With Toyota announcing a 3 month halt to production of the Tundra and Sequoia ( http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...threadid=39579 ) and with rumors of no next gen Avalon and Lexus SC ( http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...threadid=39637 ) I'm starting to get very worried about what Toyota might do. With June sales of the T4R, FJ, and GX down 48, 57, and 47 percent respectively (
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...threadid=39342 ) I'm guessing there are some serious meetings going on at Toyota right now about the future of this platform

Therefore, I would urge everyone who loves the 4Runner to email Toyota USA and express your strong desire for Toyota to continue development plans for the 5th gen.

Shit!

If that happens I'll shoot myself!

In 5 years I'll be getting a new 4Runner as a graduation gift. Its either that or I'll get my mom's '04, which is fine, but it doesn't have a V8

E-mail, here I come.

It will truly be a sad day if the 4Runner ceases to be. Where will we go to?!

This sucks. But if the 5th gen goes IRS, I'm not sure how much I'll like that either. I guess it'll be another Tacoma then.

I'm rolling the dice waiting just long enough to find out about the 09 before I buy. Should have a good selection of 08's to get if Toyota is in fact doing a 'carry over' for 09.

If gas continues to climb and is $7/gallon in the next couple of years nobody will be able to drive a 4Runner much less any other low MPG cars except for the wealthy.

Trucks to most people will become strictly a recreation vehicle and won't be driven much. The truck/SUV market is really going to change over the next few years.

I don't consider myself wealthy, but my truck won't be going anywhere when gas gets to $7. I'm not going to join the rest of America when they freak out because it costs an extra $20-$30 to fill up. People freaked out when gas hit $2, $3, and $4 per gallon, and they will continue to do the same with $5, $6, and $7, so if you ask me, people need to just get over it, or go ride a bicycle.

Do you have real bills like a mortgage to worry about or feeding a few mouths? Being single and no kids is quite a big diff in lifestyle vs those with families.
Those are legitimate reasons to freak out when gas and food are hitting all time highs. Smart people will be choosing their next vehicles with MPGs in mind and if they will be able to keep their SUVs and /or other frivilous vehciles they will be mostly for weekend duty.

I have no intentions on giving up my Runner buy it will be retired from DD duties as I see a late '90s Civic in my future to save gas and keep the miles off of my truck.

I have thought about the future of the 4Runner. I am sure they were planning something bigger and better, now they may want to re-visit that formula. I think I remember a member from Japan here that has a 4th generation truck and it has the old 3.4 in it. I am thinking, they may want to have a smaller engine and some new technology to get better mileage. Who knows, we may even see a 4 cyl engine come back.

As I see it they can:

1. Cancel the 4Runner

2. Go with the plan of getting a bigger and better 4Runner.

3. Change the theme a bit and make it somewhat smaller. Maybe wait another year or so before it comes out.

I am worried and for some of the same reasons.

1) the new Sequoia looks like a cross between a Hyundai and a hot cross bun.

2) many more people will move to smaller cars if gas hits $5.00 bucks let alone higher.

3) Toyota has had some quality issues.

I think that they will tone down the V6 to get improved mileage and decrease the overall weight of the vehicle IMHO.

Exactly.

People freak out each time gas doubles in price because anyone with serious and real financial obligations need to reallocate some part of their budget. The ones hit hardest are on the lower income bracket. An article once mentioned that a $9/hr Hyundai plant employee spends 25% of his pay to fill the tank now on a 60 mile commute.

An extra $30 a week for a tank of gas could be of little impact or huge dent, working an extra hour for free or several hours. In the long run it is more than $1500 a year. Depending on one's salary it could be a week's of work, a pay check, two months of a child's private school tuition, insurance premium, giving up the 10am and 3pm Starbucks run, etc. It all adds up and something will be given up to fill the tank.

Hell when I was young, dropping a pay check or two on toys and hottest thing out there didn't cause me to think twice--70% of those purchases are spontaneous. Expenses and bills isn't much when you don't have kids or a mortgage.

Like many sensible SUV and truck owners, I won't give up my 4Runner any time soon. I'm not going to let gas prices force me to buy a smaller car now, but it will influence what I buy when the time comes to get another vehicle.

And I'm sure right now, automakers' top priority are more fuel efficient vehicles and "bigger is better" is no longer the design philosophy. I wouldn't be surprised if most automakers are not going to release another generation of their large SUVs if gas prices stay where they are. Full sizes trucks won't go away because there are trades and professions that require such vehicles. But those decked out full of luxury trucks like a CrewMax Limited, Lariat F-Series, Denali Sierras, etc. might not be offered anymore.

Plus I don't want to just spend all my money on gas just to be able to drive around a big truck;I like to have other nice things in my life.

Yeah, like food and rent or house payments.:bonk:

I think that Uneek said it well. the stage of life makes a big difference, or if one is helping younger people with college etc. Few if any of us are wealthy and more power to you if you are. I myself consciously cut back on the following to keep my gas bill reasonable and my other bills down.

1) turn off the air conditioning in the house except when it gets miserable.

2) organize trips for groceries chores into one run.

3) wash the car myself for $3.50 rather than $18.00.

4) cut back on toys. (even second guessing my choice in GPS due to cost)

4.5) invest wisely (which is the hardest thing to do these days).

5) Make the girl pay 1/2.

6) Use internet services, Netflix, drugstore.com etc.



I estimate that I save about $100 per month with the above and ya know where that goes. yup into the tank. not a cure but a temporary solution.

My daughter traded in the 97 4Runner I gave them and got a Hyundai which is getting 34 miles per gallon. As young people with 1st jobs out of school the budget IS the thing.

Yeah, off-roading itself has become an expensive sport! For me, i have to drive at least 60-70 miles to the closest off-roading park...my G500 gets about 14 mpg (on a good day)...so, that is about 5 gallons (one-way)...with premium costing around $4.20/gal (or more), that amounts to about $21 one-way trip just to get to the park. Now, once there, i am usually in 4-LO and crawling which drops my fuel economy down to about 5-8 mpg.

So, overall, my vehicle alone costs me about $50-70 per off-roading trip right at this minute. If gas prices reach $7, then i think that i am gonna officially retire from off-roading.

I can see why Toyota (and other manufacturers) are panicking with the rising gas prices. I bet you that off-roading overall is a declining sport (if not already). So, with that in mind, i don't see why auto manufacturers will pursue off-road capable vehicles in the future because on-road, these vehicles are a compromise at best compared to crossovers. You can already see GM trying to dump Hummer division to next dummy in line.

What surprises me is that minivans are not flourishing in this market. I guess the "soccer mom" image supercedes fuel prices.

BTW, i make a decent living...my wife makes a decent living...we have one kid...and WE ARE CONCERN ABOUT THE RISING GAS PRICES. So, it's not just the poor folks that are concerned about the rising gas, food, and other product prices.

Thai, you could always sell the G500 (maybe) and get something else that is more fuel efficient (like a T4R).