Orion K
New member
A few days after Christmas 2015, I became responsible for a 1999 manual SR5 4runner. It was my dad's old rig, bone stock and full of life at 175k miles(Check it in my garage). Beyond a quick oil change and a broken sway bar the vehicle was flawless, and I dove into this forum in order to efficiently vent my car lust.
--One often forgotten aspect of 4runners is their aesthetic taste. A well taken care of premium SR5 is a beautiful vehicle, running boards and all. I enjoyed my car domestically for the most part, considering last winter I had mediocre all weather tires and I no intention of destroying my baby on black ice. That changed once I got snow tires. I reflect on that first drive as a religious experience, memories of learning to drive in a 1980 land cruiser flooded my mind. But his time I had steel in my tires, power steering, and less-shot suspension. Holy shit that car was fun.
By the end of last Summer I had a half inch lift on Bilstein shocks, a clean throttle body, rebuilt brakes/new rotors, and a new clutch on the way. Countless exterior light fixes and craigslist negotiations occurring over crossbars put me in a perfect position for a massive ski season. I was ready.
Two months ago a Semi failed to brake in time and squished me and 4 other cars. I drove my runner away from the accident AFTER removing the bumper. The tow truck drivers kept getting high centered for various flatlander reasons. Unfortunately she was totalled.
Current status- I beat insurance, my new runner is in the shop and almost identical. Ill post pics as well as its specs when it gets home. Heads up, its a good bit faster than the old one with half of the old ones parts too. :flamethrwoer2:
At some point Ill make a list of all the parts from the old runner that are now resting in the new one.
For now Ill just grit my teeth every day my runner is still in the shop.
--One often forgotten aspect of 4runners is their aesthetic taste. A well taken care of premium SR5 is a beautiful vehicle, running boards and all. I enjoyed my car domestically for the most part, considering last winter I had mediocre all weather tires and I no intention of destroying my baby on black ice. That changed once I got snow tires. I reflect on that first drive as a religious experience, memories of learning to drive in a 1980 land cruiser flooded my mind. But his time I had steel in my tires, power steering, and less-shot suspension. Holy shit that car was fun.
By the end of last Summer I had a half inch lift on Bilstein shocks, a clean throttle body, rebuilt brakes/new rotors, and a new clutch on the way. Countless exterior light fixes and craigslist negotiations occurring over crossbars put me in a perfect position for a massive ski season. I was ready.
Two months ago a Semi failed to brake in time and squished me and 4 other cars. I drove my runner away from the accident AFTER removing the bumper. The tow truck drivers kept getting high centered for various flatlander reasons. Unfortunately she was totalled.
Current status- I beat insurance, my new runner is in the shop and almost identical. Ill post pics as well as its specs when it gets home. Heads up, its a good bit faster than the old one with half of the old ones parts too. :flamethrwoer2:
At some point Ill make a list of all the parts from the old runner that are now resting in the new one.
For now Ill just grit my teeth every day my runner is still in the shop.
