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Is 2004 4runner have any life left with 190,000

Discussion in '4th Gen 4Runners (2003-2009)' started by klukas, Sep 19, 2022.

  1. Sep 19, 2022 at 10:02 AM
    #1
    klukas

    klukas [OP] New Member

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    First Name:
    Kathy
    Vehicle:
    2004 Toyota - spent 1600 for new radiator to find out it needs a new engine?
    Radiator blew without warning. We had not had air but hadn't taken it in for repair prior. Took it to the Toyota dealer and was told $1600 to replace radiator and flush air. He wasn't sure what condition engine was in until they could put radiator in. So we approved the radiator and now being told the engine needs to be replaced. So we owe them for this and with 190,000 miles and 18 years old want to know if we should have it towed to junkyard or if it's worth anything to someone?
    We're original owners and had regular maintenance. The air went out a year ago but the car has drove fine. Without any warning the radiator blew. Being stupid, we drove it to the dealers. The car engine light was between C and H. It was not moving. So I thought we were good. Three miles to the dealer the needle moved close to the H but not until we were a couple blocks away. Still the car was not giving us any warnings but we knew it was bad and should have towed it. They told my husband it needed a new radiator and they couldn't tell him the condition of the engine until they put the 1600 radiator in. He told them to do it since the engine sounded fine and we hadn't been driving it on H. Now were being told the engine needs to be replaced and only new ones are available and talking $10,000. So we owe them $1500 and will need to have it towed either to the junkyard or home. With a brand new radiator, is this car worth anything? Parts? Or should we just tow it to the junkyard??
     
  2. Sep 19, 2022 at 11:04 AM
    #2
    Pavo

    Pavo New Member

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    You can put in a used motor for a lot cheaper
     
  3. Sep 19, 2022 at 11:17 AM
    #3
    klukas

    klukas [OP] New Member

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    Kathy
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    2004 Toyota - spent 1600 for new radiator to find out it needs a new engine?
    Radiator blew without warning. We had not had air but hadn't taken it in for repair prior. Took it to the Toyota dealer and was told $1600 to replace radiator and flush air. He wasn't sure what condition engine was in until they could put radiator in. So we approved the radiator and now being told the engine needs to be replaced. So we owe them for this and with 190,000 miles and 18 years old want to know if we should have it towed to junkyard or if it's worth anything to someone?
    He told me used engine wasn't available. The service manager said he might know someone who will take it for $500-600 and we won't have to pay for a tow. Not sure now whether to take the $500? Or is this car worth more in parts?
     
  4. Sep 19, 2022 at 3:37 PM
    #4
    AuSeeker

    AuSeeker New Member

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    Is it a V6 or a V8 engine, 2WD or 4WD?

    Depending on which engine and if it's 4WD or not and it still ran fine and no other issues you could get up to $7500 to $10,000 for it.

    You will only get $300, $400, maybe $500 if you're lucky for it at a junk yard, unless the rest of the vehicle is in extremely good condition.

    If it were me, I would tow it home if you can have it there for several weeks/month or 2 and try to sell it privately for, 3 to 5 times what you will get at a junk yard, maybe more if it's in good condition otherwise, but not everyone can have a vehicle that doesn't run just sitting in their yard/driveway

    By the way they ripped you off charging that much for replacing the radiator (But that's a dealer for you), and also they can easily tell if the motor was bad without replacing the radiator, the engine doesn't need to run for them to do some simple tests to determine if it still has good compression without the engine running, you can buy a Denso radiator(which is the company that supplies Toyota with many of their OEM parts) for less than $200, and it only take about 1 hour to install it, at a independent garage they would only charge about $400 to $500 at the most to replace it.

    I'm pretty sure there are used engines out there, they're just trying to sell you a new engine, and I'm not sure if your engine is shot or not. could be nothing wrong with it or maybe just needs head gaskets, which won't be cheap but a lot less than replacing the engine.

    That being said, we would need to know a lot more about the condition of your T4R to try and give you some idea of it's savage value, like the condition of the frame is a big deal, if it has bad rust the value drops big time, are the tires fairly new or have a good amount of miles om them.

    Also where you're located, in general will help since the value of T4R vary a bit in different parts of the country.
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2022
  5. Sep 19, 2022 at 7:36 PM
    #5
    TN_FunRunner

    TN_FunRunner New Member

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    Where are you located? If they have replaced the radiator. I’d drive it home and not deal with them anymore. Find a good honest independent to give it a look over. You may not need anything, but even if you do need an engine or head gaskets it will be cheaper than dealing with the stealership
     
    4scooter19 likes this.
  6. Sep 19, 2022 at 8:48 PM
    #6
    glwood54

    glwood54 Stop making me buy stuff!

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    I'd sure like to know where the dealership is getting a 'new' engine for an 18-year old 4Runner. It sounds all the world like someone at that dealership wants to get their hands on your 4Runner for next to nothing, then turn around and fix it and keep it for way less than they're quoting you to have it 'fixed'.
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2022
  7. Sep 20, 2022 at 3:43 AM
    #7
    Gamma Ray

    Gamma Ray Be excellent to each other

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    Who cares? This never shows everything anyway.
    I was wondering the same thing. If it's an actual new engine then it might not be a bad idea, but I'd doubt it's really new.

    Forget the dealer. Go somewhere else. Maybe the engine isn't even damaged. It probably is damaged, but maybe.
     
  8. Sep 20, 2022 at 3:55 AM
    #8
    AuSeeker

    AuSeeker New Member

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    I don't know about a new V8 engine but if it's a V6 you can get a new engine, there's a guy on another forum who just recently replaced his V6 in his 4th Gen with a new "long block" he purchased from a Toyota dealer, he did the swap so he saved the labor cost.
     
  9. Sep 21, 2022 at 2:21 PM
    #9
    Gamma Ray

    Gamma Ray Be excellent to each other

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    Who cares? This never shows everything anyway.
    Hm. Well, then that's interesting!
     
  10. Sep 21, 2022 at 5:12 PM
    #10
    4scooter19

    4scooter19 New Member

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  11. Oct 18, 2022 at 8:02 AM
    #11
    Machinebuilder

    Machinebuilder New Member

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    The history of how the vehicle has been taken care of is the most important. 4runners can last hundreds of thousands of miles with proper maintenance which is why they are coveted. Mine has 247,000 miles and is running strong.
     
  12. Oct 18, 2022 at 10:21 AM
    #12
    2018 Limited

    2018 Limited New Member

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    I would get another opinion as to the state your engine is in. My wife took her Subaru wrx to the dealership because the “sell car soon light” (check engine) came on. Told her it was the cats and would cost over 3 grand to fix then offered to buy the car from her. She called me and brought it home. I plugged in my scanner and an 8 dollar bottle of mass air flow sensor cleaner later all was solved. I don’t trust the dealers anymore.
     

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