Today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe 4Runner is described in its ad as being “Tennessee Orange” despite being offered in neighboring North Carolina. Let’s see if its price can make this pop-top truck the apple of someone’s eye.


Much like “The Cos” named Bill, few of you were quick to get behind yesterday’s 1987 Mercedes 190 2.3 16v “Cos.” That reticence was owed much to the number of crazy issues the seller noted in his ad, and the price, which according to 75 percent of you was like New York rents—too damn high.

Taken together that all made the Cosworth the first official Crack Pipe of the week. We’re now going to see if an aggressively orange Toyota truck can muffle that streak at one.


The 4Runner of today is a pretty run of the mill mid-sized SUV wagon, perhaps most notable for maintaining its pickup-based body on frame construction and little else. Back when it debuted however, it was a funky two-door with a fiberglass cap just like the contemporary Broncos and Blazers of the time. Other than that the N60 4Runner looked just like your standard Toyota Hilux, and featured that workhorse’s 4x4 running gear underneath.

On this 1989 4Runner that includes a 3VZ-E three-litre V6 and four-speed automatic transmission driving its four wheels through a two-speed transfer case. It should be noted that both transmission and transfer case are unique to the V6-powered models.


There’s an impressive 270,000 miles on the truck and its driveline, and additionally a broken speedo cable so there’ll be no idea of just how many more you’ll be piling on. Down south there are a set of new tires with what’s described as “aggressive” tread which I take to mean the kind that tends to drone on the highway. Whaaa, whaaa, whaa, whaa...

Perhaps making up for that offense there are leather seats with power adjustment and memory for when someone else has been getting their truck on while in your truck. Other parts of the interior look a bit funky. Among those, there’s a double DIN head unit down low and a center console that looks like it was built by Tim the Toolman.


And then there’s the orange. Oh so much orange. The steering wheel is partially wrapped in orange builder’s twine and perhaps most amazingly there are orange floor mats. From the looks of them those are more likely orange bath mats for when you get out of the shower, but who the hell has an orange-accented bathroom? No—wait, I don’t want to know.


The orange theme extends outdoors where the entire truck less the glass and grille is so covered. It doesn’t look like the world’s best paint job, more likely something rolled on by the Earl of Scheib, and yes there’s a rubber duck antenna sticking out of the hood. But hey, it’s orange.


The truck makes do without a rear bumper or front valance but otherwise looks intact and there’s no evidence in the pictures or description of any road rot. In fact the ad says “everything works” even the heater and A/C, a testament to ‘80s Toyotas being the best Toyotas.

What does all this orange cost? The asking is $2,700, which is kick-a-round money for what looks like a kick-a-round truck.


What’s your take on this Toy for $2,700? Does that seem like a good deal to get into a 4Runner? Or, is this an orange with little a-peel?

You decide!


Raleigh NC Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

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