Ever since I bought my 2007 Sport model in 2012, I've had a bit of a diff whine, and it's been growing louder recently, so I finally bit the bullet and coughed up the $118 the local dealer(s) wanted to do the requisite inspections. Sure enough, they found damage in the rear diff. All the bearings checked out OK, and the front diff and transfer case bearings and gears turned out OK. At 92,500 miles now, they much prefer to replace the rear diff with a brand new (not rebuilt) one. While truck was up on the lift, the techs discovered the left front wheel had a frozen caliper on it. For reasons of safety and (especially) liability, they again much prefer to replace a caliper with a brand new one, rather than install a rebuilt one or try to repair the original one. Long story short, new rear positraction diff: $2,500 installed. New caliper: $600 installed, for a total nut of $3,100. Yeow! So, you might reasonably ask, where does Christmas come in?
One of the few smart things I did after buying the 4Runner was to buy an
expensive, bumper-to-bumper, Toyota "Platinum-level" extended warranty at an outrageous, usurious price from the dealer. Truth to tell, wife made me do it. Bottom line:
every penny of both repairs is 100% covered! In addition, while truck is in the shop, (2-3 days) 100% of the rental fee for a Toyota rental car is also included. I just drive the truck to the dealership on Monday and drive hone in a new Toyota rent-a-car, and reverse the process when the truck's ready. Not too shabby! :blah::
Thank you, Lord; Thank You, Santa Clause; Thank You, wife! Whew! :frog:
For the record, everything else on that truck is original. Engine, Transmission, transfer case, front diff, water pump, fuel pump, radiator, suspension (X-REAS), steering gear, bushings, and so on, right down to the belts and hoses. :wow2:
Considering that I'm the truck's third owner, and that I've driven it to CA and back at absolutely obscene speeds, and took it up over 5,000 feet above sea level off road in the San Gabriel mountains............well, what more could a dude ask for? I'm hooked for life.
Interestingly, service writers at two different Toyota dealerships in CA and MT told me to keep it and NOT trade it in on a 5th generation model. Make of that what you will, but I was impressed and thankful, though I may weaken when the TRD Pro package shows up. Groan.......... Never have learned to leave well enough alone, nor to follow the advice of experts, which I'm certainly not.
One of the few smart things I did after buying the 4Runner was to buy an
expensive, bumper-to-bumper, Toyota "Platinum-level" extended warranty at an outrageous, usurious price from the dealer. Truth to tell, wife made me do it. Bottom line:
every penny of both repairs is 100% covered! In addition, while truck is in the shop, (2-3 days) 100% of the rental fee for a Toyota rental car is also included. I just drive the truck to the dealership on Monday and drive hone in a new Toyota rent-a-car, and reverse the process when the truck's ready. Not too shabby! :blah::
Thank you, Lord; Thank You, Santa Clause; Thank You, wife! Whew! :frog:
For the record, everything else on that truck is original. Engine, Transmission, transfer case, front diff, water pump, fuel pump, radiator, suspension (X-REAS), steering gear, bushings, and so on, right down to the belts and hoses. :wow2:
Considering that I'm the truck's third owner, and that I've driven it to CA and back at absolutely obscene speeds, and took it up over 5,000 feet above sea level off road in the San Gabriel mountains............well, what more could a dude ask for? I'm hooked for life.
Interestingly, service writers at two different Toyota dealerships in CA and MT told me to keep it and NOT trade it in on a 5th generation model. Make of that what you will, but I was impressed and thankful, though I may weaken when the TRD Pro package shows up. Groan.......... Never have learned to leave well enough alone, nor to follow the advice of experts, which I'm certainly not.
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