Owners of Toyota 4runner/rav4

[BadgerLandHunter]

How well will a Toyota 4runner last in a midwest climate with salt on the roads?

I want a reliable 4 wheel vehicle for camping that has some room but also enough guts to get me out of a ditch. I'm strongly thinking about an older 4runner with around 100k on it. People online say they can get 200+ miles with minor repairs and 300+ with only a couple grand stuck in for repairs.

The rav4 I'm thinking is more of the "city" suv where the 4runner is the older bigger brother.

Living in WI salt and rust kill most cars long before the engine goes. Yes I will use car washes but anyone own the 4 runner and live in a similar climate? How many miles and how bad is the rust?

If it's not too rusty I may try to coat the frame with a sealer but if it's rusted already trapping moister won't help.

I'd buy new but $30K loan is a bit hard to swallow. For 100k miles it's still going to run me ~$20K. At least I SHOULD have something worth repairing unlike my current vehicles.

I'm thinking 2004-2011 years depending on price and what's available.

P.S. I'm not going to be using it in a mud bog or to climb a hill made of boulders but it needs to have power to try and get out of snowy conditions where the axil isn't bottomed out.

 

[havasu]

I'd recommend spending the extra bucks and making sure you have the 4 wheel drive, and under body rust protection. Great vehicles. My brother in law's Rav4 has 265k miles, and still purring strong.

 

[phideaux]

Only Toyota I ever owned was a Tacoma. 250 mileage.
Never had one problem.

Sold it 6 years ago , the guy is still going.

Not sure if Tacoma and Rav4 are same platform .
Good vehicles.

Jim

 

[hiwall]

One of my kids has had a 4runner for many years and has encountered very few issues. He did just have to replace the fuel pump but after so many miles it likely just plain wore out.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

I'd recommend spending the extra bucks and making sure you have the 4 wheel drive, and under body rust protection. Great vehicles. My brother in law's Rav4 has 265k miles, and still purring strong.

Thanks for info I read reports about the miles but wasn't sure in WI but I think the under coating will be well worth it. I hear you can get an oil type that is OK for surface rust since it breathes vs the tar type that needs nearly rust free metal and is air tight.

If I'm going to spend 20k on a used one what's another few hundred for a coating right lol.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

Only Toyota I ever owned was a Tacoma. 250 mileage.
Never had one problem.

Sold it 6 years ago , the guy is still going.

Not sure if Tacoma and Rav4 are same platform .
Good vehicles.

Jim

Awesome thanks for letting me know and you are in the winter weather to if I remember right.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

One of my kids has had a 4runner for many years and has encountered very few issues. He did just have to replace the fuel pump but after so many miles it likely just plain wore out.

Oh awesome yeah that's expected I figure. Gas lines brake lines and fuel pump/filter I don't mind too much. They are a little bit of a pain to do in the garage but better than ripping apart the engine.
I hear the rear transaxle needs work after many miles in 4x4s so I guess I'll expect to do that eventually. I just want something worth fixing and toyota sounds like a good brand.

 

[Spikedriver]

Iowa has similar problems as WI when it comes to rust. From what I see, 4 Runners are about the same as any other vehicle when it comes to that. 4 Runners are built considerably more rugged than the RAV4. The 4 Runner is built body on frame like a truck, where the RAV4 is unibody construction like a car.

The cost for a RAV4 will be considerably less. At least, in my area they are less. But they are all wheel drive, not true 4 wheel drive. Don't underestimate the difference. The 4 Runner will give you considerably more towing ability also.

For your budget, have you considered a 2015 F150? They have aluminum fenders so won't rust there. You should be able to get an XL model with a little over 100k miles pretty close to your budget. The 2018 and newer F150s have all aluminum bodies but I'm sure that would be well outside your budget...

 

[Cascadian]

Have you looked at the Highlander. It is between the 2 and can have a v6. We are on our 4th Toyota they run forever if you are halfway good to them.

 

[Spikedriver]

Only Toyota I ever owned was a Tacoma. 250 mileage.
Never had one problem.

Sold it 6 years ago , the guy is still going.

Not sure if Tacoma and Rav4 are same platform .
Good vehicles.

Jim

I believe the 4runner and Tacoma are built on the same frame, but not sure how much else they share...

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

Iowa has similar problems as WI when it comes to rust. From what I see, 4 Runners are about the same as any other vehicle when it comes to that. 4 Runners are built considerably more rugged than the RAV4. The 4 Runner is built body on frame like a truck, where the RAV4 is unibody construction like a car.

The cost for a RAV4 will be considerably less. At least, in my area they are less. But they are all wheel drive, not true 4 wheel drive. Don't underestimate the difference. The 4 Runner will give you considerably more towing ability also.

For your budget, have you considered a 2015 F150? They have aluminum fenders so won't rust there. You should be able to get an XL model with a little over 100k miles pretty close to your budget. The 2018 and newer F150s have all aluminum bodies but I'm sure that would be well outside your budget...

Thanks I like the idea of a SUV but want Toyota. True though aluminum wouldn't rust.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

Have you looked at the Highlander. It is between the 2 and can have a v6. We are on our 4th Toyota they run forever if you are halfway good to them.

Thanks I did look into it but for the frame and extra few inch of clearance.

 

[Cascadian]

The Highlander also can have selectable 4wd as opposed to the AWD on the Rav4. We were leaning pretty hard towards getting one. I think we decided on an AWD Camry, since we have a suburban and S10 4wd in the yard already.

