Considering a trade today. Kids are growing and need 3 rows.

[bimrunner]

Tough call. Take your time thinking it through. Do you have another family vehicle? We decided 2 years ago to "suffer" through having too few seats for what we wanted longer term. However, our kids are older. I have 4 kids. the 4Runner is our highest capacity vehicle. We do all cram in there for some wheeling trips and when we want to take only one car. Before you know it your adolescent will be driving and you won't have 2 car seats. The years leading up to that point can seem long however. Gotta make a pro/con list and think it through logically with your other half. You will come to the right decision for your family. A bunch of online "helpers" probably won't be all that helpful. Lol. We can be moral support though.

 

[brtnstrns]

Hey OP I made a post about this particular Land Cruiser:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/general-discussions/239887-check-out-used-200-series.html

I've been eyeing it for awhile now, I'm just worried about the MPG and the fact that it is almost 8 years old!!!

Dang, that thing is ugly!

 

[gtfour43]

Dang, that thing is ugly!

Didn't your mom ever tell you.....:doh:

 

[DeepSea]

Build a Sequndra: 2010-17' Sequoia with TRD PRO Tundra front clip. I know atleast two have been done here in Hawaii. Cost about 4-5k in parts/labor after buying the Sequoia.

 

[Schrek]

My wife and I had the same conversation - she wanted three rows and I didn't want to get rid of my 4Runner (which she had taken, lol). We ended up with a 2013 GX460 and couldn't be happier. The GX is an absolute machine and has more capability than my 4Runner and three rows.

 

[Senorlechero]

*.*Salesmen = Con artists

I'll never buy used nor new from a dealership for that reason alone.

Or just people trying to feed their kids.... and decided to work for a brand they believe in and trust their own family too.

OP.
Have you looked at the Highlander?
Third row 4Runner has worked well for us for the past 6 years with 4kids aged 14-5yo


The van is easily the most convenient to drive with kids. But we refuse to drive one lol

Good luck either way!

 

[DeepSea]

If I was going the minivan route, it'd be the Sienna SE without a doubt

 

[JayceeP]

I would just really review the specs and trial it out with the family. I hear you though... we drove an hour to the beach yesterday with me, baby in car seat, wife, 15y/o, and 15y/o's friend. It was a brutal drive. Wife and 15y/o were in the back with the baby and complained about how uncomfortable it was. Decent amount of room in the trunk with 4 beach chairs, stroller, umbrella, bags with towels and a couple small soft cover coolers.

As big as the exterior dimensions are on the 4Runner it really isn't all that big on the inside. And, no, I'm not just realizing this all now. I knew what I was buying 4 years ago. But, since the baby came in January, some of these drawbacks are much more evident and in-your-face. When we rented a Yukon in Florida back in March, it was even more apparent.

As I've said before, the next vehicle will be a Yukon/Yukon XL unless Toyota comes out with a more modern Sequoia and a V8 that gets half decent gas mileage.

 

[philsey]

I would just really review the specs and trial it out with the family. I hear you though... we drove an hour to the beach yesterday with me, baby in car seat, wife, 15y/o, and 15y/o's friend. It was a brutal drive. Wife and 15y/o were in the back with the baby and complained about how uncomfortable it was. Decent amount of room in the trunk with 4 beach chairs, stroller, umbrella, bags with towels and a couple small soft cover coolers.
.

Dunno brother ... in my family the wife would've had the front seat and the teens had back seat/babysitting duty.

"15 YO, and a baby" ... way to go man! Surprise, surprise.

 

[JayceeP]

Dunno brother ... in my family the wife would've had the front seat and the teens had back seat/babysitting duty.

"15 YO, and a baby" ... way to go man! Surprise, surprise.

LOL. Yeah he's technically my step-son but he's good with the new little one. Wife was in the front but within 5 minutes of leaving home the baby was crying A LOT. The 2 boys in the back aren't exactly comfortable dealing with that so I pulled over and figured it would be less awkward with the friend up front rather than the friend being back there with my wife and crying baby. Haha.

