Back In a 4Runner!

[Whiplash Willy]

Last night my wife and I traded in my 2012 VW Golf TDI for a 2013 4Runner (Magnetic Grey) SR5 with Conv PKG and 3rd Row Seats. Paid $35,013 and got free floormats, so I think we got a pretty good deal.

We have a 2 year old, and recently found out Twins are on the way (Due in Sept!) so we ended up needing something bigger then the Golf, and a 4runner is vehicle I would be willing to drive, that will be able to seat all of the Kids (And it was a good excuse to get back into a 4runner!)

I will miss my Golf though. The tech, handling, shifting my own gears, the sweet sound of diesel, and the 37mpg average on my daily drive, and 49mpg average on highway trips. (I averaged 17mpg on the way into work today with traffic, so that isn't too bad for this kind of vehicle). The funny thing I sold my 2001 4runner, for the TDI Golf, because I was spending too much on gas on my 50-mile a day commute....

So far I am loving the feeling of driving a body on frame vehicle again, even if I am paying 2x in fuel. After all I have read on the SR5 Suspension, and the audio system, I really don't think either are all that bad.

After being used to driving my golf around, I can really feel the weight of this vehicle every time I brake, or start from a stand still.

Probley my only complaint so far, is that horrible sulfer/rotten egg smell the car makes. Pulling the runner into the garage last night stuck up my whole garage, and it still smelled this morning! I don't dare try driving with the rear window down! What exactly is that smell from, and is it harmful to inhale? I am hopeing it will lessen with time, I really don't want to have to air my garage out every time I pull it in!

 

[eddiebx]

Congrats on the purchase!

I think that smell you are smelling is just a byproduct of the catalytic converter...I've read lots of complaints here about it and it appears to be normal.

 

[philsey]

Probley my only complaint so far, is that horrible sulfer/rotten egg smell the car makes. Pulling the runner into the garage last night stuck up my whole garage, and it still smelled this morning! I don't dare try driving with the rear window down! What exactly is that smell from, and is it harmful to inhale? I am hopeing it will lessen with time, I really don't want to have to air my garage out every time I pull it in!

^^ From a former diesel owner.

What [MENTION=85512]eddiebx[/MENTION] said.

 

[JayceeP]

The prices you guys pay stateside are ridiculous. Wish they were that "cheap" here. Congrats!

I haven't experienced this smell some here have referred to. Anyway, congratulations again. It's more than just a point A to point B vehicle- it is my "toy." Love the size and splendour.

 

[Jayhawk5G]

I have only experienced the egg smell while idling in traffic with the back window down... never in my garage.

 

[Whiplash Willy]

^^ From a former diesel owner.

What [MENTION=85512]eddiebx[/MENTION] said.

Thanks for the congrats!

Yea, funny my diesel didn't have any smell, the Diesel Particulate Filter captured all smoke and smell, even the insides of the tailpipes were clean after 14k miles. Yea, it is weird about the smell, I have never experienced any other car smell like this. And unlike others, it doesn't just happen with the rear window down, or after a hard acceleration. Every time i drive the Runner, I can smell it with my sunroof or side windows down, as well as when I park and get out of the Runner, I can smell it within several feet of the car.

I have only put like 40 miles on her so far, so maybe it is just things breaking in, and it will go away. Hopefully it does!

 

[NoDak]

on my 2004 that smell was there also, but i think its more pronounced with the exhaust going straight back. on the 1997 4runner, the exhaust was on the side so i didnt get much thru the back window when it was down.

kinda defeats the purpose of having a back window if you cant open it without it sucking in the exhaust.

 

[nortex]

Took my 3rd cat off and smell went away.

 

[thebwlife]

#twinning

Good luck with the twins! I have 15m b/g twins and our two car seats (Recaro) take up almost the entire back seat. See my build thread for pics! Just added a headuint and DVD screen for them.

 

[Kinnick]

Congrats on the purchase as well as the twins on the way. I'm curious, how do plan on arranging the 3 car seats?

 

[mace.]

Great choice in vehicles, we have a 2011 Golf TDi and a 2011 4Runner in the garage.

 

[Whiplash Willy]

Congrats on the purchase as well as the twins on the way. I'm curious, how do plan on arranging the 3 car seats?

Thanks....I will need Good Luck...In Sept I will have 3 girls under the age of 3!!

