Older, reliable, 3rd vehicle?

[ArchMT]

Serious question here since Rokslide doubles as the Toyota fan club. Btw I have owned - and currently do own a Toyota, so I don't hate them.

How many people actually work on their Toyotas themselves though? Not talking about changing the battery or bolting accessories to the roof but real actual mechanic work like replacing head gasket, fuel pump, fuel injectors, cooling system, front end components etc. My old 94 4runner went to over 300k but I hated working on it. Hands always bleeding from reaching into the cramped engine bay and hard or nearly impossible bolts to access. Parts were expensive or hard to find at junkyards. Then there were things like the fuel pump being located on top of the gas tank and many more quirks that made life difficult for the shade tree mechanic. OP said he wants an old vehicle he can work on at home, to me that's not Toyota unless you've got mechanic experience or really enjoy that work. Especially getting an older one that will probably require more maintenance along the way.

Mine is a 1998 4runner. I have done lower ball joints, CV axles, radiator, u joint, all fluids, plugs, plug wires, shocks, coils, etc. I haven't wrenched on many other vehicles so not a lot for me to compare it to. Seems like a lot can be done at home, but I'm sure I will have to take it in at some point. They are pretty bombproof if you keep up on the maintenance.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Mine is a 1998 4runner. I have done lower ball joints, CV axles, radiator, u joint, all fluids, plugs, plug wires, shocks, coils, etc. I haven't wrenched on many other vehicles so not a lot for me to compare it to. Seems like a lot can be done at home, but I'm sure I will have to take it in at some point. They are pretty bombproof if you keep up on the maintenance.

Nice job! If you have ever work on a similar era Jeep or Ford Truck you'll likely be pretty amazed at how easy they are to repair in comparison, but keep that old 4runner going as long as you can.

 

[mgray34]

We have a older 4Runner that we've kept for exactly what you're describing. Highly dependable, utilitarian, and pretty easy to work on. It's an older model and has well over 300K miles.

 

[Dust Rider]

GMC Safari van. AWD. 4.3L V6.

 

[fngTony]

How many people are you wanting to fit in it?

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

How many people are you wanting to fit in it?

Good question. Probably 5 is good. A 3rd row would be a bonus, but we've already got a vehicle that could fit 8 if the whole family is going somewhere.

 

[AK Troutbum]

80 series LC will fit 7. It won’t get you anywhere fast, and it guzzles fuel like Nicolas Cage guzzles bourbon in Leaving Las Vegas, but it’ll get you anywhere you wanna go, and get you back, no questions asked.


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[Slickhill]

My extra is an 06 Nissan Frontier. 4.0 has plenty of power and I pull stuff and haul firewood, dead deer, etc all the time. In 250k it’s needed a fuel pump, cheap and a 45 minute job with a floor jack and a 2x10, and the preventative trans cooler bypass. Other than that it’s only required gas, oil, and tires plus a battery or two.

It’s one of 4 in the family and they’ve all been good. I feel like you get 90 percent of the Toyota reliability for 75 percent of the money.

 

[justinspicher]

I replaced my 1996 single cab Tacoma with a 2005 Lexus GX470 last year. Huge upgrade. I sold the third row seating because nobody was ever gonna sit back there and replaced the seats with a set of Dobson drawers. I have put five adults in it before and it’s not bad, but not something I would want to do a road trip in. I’ve driven it on a road trip with my family a few times and it’s a comfortable rig to ride/drive.

If I were needing to move a family of five, a sequoia would be my choice. I used one as a rental a few years ago and was very impressed.

 

[taskswap]

I can't speak to Explorers except to remember that we used to jokingly call them "Ford Exploders". But I recently picked up a 2005 Ford Freestyle for one of my sons when he turned 16. V6, AWD, plenty of room, and the price was right for a "sacrificial first car" ($2k). I currently drive a RAM but I've owned a lot of Fords (and still have two) so I have a lot of tools and experience working on them. Obviously not everything from '81 carried through to '05 but IMO it was fairly easy to work on.

