Tell me about the original 4Runner

I'm looking at a first-generation 4Runner with the 4-cylinder and 5-speed, and wondering the following:

How terrible is it on the freeway? Can I expect any sound deadening? Will it comfortably go 70 mph?

Anybody have experience with these? They're a bit expensive for what they are, I know.

The biggest factor in highway performance is the size/tread of the tires. 235/75/15s can go 70 all day long, but when was the last time you saw tires that small on one? These are more or less identical to the corresponding year trucks-yes, more weight in the rear, and different gas tank placement, but identical from the doors forward. I had an 82 long bed 4X4, and later, a 90 short bed 4X4, both we we perfectly adequate on the highway, buckboardish, and slow, yes, but the awesome off road capabilities offset that nicely.

Sound deadening? Well, not really. Keep carpet and back seat in there, and it will only be pretty damn noisy by modern car standards.

What year is the thing. 85 and older had solid axles, which were Bette off road, and harsher on.

I've got one with 446,000 on it, so it has the cockroach factor. Highways? It likes 60-65. With the small 235/75R15s its boiling at 3200rpm at 70mph.

Remember, this a 30 year old truck. Parts are not as easy to come by. I had a radiator puke it's guts and had to order one for the next day. Not always the best thing for a daily. If you find one in a junkyard, loot the bastard of everything. I've seen 2 in Chicago in 2 years.

You will notice how small they are. The removable top is cool, but bare in mind no one makes a gasket for it.

If you take care of it, you will loose no money when you sell it.

Unless you just want it for the removable top, I would just go and look at the 2nd generation 4Runners. They cost about the same (since the 1st gen in decent shape are now kind of "collectors" items of a sort), and the 2nd gen are far more common and not terribly "in demand" by comparison. I'd bet you could get a clean, running 2nd gen for cheaper than a comparable-condition 1st gen.

In reality the 2nd gen is pretty much superior in almost every way except "cool factor" and removable top. Plus it's way, way easier to find a non-rusty example. 1st gens rust like....well.....like an old Toyota pickup (and that's bad).

Yeah. I'm thinking I'd be better off and get something a little more freeway-capable, as I'd like to use it for hauling kids and gear 4+ hours north. Medium-duty offroad capability is a big plus. I'd love to get decent gas mileage but that seems to not be in the cards. I'd also like to have a decent "cool factor," since this is my third car, and something I should want to enjoy.

So now I'm looking at older (80s-90s) Suburbans, Land Cruisers, and the like. If I could ever convince my grandmother to part with her XJ, that would possibly be on the table too.

bastomatic wrote: Yeah. I'm thinking I'd be better off and get something a little more freeway-capable, as I'd like to use it for hauling kids and gear 4+ hours north. Medium-duty offroad capability is a big plus. I'd love to get decent gas mileage but that seems to not be in the cards. I'd also like to have a decent "cool factor," since this is my third car, and something I should want to enjoy. So now I'm looking at older (80s-90s) Suburbans, Land Cruisers, and the like. If I could ever convince my grandmother to part with her XJ, that would possibly be on the table too.

An XJ is arguably worse on the highway, in my experience (I mean, it will go 70, but I hated doing long trips in mine, personally). Overall the XJ is a great truck, but highways and fuel economy are probably its worst aspects. And the seats. They're awful.

I'd still suggest a 2nd gen 4Runner over any of those things you listed above. Once you drive one you'll think its a lot cooler than an old Suburban guzzler, with less maintenance drama than an old land cruiser (IMO).

There's not much this side of a Lamborghini that gets worse fuel mileage than a Land Cruiser. I love my 1st gen 4Runner, but the lack of rear doors makes the back seat a real PITA to get in and out of.

My old neighbour had a 1st gen 4 runner, though he turfed out the 4cyl in favour of the 1uz v8 due to being a bit underpowered. The 1uzfe v8 is a pretty easy swap, and will bolt up to the factory 5speed with either an aftermarket bell housing or adapter. Made for a very fun 4runner.

What part of the USA are you in? The northwest coast has millions of these things still running around. Plenty of parts still available for pennies you can pick a fully reman'd engine for 1100$ (albeit I wouldn't trust it) You can get a total rebuild kit from engnbldr for 240$

My sister had a 1st generation 4 cyl, 5 speed 4 runner that I borrowed once to travel to a meeting a couple of hours away via the highway. All I remember was it struggled to maintain 70 mph on any of the hills encountered along the way, and I returned it to her thinking I'd never borrow it again. I never did...

I live in Michigan. My interest was piqued because there is a rust free one on CL, and I haven't seen one in more than 15 years. No hills here either, but I think the wife would prefer something that was decent on the freeway with 4 doors.

On the same note as the second gen, how about the 90s Montero? I seem to remember them being ok and nicer on the inside than the early primitive versions.

I've always loved that generation of Toyota trucks. The 4Runners didn't seem to rust quite as badly as the pickups.

irish44j wrote:

bastomatic wrote: Yeah. I'm thinking I'd be better off and get something a little more freeway-capable, as I'd like to use it for hauling kids and gear 4+ hours north. Medium-duty offroad capability is a big plus. I'd love to get decent gas mileage but that seems to not be in the cards. I'd also like to have a decent "cool factor," since this is my third car, and something I should want to enjoy. So now I'm looking at older (80s-90s) Suburbans, Land Cruisers, and the like. If I could ever convince my grandmother to part with her XJ, that would possibly be on the table too.