Kinnick, I know the 4runner isn't the ideal 3rd row vehicle, but it will get the job done. A Minivan or CUV may be a little better suited for kid hauling, but then I would be driving a CUV or Minivan... Here is my seating plan:

The twins will be in infant seats in the 2nd row (Which will kill the access to the 3rd row from the 2nd, which really wasn't that great anyways) I will flip one of the 3rd row seats up, and leave the other one down. I will put her in her Forward Facing Brittax Marathon 70, and we will get her in/out through the trunk. There won't be much room for a ton of stuff, but we will get a rear hitch cargo carrier for the times we will need the extra storage. With 2 infants and 1 2.5 year old, we probley won't be going too many places to begin with. Altough the sad thing is that with the 4runner loaded up with my 3 kids, I will have less storage then what I had in my golf!

What is nice about the 2nd row is it slides back and fourth. I can put the Brittax Marathon 70 forward facing in the 3rd row, slide up the 2nd row a little, and still have room for the Grayco Infant carrier in the 2nd row, and for me to be in a comfortable in my normal driving position. It is pretty tight though. Things will be better though when the twins are old enough to go forward facing. I can take pics when I have it setup if anyone is interested... It would have been nice if the 3rd row had LATCH or a top theater attachment, but these seats are designed and tested to work with standard seatbelts.

Thanks Mace. Yea, the TDI Golf and 4runner are completely opposite vehicles, and I really like them both in their own ways. I will miss my Golf, at least I was able to trade it for something I really like.

 

[Whiplash Willy]

Here are my plans so far for the Runner.

1. Husky Weather Beaters (On the way)
2. Detail & Optimum Opticoat

-I had Opticoat on my Golf, and it is the best paint protection ever! It is like adding a 2 ml think 2nd clear coat to your car, which is harder then the factory stuff (resists chips and scratches) and resist dirt and contaminants. Water beads off it like it was just waxed. The best thing is, it is permanent. Once it is fully cured, the only way to remove it is to polish it off. If it does get scratched, you are just polishing off the opticoat and not touching the factory clear. It also keeps your paint easier to maintain. A light clay and polish should all you ever need to do afterwards (no need to wax ever again as it won't stick to the opticoat) After 1 year of having opticoat on my golf, water still beaded up like it did the day I opticoated it. I also had no scratches or swirls on my paint. All I did was hand wash my car every week, no other paint maintenance was necessary.

3. Hood Insulation
-Seriously, Toyota skimped on Hood Insulation on a $35k+ vehicle?!? Every vehicle I have seen without a hood insulator has had clearcoat failure on the hood within 5+ years, and this was when clear coats weren't water based and more robust!

4. Metal Tech Sliders
-I work in Portland, so I should be able to pick these up locally and skip the shipping charges.

 

[jarbroen]

Congratulations on the new vehicle and kids on the way!

Daughter number two for me is due end of July. And we just picked up a 4runner a couple weeks ago. Already Opticoated it last weekend... haha

Do you think the hood insulation is that critical? I've been debating whether to pick that up. Is it a Toyota made kit?

I've been eyeballing the Metal Tech sliders as well. Just have to save some pennies since I'm spending money on stereo upgrades right now.

 

[Whiplash Willy]

Congratulations on the new vehicle and kids on the way!

Daughter number two for me is due end of July. And we just picked up a 4runner a couple weeks ago. Already Opticoated it last weekend... haha

Do you think the hood insulation is that critical? I've been debating whether to pick that up. Is it a Toyota made kit?

I've been eyeballing the Metal Tech sliders as well. Just have to save some pennies since I'm spending money on stereo upgrades right now.

Thanks jarbroen, and congrats as well! Opti-Coat is best thing you can do to protect your paint! Did you do it yourself, or have it done? I applied it to my Golf myself, but I don't know if I will have time to do it for the 4runner, and may have an authorized detailer do it. I need to do it soon though, as my paint already has some scratches and some clear coat etching....

I honestly don't know how crucial hood insulation is, but my 93 toyota pickup, and every one I have seen that didn't have it has clearcoat issues on the hood only...I really don't want to take the risk with my new runner. The limiteds come with it standard, and you can just buy the parts from Toyota. Here are the part numbers: (On page 14 of the Parts Manual Harper posted)

Insulator, Hood -- 53341-35160
Clip, Hood Insulator (10) -- 90467-A0003

I believe these are all the parts you need, but I am not 100% sure. I think you can get everything needed for about $160, or less if you can find a good deal. Also, some users have mentioned that the hood insulation helps with the noticeable shaking of the thin hood sheet metal when going 40+ mph. I think it is worth having, especially since almost every car made now comes with it(even the $15k ones!)...I don't know why toyota skimped on this one. If it really wasn't necessary, they probley wouldn't have put it in the Limiteds.

