Should I throw in the towel on my 2004 Toyota 4Runner?

[robby]

I came across this old post from 2014 while doing a search for car batteries. (The OEM battery in my 4Runner ended up lasting 13 years.)

@robby

I have a 2004 Toyota 4Runner with 208,000 miles that still feels like a new vehicle.

Here is all the work that has ever been needed on the vehicle: both front brake calipers, both front wheel bearings, one front CV boot, driver’s side electric door lock, climate control fan blower, muffler (only one replacement so far), plus routine brakes, tires, fluid changes, etc.

Amazingly enough, the vehicle still has the original Panasonic car battery (still going strong at 10-1/2 years)! I’ve been tempted to replace it, but am now wondering just how long it will last.

Cosmetically, the vehicle doesn’t have a speck of rust (though the chrome on the alloy wheels is peeling).

I fully expect the vehicle to get 300K miles. I almost wish it would break down, because I’d like to get a new vehicle, but just can’t justify the purchase of a new vehicle at this point.

So the vehicle didn’t last 300K miles for me – “only” 240K miles. However, it also got driven a lot less over the last four years and did a lot of sitting in the driveway.

As far as not having a speck of rust on it, this is still true for the body. Not so much for the frame underneath, though.

If anybody cares, the part of the frame rail they were so concerned about is right at the weld between frame members. Every bit of the weld that is visible (from top to bottom and left to right) is pretty rusted. In talking to the Toyota mechanic, they had one customer a few years ago in which their vehicle’s frame separated at a rusted weld while driving down the highway. :eek: