What inspired you to buy a Runner?
 

What inspired you to buy/love Runners? Post up picture(s) of what inspired you to become a Runner owner. :lookout:

For me- First off my stepdad's '89, I learned to drive in it and never could put a finger on what vehicle suited me until I bought a Runner and was driving one again.

http://i48.tinypic.com/2dj447q.jpg

And, although not a Runner, I loved this truck growing up and always wanted something I felt could get me away from a natural catastrophe. Lol, although my rig has a long way to go!

*This is the truck driven by Pierce Brosnan in the movie Dante's Peak*
http://i48.tinypic.com/2b7kw9.jpg

for me, it was this one that I worked on that actively set me on my search. (good first experience too: replaced starter and ignition cylinder. lol)

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...90819906_o.jpg

I'm one of those that's drawn to the body styling first, and I always liked the looks of the 2nd Gens, even when I didn't know a thing about them. I AM well aware of Toyota's reputation, both for overall quality, and for their offroad prowess, so when I found myself needing an SUV or truck, this was a natural choice. I had dogs at the time, and wanted something I could carry my two Labs in, plus go exploring well off the beaten track. I also liked the narrow width, which would help get me into places a full-size wouldn't. Other than the well-known lack of cajones of the 3.0, I have been very pleased with my trucks (this is my 3rd).

Im with Bob except for the two dogs I only have one. My mom has a 03 Tacoma with over 300k miles on it and it doesn't skip a beat. We have a hunting lease up in Georgia with an old 87 Taco and it has over 400k and the owner still DD's it today. If they are taken care of they will last forever imo. I bought mine for 1400 put another 500 in maintenance and it runs great with 212k miles on it.

I'm with Bob too. The looks drew me in first and then the rear window for the dogs.

I was a Jeep guy, but came to realize that I was always fixing something. I needed something that was good in the winter, and drove like a truck, and wouldn't be a headache once I got some miles on it.

No matter how well I kept up with preventative maintenance, Jeeps always seemed to have something that failed. :redbrick:

Have always liked the styling of the 4Runner, and after reading reviews and first-hand experiences, I knew I would make the jump over. Looked for one for over a year (I'm a bit picky.....) and ended up with a gem.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...3.jpg~original

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...1.jpg~original

I was driving a gas guzzling V8 Chevrolet and it was sucking me dry. With a baby on the way and an ext cab pickup being a terrible choice for a carseat, I knew I had to get an SUV. I didn't know what I wanted, and I didn't have a large budget. A customer came in with a clean Runner with over 300k miles on it. It had some damage to the fender a bumper, so we proceeded to do the repairs. About halfway through the owner mentioned he was interested in selling it. I offered him 3000 bucks plus I would take care of his bill. We finished up the repairs, exchanged the title for some cash, and I am now the proud owner of a 1999 Runner that just clocked 345k on the odometer.

Bought a 1997 SR5 brand new and still have it now with 170,000 miles and running strong. Never looked back so I bought a 2011 SR5 and still happy with 4Runners. Good all around vehicle and very dependable.

I had a 4runner remote control truck

Having had a 2wd Courier and offroading it while seeing what friends did in their 4wd Toyota's started it along with wheeling in Grandpa's 1980 FullSize Ford Ranger around Oregon. The final straw was knowing Matt Rodriguez and a few other peeps who used to skate out here and one of them had this really nicely built up blue 4Runner we took all over the hills above Paradise, CA, Chico, the washout, etc. I eventually got mine, much later than expected but I still get the same feeling and excitement driving mine on the same trails.

Cool story
 

First and foremost i love Toyota's since i was a kid,my 91 4runner was my first T4r although i have a 93 xtra cab since new.i bought the 4runner for the reason i can't let the kids ride in the bed LOL i bought it with a burnt valve and took almost a year to get it back on the road due to work i was also busy with another Toyota (87 FJ60) which i bought 5 years ago and still a work in progress.just right after i get done with the 91 4runner a friend came up to me and ask if i would sell it for his son who would be driving soon and we made a deal knowing his son is a responsible kid and knows how to take care of it. I still get to drive it at times when my friend needs some things done to it.so i decided to find another project (T4R) so my wife have something else to drive besides her car i found a 3rd gen (99) on CL for a good price and very good shape despite the high miles (244k) it is leaking coolant in #3 cylinder at the moment but i was able to seal it up temporarily for me to smog it and planning on replacing it with a long block soon.

I needed a vehicle that was easier to carry baby stuff around in than my Audi and missed my Chevrolet truck. So an SUV was a compromise, however not much on the market for newer compact/mid size body on frame and v8. I want a Tahoe but couldnt afford a GMT900 body style and i hate the GMT800's appearance, wanted a RR/LR but all the ones in my area had 200-300,000 miles on them and couldnt risk the repair bill.

Never even considered Toyota since I am a domestic/euro guy but I saw a 4Runner with a v8 badge and it hit me. The 4Runner was the perfect compromise, plus a healthy aftermarket support and off road ready. I was pleasantly surprised with how powerful the baby v8 is and gets decent fuel economy as well. Now I've caught the Toyota bug and thinking about purchasing a 1st or 2nd gen for a trail rig.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/r...86624~original

Rear window that drops down. It was a toss up between a Tacoma and a 4Runner. But the 4Runner was just so much smoother. Mind you, my next will probably be a Tacoma because I really need the bed.

Sweet! Okay, now where did you find it? lol

My mom bought one when I was 8. Gave it to me when I was 16. Totaled it 2 months later (some guy pulled out in front of me) and bought a 2003 Highlander. Didn't feel right not having a frame under me. Traded it in at Carmax. Love my V8!