Review of Toyota 4 Runner 3.0 V6 (1993)
Greetings to all.
I've owned the 4Runner for more than 8 months now, it's time to write a short report.
How I approached choosing a car.
The first condition was all-terrain capability. Although I spend most of my time in the city, on weekends with my family and friends we try to get out into nature, where there are fewer people. So, as a result, I immediately dismissed the cars.
2nd - reliability. I wasn't keen on the prospect of spending more than half the time under the car.
3rd - safety. Since I care about the safety of my family + we have a small child, the car needs to be able to withstand a more or less serious accident (pah-pah-pah so that this doesn’t happen).
4th - free review.
Having summed everything up, I came to the conclusion that the optimal solution was a frame jeep; SUVs did not suit me. It seems like I haven't forgotten anything. So, in the process of choosing a car, my wife and I quarreled many times. She insisted on taking a car that was more or less new, I stood for a jeep. In the process of calculating finances and considering possible loans, we received an amount of 250 thousand rubles. I happily began to look through the newspapers and... became depressed. It turned out that for such an amount neither Patrol, nor TLC, nor Trooper, nor any other more or less well-known jeep had enough money, and for what was enough, a year or so. the condition left much to be desired. Of course, I became depressed and began to look towards the Frontera, and had almost resigned myself to the idea that I would have to buy it, when I saw the 4 Runner. To be honest, I heard about him for the first time and by accident. I read the reviews, looked at the pictures and... fell in love with it. Here in Kaliningrad it is not very common, and at that time 93 years old was sold for 320 rubles.
I came and looked... The sills are rotten, the arches are cooked and overcooked, the electrics on the left side don’t work, the engine knocks... “but for that, there is an LPG,” the owner proudly declared, which also didn’t work, by the way. I scratched my head again and decided to look around Russia, and quite quickly found the car I wanted in St. Petersburg, 1993, automatic transmission, 3.0, I took it for 250 rubles.
Off-road.
As soon as I got behind the wheel, I realized that this was my car. I feel all the dimensions, everything is convenient and at hand. The ride quality is excellent, the cross-country ability is high even without modifications (you also need to think with your head, and not rush headlong into the shit). We have a tank training ground in our region, which is located on the seashore. And naturally, working people like to go there to swim and sunbathe, because... the beach there is big, there is no one, exercises are rare now. So I decided to test it in action, no sooner said than done. The road there is mostly a country road, but it is broken up by tanks and armored personnel carriers, plus it rained during the day. One could not have asked for better conditions. All the obstacles that were on the way, mud, medium-sized puddles on the rolled ground, slippery climbs were overcome with a bang, I didn’t even have to connect the front end. We almost reached the beach, and in the middle of the road there was a huge puddle. Plus, in hindsight I remembered that there was always a small hole here. Just in case, I connected the front and crawled. When the water reached the upper edges of the arches, my heart skipped a beat, I thought we’d get up and God forbid I’d catch a wedge, I was actually scared. But, growling in displeasure, the tank pulled us onto land, simultaneously scooping out heaps of silt behind it :). I rolled on the sand and relieved my soul. Never dug in! And on the way back we helped the guys stuck on the Terracan, they fell into a rut and landed on both bridges. And here the 4Runner showed itself at its best. He quickly ran through a small swamp and pulled out the poor fellows. For which we were given a bottle of beer.
But the second time I still managed to plant it in such a way that I had to follow the tractor, fortunately the village was nearby. I fell into a rut made of clay and water, the rut turned out to be level with the bridges, and besides, I went without any shovels or hijacks. In general, I felt guilty for my forgetfulness. After this incident, I always carry a set with me - a shovel, a hijack, a cable, a beam. There are few places that my lungs will not take me ;).
City.
It holds the road perfectly, if you are in the mood and want to play racer, press the ECT POWER button and hit the floor when the light turns green. Guaranteed to be the first to leave, unless the swami next to you is a Lamborgini Galado or something like that. A huge advantage in the city is the large landing. Firstly, the road is clearly visible, in traffic jams you can see far over cars, and most importantly, there are no problems with parking, you can park where your soul and conscience allows. Its maneuverability is simply excellent for its size, and the “low” position of the driver in the seat creates the feeling of a passenger car. If you want to play chess, there won’t be any problems either, the steering wheel listens perfectly. Again, the cars try to let you through and are scared. It’s not difficult to get around the traffic jam using trams (if, again, your conscience and mood allow it ;)).
Trouble.
It only gave me problems twice. The first one did not want to start, the starter does not turn. I took it to the service, my comrades did everything, it turned out that “Ivan Dulin” installed the alarm + immobilizer, they left all the wires on the “snot” (done by the previous owner). Everything was done as it should be, it works and runs. And just recently it refused to start again, well, I think the bastards screwed up again. I decided to dig around myself and it turned out that the ignition distributor cap was cracked. The asking price is 600 rubles. I installed it, screwed it on, started it and drove off. I didn't have any more problems. You can always sit down and drive, and not think about whether it will start at -25. It will start! At least I got it started.
What has changed.
I received the machine itself in good condition (in my opinion). Engine, automatic transmission, chassis - do not require any special investments. There are comments on the body, rust is starting to eat. I'm going to fix it soon. We bought: the right pendulum, front and rear stabilizer struts (they were in a rotten state, I decided to replace them immediately rather than wait a paragraph), brake pads (all), left steering tip (I don’t know what’s wrong with it, but a mechanic I know said it’s better to change it) . icy conditions, knocked down a post with a sign :)), ignition distributor cap. It seems like everything, I haven’t forgotten anything. The total investment in parts, which changed throughout the year as symptoms manifested, amounted to 20 - 25 thousand rubles. I think this is very good. Plus an oil change: engine, axles. Not everyone can get around to automatic transmission, although they should.
