Advice needed ASAP: V8 vs V6 4Runner

[boston_kevin]

If you get the v8 you won't be changing your spark plugs for a while (iridium).

Go with the v6 and your gonna plop down 150-200 beans in 2 years time.

You are paying way too much for spark plugs... This engine doesn't take those fancy gold plated plugs. Even at $10 a plug (which is more expensive than they are typically found), I add the total to be $60... Add the beer, and at the most I have spent $70 every other year. Heck I spend more than that in gas in a month.

Go with the V6 and you won't be dropping 800-1000 beans in 6 years time for a timing belt replacement....

In all honesty you can't go wrong with either engine

 

[sharp4runr]

These threads crop up every couple of months and the same stuff is always discussed...

<a href="http://www.toyota-4runner.org/search.php?s="><IMG src="http://www.toyota-4runner.org/images/top_search.gif" border=0></a> its there for a reason...

 

[UoD]

I went with the V8 over the V6 because my previous experience with the V6 was with the 1995 model. The V6 back then was such an underpowered POS. Instead of "get up and go", the car would "sit there and think about it".

Of course --- times have changed. The V6 is much more powerful now and it is a great engine. I just couldn't see any reason not to spend the extra grand (already spending in the high 20k's anyways ... whats 1k more?) and get the V8.

 

[05V8SPRT]

The V8's were VERY scarce when I bought mine. Only about 5 in the entire metro area. I happened to get lucky and get hte color and model I wanted close by.

I did not drive the V6. However, due to the gas crunch the V6's are selling better.

I needed the power of the V8 becuase its always better to have the power and not need it, than to need and not have it...

I would probably say differently prior to the 05 VVT-i. Why? Because the HP and TQ difference in the 04 models were not far off from each other. The HP was too close to call and the TQ was slightly better in the V8.

The 05 VVT-i has 270 HP and 330 TQ. Thats a LOT of TQ for the size and wieght of the vehicle. Coupled with the 5 speed auto, she launches like a raped ape! Well, its quick for its size. My 525HP 03 Cobra launched like a raped ape (0-60 in 3.9, 1/4 in 12 flat @ 118 on street tires)... that was a fast beast... But coming from an 03 Expedition 5.4 V8, this Runner is MUCH more fun to drive. If not the funnest SUV I've driven.... I think for the money, only the Hemi beats this Runner by 2/10ths to 60.....

Buy the V8!!!

 

[roadrunner139]

I purchased a 4x2 V8 SR5 and you can feel the difference between V6 and V8.

V8 definitely

 

[JB.]

These threads crop up every couple of months and the same stuff is always discussed...

<a href="http://www.toyota-4runner.org/search.php?s="><IMG src="http://www.toyota-4runner.org/images/top_search.gif" border=0></a> its there for a reason...

Well, to be fair, the three letter search word minimum does make searches for V8, V6, XM, etc. a little tougher than your average search.

 

[jharris2]

Well, to be fair, the three letter search word minimum does make searches for V8, V6, XM, etc. a little tougher than your average search.

That's why the search function allows wildcards. Try V8*.

 

[JB.]

That's why the search function allows wildcards. Try V8*.

That helps, of course, but the number of thread titles that have only V6 or V8 without any other characters attached -like this one, for instance- is anybody's guess.

 

[qs933]

These threads crop up every couple of months and the same stuff is always discussed...

Might be the same stuff for you old-timers, but if you look at a lot of the comments in this thread (which I've found interesting), you'll notice a lot of new members posting their experiences too.

Things change too -- the V6 now has the 5-speed; the V8 has much more HP; and gas is above two bucks in most places.

If we should be discussing this in a single thread, maybe a "V6 vs. V8" sticky thread is in order (or at least a pointer on the FAQ thread to one of the "many" other threads where this topic has already been discussed). Then there'd be no excuse for creating new threads on this topic every few months.