Best year for purchase of a 4th gen?

when searching to buy a 4runner, which is the better year to look for from 03-09?

are there certain years that have issues with something that I should try to avoid buying?

 

I guess nobody reads or replies to posts on this forum, oh well.

 

You do realize how open ended your question is, right? This is very subjective and depends on where the truck is driven geographically, how hard it is driven, how often it is driven, how will it is maintained and many other factors.

Are you looking to use it as a daily driver? Modify it for light off road? Heavy off road?

 

its a replacement for a truck, I always had a truck and never used the back of it so i finally decided to go with a 4runner instead.

its going to be a daily driver, driven by an old man in no big hurry but I don't drive under speed limits.

I tow a lot with light to medium loads (sorta heavy flatboat or utility trailer with stuff) and those are 150 mile round trips (75 each way), so im pretty sure I need the v8 for that sort of long distance towing going up and over a few pretty high bridges about 25-30 times a year.

its not like I don't think the v6 couldnt handle them just fine, but lets face it, you want extra power when towing that much if you can get it.

its going to be used only on paved roads, in southern louisiana, quite often it will be used for light towing of small boat or utility trailer

 

Given those parameters, I don't think there is one year better than the other. V8's typically are more reliable than the V6 engines. Other than that, I think you're good.

 

I am just having a very hard time finding any 05-09 v8 4runnner for sale that isn't a beat up, trashed out POS, I guess guys who have one are smart enough to never sell them lol.

 

My 2007 was neglected and beat, I have worked it over and I am really happy. I like the 4.0 V6 because is has a timing chain not a timing belt. Plenty of power for me as well. I bought it less than 2 years ago with 193k miles on the odometer it now has 204k and I drive it everywhere.

 

well I have the 3.4 now in my taco so I already have that darn timing belt/water pump kit to do every 100k miles, for me a v8 is just the same routine 100k maint stuff as I have now

 

I have owned both v6 and v8, I prefer my 2003 v8 over the 04 v6 I had. Both are good, the big drawback for some is the full time 4wd of the v8. I like the body cladding more on the 05+ and the vvti is pretty nice added to the 4Runner, with that being said I went with the 03 as I wheel the piss out of mine and the grey cladding doesn't scratch, now it doesn't matter because I'm in the middle of cutting it all to fit 35's on a 3" lift lol, oh well I bought it to use as a daily, wheeler, and escape from reality and cell reception! You can't go wrong with either, but when you get it do the maint, if over 100k miles do the balljoints, front control arm bushings as preventative maint, and of course with the tranny's best way is to go pay Toyota to do a full flush, otherwise your asking for issues with the tranny. I got lucky and got my 03 for a dmn good price with 103k miles on it, seems the grey cladding isn't as quick to sale In 8 months of ownership I hit 120k later this month!