE is 109. To me, my 88 and the 86 feel equally sluggish :-)

120K? That is one sweet '85 in that auction.

Personally, for an expo rig, I wouldn't recommend someone to go for an 85 just because there is such a demand for that one year model (last year for solid axle and first year for EFI). They seem to sell for 3X + what an 86 sells for. An IFS rig would probably serve them equally well, but they wouldn't pay the premium for the coveted 85 model. Also, IFS is more comfortable when driving all day over solid axle/leaf springs.

Regards,

[BIGdaddy]

I had an 86, that i loved, for about 2 years. 22re motor, 5 speed, slow as hell, reliable as can be, consistant 25-28mpgs, etc.

VERY good trucks for the money. IFSis very tough on these trucks, absotutely nothin' to worry about with normal wheeling and camping.

[Rot Box]

I agree with everything that has been said so far. Head gasket problems weren't so much an issue on this year, but that doesn't mean the 3.0 is a trustworthy motor. Yes some go forever without any issues but most do not. For my money I would avoid it only because of the engine. Having a mediocre engine that has a bad history is not something you want in a rig used for exploring imo. For the first gen 4runners your only other option motor wise is the 2.4L 22RE which is a model of reliability but very underpowered. If horsepower is a concern look to the 3rd gen (96 and newer) 4runners they have come down quite a bit price wise over the last few years. Both the 4cyl 2.7 3RZ-FE and 3.4l 5VZ-FE are very reliable and powerful in comparison and these models come with excellent front suspension and some even have a selectable electronic locking rear differential. Hope this helps,

Andrew

[Whitey]

How about this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/85-to...f#ht_932wt_948

I don't know about this truck, and I certainly wouldn't call it a good deal without knowing what the asking price is. This guy could want $10,000 for all we know.

I would take the clean, straight, well running (for the time being anyway) 4runner originally posted for less than $3,000 over the resprayed non-original color, dented, dirty truck from the ebay ad all day.

[itsmejme]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback. Can i expect a big gas savings from the 4 vs 6,after loaded up for travel? Also, i definitely had a engine rebuild in mind before the big departure date. I'm not worried about the horsepower, or it being a slug. My vehicle history is as followed. 1987 Toyota 4 cyl, 1994 Toyota
6 cyl, and currently, a 05 Wrangler 6 cyl. So, i 'm used to slow cruising.
I'm looking for something thats reliable, can sleep in, and decent on gas and I'm definitely on a budget.
In response to red87runnerATX, my last day of work is the end of 2011. So, trip starts after the holidays. How about you?

[4Rescue]

The V6 is notheing to pay extra for... The 5spd is desirable, but a high milage 3.0 COULD give you problems unless it's been gone into recently. I'd say there are better deals out there. I know these trucks are getting rarer, but there are still a TON of them out there really. I see multiple every day. Does that mean people are selling them??? No cause they're alot of fun to drive but they're out there. Keep looking mate, you'll find one.

On the milage front, it's all about GEARING GEARING GEARING... You've had a 94 22RE so maybe you already know this, but gear it to the tire size you want: IE 4.30 for 31's 4.88 for up to 35's and really 5.29's for anything over 35" tall. Skinny tires help too as you can fit 35X10.50's with ZERO lift on these old trucks (same drivetrain/suspension as your 94 as they have leaves out back like the P/U - something I really LIKE about them as it makes them ahndle a load better then alter 4-Runners w/ alot less Modification.) I would highly suggest OME springs and shocks for it as I absolutely LOVE my 1st gen. I'm 5"11 200lbs and the GF and I can sleep in the back VERY comfortably. I'd highly suggest going through ROdger Brown's 4Crawler web site as he hsa alot of practical knowledge and experience modifying these trucks and alot of easy fixes for common problems like the back window (including how to hot wire the control box so the switch works w or w/o the key in the iognition - something that is a must IMO for sleeping in the back)

ANy other Questions, just ask amway mate, there are more then a few of us here who have alot of time and love into these older trucks and I'm sure ifg you have a problem, one of us has gone though it an fixed it @ some point DaveinDenver, DieselCruiserhead (as well as many others I'm forgetting for some reason) are a great wealth of info and have helped me out in the past with simple answers and alot of knowledge..

Cheers

Dave

OOps... You had an 87 22RE... Well then you already know these trucks well enough I could imagine. TO me, the 3.4 5VZ-FE is a great motor to throw in ANY old truck or the 2.7L 3RZ if you want a 4cyl... It's been done SO many times and it's well doumented and now fairly afordable to do. I wanted to swap in a 1KZ-Te but couldn't find a good price on a Half-Cut or a decent import motor so I went back the drawing board and built a stock 22RE... slow as all get out, but it just keeps going. Realy this truck is part tractor, part semi-highway comptent cruiser. Course I'm sometimes in 3rd or even 2nd with the flashers on doing 45 going over Mt. Hood... SO they have their advantages and disadvantages eh. Depends on wether you want something more rugged or more powerfull and more comfortable (speaking 3rd Gen -vs- 1st Gen.) since the 1st gen is really just a short cab short bed P/U with a pass-through and a factory canopy of sorts on it. It's also the closest thing to a "world-truck" toyota as we ever got (well the 83 and 84-85 SFA's although EVERYONE got the IFS 4Runners...) More so then any other N.American Toyota has been since it. I love thse old trucks so much. I alwasy marvle at how over-built they are compared to their rivals of the same era and even alot of newer trucks