hey guys I'm looking at a 96 4 runner with a v-6 and 5 speed standard tranny. It has about 135K miles on it. What are some things i should check for when I go to test drive it this weekend? Is $6000 too much for a rig that old and with that many miles on it?
well I look at autotrader.com to shop prices in the US.... always figure I would try to get 1 out of a dry southern state..arizona maybe??
Thing is 3rd gen 4runners seem to go for $6K with that kind of mileage even if you drove north of the border. For me to buy a 96 for $5000 it will have 180,000 miles on it so from what I see $6K might be the going price... I would look for a rust ad dent free one and with no accidents and as good of a maintenace record as possible. You usually don't have to pay much if any more for one that is in really good shape than the discount anyone gives you for a beaten up or poorly maintained one. I like to get a carfax report done as well to see where it has been registered, hopefully not in a salty state and to see if any repairs were reported and what $ value or severity they were. I look at all the fluids to see they are the right level and clean..even the coolant reservoir tank. Look to see when the belt has been changed if getting a 3.4L, check to see if everything works like the rear window all the way down and up, lights, e brake, air, cv boots, any leaks underneath, smoothness of antenna up and down, I put it in 4 High and 4 lo, check the rear diff lock in and out, in and out of 4H and 4Lo and drive in fairly tight figure eights in a parking lot in 4Hi to see if all things work ok. I like to drive it on the highway up to at least 70 mph even in 4hi and 2 wheel drive to see if there are any vibrations or weird noises, select Reverse neutral and drive a couple times to see if there is much if any clunking or slop in the drivetrain. I drive away once in 1st, 2nd and drive if auto, try engine braking by drive to 2nd and 1st once as well or try all gears in a stick and see how it shifts, check clutch by slowly depressing and feel where it contacts, let it out in gear on idle and see if it slowly drags or chatters any, a brisk acceleration up to highway speeds, bounce each corner to see if the suspension has any noises and see how the shocks/struts are, even a simple thing check the tailpipe to see what it looks like..too dark and it is running rich or consuming oil, check fit/gaps on all doors, rear hatch body panels, look for overspray in wheel wells or behind the gas filler door as these are signs of body work/accidents, look to see it stands level and doesn't sit lower on 1 side, check the wear on the tires as if they have been on it for a while they tell the story of any allignment problems, gently brake to see if it pulls in either direction, look for dents underneath, excessive rust, condition of shocks, bushings... etc etc..
