Question for those more knowledgable than I

[rparker762]

I am about to try and sell or trade my 03 Hemi Ram as I want something a little more trail/explorer friendly and was thinking 4runner or quadcab Tacoma. While my Ram is mechanically sound and even looks good, I realize I'm not gonna get much for it, say 3500 to 4500 range. So looking at whats out there I am seeing a lot of 3.0l 4runners and have heard some not so nice things. My last Toy was an 87 22R shortbed that loved climbing stuff. Should I steer clear of the 3.0 or is it not as bad as they say? My brother in law has a 3.0 in his 90 something 4runner and while it wheels good, he is always complaining about the motor.

 

[DaveInDenver]

The 3.0L did have some issues with head gaskets failing that Toyota often repaired under a recall warranty. But that was 25 years ago. If the motor is still running now, I mean, what more can you expect? Even the low mileage ones are going to have 200K miles on them. And if it does have a failed or failing HG, do a pair of heads since the engine probably needs a refresh anyway.

Now practically speaking the motor didn't have that much more power even in good condition than the 22R-E. Brand new the 3.0L was rated for 150 HP and the 22R-E for 115 HP. So don't expect a miracle.

I personally don't hate on the 3.0L, it's still a fine motor. But the main reason IMHO to get a 3.0L truck now is that it's very easy to swap in a 3.4L in its place. The 5VZ-FE (3.4) block is essentially identical to the 3VZ-FE (3.0), so the engine mounts don't move, the bell housing bolts right on and the drivetrain doesn't have to shift. As long as you get a complete donor with harness and ECU it's about as easy of a swap as there is.

The 3.4L in a 1st or 2nd gen 4Runner or truck, well, now you're getting somewhere. Plus you can add a supercharger.

 

[tanglefoot]

Most will agree that the 3.0 wasn't one of Toyota's better engines. It was one of, if not the first Toyota V6, and it didn't really deliver on any front. It's not especially powerful, OR fuel efficient, OR durable, when compared with other Toyota engines, but it's okay, if you can find one that led an easy life, especially when paired with the 5-speed manual.

The 2nd gen 4runner is another love/hate kind of product. As the first, full-steel-bodied 4runner, it had some areas that could stand to be improved (the 3rd-gen addressed them well). The small rear doors and cramped rear seat, the tailgate/power rear window combo (power rear window needs to work in order to open the tailgate), and the 3.0/4-speed auto combination that is most common can be a little difficult to live with.

It's tough to suggest options for that resale value. You might look at the Nissan Xterras and Frontiers--they usually have more manageable used pricing, and you get something more modern with acceptable power and capability.

 

[calicamper]

I am about to try and sell or trade my 03 Hemi Ram as I want something a little more trail/explorer friendly and was thinking 4runner or quadcab Tacoma. While my Ram is mechanically sound and even looks good, I realize I'm not gonna get much for it, say 3500 to 4500 range. So looking at whats out there I am seeing a lot of 3.0l 4runners and have heard some not so nice things. My last Toy was an 87 22R shortbed that loved climbing stuff. Should I steer clear of the 3.0 or is it not as bad as they say? My brother in law has a 3.0 in his 90 something 4runner and while it wheels good, he is always complaining about the motor.

I had the 3L v6 so some history on it. It was Toyotas first V6 and it was terrible. The flaw was that the block vs head mating surface was not designed correctly. Toyota spent over $16,000 on mine over a two year period tearing the engine down Twice! to a bare block sending it out to be machined and the heads both times had to be replaced because they are pretty fragile and after sitting on the poorly designed block surface were damaged and could not be reused. After the second total ground up rebuild I dumped it for a new Subaru in 2001. Never regretted that choice.

If you want the single Toyota engine to avoid the 3.0L V6 would be it.

The replacement was Toyota's much much needed major fix to an otherwise horribly designed 3L v6. The 3.4L v6 is a masterful piece of gear they do 350,000 miles before major failures surface and you can strap the super charger to it if you want some extra spunk at altitude.

 

[DeskToGlory]

I had the 3L v6 so some history on it. It was Toyotas first V6 and it was terrible. The flaw was that the block vs head mating surface was not designed correctly. Toyota spent over $16,000 on mine over a two year period tearing the engine down Twice! to a bare block sending it out to be machined and the heads both times had to be replaced because they are pretty fragile and after sitting on the poorly designed block surface were damaged and could not be reused. After the second total ground up rebuild I dumped it for a new Subaru in 2001. Never regretted that choice.

If you want the single Toyota engine to avoid the 3.0L V6 would be it.

The replacement was Toyota's much much needed major fix to an otherwise horribly designed 3L v6. The 3.4L v6 is a masterful piece of gear they do 350,000 miles before major failures surface and you can strap the super charger to it if you want some extra spunk at altitude.

I sold my 2000 5.3L Silverado to pay for my 1990 22RE powered pickup. I owned an 88 4Runner with a 3.0L/auto and currently have a 1993 Pickup with a 3.0L/5 Speed. The 3.0L is definitely not as bad as they say for reliability, but don't expect too much for power. Compared to a big V8 it feels like you're constantly wringing every little bit of power of the 4cyl or V6. They're fantastic on the trail, but lacking power/comfort on the highway (especially when hills are involved).

Personally, I'd look for a 1996+ 4Runner with a 3.4L. They'll have the creature comforts you're used to and won't be too far down on power.