New to Toyota

Oh so its 1988 4Runner vs 2001 4Runner. If they were both in mint condition I would go with the 1988 Land Cruiser.

EDIT: Oh damn the 88' is a LandCruiser haha my bad...

The 2001 4Runner sounds like a better choice because it is like 13 years newer... :lol:


I recently ran into the same situation.. Debating between and older Land Cruiser vs. a newer Sequoia and I ended up not buying my dream car (Land Cruiser) but bought a Sequoia. Having two kids and a house mortgage, I can't gamble with my money like that.

Now, if you are single with no other responsibilities, the 88 Land Cruiser would definately be an awesome choice. :thumbup:

Just remember, the LC that old, if anything goes wrong, the parts replacement would be difficult and costly. Although if the LC is properly maintained, you have NOTHING to worry about.

Since you have never bought Toyotas before, I would really hesitate to really recommend the 1988 to you because if something happens to it, your immediate thought would be, "I am never buying a Toyota again..." as I have seen people do... :lol::lol::lol:

If it were me, I'd opt for the '88 Landcruiser. Mainly because I have one and have had no real problems to mention. Four-wheeling can be rough on them and cause different problems than actually driving to/from work everyday. What I have had to redo/replace hasn't been the easiest to find if I had to use Toyota parts but at least I haven't had to pay for other people to do work on my vehicle, and the parts haven't cost much.
One of my friends bought a 2001 Toyota SUV and has had it in to the shop probably three times a year. Taking it on some of the same terrain as my '88 Cruiser is not what it was meant for. He has been lucky so far that almost everything has been covered by his warranty.
So I guess it depends on what you want to do with it. If you're getting it to have fun with and/or be able to repair it yourself then go with the '88. If you're getting it for a road vehicle that will last as long as there are people to work on it for you then get the '01.

ned4spd said:

Hi All... I am soon be buying a 2001 4Runner Limited... has 119K miles on the engine. Records are good. All maintenance done.

Click to expand...

Has the timing belt been done? Is it 4 wheel drive? I have a 4Runner and its probabley the most solid vehicle I have owned.

What is the price difference as well?

I've noticed the older the Land Cruiser, the bigger the following.