Faults:

I bought it with a blown head gasket.

Since have replaced the head gasket and the U-Joints.

The brakes and alignment have both been done recently.

The following has been replaced.

Fuel pump.

Radiator.

Water pump.

Timing belt.

Axel seals.

Tie rod ends.

Fluids flushed, new hoses, tune up.

All of these things done by previous owner.

General Comments:

This SUV handles like a truck to me under my first impressions, but after reviewing other SUVs the handling is so much better, very precise steering and not a high amount of body roll for sitting so high.

The 3.4L engine seems underpowered at first, but you will find it hard to believe, but it behaves more like a sports car, power comes in really strong at higher rpms, low rpms are not bad even when towing, but the 3.4 comes alive above 4,000 rpm.

I am also impressed with the 4 wheel drive abilities, it tackles mild trails with ease.

It's not huge inside, but it's very comfortable and is amazing when driving in tight places with excellent turning radius, which makes backing in a trailer night and day difference.

I also love the rear power window, which also helps when backing in a trailer with limo tint windows at night.

Faults:

Throttle body replaced 30K miles under warranty.

Rear hatch shut stuck once.

Crankshaft pulley replaced at 235K miles.

Upstream O2 sensor came out of exhaust pipe.

No other problems.

Water pump and alternator replaced before failure as part of routine maintenance.

General Comments:

This car has been a great bargain. I specifically ordered the base model with 4 cylinder engine and manual transmission, no FWD, to avoid major repair problems.

The car has performed near flawlessly for almost 250K miles. I change oil every 4000 miles. It has made ten trips across the US, carrying two adults, a dog, and one or two grandkids in reasonable comfort, along with a load of luggage.

Additionally, we have pulled a 2000 lb. cargo trailer to several arts & crafts shows each year for the last ten years. It still has the original clutch. On trips, mileage averages about 23mpg, about 17mpg around town. Fuel mileage is about 17mpg pulling the trailer.

Faults:

Nothing ever actually went wrong with this car. I kept up with general maintenance, such as oil changes, air filter, brake pads, spark plugs, and timing belt and water pump.

Easy to roll over. It was totaled in a rollover off road a few weeks ago. Nobody was hurt though, it's a very safe car.

General Comments:

The 3.4L engine is light years ahead of the previous 3.0L. This engine seriously hauls, but also gets about 21MPG freeway. The engine is also pretty easy to work on and parts are relatively inexpensive.

This vehicle handles great off road. It turns on a dime and is very responsive. It's fairly comfortable too. I've done a few camping trips with the car and it's been great.

It was one of the nicest cars I've ever had, I'll probably be getting another one soon.

Faults:

Replaced driver side wheel bearing and entire hub assembly. Previous owner welded the old bearing in place and didn't disclose the fact. The repair cost a lot more than just a wheel bearing replacement.

Replaced timing belt, tensioner and water pump - Part of scheduled maintenance.

Replaced battery, spark plugs and wires - Part of maintenance.

Need to replace oxygen sensor - Part of maintenance.

Front brake rotors are warping prematurely. Seems to be a regular problem with these trucks. My previous gen 4Runner had the same problem.

Vibration issues at highway speeds, most likely due to alignment. These trucks need to have an alignment done more frequently than most cars. But then again, they weigh almost twice as much as a regular car, so what can you expect.

General Comments:

The truck has been great overall. Compared to my previous Blazer, it has been very reliable and has never left me stranded.

Most of the repairs that I have had to make so far are part of the scheduled maintenance, many of which the previous owner neglected. One of the main things that I love about my 4Runner is the predictability of maintenance. Compared to the Blazer where various parts would just break randomly.

The cost of parts are little bit more expensive than a domestic vehicle. However, since you can plan for when the repairs need to be made, it's a worthwhile trade off.