VoodooTitan
New member
Well... I made the conversion. I came over from a 2010 Lancer Evolution. While I already miss my car (those who have driven one will know why) I really do love my 4runner. We looked at all the SUVs that matched what we wanted. At least 5000lbs towing capacity, room for kids and dogs, 2 or 4 wheel drive capability, some creature comforts, dependability, reliability, and affordability.
To start, the new grand cherokee was looked at, until I read the reviews about the electrical system, 8speed automatic (contstantly failing) transmission, and in-dash power failures. During our test drive, the vehicle actually stuck in 1st gear coming off a stop light, while the display said it was in 8th, then it sporadically shifted through a few gears.
2. The durango... as great as the reviews were, just wasnt sold on the heritage.
3. Nissan pathfinder... its like an Ace/King hand in poker... it looks great, but performs horribly and can't be trusted. Reviews said after 3-4k miles, cvt fails and nissan has no fix for it.
So the 4runner was right up our alley. The SR5 didn't have the comforts we wanted and the limited wasnt rugged enough for me, so I went with the trail edition premium and I'm completely happy. I couldn't find negative reviews, at least mot like I found for the other vehicles we researched. I guess because people were to busy driving it or doing something else NOT having problems to give them time to write reviews.
What I love...
1. as much ad many people have commented, I love the projector headlights and front end design. The tail lights are nice to and I especially love the vortex generator accents on the mirrors, tail lights, etc. Coming from a high performance, low set car, I'm very used to stability at higher speeds.
2. The cargo space is great. The sliding deck is awesome for my wife since she's pretty small. The back comfortably fits everything we'd need to pack for the next 10 years (2 kids soon and currently 3 dogs). I also love the roof rqck space or option for extra cargo on the trailer.
3. The indash unit is awesome. I synced both phones before we even pulled out of the detail garage at the dealership. It has a great display, and yes... there is a glare, but nothing tinted windows wont fix. The gauge cluster display could have included more vehicle info... but its a step up from 2013 models.
4. Heated seats. Synthetic leather. Sunroof. Creature comforts we wanted... can't and won't complain about these.
5. Tried and True. My dad had a 4runner in the late 80s when they had the turbo option. It was an awesome truck. I remember loving it back then. Since I was able to drive, every toyota car drove the same and every toyota truck drove the same. My 4runner drives like my best friends 72k 2009 tacoma. And I'm sure his 72k mile tacoma drives like my 45mi 4runner. People complain about the 5 speed automatic and under 300hp V6, but this is what makes a toyota truck last and reliable. Everyone I know whose owned one has never had a problem with them and to this day they swear by it.
6. Lastly, the warranty. The dealership I purchased from offers a lifetime powertrain warranty through CNA. Because of this, they are legally obligated to offer the same for their bumper to bumper warranty. That said, my 4runner has a warranty for life.
I'll miss the ability to go from 60 to 100 in under 3 seconds while my car quickly spools the turbo without shifting from 5th to 4th. I'll miss on and off ramps at about 60mph with no traffic ahead, pulling about 1G. I'll miss the looks I got, the thrill every time I started the engine and got on the throttle, and the way the car threw you into the seat when you really opened it up. The aggressive stance, beautiful design, impeccable performance, and superior handling will never be met. But this is like comparing apple pie to potato salad. For the genre of vehicle I needed, I'm more than happy with my permanent purchase. I'd say I'd drive it until the wheels fell off and buy a new one when that time comes, but it seems thats not likely. The 4runner will have a permanent place in my garage and driveway. Most importantly, I'm no longer stressed about how many miles I'll add, service costs for maintenance, warrant claims, or transferring duty stations and having to ship or drive multiple vehicles.
The only thing left is add-ons... they need to hurry up with side rails, roof cross bars, and grill guards.
To start, the new grand cherokee was looked at, until I read the reviews about the electrical system, 8speed automatic (contstantly failing) transmission, and in-dash power failures. During our test drive, the vehicle actually stuck in 1st gear coming off a stop light, while the display said it was in 8th, then it sporadically shifted through a few gears.
2. The durango... as great as the reviews were, just wasnt sold on the heritage.
3. Nissan pathfinder... its like an Ace/King hand in poker... it looks great, but performs horribly and can't be trusted. Reviews said after 3-4k miles, cvt fails and nissan has no fix for it.
So the 4runner was right up our alley. The SR5 didn't have the comforts we wanted and the limited wasnt rugged enough for me, so I went with the trail edition premium and I'm completely happy. I couldn't find negative reviews, at least mot like I found for the other vehicles we researched. I guess because people were to busy driving it or doing something else NOT having problems to give them time to write reviews.
What I love...
1. as much ad many people have commented, I love the projector headlights and front end design. The tail lights are nice to and I especially love the vortex generator accents on the mirrors, tail lights, etc. Coming from a high performance, low set car, I'm very used to stability at higher speeds.
2. The cargo space is great. The sliding deck is awesome for my wife since she's pretty small. The back comfortably fits everything we'd need to pack for the next 10 years (2 kids soon and currently 3 dogs). I also love the roof rqck space or option for extra cargo on the trailer.
3. The indash unit is awesome. I synced both phones before we even pulled out of the detail garage at the dealership. It has a great display, and yes... there is a glare, but nothing tinted windows wont fix. The gauge cluster display could have included more vehicle info... but its a step up from 2013 models.
4. Heated seats. Synthetic leather. Sunroof. Creature comforts we wanted... can't and won't complain about these.
5. Tried and True. My dad had a 4runner in the late 80s when they had the turbo option. It was an awesome truck. I remember loving it back then. Since I was able to drive, every toyota car drove the same and every toyota truck drove the same. My 4runner drives like my best friends 72k 2009 tacoma. And I'm sure his 72k mile tacoma drives like my 45mi 4runner. People complain about the 5 speed automatic and under 300hp V6, but this is what makes a toyota truck last and reliable. Everyone I know whose owned one has never had a problem with them and to this day they swear by it.
6. Lastly, the warranty. The dealership I purchased from offers a lifetime powertrain warranty through CNA. Because of this, they are legally obligated to offer the same for their bumper to bumper warranty. That said, my 4runner has a warranty for life.
I'll miss the ability to go from 60 to 100 in under 3 seconds while my car quickly spools the turbo without shifting from 5th to 4th. I'll miss on and off ramps at about 60mph with no traffic ahead, pulling about 1G. I'll miss the looks I got, the thrill every time I started the engine and got on the throttle, and the way the car threw you into the seat when you really opened it up. The aggressive stance, beautiful design, impeccable performance, and superior handling will never be met. But this is like comparing apple pie to potato salad. For the genre of vehicle I needed, I'm more than happy with my permanent purchase. I'd say I'd drive it until the wheels fell off and buy a new one when that time comes, but it seems thats not likely. The 4runner will have a permanent place in my garage and driveway. Most importantly, I'm no longer stressed about how many miles I'll add, service costs for maintenance, warrant claims, or transferring duty stations and having to ship or drive multiple vehicles.
The only thing left is add-ons... they need to hurry up with side rails, roof cross bars, and grill guards.
