ShortytheFireman
New member
Before I do anything, I want to thank all of you for the information that I've been able to find in this forum. I've been involved in automotive (and other)forums for a long time and tend to search a lot before posting anything. When I was looking for a 4Runner, I spent a lot of time before I joined just searching through here and figuring out what things were normal, what to look out for (surprisingly little) and a lot of other information.
Thanks to the research I did on here, I picked up a 2015 4Runner Trail Premium in Super White with KDSS. My previous vehicle was a 2010 Ford Taurus SHO, which I loved when it was working. "When it was working" was the operative phrase, as it turned out to be the least reliable car I've ever owned. In 75k miles, it went through two wheel bearings, a left rear and right front strut, two sets of front and rear brakes (I spend a lot of time commuting, which is hell on a 4500lb car in stop and go traffic), two AWD power transfer units and a transmission torque converter, thankfully all but the brakes were covered under warranty. It had damn near every gadget and gizmo you could think of, but the only thing I really miss are the air conditioned seats.
After the car spent almost 4 weeks in the shop, I decided it was time to move up my replacement timetable and went to the Toyota dealer down the street. I went to high school with their finance manager, and they were able to get me a great deal on an incoming 2015 TEP with the options I wanted. I've had it about a month so far, and I'm loving it. I used to drive my Dad's '89 4Runner V6, and had fond memories of that truck. Driving this, I can feel the family lineage.
I'm impressed as hell with the truck, to say the least. While I miss the acceleration of my SHO, this isn't terrible, especially for what it is. It sits at a great height, and is a lot quieter than I thought it would be on the highway and around town. Mileagewise, I'm within .5 mpg of my SHO, but I don't need to run premium gas so that's another plus. KDSS is amazing, it corners flatter than my old modified WRXs, and it's also one of the smoothest riding cars I've owned. My SHO had the optional 20in wheels, and those would transmit every single bump, expansion gap and railroad track directly to the driver. The Entune system is well laid out, and the sound system isn't bad for a factory system. The heated seats are great, the control layout is simple and straightforward and there is plenty of storage in the front cabin.
At this point, while I find myself drooling over some of the builds that I've seen members on here doing, I think I'm going to keep it simple for the time being. A set of sliders (I'm leaning towards the Shrockworks with the treadplates) and a new set of tires (most likely 275/70/17 BFG A/T KO2s) should be the extent of the mods for now. I used to be huge into modifications, but it's also nice to be able to bring a car into the dealership and not have to explain anything. Time will tell, I'm sure.
(Cliffs Notes: I've had the truck for about a month and love it. Thanks for all the information!)
Thanks to the research I did on here, I picked up a 2015 4Runner Trail Premium in Super White with KDSS. My previous vehicle was a 2010 Ford Taurus SHO, which I loved when it was working. "When it was working" was the operative phrase, as it turned out to be the least reliable car I've ever owned. In 75k miles, it went through two wheel bearings, a left rear and right front strut, two sets of front and rear brakes (I spend a lot of time commuting, which is hell on a 4500lb car in stop and go traffic), two AWD power transfer units and a transmission torque converter, thankfully all but the brakes were covered under warranty. It had damn near every gadget and gizmo you could think of, but the only thing I really miss are the air conditioned seats.
After the car spent almost 4 weeks in the shop, I decided it was time to move up my replacement timetable and went to the Toyota dealer down the street. I went to high school with their finance manager, and they were able to get me a great deal on an incoming 2015 TEP with the options I wanted. I've had it about a month so far, and I'm loving it. I used to drive my Dad's '89 4Runner V6, and had fond memories of that truck. Driving this, I can feel the family lineage.
I'm impressed as hell with the truck, to say the least. While I miss the acceleration of my SHO, this isn't terrible, especially for what it is. It sits at a great height, and is a lot quieter than I thought it would be on the highway and around town. Mileagewise, I'm within .5 mpg of my SHO, but I don't need to run premium gas so that's another plus. KDSS is amazing, it corners flatter than my old modified WRXs, and it's also one of the smoothest riding cars I've owned. My SHO had the optional 20in wheels, and those would transmit every single bump, expansion gap and railroad track directly to the driver. The Entune system is well laid out, and the sound system isn't bad for a factory system. The heated seats are great, the control layout is simple and straightforward and there is plenty of storage in the front cabin.
At this point, while I find myself drooling over some of the builds that I've seen members on here doing, I think I'm going to keep it simple for the time being. A set of sliders (I'm leaning towards the Shrockworks with the treadplates) and a new set of tires (most likely 275/70/17 BFG A/T KO2s) should be the extent of the mods for now. I used to be huge into modifications, but it's also nice to be able to bring a car into the dealership and not have to explain anything. Time will tell, I'm sure.
(Cliffs Notes: I've had the truck for about a month and love it. Thanks for all the information!)
