Faults:

Low MPG, Only gets 13 MPG City, but gets 17 Highway.

General Comments:

If you want Safety, this is definately the car to buy. It is built like a tank. I have loved this vehicle. It has excellent handling, excellent 4x4 features.

Faults:

Replaced muffler at 80,000 miles. It was rusted out. Bought a Flowmaster replacement.

Replaced timing belt & water pump at 95,000 miles. Standard procedure.

Rebuilt auto transmission at 100,000 miles. Cost $2,500.00.

Replaced power steering hose at 103,000 miles. Easy do it yourself fix.

Plus your standard brakes, tires, spark plugs and battery replacements.

General Comments:

This is a very dependable vehicle. After 13 years of good use, it barely shows its age. Can't say that for too many vehicles nowadays.

It's worth ten times more to me than what I can sell it for according to Kelly's Blue Book.

Only thing I've changed were better shocks and larger tires. Other than that it's pretty much stock.

One other thing, the truck cost me $23,000 new.

Not bad for 13 years of service and still going.

Faults:

Car was overheating badly when I first purchased it, had to replace the radiator.

Clutch master and slave cylinders both went at the same time (140,000)

Tie rod Disconnected from right side, luckily in a parking lot.

AC Compressor bearings rusted, but that was my fault for driving it through a puddle of salt water that came half way up the doors (tide came in..oops)

Clutch throwout bearing let go, replaced whole clutch at 150,000, mechanic said that it was the original clutch!

Front left wheel bearings at 160,000.

Car still overheats in traffic or under a heavy load in the summer - as the car heats up, excess coolant flows into reservoir. As the Car cools down, instead of drawing back from the reservoir it draws air. Replaced the radiator cap and thermostat to no avail, now we just take extra coolant from the reserve and put it back into the radiator - problem solved.

Right upper ball joint at 165,000, and again at 169,000. Got new mechanic.

Clutch master cylinder went again at 170,000...note comment about mechanic above.

Starting at around 160,000 the automatic hubs got touchy. One day in deep snow there was a loud "pop" noise and the front hubs let go. Had it looked at and no problem could be found. The hubs worked for a while after that, and then one day they let go again. Then more time with no problem, then they let go again while I was on the beach and I got stuck up to the axel. Dug myself out, drove 10 feet and the hubs re-engaged.

General Comments:

Even considering all the work that went into this car, I love it. I must admit that I put it through hell. It spent three summers driving on a beach. I've loaded it full of wood and cement bags. I drove it to Tennessee and back (from Cape Cod). And with the exception of the clutch and the tie-rod, every time something broke it still started right up and I drove it 250 miles home from school to have it fixed, so it's definitely reliable. I would have kept it, but $400 here and $200 here was getting to be a bit much, plus I needed a pickup to really do what I need. So now the Trooper is my little brother's and he loves it. I've heard people complain about it's lack of power, but the Toyota I had before was a 4cyl, and the Toyota I have now is a 4cyl, and even that small V6 packed plenty of punch, I thought. Never had trouble getting on the highway or passing at high speeds. The seats are the most comfortable in any car I've ever been in (and I've been in some nice cars). As I said I drove it 1200 miles to Tennessee, with three friends and a week's worth of tents, clothes, and food and there was plenty of room and plenty more comfort.