2012 4Runner Ltd 4WD - Should I get it ?

[rpuranik]

Hi All,

New to this forum. Been considering seriously about a 2012 4Runner Ltd 4WD with 7" Navigation. Silver exterior and Black interior. What do you think ? Should I go for it ?

I'll be trading a 2010 Mercedes E550 RWD sedan with 27k miles. I had always been a SUV person before I got the E550. After one year of ownership - I'm missing the SUV and craving a 4Runner when the new body style came out. Things I'll miss - 381 HP 5.5 Ltr V8, 5.2 sec for 0 to 60 mph, awesome audio HK 7.1 Logic, SD Card slot to play music, bi-xenon headlights and a few minor things. Things I'll NOT miss - constant brake noise from wheels, excessive brake dust on all wheels, wheel alignment gets messed up every time you hit a small bump on the road, skinny low profile tires (came with the 18" AMG wheels), need to replace tires in 6k miles dues to cupping, super soft alloy wheels which bend if you hit a pothole, difficult to get in and out of the car (it has only 4-5 inches of ground clearance), tiny trunk, etc.

I'll post pictures of the new ride when I get possession.

Regards,
Rahul

 

[brockeverly]

Only you can answer that question my friend. I see a lot of "get it!" posts coming, you know that you are on a t4r forum, right?!

:driving:

 

[Lexus LX]

Go for a GX, or LX instead.

 

[harper7]

Hi All,

New to this forum. Been considering seriously about a 2012 4Runner Ltd 4WD with 7" Navigation. Silver exterior and Black interior. What do you think ? Should I go for it ?

I'll be trading a 2010 Mercedes E550 RWD sedan with 27k miles. I had always been a SUV person before I got the E550. After one year of ownership - I'm missing the SUV and craving a 4Runner when the new body style came out. Things I'll miss - 381 HP 5.5 Ltr V8, 5.2 sec for 0 to 60 mph, awesome audio HK 7.1 Logic, SD Card slot to play music, bi-xenon headlights and a few minor things. Things I'll NOT miss - constant brake noise from wheels, excessive brake dust on all wheels, wheel alignment gets messed up every time you hit a small bump on the road, skinny low profile tires (came with the 18" AMG wheels), need to replace tires in 6k miles dues to cupping, super soft alloy wheels which bend if you hit a pothole, difficult to get in and out of the car (it has only 4-5 inches of ground clearance), tiny trunk, etc.

I'll post pictures of the new ride when I get possession.

Regards,
Rahul

My advice is to test drive.....research....then test drive again ......and then test drive some more BEFORE buying ,especially since you are coming off a completely different type of vehicle.It's free to test drive.Alot of people with complaints on here OBVIOUSLY didn't do that and didn't really know what they bought. This is a SUV body on a full frame truck frame and thus rides and handles more like a truck then a car and will probably last forever if maintained.

Be sure to check the brakes ,wheels and tires on the 4Runners as many of the same complaints you had with the Mercedes are voiced here on the forum.

Good Luck!

 

[rpuranik]

I checked out the GX and LX - GX has that wired side swinging door which I don't like at all. Too inconvenient to operate the trunk especially when parallel parked. The LX is way to big for my needs. Its either the 4Runner or some similar sized SUV. Didn't like the Highlander - felt it was too light and tinny. Other options are X5, ML350 etc. I had a 2002 ML500 for 8 years - it was a BoF design so am used to the ride.

 

[rpuranik]

My advice is to test drive.....research....then test drive again ......and then test drive some more BEFORE buying ,especially since you are coming off a completely different type of vehicle.It's free to test drive.Alot of people with complaints on here OBVIOUSLY didn't do that and didn't really know what they bought. This is a SUV body on a full frame truck frame and thus rides and handles more like a truck then a car and will probably last forever if maintained.

Be sure to check the brakes ,wheels and tires on the 4Runners as many of the same complaints you had with the Mercedes are voiced here on the forum.

Good Luck!

Did do 3 test drives, liked it so far. I'm surprised that 4Runner would have the brake and tire issues which I had on my Mercedes. I've owned an Avalon, RX300, and 2 Sienna's - never had any brake dust or noise issues. Also, all tires had enough rubber on them to not bend the wheels. The 20" tires on the Ltd have abt 147mm of sidewall - this is 50% more than I had on the E550. Hoping I'll not have any similar issues. Please share more information if you can.

