Recent content by CT-Scott

I just posted this to an FJ Cruiser forum, and have edited it to re-post here... So, over the last couple of days I was pretty certain I'd go with the 4Runner. I should add that over the last month I've also been rethinking the whole boat idea, and it's quite likely that we'll never end up...

Well, the funny thing is that there's probably a very good chance that we won't even end up getting a boat, but the idea of getting a boat is what set the wheels in motion of me looking to get a tow-capable SUV. One of the boats that I like is the 19' Yamaha SX190. That's listed as weighing...

One of the things I'm running into with my wife is that I'm looking at some higher-mileage 4Runners (so as to keep the price down) and she's still of the mentality that anything over 60K miles seems high. I'm thinking that I'd like to get the newest model I can get, even if it has quite a bit...

Thanks for all of the replies. I think I posted this in the other thread, but my wife and I took a closer look at several SUVs (and test drove two) at a CarMax a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, they didn't have any 4Runners, so that was going to be next. We test drove an '07 FJ Cruiser...

Quick report on our CarMax experience... As soon as we walked in, they informed us that there would be about a 30 minute wait to see a salesperson. We told them that we also wanted to get an appraisal on our car and were told that that would also be done via the salesperson. Lame. During the...

Thanks for the latest comments. flnycus, I will keep you in mind. Why are you thinking of selling yours? NJshadow93, I realize that the 4th gen 6-cyl engine is an upgrade over the previous one, but if I'm towing something on the lower end of weight (3000 lbs), I'm wondering if that would be a...

Thanks for the reply. You refer to the Highlander as FWD, but just to be clear, I'm talking about the AWD model. My guess is that you know this and are talking about the fact that the Highlander's AWD system runs as FWD except when it detects slippage and that this not as robust as the...

So after doing more research today I just discovered that the 2008+ Toyota Highlanders can tow 5000 lbs. Not sure if I should tell my wife (she's always liked the Highlanders). That possibly sometimes useful 3rd row which folds flat, could be nice. Rated MPG doesn't seem much different than...

I edited my original post to remove the 05+ restriction on the 4Runner. I am open to getting an older model as well. I believe I read in other threads people recommending the 5-speed, which I know you could only get on the older models with the V8, but I'd be interested to hear from others if...

Yeah, the GX 470 is probably also on my top-10 list. I like the styling of it, and my wife would probably like the richer interior. The 4Runner/GX470 3rd row design just seems awful to me (suitable only for legless people, they leave you with little space for even groceries, and putting them...

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Acura MDX (and Lexus 400h) are built on unibody frames. The boat I had my eye on was a 19' Yamaha jet boat, which is about 3000lbs (including trailer), and the MDX is rated for 4500lbs towing (the 400h is the least capable at a rated 3500lbs). If it was just me driving...

Well I'm posting a similar thread to other forums (dedicated to other cars on my short list) so my intention is to get a variety of viewpoints. Please do offer more specifics as to why you think the 4Runner is the best choice among the vehicles I've listed!

Thanks for the reply! As I think I mentioned, I'm not in any way capable of diagnosing any of that, but my plan is to bring whatever I plan to buy to my local mechanic or a Toyota dealership and have them look things over, so I'll make note of those specific things. Thanks again!

Hello all, I just started a new thread in the General Discussion forum, but then I realized that this forum actually has more recent activity than the General Discussion forum, and since my post was somewhat specific to the 4th-gen 4Runner, I'm reposting a shortened version here. Please read...

Hello all, I've got a 4Runner on my short-list of SUV replacements. We currently have an '07 Mazda CX-7 which is OK, but it's a turbo 4-cyl with no real towing capability, and a few weeks back I got the crazy notion of getting a boat. I've pushed off any serious plans for that until next year...