I have an 84 Camry and it still runs great-doesn't leak oil-anywhre. Has the original starter and clutch. I did have the injectors replaced a few years back. I have replaced the timing belt 3 times since I have owned it. I recently replaced the last timing belt not too long ago just for piece of mind. When I did, I decided to go ahead and replace the water pump-it never had been replaced and the car has 260,000 miles on it. I have replaced the CV axles once-that was 140,000 miles ago. Overall, I have been happy with it. There are some other piddly maintenance things I have had done to it, but they have been very few and far between. I hope my truck holds up half as well.

 

I dont know how much off road action your truck sees, but I think they do quite well for the abuse put on them that I have seen on this board, and from my own experience. Its difficult to compare a commuter camry to a 4runner that hits the trails once a month in terms of problems with leaking etc... Also some vehicles are just unlucky with stuff like that...

 

I seriously think your toy was abused. I have had a few toyotas now, and a few of them were really abused by the former owner and They have never left me stranded and I drive a lot and used some of them for work well beyond what they were designed for. I even converted my dad to toyota after he was a loyal ford guy for 45 years.

 

This 01 Tacoma of mine was (is) my first Toyota and it WILL NOT be the last. Just today as I was diving around the mountains I was thinking about how great it runs ansd I swear it runs even quieter and smoother than the day I got it.The only problems I have had were my fault and had nothing to do with Toyota.
I live on top of a mountain here is central WV and you can't go anywhere without climbing up and down all day. The place I live has less than 12,000 people in the whole county and it's a big wilderness area. I swear that half this town drives Toyotas and most of them are Tacomas and a few Tundras and 4- Runners.
The Bear chasers (guy's with hounds) and all the oil well tenders drive nothing but Tacomas and have for years.
Two friends of mine are guides in Canada and they have owned nothing but 4x4 Toyotas for the past 20 years. Must be something good about them.
Just treat them right and they will take care of you. They are great vehicals but they can't do there own matience, that's up to you.Mike

 

It is true that the older Toyotas lasted much longer with fewer problems. At least my 84 is a true testament to that. I think some of it has to do with simplicity and the other has to do with Toyota making a name for themselves in their earlier years, so they were more ambitious to make a reliable vehicle. Now that they are well known, and still ride on their early reputation, everybody buys their vehicles. Unfortunately, their products are no longer the bulletproof beasts of yesteryear. I've seen countless posts on various websites where people have purchased a Toyota truck in the 80's-early 90's, loved it, beat the hell out of it, and hundreds of thousands of miles later, they decided to buy another only to find out that the newer truck is completely inferior. Honda has actually followed the same suite with their cars, but to a lesser degree.

In 21 years and 200,000, the only items I have had to replace are the water pump and the vacuum advance diaphragm on the distributor. Everything else is original all the way down to the power steering fluid (besides regular maint.). Not one of the original gaskets leaks or seeps a drop of fluid. Maybe gaskets do last forever I also still pull 36 mpg on the highway (2wd, obviously).

 

Try going from an 89 4runner 240K to a 93 ranger 130K(not by choice, swerve, ditch, rock bank...you get the point). four years newer, half the miles, less abused, you could't hold it in the road for all the slack in the front end!!After driving other high millage rides, can't beat a yota!!!

 

84sr5yoty, Your not the first to say that the Toyota is not the vehical they used to be but I really think that's true with allot of them today but not because of inferior product or cutting corners.
When the government started making all the car manufactures put on all this so called polution control stuff and change suspensions and ad this and that it created a big problem for them in loss of power as we all know. Now the race is always on to stick to thr guide lines but get better or more power and in the process it leaves allot to be desired today. The body structures had to change also for safety issues and this was and is still a problem.
Another thing that doesn't help is all of us are always trying to improve on all this with after market and even home made gadgets. Ever wonder just how much of the troubles we have we created ourselves and then we blame Toyota ? Guess we will never see the old but good engines again, Mike

 

I think it all comes down to this, the truck is like 12 years old...it's old...it's going to leak...mine leaks...its not too big a deal...if it leaks, just keep filling it up.