 

[TOPDECK]

Hi All,

New to this forum. Been considering seriously about a 2012 4Runner Ltd 4WD with 7" Navigation. Silver exterior and Black interior. What do you think ? Should I go for it ?

I'll be trading a 2010 Mercedes E550 RWD sedan with 27k miles. I had always been a SUV person before I got the E550. After one year of ownership - I'm missing the SUV and craving a 4Runner when the new body style came out. Things I'll miss - 381 HP 5.5 Ltr V8, 5.2 sec for 0 to 60 mph, awesome audio HK 7.1 Logic, SD Card slot to play music, bi-xenon headlights and a few minor things. Things I'll NOT miss - constant brake noise from wheels, excessive brake dust on all wheels, wheel alignment gets messed up every time you hit a small bump on the road, skinny low profile tires (came with the 18" AMG wheels), need to replace tires in 6k miles dues to cupping, super soft alloy wheels which bend if you hit a pothole, difficult to get in and out of the car (it has only 4-5 inches of ground clearance), tiny trunk, etc.

I'll post pictures of the new ride when I get possession.

Regards,
Rahul

The brake noise and dust can be remedied by changing out the AMG pads for non-hi performance pads or a different brand. AMG pad's compound grips the rotor better, but do create a lot of dust. They also "require" a spirited drive every once in a while to heat up the pads. Once they heat up, they clean spent pad dust and other particles from the pad surface. This will end the noise.

Go somewhere devoid of cops and other motorists, then accelerate to 60 or 70mpg. Then, stand on the brakes. Do that a couple times, and your break noise should be gone...for a little while. That is the downside of high performance breaks.

That being said, the 4Runner is a great vehicle. If you like a little more luxury, have you considered a MB G-Wagen?

 

[TOPDECK]

Go for a GX, or LX instead.

Seriously? Do you still go to this forum just to steer people away from a 4Runner?

You do realize that a GX is nothing more than a 4Runner / Prado with a new suit, and the LX is pretty much EXACTLY a Land Cruiser with a badge switch?

The cores of these vehicles are the same.

 

[brockeverly]

Seriously? Do you still go to this forum just to steer people away from a 4Runner?

You do realize that a GX is nothing more than a 4Runner / Prado with a new suit, and the LX is pretty much EXACTLY a Land Cruiser with a badge switch?

The cores of these vehicles are the same.

He is only here to show off. After reading his sig I did a little research, just a troll sitting in the basement of his parents house living his imaginary life out on a forum.

 

[harper7]

Did do 3 test drives, liked it so far. I'm surprised that 4Runner would have the brake and tire issues which I had on my Mercedes. I've owned an Avalon, RX300, and 2 Sienna's - never had any brake dust or noise issues. Also, all tires had enough rubber on them to not bend the wheels. The 20" tires on the Ltd have abt 147mm of sidewall - this is 50% more than I had on the E550. Hoping I'll not have any similar issues. Please share more information if you can.

It sounds like you've done your homework then and I'm partial to the silver/black Limiteds too!
The complaints on the 4runner's brakes have been that they have alot of pedal travel before engagement and the booster makes a squishy wet shoe sound. I have been driving a 4runner for 6 years ,as the last generation had the same brakes,and I'm either used to it or not that picky. Functionally, they do work great IMO and have saved me many times.

The tire and wheel complaints have been that they are very skinny being only a 245mm width tire on a 7 inch wide rim on the Limited's.

He is only here to show off. After reading his sig I did a little research, just a troll sitting in the basement of his parents house living his imaginary life out on a forum.

Best to not even acknowledge trolls(LEXUS LX)by putting them on your "ignore" list and/or just complain to the admin. (that circle with an ! in it to report post).
He's already been banned under user name eskimochaos and Clockwork and came back under LEXUS LX 2 weeks after he was banned under Clockwork with his 5 dream vehicles listed again .

 

[1engineer]

Seriously? Do you still go to this forum just to steer people away from a 4Runner?

You do realize that a GX is nothing more than a 4Runner / Prado with a new suit, and the LX is pretty much EXACTLY a Land Cruiser with a badge switch?

The cores of these vehicles are the same.

