I've been searching in the Seattle area and now have expanded to all of Washington for about a month now to find a 3rd gen 4runner with the 3.4L and a 5spd. I cant seem to find many. I test drove one and fell in love and then got it checked out and it was a no go. I've been looking on a daily basis and Im not having much luck.

Ideally I'd like a 1999 3.4L SR5, 5spd, locker. Other features I don't really care about but I do like the sr5 package. I test drove one and it seemed like a great rig.

How rare of a rig am I looking for? Is the 3.4L and 5spd a super rare combination? Where you guys are from how easy is it to find one? I was thinking it could just be that Seattle people just like autos more cause that's all I can seem to find.

Thanks in advance

 

mine use to be my moms but most of the time when they list it with a 5spd they dont bother to say if it has a elocker

 

I think the locker is only available in the limited package. So yea, the runner your looking for is more like extinct

Edit: Some SR5's do have the locker

 

most everyone got automatics

 

Thats what I was afraid of. I know I could go without the locker and find one down the road and install it. So Ideally I'd like to locate a 3.4L 5spd. I could always swap in the locker later.

 

There are lockers in the other trims, too....

 

I've found that too. The issue is the 5spd as far as I've seen is limited to the Sr5 and base model. But in the base model the 5spd's Ive found are connected to the 2.7L not the 3.4L

 

My buddy picked up a 99 w/ elocker, 5spd, and 3.4 few months ago. They exist, but certainly aren't common.

 

I think the rare combo is the e-locker with the std trans. I have an SR5 in the place I work that has the e-locker and an auto.

 

I don't know how rare it is, there were quite a few equipped the same as mine when I bought it off the lot brand new in '97.

'97 SR5 4x4, V6, 5speed manual, rear diff locker, Anthracite metallic, factory leather, moonroof, premium sound system, larger tire and brake package, etc.

106k miles

It still looks and runs pretty much like the day I got it.

 

Go get it.


http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1354427072.html

 

when we were looking two years ago, we found the current rig at Bob Bridge Toyota- it was a trade in. They advertised it for a weekend, we got it on Monday... Funny, the salesperson made sure to point out it was the 5speed, and I just smiled back (they're not in high demand for the market the 4runner is serving). no e-locker, unfortunately, but like you, i'm waiting for the right deal to get the swap done (if i ever do). wasn't a deal breaker for me. the auto WAS.

 

Im in seattle and bought my 4runner a year or two ago on craigslist. 2000 sr5 Supercharged 5 speed. no locker tho. but back when i was looking there were a couple on CL.

good luck man

-matt

 

thanks for the input guys. I've been on craigslist and autotrader looking everyday, but no dice so far. I did the rounds to all the local dealerships up on highway 99 today and found 8 autos but no 5spds. Im just going to keep searching till I find one. I could get an auto with the locker, but I think I'd enjoy a 5spd more than the locker for daily driving. I could find an axle from a locked model later and do the swap and I'd have my ideal rig.

 

Very rare, and I know noob question but how can you distinctly tell if you got lucky w/ the e-locker on your ride?

Also mine's not 5spd (wish it was) but it took me a month to 2 months to find my '02 SR5 4WD that only has 58K miles

 

There will be a RR locker switch on the dash to the left of the steering wheel like the one below (but located on the other side of the wheel since this is from an right hand drive vehicle)

 

oh the one that shows the drive train w/ an x in the middle with the rear in solid lines, if so, Sweet that's made me happier. I know there are is a 01 SR5 Sports Package but auto w/ e-locker w/ 109K miles at CapeCod Auto Connection I was going to originally get it but couldn't get the financing I wanted.


http://www.capecodautoconnection.com/carsforsale.aspx

 

I got one minus the locker

 

5 speed 4Runners aren't common on the east coast either.

I've been looking for a reasonably low mileage 5spd SR5 for a month now in the Washington DC area and no luck. I'm test driving another auto tomorrow but I doubt I'll be happy without a shifter in my hand

a few show up now and then with crazy high mileage but I'm selling my '08 VW GTI and moving up north to go back to school - I can't risk having a 180k-mile truck as my only vehicle.

 

The elocker's last year along with the 5 speed was with the 2000 model year but the locker did return with the '09 Trail Ed.

Colorado has a lot of 4Runners around here so check our state specifically and you might find what you want.