 

Back in 1990 I got an 85 GMC Sierra half-ton. @ 120 000km
In the first 2 years:
- waterpump ( twice ) $ 180
- tie rod ends $ 220
- driveshaft u-joints $ 200
- get this, REBUILT 350 BLOCK w/ hardened heads, installed $ 2 7 5 0
- hours spent tracking down rattles and glitches: priceless

she sure shined up nice tho...

 

My dad has an 87, 3/4 ton, 156k. Has needed a rear main seal, tie rod ends, other front end work, two intake manf gaskets, few other things. Has caught on fire once. Rust is the biggest problem now.

The best part is you can sit on the fenders or radiator, with your feet on the frame, and work on the engine. Just climb right in.




All gaskets/seals go bad over time.

 

Toyota's suck??? Before my current 2002 4Runner, I had a 1998 Chevy Blazer that was an absolute POS. In the 2 years I owned it, I spent about $4,000 in repairs. It seemed like there was always a sensor going bad or it needed another $500 wheel hub bearing. I realize there may be Toyotas out there that have problems too, but just take a look at Consumer Reports...they're all highly recommended for a good reason!

Since owning my Runner, I've spent about $300 for a general tune up and put gas and oil in...that's it! My Runner has been an absolute DREAM...it's by far the best looking and most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. Toyota 4Runners get my vote 110%!

 

'01 Pontiac Bonneville - Transmission went out at 70k, tried to rebuild, went out again. Had to buy a new tranny and put it in to fix it (thanks to the guys at roadmastertranz.com, they rock!).
'89 Honda Accord - 295,000 miles on the original engine and transmission.
'91 4Runner - 252,000 miles on the original engine, transmission, and transfer case.

Dad has 3 Toyota Camrys, 2 that have over 280,000 miles.

Yea, every now and then you will run into a problem, but the VAST majority of Toyotas and Hondas will outlast every single American POS on the road. Sorry about your issues, though. :cry:

 

Try owning a Volkswagen (since they been built in Mexico)...you'll thank god you drive a toyota!!!!! (trust me)

I owned volkswagens most of my life...BUT..my last GTI convinced me to NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN buy, a volks...no matter how nice the model looks.

-B

 

i feel for ya, my brother has an 01 ranger, but it believe mechanically they are similar/the same as the mid 90s models, and they are bad. they have the equivilant of the 3vslow, my brothers ranger is 3l v6, 150hp, 180tq except its a 2001!!!!!!!!! although he does get better mileage. is yours a standard or auto? if standard, you will eventually need to replace the clutch slave cylinder(clutch realse cylinder), however, its INSIDE the bellhouseing. just did it on my brothers 01, they only seem to last about 100k, but droping the tranny isnt to bad.

 

There are a few toyotas that are lemons, and have problems....

There are also a few Jeeps/fords/GMCs/dodges that don't...

Always exceptions to every rule, but the odds look good for us.

 

Another thing to do is take a look at the vehicles parked at garages waiting for service. Sure some are prolly there just for an oil change but it's still an indication. There's a few small used dealerships here in Oswego and very rarely do they ever have Toys for sale or even other foreign makes for that matter (excluding hyundai, kia, etc.).

 

I agree, the jetta and golf models are built in Mexico are the worst, but even the german built passat are only average for reliability (that goes for pretty much all german cars these days)

 

What other 4x4 truck can you trade in that is 14 years old, has a 162,000 miles on it and still get $3500 trade-in value? That is what I got for my '91 Xtra cab. I miss it. But I love my 4Runner.

Most my friends trade in their vehicles after they pay them off. I wear mine out and save a heck of alot of money compared to them.

 

I have ownd a 94 wrangler and a 94 cherokee and I must say I would take my 90 Runner any day of the week! 190500 miles on the thing and it drives like it's new. Sure there is some small leaks, but that truly is nothing to gripe about.

 

Mine leaks allround but still this is the best and most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. I've had one POS that was dry as a gunpowder but things just went wrong .