He is a troll. Another poster asked him questions such as post pics, etc and he then goes away just to pop up again. Don't feed them.

 

[jca21]

He is a troll. Another poster asked him questions such as post pics, etc and he then goes away just to pop up again. Don't feed them.

 

[Lexus LX]

Actually, I just like making fun of the dumb people on this forum. I'm making nearly 6 figures out of college as an undergraduate.

Umad?

 

[brockeverly]

Actually, I just like making fun of the dumb people on this forum. I'm making nearly 6 figures out of college as an undergraduate.

Umad?

You don't have that lineup of cars with under six figures, so there we have it folks. And no, I am not mad, I am making more than that with NO college :thumb3:

 

[jca21]

i believe they have a function called IP ban

 

[Antman]

I'm making nearly 6 figures out of college and I'm still an idiot.

Nearly six figures, including the decimal point...

 

[kiloil]

Hi All,

New to this forum. Been considering seriously about a 2012 4Runner Ltd 4WD with 7" Navigation. Silver exterior and Black interior. What do you think ? Should I go for it ?

I'll be trading a 2010 Mercedes E550 RWD sedan with 27k miles. I had always been a SUV person before I got the E550. After one year of ownership - I'm missing the SUV and craving a 4Runner when the new body style came out. Things I'll miss - 381 HP 5.5 Ltr V8, 5.2 sec for 0 to 60 mph, awesome audio HK 7.1 Logic, SD Card slot to play music, bi-xenon headlights and a few minor things. Things I'll NOT miss - constant brake noise from wheels, excessive brake dust on all wheels, wheel alignment gets messed up every time you hit a small bump on the road, skinny low profile tires (came with the 18" AMG wheels), need to replace tires in 6k miles dues to cupping, super soft alloy wheels which bend if you hit a pothole, difficult to get in and out of the car (it has only 4-5 inches of ground clearance), tiny trunk, etc.

I'll post pictures of the new ride when I get possession.

Regards,
Rahul

I came from BMW M3 (2 of them) world and I can tell you that I will be going back to the BMW world just as soon as new one hits the show room floor in 2013. With that said, Toyota's are easy to maintain (no worry about the SA taking your merc out and destroying the rims) brake dust is minimum, almost zero brake noise.

The biggest draw back on this vehicle, is performance, audio system, headlights, lighting, lack of cornering without fealing as though you will tip over, and dipping in the front as you step on the brakes. You coming from the Merc side and me coming from the BMW side, it lacks the performance that both of those vehicles gave. If I had to do it all again, I would have test driven the BMW X5 or the BMW X5M version and then made a choice.

 

[brockeverly]

Nearly six figures, including the decimal point...

 

[brockeverly]

I came from BMW M3 (2 of them) world and I can tell you that I will be going back to the BMW world just as soon as new one hits the show room floor in 2013. With that said, Toyota's are easy to maintain (no worry about the SA taking your merc out and destroying the rims) brake dust is minimum, almost zero brake noise.

The biggest draw back on this vehicle, is performance, audio system, headlights, lighting, lack of cornering without fealing as though you will tip over, and dipping in the front as you step on the brakes. You coming from the Merc side and me coming from the BMW side, it lacks the performance that both of those vehicles gave. If I had to do it all again, I would have test driven the BMW X5 or the BMW X5M version and then made a choice.

That is a terrible comparison, you simply bought the wrong vehicle. If you buy a BOF vehicle and expect the cornering of a unibody sports car you are either ill-informed, or simply an idiot. I am going to assume ill-informed. Good part about this is that your Toyota has a great resale value so you shouldn't get hosed when the 2013s land in the showroom.

 

[rpuranik]

I agree with your points on performance and cornering etc. With that said I have owned Mercedes for last 9 yrs - honestly too many issues mainly electrical or sensor related. PLus the brake dust and noise is unbearable for me. I even switched to Euro Ceramic pads and Brembo rotors - same crap after a few 100 miles. My friend has a X5 and he too keeps complaining about non stop maintenence issues. Its not so much the money spent on repairs but the time wasted at dealership and trying to convince the SA that the issue really exists !! For every issue the Mercedes SA keeps saying - the car is performing as par specs !!

My Avalon, Sienna and RX never had these annoying issues - only did recommended maintenance and they kept running. Hoping the same from the 2012 4Runner.