Flaws.
To be honest, I didn’t find them, I honestly tried to find them, to get to the bottom of something. Nothing to complain about. Well put together, conscientiously. Even though the car is already 15 years old, nothing rattles or shakes, nothing is cracked anywhere (plastic in the interior), the seating position is comfortable... NO DEFECTS REVEALED.
Voracity.
In the city in the summer 17l. per 100 km, but this is with a measured, quiet ride; if you want to push the slipper, get ready for an increase in consumption of about 20 liters or more. In the city in winter - according to my calculations it comes out to somewhere around 20 - 22l. at 100 km. The heater is on, periodically connecting the front on slippery roads. But it seems to me that this is still too much, periodic resetting of the computer helps. The track in both winter and summer is 14 - 15l. per hundred, well, maybe a little less.
PS In general, I personally fell in love with this car, in the summer I’m going to invest some money in it and tidy up the body, repaint it, hang a kangaroo, screw on a winch, and so on little things. I recommend it to all my friends and acquaintances. By the way, one of those guys who was pulled out on Terracane later bought himself a 4runner 2005 (I could be wrong). and am completely satisfied with my choice. Again, when my wife first saw him, she said “he dragged the tractor.” But when I got behind the wheel and drove off-road... So now she wants a 4Runner too. Just like that.
Toyota 4Runner II generation (1989-1996)
Most Toyota 4Runners date back to the early 90s. And each of them suffered a difficult fate here - from the “fighting machine” of criminal authorities to the “workhorse” in construction companies.
History of Toyota 4Runner I generation 1984-1988. 01.89 Start of Toyola 4Rurmer II generation 01.92 Light restyling of the model 03.94 The level of safety has been increased. Versions with V6 are standard equipped with ABS Toyota 4Runner III generation 1998-2002.
BODY
Corrosion is not typical for these cars. The only exception is the rear wheel arches. So the presence of plastic arch extensions should not be perceived as an aesthetic advantage of this model. Quite often, quite serious pockets of rust are hidden under the exterior trim elements.
Many cars are equipped with air conditioning, full power accessories and leather interior. The low seating position, rich interior, and sharp handling on paved roads will appeal to those looking for a versatile vehicle. A special advantage of the car is the impressive volume of the luggage compartment (1200/2100 l). The glass of the fifth door is equipped with an electric drive. However, over time, the coins will fail.
ENGINE
Toyota 4Runner was equipped with a fairly wide range of engines. but in our market gasoline modifications are more common. The 2.4-liter engine is quite tenacious, and problems with it are rather an exception. Many will be pleased that the timing drive mechanism “uses a durable chain. But the 3.0-liter engine suffers from overheating. So regular monitoring of the technical condition of the cooling system is a mandatory preventive measure that will save both time and money. The tightness under the hood complicates engine repairs and maintenance. Turbodiesel 4Runners also suffer from overheating. Moreover, the danger lies not in the banal burnout of the gasket, but in the appearance of cracks in the cylinder head.
TRANSMISSION
SUVs were equipped with 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmissions. When choosing, preference should be given to “mechanics”. Most 4Runners have been used for their intended purpose. and during aggressive off-road “rides” the “automatic” was subjected to serious loads, which definitely did not improve its “health”. But experts have practically no comments regarding the “mechanics”. For the 4Runner, only one transmission scheme was used - Pari Time 4WD. in which there is no center differential and, accordingly, all-wheel drive is only possible off-road. The transmission has a low range of gears.
The only thing that can happen is a break in the sensor wire on the transfer case, which is responsible for connecting the front-wheel drive. Enhancing the 4Runner's off-road capabilities is the limited-slip rear differential found on most vehicles. This unit requires the use of special oil, which is changed every 40 thousand km. The remaining elements of the transmission also require constant care. So. The driveshaft crosspieces will serve “faithfully” only if they are regularly injected every 10 thousand kilometers.
SUSPENSION
The 4Runner's suspension is designed as a compromise between the handling of a passenger car and the toughness of a military SUV. As a result, an independent torsion bar suspension was installed at the front. But at the back there is a classic continuous axle on springs that are more durable than springs. Despite the survivability of most suspension parts, there are also frankly weak points in it. The first ones to suffer are the ball joints, since they need to be lubricated regularly to ensure long-lasting performance. Many owners don’t even realize this, since instead of an oiler, a bolt is screwed into the support. As a result, the unit, instead of the required 30-40 thousand km, lasts 5-10 thousand km. And the original spare part costs about S100. Every 20 thousand km it is necessary to lubricate and adjust the hub bearings.
STEERING
There are no comments regarding the steering mechanism equipped with a hydraulic booster. The only problem with the brake system is corrosion of the metal pipes of the lines on cars of the first years of production.
Toyota 4Runner is a good choice, somewhere between a serious “rogue” and a “SUV”. Due to its high practicality, it can be recommended as a family car. With one "but". The average monthly income of such a family should be quite high.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
+ High off-road capabilities. "Car" behavior on public roads. Frame body structure
— Corrosion of the rear wheel arches. The 3.0-liter gasoline engine is prone to overheating. Failure of the electric rear door glass drive