 

[JayceeP]

Thanks jarbroen, and congrats as well! Opti-Coat is best thing you can do to protect your paint! Did you do it yourself, or have it done? I applied it to my Golf myself, but I don't know if I will have time to do it for the 4runner, and may have an authorized detailer do it. I need to do it soon though, as my paint already has some scratches and some clear coat etching....

I honestly don't know how crucial hood insulation is, but my 93 toyota pickup, and every one I have seen that didn't have it has clearcoat issues on the hood only...I really don't want to take the risk with my new runner. The limiteds come with it standard, and you can just buy the parts from Toyota. Here are the part numbers: (On page 14 of the Parts Manual Harper posted)

Insulator, Hood -- 53341-35160
Clip, Hood Insulator (10) -- 90467-A0003

I believe these are all the parts you need, but I am not 100% sure. I think you can get everything needed for about $160, or less if you can find a good deal. Also, some users have mentioned that the hood insulation helps with the noticeable shaking of the thin hood sheet metal when going 40+ mph. I think it is worth having, especially since almost every car made now comes with it(even the $15k ones!)...I don't know why toyota skimped on this one. If it really wasn't necessary, they probley wouldn't have put it in the Limiteds.

How much is OptiCoat? How long does it take to apply? My paint already has swirls as the 4Runner sat on the lot over winter so the guys with snow brushes left marks (I sent an email to the dealership complaing about it lol- just more as feedback). Anyway, I just clayed, polished, waxed this weekend. Can you apply opticoat over that?

Also, what is hood insulation exactly and what issues are you talking about? Rust? You say the Limiteds have it already? Seems odd something like this is considered optional.

 

[Whiplash Willy]

How much is OptiCoat? How long does it take to apply? My paint already has swirls as the 4Runner sat on the lot over winter so the guys with snow brushes left marks (I sent an email to the dealership complaing about it lol- just more as feedback). Anyway, I just clayed, polished, waxed this weekend. Can you apply opticoat over that?

Also, what is hood insulation exactly and what issues are you talking about? Rust? You say the Limiteds have it already? Seems odd something like this is considered optional.

Opticoat, is about $60, and is applied by hand. It will permantaly seal your paint, so you have to have it perfect before you apply it, or you will be able to see, but not reach the defects. If you are a basic DIYer retailer, you should be able to handle the application, but I would suggest some research, and testing it on a car you don't care about first. The prep is the worst part. you will want to remove your wax, make sure all contaminants and marks have been removed from the paint, the apply it in place of the wax step.

Here are a couple links to get you started, but also check out youtube:

2011 M3, New Car Prep, Opti-Coat 2.0 Application, Install Appearance Mods | Ask a Pro Blog

Opti-Coat tutorial - Tutorials - Optimum Forum

Also, FYI, Opti-coat 2.0 is the consumer version that takes about 30 min to cure, and Opti-Guard, is basically the same but only sold to professional detailers because it cures quicker, and therefore has less room to correct for errors.

Check out the optimumforums.org website, as well as the autogeek.net forums...I bought my opticoat and prep materials all from autogeek.

Here is how I preped my golf:

1. Thorough Hand Wash
2. Used Iron-x to remove any Iron deposits from my clear. (It does a better job then clay for removing iron deposits)
3. Used a Clay Bar to remove any remaining traces of contaminants from the clear
4. Checked paint with a Binkman Swirl Finder light, so I could compound/polish out any light-med defects
5. My paint was pretty good, so I just did a light polish.
6. Prep the surface for the Opti-Coat. (Some use Isopropyl Alchol to wipe the panel down before application, I used CarPro Eraser Intense Oil & Polish Cleanser, with a lint free cloth.
7. Applied Opticoat by hand (With the included applicator) on a 2x2 foot patch at a time, to insure complete coverage and checked for buildup. There are many different methods to apply by hand, so you should research a few, test them out and see what works best for you.

Once Opti coat is applied and fully cured, it can only be removed by machine polishing

 

[jarbroen]

Thanks jarbroen, and congrats as well! Opti-Coat is best thing you can do to protect your paint! Did you do it yourself, or have it done? I applied it to my Golf myself, but I don't know if I will have time to do it for the 4runner, and may have an authorized detailer do it. I need to do it soon though, as my paint already has some scratches and some clear coat etching....

