Hello everyone.

I'm considering purchasing a 4th gen later this spring and I'm looking for a buyer's guide to get me started.
About 10 yrs ago, I previously owned a 2nd gen but gave it up for something sporty. Now i'm looking to get back into more of a utility vehicle and the 4runner is at the top of the list.

TIA.

Aside from a lot of suggestions I am sure you will get here, there is this v useful site

Toyota 4Runner Paint Codes and Galleries, Brochure and Commercial Archives

oh man this is a loaded topic!

06 or better will give you a 5-speed tranny, '03 -'05 will not
the V8 will give you a SLIGHT bump in HP and Torque, but is AWD all the time, the V6 is selectable 4wd (my choice for the mileage and I didn't think the discrepancy between the v8 and v6 was enough to warrant the decrease in mileage. the 4.7 v8 is nice, I owned it in a tundra, but not worth it to me)
the sport edition will get you a fancy spoiler, 17 inch wheels, x-reas, slightly larger brakes, tubular steps and roof rack, and a blacked out interior (as well as a slightly different exterior color scheme)
the '06 saw the freshening up of the 4th gen, with a different front and rear bumper, projector headlamps
the '08 and '09 have a vsc off button, the others do not.

some models come with a double stacker rear shelf, some come with 3rd row seating.

I don't know, maybe this'll get ya started?

You mean hood scoop. The spoiler was optional.

The 5-speed tranny is in all 4th gens with the V8 engine. The V6 got the 5-speed tranny starting in the '05 model year.

start here...

Toyota 4Runner History

Thanks for the corrections- accuracy is always nice.

You do have something to add beyond corrections though, right? Surely someone as knowledgeable as yourself is brimming with information to share...

I hope you're not mocking me for correcting you. My contribution to the thread was to correct your inaccuracies. There's nothing wrong with posting information, but if you post something inaccurate, somebody will probably chime in and correct the error. No big deal.

In the meantime, if there's something specific you want to know, just ask. Lots of guys here are very knowledgeable about 4Runners.

Thanks everyone for your input. A couple of questions:

Which models have Bluetooth? I know this seems to be a silly question but I spend a great deal of time in my vehicle during working hours (and on the phone for most of it). I have a Jabra now but I'm always forgetting it or it isn't charged , one of my current vehicles has it built in and I love it.

The reason I'm considering this vehicle is the reliability and that I spend a lot of time in northern Ontario all year round and I need something that rocks with a set of blizzaks. Don't care about navi or leather but like heated seats.

Don't care so much about towing but I mountain bike (roof rails?) and golf all the time. So the room and security of an SUV suits me better than a pickup.

Cheers

If you are buying in Canada you need to bear in mind the multiple options available in the US are restricted to just a few standard packages in Canada. Bluetooth became available with the SatNav package in 2006 but I am pretty sure in Canada that meant adding Leather as well as the SatNav package - you may even need to look for a Limited to find it. Unfortunately the Canadian brochures and options packages are not so easy to find online.

You might want to stick with the jabra or see what a dealer might charge to retrofit BT on a 4th gen - I have seen them pushing Bluetooth addons for older models at my local dealer recently - just not sure if they can do one on a 4th Gen 4Runner - you would be looking at a few hundred if they can do it I think.

The roof bars were standard across the line by the way on the 4th Gen but I would suggest looking into a bike rack to plug into the standard 2" hitch on the rear since you already have that on the 4Runner.

Whatever you choose make sure whoever checks it over looks in particular at the calipers to confirm none are seized up - it's the one common weak spot on them all it seems (reckon on around $300 + tax per caliper for a Canadian dealer to replace one with a rebuilt one - but it can get more pricey if the rotor has been warped as a result and requires you to replace a pair).

(Note for US forum members - parts in Canadian are outrageously priced - often double what you can pick them up for in the US)

If you do a lot of golfing, esp with buddies, you should go with the rear cargo system. You can only fit one, maybe to bags in the back laying left to rigth w/o resting your clubs on their heads on the wheel wells. When I have more than myself, I lift up the cargo shelf and put the clubs up there,

this is damn good advice. If you're serious about throwing your bike on, grab a Thule T2. Many regard it as the best hitch bike rack out there due to its adjustability, reliability, and ease of use. I love mine, as does my older brother. It's not cheap, but neither are 4runners- you get what you pay for it seems.

cheers

Ok - I figured out how to get the original features listing for the Canadian models - here is a link to the 2007 (its just the features bit of the brochure - you get to it when you look up a used vehicle on the Toyota.ca site - change the 07 to 09 for 2009 etc).

http://mediap04.toyota.ca/media/pdf/07cuv_4runner_e.pdf

Unfortunately it looks like the Sat Nav option never came to Canada on the 4th Gen, so no Bluetooth option as far as I can tell from looking at the 2007 and 2009 features lists.

Some info for you.

V6s use a timing chain that don't require replacement, V8s use a timing belt that requires replacement every 90,000 miles.

The achilles' heel of these trucks in my opinion is the brake calipers. Make sure you check them over.

The V8 will give you a very minor mpg hit in exchange for more usable low end torque. Full time 4wd versus part time....

Edmunds.com says: the 03+ 4.0-liter V6 rated at 245 hp, and it originally came with a four-speed automatic. There was also an optional V8 that produced just 235 hp but a healthy 320 lb-ft of torque (vs. 282 lb-ft for the V6); a five-speed automatic was mandatory here. In 2005, the V8 was bumped up to 270 hp and 330 lb-ft, and the V6 received a five-speed automatic.

You can get heated leather without getting a limited (mine is a SR5 and has it). Lets see... the sport edition also comes with slightly larger front brake rotors (13.3" versus 12.6") as well as X-Reas suspension.

The optional 3rd row folding seats are rare but they are out there. The trunk 'shelf' system seems to be the most common and in my opinion is a waste of space.

A telescoping steering wheel is a nice option to look for too...

Also, if you are over 5-11 or so you may want to look for a non-moonroof truck as it robs you of about 1.5" of headroom.

Best of luck on your search.

I have a 2006 V6 4WD. I like the fact that you can switch from 4WD to 2WD (rear wheel drive). On dry paved roads, in my opinion, it's a lot nicer to drive with 2 wheel rear drive. The steering feels lighter and feels like it handles better, this is just my opinion.