An XJ is arguably worse on the highway, in my experience (I mean, it will go 70, but I hated doing long trips in mine, personally). Overall the XJ is a great truck, but highways and fuel economy are probably its worst aspects. And the seats. They're awful.

I don't entirely agree with you. I enjoy cruising in my XJ. It will do 70 with no problem. I have a '95 Sport with the 4.0L and Automatic. I got 20-21 mpg running the highway with a mix of country back roads driving back and forth to work (but that was by myself and not carrying any cargo). I don't mind the seats, they aren't great, but they aren't that bad.

If there would be anything for me to complain about, it has the typical road comfort issues that front solid axle vehicles have. The suspension is a bit harsh, but if you are using it for some mild off-roading, then it's worth it. An old 4-Runner wouldn't be any better.

The other thing is Cruise Control. I drove an XJ for a few hours without it and mine came with it and it makes a huge difference, especially when driving on the highway for extended periods of time.

So bastomatic, if you are interested in an XJ, you have my vote. I also will say a newer 4-Runner ('89-'95) would be my other vote. They are 4-Door and can be had with a manual (if that's what you want) the V6 is a pretty stout engine.

From what I see online, prior to 94 the 4Runner has almost no occupant protection, so the wife has ruled that out. After 94 they're too blah.

I think grandmas XJ would be great because it's been in the family since new, but she needs it for now.

Also a long shot is the Forester. I see on Expedition portal that they can be lifted and given skid plates. It would be a fun project, but the wife hates Subarus with a passion so it has that against it.

Hmm, hates Subarus, rules out early 4Runners on the grounds of "occupant protection", yet a Suburban is worth considering. Sounds like she hates driving or anything remotely fun. Just get an AWD minivan and be done with it.

I love our XJs on the highway. Comfy, reasonably quiet, plenty powerful.

The lifted auto we have does 20-21mpg highway, stock manual does 22-23mpg highway.

Swap in Grand Cherokee seats for more armchair.

To be fair to her, I'm the one playing the game here, and she doesn't really care what I get as long as it comes out of my play money. But I would prefer to make her feel comfortable if I'm spending 10 hours in said vehicle with her on a weekend. Besides, this car is really going to be 70+ mph freeway for 80% of the time, and there is a grand total of 0 miles of fun driving roads within about 4 hours of me.

I'm starting to think XJ is the answer, provided it's big enough inside. It's cool enough, it can go anywhere I need it to, and it gets better gas mileage than most of my list. I suppose I could always get a rooftop box or small trailer if it isn't big enough.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:

irish44j wrote:

bastomatic wrote: Yeah. I'm thinking I'd be better off and get something a little more freeway-capable, as I'd like to use it for hauling kids and gear 4+ hours north. Medium-duty offroad capability is a big plus. I'd love to get decent gas mileage but that seems to not be in the cards. I'd also like to have a decent "cool factor," since this is my third car, and something I should want to enjoy. So now I'm looking at older (80s-90s) Suburbans, Land Cruisers, and the like. If I could ever convince my grandmother to part with her XJ, that would possibly be on the table too.

An XJ is arguably worse on the highway, in my experience (I mean, it will go 70, but I hated doing long trips in mine, personally). Overall the XJ is a great truck, but highways and fuel economy are probably its worst aspects. And the seats. They're awful.

I don't entirely agree with you. I enjoy cruising in my XJ. It will do 70 with no problem. I have a '95 Sport with the 4.0L and Automatic. I got 20-21 mpg running the highway with a mix of country back roads driving back and forth to work (but that was by myself and not carrying any cargo). I don't mind the seats, they aren't great, but they aren't that bad. If there would be anything for me to complain about, it has the typical road comfort issues that front solid axle vehicles have. The suspension is a bit harsh, but if you are using it for some mild off-roading, then it's worth it. An old 4-Runner wouldn't be any better.

Mine was a '90 2-door. The seats not only weren't comfortable, but at least once a month the tilt mechanism would slip and I'd find myself driving "gangsta lean" style lol. Obviously different years and trim levels have different seats though so you probably have the newer buckets with the integrated headrest, right?

Not saying the XJ can't run 70 on the highway no problem. Just saying that it won't do it as refined as a 4Runner of similar vintage (especially if we're talking about early/mid-90s vs. the 2nd gen 4Runner). And yeah, a lot of it is because of the solid front axle, which is excellent for hardcore wheeling, but not a double-wishbone IFS like a 90s 4Runner has. That and no SUVs (in my experience) have as good soundproofing as Toyotas, comparing similar years.

XJ is a fine truck, and can do a ton of things and run forever. If I lived in the badlands, I'd still have mine for sure. As crappy as some parts of it were (mostly thanks to 1980s U.S. auto manufacturers's design fail, and mostly interior stuf), it was still a fun truck for hooning, wheeling, and general utility stuff. For on-road commuting, however, I think there are better choices.

And OP, whatever you do, stay away from RENIX XJs. If you go XJ, get a later H.O. engine.

The comfort/nvh aspect of a facelift XJ is wildly different than the earlier ones. It's damn near a Caddilac compared to a 90-spec.

Yeah I definitely would look at the '97-'01 models. The interiors are way better. I like my '95 but I lust after the facelifted versions.