I honestly don't know how crucial hood insulation is, but my 93 toyota pickup, and every one I have seen that didn't have it has clearcoat issues on the hood only...I really don't want to take the risk with my new runner. The limiteds come with it standard, and you can just buy the parts from Toyota. Here are the part numbers: (On page 14 of the Parts Manual Harper posted)

Insulator, Hood -- 53341-35160
Clip, Hood Insulator (10) -- 90467-A0003

I believe these are all the parts you need, but I am not 100% sure. I think you can get everything needed for about $160, or less if you can find a good deal. Also, some users have mentioned that the hood insulation helps with the noticeable shaking of the thin hood sheet metal when going 40+ mph. I think it is worth having, especially since almost every car made now comes with it(even the $15k ones!)...I don't know why toyota skimped on this one. If it really wasn't necessary, they probley wouldn't have put it in the Limiteds.

Thanks!

I applied the OptiCoat myself. I think this is the 5th vehicle I've done.
Best part is I had everything done in 3.5 hours - I don't have a lot of extra time either. The biggest time saver is the dealer didn't have enough time to 'detail' it and add their scratches. Did my Optimum Power clean wash to strip factory wax, goo, etc. Then I had a 5" strip accross the hood where they'd scratched it trying to remove the stickers. Took me 10 minutes with my orbital to polish that out.
After that I did the iso wipe down. Then applied opti coat. I'm getting way better at not using too much product. Only 5cc for the whole 4runner - didn't do wheels or trim yet.
Other vehicles have taken me all day but those were due to the amount of polishing needed. Worst was an '11 STI that had been on the dealer lot for a few weeks... 6 hours of buffing later.

Thanks for the heads up on the hood liner. It got me thinking... I went ahead and ordered the Dynamat Hoodliner product. Best Buy has it on sale for $44. I already have butyl mat to put underneath it. The mat should help with the hood vibrations as well.

 

[Whiplash Willy]

3.5 hours is fast! I spent 1.5 days to fully detail and prep mine! But I am slow.. The really sad thing is the paint on my 1 year old golf was in better condition then my less then 1 week old runner...The dealers really do screw up your paint, I don't know how they can suck so bad at detailing cars, when they are in the car business. And I hate how they douse your tires with that silicone spray crap, and don't even wipe it down. It looks horrible, and gets everywhere! They some how managed to get overspray on my interior as well... My wheels and tires are getting the power clean treatment this weekend! Just curious, what do you use for the opticoat application?

On a side note, my wife took my 2 yr old daughter to the store last night in her Honda Accord...My daughter was very upset that she was going in the Accord and not the 4runner. She kept pointing at the 4runner and saying "Go", and heavily resisted getting into the Accord. I think she appreciates the 4Runners rugged body on frame construction!

 

[jarbroen]

3.5 hours is fast! I spent 1.5 days to fully detail and prep mine! But I am slow.. The really sad thing is the paint on my 1 year old golf was in better condition then my less then 1 week old runner...The dealers really do screw up your paint, I don't know how they can suck so bad at detailing cars, when they are in the car business. And I hate how they douse your tires with that silicone spray crap, and don't even wipe it down. It looks horrible, and gets everywhere! They some how managed to get overspray on my interior as well... My wheels and tires are getting the power clean treatment this weekend! Just curious, what do you use for the opticoat application?

On a side note, my wife took my 2 yr old daughter to the store last night in her Honda Accord...My daughter was very upset that she was going in the Accord and not the 4runner. She kept pointing at the 4runner and saying "Go", and heavily resisted getting into the Accord. I think she appreciates the 4Runners rugged body on frame construction!

Full day is pretty typical for a polish and opticoat session. I've done a couple like that.
I was fortunate the dealer had just got my 4runner in a couple days before and hadn't even taken the stickers off. Before finishing the deal I asked them not to touch the paint. The shop guy was pretty cool and asked about windows and the tire gel. I said go for it on the windows and passed on the tire gunk. I was happy when I got home and turned my halogen spots on.

I just use the yellow foam applicator they send with it. And I always have a stack of fresh ones for subsequent vehicles or rims and trim. I've read some other suggestions but the foamies work well for me. Makes it easy to use the right amount of product.
The last vehicle I opticoated I made the mistake of using a microfiber applicator... used way too much product.

That's funny! My daughter doesn't want to ride in our car either. She calls the 4runner our 'Bronco'. I restored a '67 that she loved to ride in. Anything resembling an offroad vehicle is forever a bronco to her.
I think she really likes the high up view.