1998 4Runner Question/Advice Requested!

Hey 4runner friends,

I have a situational question that I would love some help thinking about and figuring out. Long post incoming!

I drive a 1998 4runner with about 213k miles on it. I've had it for about 5 years and love it dearly but... I have not had the same experience with it running well for me. It has broken down at least twice a year with extremely expensive repairs needed and I'm at a loss for how long to keep it going.

I'm an outdoorsy photographer/freelance type and appreciate the capabilities, but don't always feel comfortable using it because I feel like I tend to break down... everywhere. It is pretty exhausting. Is it a lemon? I take great care of it and maintain it immaculately. I have repaired it every time it's broken down because I haven't really had another choice, but it's adding up.

I love it, but I also respect that someone else might be in a much better position to give it all the love it needs for the long term. I know it has a lot of miles and that cars need maintenance and repairs and such. I do, however, feel frustrated that I seem to be facing constant issues while others rave about the reliability. Most recently, the left drivers side ball joint failed and the wheel fell off entirely while driving gently on a dirt road; I was lucky to find service to call out for a tow.

It is all fixed up now, but I can't afford to keep incurring 2k repairs coming up at any moment. I am also not extremely excited about being in the auto market right now. I am wondering if I should choose to sell it (hoping for ~10k based on research + quoted at the shop) and use that to finance a vehicle with better gas milage and reliability. I feel like I could basically finance a vehicle for the annual repair costs that I'm incurring now. I'm not stoked on buying another cheap(ish) used car that might start having other issues.

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions? I want to make a good financial decision and get some opinions on what I might be able to do better to maintain it or whether I need to consider making a change.

Thank you so much!

 

My first question is, do you have someone that does the maintenance on your vehicle, if yes then the ball joint should have been looked at because it is a very well documented item for failure on the 3rd. gens. So in the 5 yrs. You have owned it a reputable mechanic should have inspected and serviced the items before a failure occurs. I would find a good shop to take it to, and have them look it over. Maybe someone can refer a shop for you in your area, let them tell you what it needs, and go from there. Just so you know the radiator is another item to be aware of with those miles. Hope it works out for you, i love the 3rd gens.

 

Thank you! I'm definitely somewhat disappointed with the many different shops I've taken it to. I feel like one among them should be catching other things while they fix the problem at hand. I'll try to find someone to look over it. And I'll keep an eye on the radiator!

 

What area do you live in? Maybe someone on the forum can recommend a shop for you.

 

I have a '98 Ltd. with 192k. I have not hesitated one second to fork out the money it has required to keep it going. This includes ball joints, struts shocks and too many other things that I don't remember at the moment. I actually like it better than my 5th gen. As was recommended, find yourself a reliable honest shop, and keep it. JMO...good luck, whatever you choose to do.

 

i think that these vehicles are high maintenance. compared say to a Chevy Apache with an inline 6 cylinder engine, three on the tree, and no sensors or electrical gremlins. these Toyotas, with the double overhead cams, 24 valves, and built in self-destruct mechanisms, [seized water pumps], seem like a rolling puzzle. Until they stop. I think your analysis is good, for the same amount of money you could drive all you want and limit the downtime.
The only way I can afford to drive anything is to do all the work myself. The money I earn by doing brakes and plugs and tie rod ends, and ball joints and wheel bearings and CVC shafts, and whatever else I can lift, pays for all the parts and gas and tires and oil, etc. If I add up all of the labor bills I didn't pay, it covers the cost of ownership so far..... I just got quoted 1500 to replace the right front hub and rack and pinion on a Chevy van. I can get the parts, at a grade that should get enough more mileage to add 50,000 more miles, for under $200. Shops make money by charging a markup on the parts that they sell us, and a handsome labor fee, which is what I pocket.

I just got on the forum today and I sincerely hope that this isn't sounding like a lecture or something.

 

preaching to the choir

 

Would be a lecture only if you were telling us something we don't already know.
As for " high maintenance ", 4Runners are not.

 

LOL, the Chevy Apache is a work truck from the 1950's, so it predates important developments that made modern electronics possible and ubiquitous. I mean a 3rd gen 4runner is down right futuristic if you compare it to a model T too, but I wouldn't want to daily a model T or a Chevy Apache.

4runners can be high maintenance, either as a result of poor maintenance past or present, or hard use in extreme conditions. Its a bummer yours is doing that. My 97 hit me over the head with a lot of big repairs initially, like radiator, starter motor, and fluid replacements. I've never gotten stranded, and since then the only money I've spent on it was to fix stuff that wasn't required. I also did most of the later work myself.

For the most part, 3rd gen 4runners rarely give unexpected surprises. Most problems can be caught ahead of time (ball joints do require some effort). If I were you, I would study up on things to look out for, and give the vehicle a thorough look over. Itemize what needs to be done, what you might be able to do yourself, and the urgency of things. If you decide to keep the vehicle, at least you will know what to look for