 

[zoomzoom]

For undercoating, look up a product called "Fluid Film". I use that stuff in its varying forms just about everywhere.
Of the vehicles mentioned, I'd go with the Highlander first, 4Runner second and RAV4 last. Haven't been in a RAV4 in a few years but remember the ride was terrible due to the short wheelbase.

 

[Curmudgeon]

We have a 2013 Rav 4 and I have to say it's one of the best vehicles we have owned. 150,000 on the clock and stills purrs like a kitten. I'm in Michigan and it isn't showing any signs of rust other than a spot or two on the top edge of the windshield.

Come warm weather I will clean it up and put some Rustmort on the spots and then cover it with a paint stick.

It does great in the snow, and I think it would do well with some minor off road activity. Rough terrain not so much, although I have never tried, I use my Jeep for that.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

Thanks for all the replies I'm settling on a 4th gen 4runner with an undercoating.

 

[Cnsper]

Toyotas are awesome, just ask terrorists world wide. Some even come with the ability to mount a 50 cal.

 

[Cascadian]

That's true once you get an armload of AK's it is time to go Toyota truck shopping. Because reliability matters.

 

[Bacpacker]

I've owned Toyotas since 1979. Never had a Rav 4 or 4 runner. Mostly trucks and camry's. Almost everyone had 200k+ on them and other than oil changes, brakes, timing belts on some models never really spent anything on them. The 4 runners are built on same frame as Tacoma, both are pretty much bullet proof if you keep normal maintenance up on them. For snow areas I would go with the 4 runner due to ground clearance. Undercoating of some type sounds like a good investment.
One thought, check some on-line vendors for specific models you like that are in the south. They likely haven't spent much time in the snow and you could get it coated on a "clean" frame.
Good Luck

 

[Aerindel]

Always owned Toyota's.

My current is a 2000 Tundra with 320K on it.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

My dads got a good point with how little miles I put on the rust will destroy it long before I get to 300k miles. Since I don't really go off roading just driving in some snow I'm now looking for something more reasonable with 4 wheel drive and a v6. Still an SUV but $20k for 120k miles is a lot for me since I don't need to haul anything and only go winter camping a few times a year. Maybe I'll go with a rav4 v6 or maybe a different non-American company that has a good reputation.

A 4runner would be cool and I love the ground clearance and heavy duty frame but I don't need all that. A unibody and decent 4 wheel drive will do.

 

[Spikedriver]

Could try a Subaru Forester. Also if you look around a Hyundai might work and be a bit cheaper.

 

[Aerindel]

My dads got a good point with how little miles I put on the rust will destroy it long before I get to 300k miles. Since I don't really go off roading just driving in some snow I'm now looking for something more reasonable with 4 wheel drive and a v6. Still an SUV but $20k for 120k miles is a lot for me since I don't need to haul anything and only go winter camping a few times a year. Maybe I'll go with a rav4 v6 or maybe a different non-American company that has a good reputation.

A 4runner would be cool and I love the ground clearance and heavy duty frame but I don't need all that. A unibody and decent 4 wheel drive will do.

Subaru. Forester or Outback depending on if how much room you want.

Find a used one with a 100K on it thats had its first timing belt change and headgasket replacement. Shouldn't cost more than $5K.

Or if you are a mechanically inclined, get one that NEEDS its first timing belt and headgasket replaced for $2K and fix it yourself. Both my car and my wife's where acquired that way. Mine was a salvage title from hitting a deer and only cost me $1K.

 

[Aerindel]

Could try a Subaru Forester. Also if you look around a Hyundai might work and be a bit cheaper.

Jinx.

......

 

[Spikedriver]

Subaru has a good rep for being a 300k mile car. They do need ball joint replacement periodically and as stated gaskets can be a problem. But the motors are fantastic and for snowy/muddy conditions they have great AWD.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

Subaru. Forester or Outback depending on if how much room you want.

Find a used one with a 100K on it thats had its first timing belt change and headgasket replacement. Shouldn't cost more than $5K.

Or if you are a mechanically inclined, get one that NEEDS its first timing belt and headgasket replaced for $2K and fix it yourself. Both my car and my wife's where acquired that way. Mine was a salvage title from hitting a deer and only cost me $1K.

Wow thanks I'll look into that. The newer outback's maintain there value almost as much as the Toyotas I was looking for I thought.

5k or even 10k for lower miles would be great. Yeah with my dads help I replaced a head gasket on my old truck that was a pain. I'll gladly pay a bit more for one with it done.

Thanks again for the suggestion!

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

My

Subaru has a good rep for being a 300k mile car. They do need ball joint replacement periodically and as stated gaskets can be a problem. But the motors are fantastic and for snowy/muddy conditions they have great AWD.

My brother is a big fan of them and much knows a lot more about in depth repairs so he buys the older ones and fixes them up.

I wonder if the body is better coated from the factory to. Either way a used on will have rust I know.

 

[Spikedriver]

I'd say a lower trim Forester 2012 year with around 100k would be around 10k in good shape. Outbacks do hold value exceptionally well.
My co-workers from the mountain states love Subarus. 27 mpg on the interstate, good all wheel drive for the winter mountain roads, and reliable. What's not to like?

 

[Spikedriver]

Ok so I was wrong. Kelly blue book says for a 2012 Forester X 2.5 liter 4 cyl automatic trans, in good shape (excellent mechanical, minor cosmetic blemishes) with 112k miles, should be around 5000-6000 dollars.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

Ok so I was wrong. Kelly blue book says for a 2012 Forester X 2.5 liter 4 cyl automatic trans, in good shape (excellent mechanical, minor cosmetic blemishes) with 112k miles, should be around 5000-6000 dollars.

Even better