Nicest One Left? 1995 Toyota 4Runner SR5

Disclosure: This site may receive compensation from some link clicks and purchases.

There’s no denying that old Toyota trucks of almost every variety will be in demand if they’re in good order and not terribly rusty. Of course, the desirability only spikes further if the truck in question has low miles, is exceptionally clean / stock, or is some combination of the two. After a brief sag in the market wherein the values settled down a bit once everyone stopped pretending to be an overlanding champion, prices have picked up again. That’s what makes trucks like this clean second-generation Toyota 4Runner listed here on craigslist for a fair price of $13,900 super appealing – miles are decent at 118,000 and the condition appears to be excellent.

As mentioned, the big issue with these rigs is rust. You usually see it in the rear wheel arches and the chrome bumpers. An old roommate always got the hand-me-down 4Runner in the family, which was usually on its third or fourth owner by the time his dad got it, and I can’t recall ever seeing one without a completely trashed bumper. This one passes that test with aplomb, and it likely has to do with the fact that it is from Texas. The seller admits to using it in Chicago for a spell but not in winter conditions; it now resides in Northern Virginia, which does use road salt, but where it fortunately doesn’t snow very much.

The interior is a treat, with barely a scratch or stain to be found. These trucks were fairly basic inside, so there’s not a whole lot to mess up or break; that being said, when these rigs are used hard, you can usually tell by how foul the upholstery is. No issues here as the seats appear to be in excellent condition. I would also say cloth is an advantage here as Toyota’s leather from this vintage is not known for holding up particularly well. 5-speeds are rare so the automatic is hardly a penalty here, and it works well with the respectable output from the V6 powerplant.

The seller has made some tweaks in the form of a chrome brush guard and Hella driving lamps; personally, I’d ditch this brush guard, which looks fairly basic, and upgrade to whatever ARB is charging $2,500 for at the moment. The chrome bumpers and mirror caps are in the same great shape as the rear, and the factory alloy wheels show little in the way of pitting or other damage. The seller reports he recently installed a new water pump and timing belt, and aside from making sure the transfer case engages (I can’ t tell if this has auto- or manual-locking front hubs), there’s not a whole lot else to worry about once the bodywork passes the sniff test. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. for the find.

Auctions Ending Soon

Comments

  1. SirRaoulDuke

    I’d rather drive this than a new one. A big difference in size and weight.

    Like 11
  2. Rustytech RustytechMember

    I agree, not just smaller and lighter, the were more durable and gave higher ground clearance for those off road excursions.

    Like 5
  3. justpaul

    If I recall correctly, Toyota stopped putting manual locking hubs on these trucks before 1995, so they should be auto-locking hubs. Looking at the one picture with a view of the right front wheel supports this.

    Like 2
  4. JohnMichael

    What a nice truck! I narrowly missed a pristine ’08 Xtra cab pickup at a great price a few days ago and then I started thinking that an older 4Runner like this one might be better than getting another pickup and now here it is.. except it’s clear across the country from me.

    Like 2
    • Jesse Stout

      You can still go pick it up and drive it home, I hope you end up with it! 🙂

      Like 0

Leave A Comment

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Barn Finds