How many miles are too many to build?

[ridelbz15]

What sort of addition modifications are you planning or how much money are you planning on spending on this truck.

Looking to upgrade suspension components and step up to 33’s.
Re-gear and Lockers front and rear.
Rear Bumper with tire carrier. Dual battery kit for fridge, light duty camera gear. Lighting. And some other doodads, so possibly another 5-7k

 

[plh]

Biggest factor is rust, frame & body. If you are in a basically rust free zone, every mechanical component & rubber component is replaceable. Rust is unforgiving.

 

[ridelbz15]

Biggest factor is rust, frame & body. If you are in a basically rust free zone, every mechanical component & rubber component is replaceable. Rust is unforgiving.

Rust isn’t too bad on this truck, when we bought it, it did seem to have a lot of rock chips in the hood and various forward facing edges as if the previous owner drove a lot of gravel roads, the frame underneath showed the same so I took due diligence and wire wheeled everything I could and primed and painted over, only some areas have shown a little rust from rock rash and such.

 

[mezmochill]

How tight does it feel overall. If it still feels tight, hell its a taco youve got another 200000 to go.

 

[PHeller]

Part of the reason I sold my high mileage Tacoma was the whole re-gear dilemma. The truck was awesome, but I didn't want to put $1000-$1500 (plus wheels/tires/suspension) into it with 210k on the little 2.7L. It might spin 33's a bit better, but then I'd be winding it out on the highway at 75mph.

If your building plans are such that they will snowball into lots of expensive mods, it might not be worth doing much more.

I bought a salvage titled Tundra with 169,000 on it. It was cheap, so I deemed it worthy. It can turn as much tire as I'd want to run (which is 255/8017).

That being said, I'm not going out on building it. I won't regear, I'm doing Bilstein 5100s, maybe some custom low-offset skinny wheels, and perhaps putting a camper on it. If in the event it gets wrecked or something I'll strip parts off it and they'll go on another. I didn't want to mess with a build that would make such a swap a pain (and add nothing to the value).

 

[collkid]

Considering this is a 3rd (or extra) car, you should absolutely build it.

Most things that can go wrong can be prevented.

I always had my adventure vehicle be a 3rd car with higher miles.

 

[Dalko43]

You have the same venerable 1gr-fe that I have in my 5th gen 4runner. Toyota underpowers these engines; so long as it is kept stock (ie no supercharger or fancy tuning), that engine should easily last another 100k miles, perhaps longer, with very simple maintenance. You might have to deal with spark plugs at some point.

I would not hesitate to keep using that Tacoma. It's a solid truck. It's already paid off and well-modified. The 5th gen 4runner you're thinking about has the same basic engine (with somewhat different tuning). It might ride a little bit better, but in terms of offroad capability, you're not going to gain much, if anything, by ditching your Tacoma and getting a newer 4runner.

It looks like you take good care of your vehicles. I'd keep at that and enjoy what you have.

 

[SpineDocWTX]

My Ranger is a 92 with 190k, being a 2wd I don't do anything wild with it but it does fine on dirt roads and freeway. Thing fires up every single morning (knock on wood) and I'd drive it to Florida no hesitation.

 

[Denny Different]

I know it wasnt a Tacoma, but my father in laws Camry got sold at 394k because none of the door locks would unlock anymore. The damn thing ran great, the key is maintenance and replace dead parts. Ask yourself this what would make you cry more destroying the 4runner you rely on daily that you are still making payments on or the spare car that is paid for? Which one would you push more the DD or the toy? IMO take care of it and use it, use it hard!

 

[DaveInDenver]

I'd trust a truck that I put miles on, even if it's considered a high mileage truck, over an unknown one of any age. Even brand new trucks have issues, even leave you dead in the water bad ones. If you're maintaining and driving a truck you know what's going on and will be aware when something doesn't sound or feel right, that fluids are changed, that issues have been addressed.

 

[Road Bull]

Traveled in my 97 4runner for a month across the United States and back. When I left, it had just north of 200,000 on the odometer, and I wouldnt hesitate to do it again. Alternator went out, but that was a quick fix!

The current ride, my 94 pickup, has 225,000 and again, would not hesitate for a second to hit the road with it.

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I love your tuck! I had a silver 1994 Extended Cab that I sold to speed up my 2002 4Runner build. I wish I could have kept them both. I love my 4Runner, but I do really miss that truck! Yours looks fantastic. I would love to find another, or maybe a 80's series LC for a second rig. But those 1990's series Toyota trucks are my favorite Toyota trucks. I didn't have a lot of problems with my 3.0 V6, but it had a lot to be desired in the power department. Still... It was a great size for a solid truck.