I think a lot depends on how much you're willing to "do" to the car. If it has a solid engine and transmission, a lot of other problems often come down to parts only designed to last 10-15 years. I put new front and rear shocks and springs in it, did the upper manifold gaskets, replaced the front wheel bearings, put in new plugs and coil packs, a new throttle body, and a few sensors. It broke three belts before I realized the alternator was seizing and that was one heck of a job without a lift but after that it was a runner for several years. It sounds like a lot but it was all parts so I bet I didn't put more than $600 into it.

I told all my kids they're all getting the same thing. When they turn 16, I'm buying them a beater that I will help keep running until they're 18. I expect the thing to last 2 years but not much more. In that time the idea is they get "started" - first job or two, figure out where they're going with their lives, etc. The car is mine until they're 18 and is a privilege, not a right. When they're 18, the car is a gift and they can do what they want with it, but the idea is for them to maintain it well enough that it's worth selling to the next person who needs the same thing. They can use the money for whatever they want, but between that and savings from working the idea is to give them just enough to put down on their next, better car.

 

[loganwayne]

I've been looking at getting a backup vechicle again. I've narrowed my list to below, all are cheap around me under 5k running driving, less if they need work. I have a shop so not a big deal.

Jeep cherokee (hard to find a nice one now)
Jeep grand cherokee with the 4.0
Nissan frontier
Nissan exterra
Nissan pathfinder

Over the years I've owned over a dozen Nissan frontiers/exterras. I've always found them cheap and they are pretty easy to fix and parts cheap.

 

[Chet4570]

We've had half dozen 3rd gen 4runners. Very reliable vehicles. Don't over look the '98 to '06 silverado. 4.8 and 5.3 engines are easy to work on and run forever.

 

[Yoder]

I got a 2012 Honda Pilot with 133k for $11k about 6 months ago. Has 3rd row seating and a lot of room. Gas mileage is about 18. With good tires it does really well in the snow. Only issue with these is the cylinder management. When VCM shuts down a cylinder, oil leaks into the cylinder and it burns a ton of oil. I installed a bypass for that for around $100. So far I put about 10k miles on it so far and it's been great.

 

[conhawa]

My extra is an 06 Nissan Frontier. 4.0 has plenty of power and I pull stuff and haul firewood, dead deer, etc all the time. In 250k it’s needed a fuel pump, cheap and a 45 minute job with a floor jack and a 2x10, and the preventative trans cooler bypass. Other than that it’s only required gas, oil, and tires plus a battery or two.

It’s one of 4 in the family and they’ve all been good. I feel like you get 90 percent of the Toyota reliability for 75 percent of the money.

I have a 2006 Xterra that i've had for 14 years. Ive replaced the fuel pump and new radiator to prevent coolant in the transmission(common problem) other than that just tires and brakes. I did a suspension lift 3 years ago and bigger tires. Shouldve done that years ago. Its been a great vehicle.

 

[roosiebull]

Serious question here since Rokslide doubles as the Toyota fan club. Btw I have owned - and currently do own a Toyota, so I don't hate them.

How many people actually work on their Toyotas themselves though? Not talking about changing the battery or bolting accessories to the roof but real actual mechanic work like replacing head gasket, fuel pump, fuel injectors, cooling system, front end components etc. My old 94 4runner went to over 300k but I hated working on it. Hands always bleeding from reaching into the cramped engine bay and hard or nearly impossible bolts to access. Parts were expensive or hard to find at junkyards. Then there were things like the fuel pump being located on top of the gas tank and many more quirks that made life difficult for the shade tree mechanic. OP said he wants an old vehicle he can work on at home, to me that's not Toyota unless you've got mechanic experience or really enjoy that work. Especially getting an older one that will probably require more maintenance along the way.

I hate wrenching on vehicles period, I will obviously do small stuff, but any significant things, I’m not doing… it’s always something, and there is always something I need and don’t have.

I have had to do a lot of wrenching on boats over the years, and on my rigs, I’ll happily pay a professional. I don’t even like being in proximity to it, it’s like a funeral home, nobody is happy, everyone involved is bummed out.

I cuss enough without being under a pickup