Man decides to rebuild entire 4Runner in just 24 hours at home after Toyota asks for $17,000 to fix the old truck
Published on May 03, 2026 at 7:41 AM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 03, 2026 at 7:41 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
This owner was shocked when he was quoted a crazy amount of cash to rebuild a Toyota 4Runner.
And we can see why.
Toyotas are famous for being unkillable, reliable, and cheap.
And the amount he was quoted was anything but cheap.
Why Toyotas are seen as unkillable
Toyota is known for pioneering hybrid technology with the Prius and hydrogen technology with the Mirai, but the brand is also known for making trucks that are seemingly impossible to kill.
The most popular one is arguably the Hilux.
This ultra-reliable truck was used by the Top Gear team for the Arctic expedition, for the exploration of a volcano, and also for a segment in which Jeremy Clarkson tried – and failed – to destroy one.
The 4Runner is a close second.
Introduced in the 1980s, the 4Runner is an SUV that’s loosely related to the Hilux, but it’s an SUV, not a truck.
It’s still alive, still shifting units at a rapid pace, and still reliable, which is why the quote this YouTuber received surprised us.
The dealer wanted a lot of cash for this 4Runner, and so he chose the DIY way
Michael Elsea – he goes by Elsea’s World on YouTube – bought a third-generation Toyota 4Runner for $6,000, which wouldn’t have been a bad deal, until he found out the frame was bent.
A bent frame is not something you can joke about because it represents a significant safety risk.
It’s not like a chipped side mirror or a missing hubcap.
The problem was that Toyota said it would cost him $17,000 to have that fixed.
But, understandably, Elsea didn’t want to spend $17,000 to fix a truck that cost him $6,000.
That’d be like booking a 6am flight for $60 to save money and then spending $170 for a hotel room near the airport the night before.
Amazingly, with help from Boozerbuilt – a workshop that specializes in Toyotas – he managed to find a donor frame for just $600.
Obviously, labor cost must’ve been factored in, but even with that, we’re sure he didn’t have to spend $17,000.
Amazingly, they got it done in less than 24 hours, and then Elsea ended up selling the car for $10,000.
After beginning his automotive writing career at DriveTribe, Alessandro has been with Supercar Blondie since the launch of the website in 2022. In fact, he penned the very first article published on supercarblondie.com. He’s covered subjects from cars to aircraft, watches, and luxury yachts - and even crypto. He can largely be found heading up the site’s new-supercar and SBX coverage and being the first to bring our readers the news that they’re hungry for.
