Hey Scotty,
I saw a 1997 4Runner on FB Marketplace for $3700. It has 166k miles on it. Looks decent and the ad advertises no rust or issues. Would this be something good for a beater or would you say it is too old to bother?
Thanks
They are well built cars and they can last a really ling time, but being an old car, you should expect to spend some money on the rubber/plastic parts. One other thing is about the timing belt replacement which can be expensive on those V6 engines. Ans always, have a mechanic check the car before you put any serious money down.
If a mechanic says its in good shape it could be a good car but expect to do some maintenance on a 25 year old 4runner.
Might I add in addition to getting timing belt change it’s also a good time to get the water pump change. Also, if it comes with the original radiator it would be a good idea to get it replaced as it’s separated into two compartments. One to cool the engine. The other to cool the transmission. Over time the seal separating the two can fail mixing the radiator fluid with the transmission fluid causing the engine to lock up and totaling the vehicle.