 

[SidKo]

I jumped on purchasing my 4Runner with third row because my kids were still small (4 and 6 years old). However we test drove a few cars including the Highlander, Sienna, and Honda Pilot. I just couldn't do the Sienna because I wasn't confident it could handle the snow we get in NYC. The Highlander is a nice ride, but the Honda Pilot won it for us. Its interior design was much better to accommodate big kids for the third row. Storage while using the third row was surprisingly nice, but if the third row wasn't being used, the total cargo space was great. I would say it's bigger than the 4Runner. Also their terrain selection feature looks promising. Looks like it can handle the snow and able to ride on sand at the beach for fishing.

Whatever you decide, be sure to test drive any interested vehicles with child seat(s) and the entire family. Cram them in and see what works for you. When we tested the Honda Pilot, I sent the wife and the two kids to the back. It was nice having the space and be solo at the front.

I'm glad we got the 4Runner. We would consider dictching our Prius and get the Honda Pilot when the kids grow bigger. We probably have 5 years before we get to that point.

Good luck on your search.

 

[elborikua]

Family of 5 here. 17, 13 and 8 year old. No third row (purposely). They fit just fine. Longest trip so far was 4 hours each way.

If I had the third row all they would do is complain about not being able to use it cause I have all the camping stuff in the back. (I know cause we also have an old Yukon with 3rd row).

They are old enough to understand that if they want to travel in a different vehicle they are welcome to spend their own money when old enough to pay for their own crap. In the meantime, mom pours all 3 of them a cup of STFU before getting on the road.

 

[philsey]

Just remember, the 4R has really inadequate HVAC in that 3rd row.

 

[flea1983]

Just remember, the 4R has really inadequate HVAC in that 3rd row.

And barely adequate (if that) hvac in the second row!

 

[SumDumGuy]

My wife has a sequoia and it's a great family vehicle, but man, the interior is so plasticky it's disgusting for a vehicle that costs as much as it does. The LC is a very capable vehicle and very reliable so I wouldn't be concerned about it being aged as much and especially the 67k miles assuming the maintenance checks out like you mentioned. The interior is great on the vehicles and yes it's old technology, but it's proven and that's why it's in the vehicle. I will be getting one myself sometime next year.

 

[NuclearN8]

[MENTION=78903]08runnertjb[/MENTION]

In a similiar situation here trying to decide between a 4R and LC200.
Currently we have no Toyota SUV in the garage for the first time in a long time, waiting on 2018 colors to be released before going for test drives.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[08runnertjb]

Or just people trying to feed their kids.... and decided to work for a brand they believe in and trust their own family too.

OP.
Have you looked at the Highlander?
Third row 4Runner has worked well for us for the past 6 years with 4kids aged 14-5yo


The van is easily the most convenient to drive with kids. But we refuse to drive one lol

Good luck either way!

We actually have a honda odyssey and love it. I'm really just looking for a happy balance of offroad that I can take the wife and 3 little girls in. It's doable now but we are getting pretty good at testing the spacial limits of the gobi, which doesn't bother me, but having more seating room for my 9 year in a third row would be nice.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

 

[08runnertjb]

I jumped on purchasing my 4Runner with third row because my kids were still small (4 and 6 years old). However we test drove a few cars including the Highlander, Sienna, and Honda Pilot. I just couldn't do the Sienna because I wasn't confident it could handle the snow we get in NYC. The Highlander is a nice ride, but the Honda Pilot won it for us. Its interior design was much better to accommodate big kids for the third row. Storage while using the third row was surprisingly nice, but if the third row wasn't being used, the total cargo space was great. I would say it's bigger than the 4Runner. Also their terrain selection feature looks promising. Looks like it can handle the snow and able to ride on sand at the beach for fishing.

Whatever you decide, be sure to test drive any interested vehicles with child seat(s) and the entire family. Cram them in and see what works for you. When we tested the Honda Pilot, I sent the wife and the two kids to the back. It was nice having the space and be solo at the front.

I'm glad we got the 4Runner. We would consider dictching our Prius and get the Honda Pilot when the kids grow bigger. We probably have 5 years before we get to that point.

Good luck on your search.

Thanks. We like the honda pilot too and am looking at that as a replacement for the odyssey I hit the lotto and just get 4wd Quigley van[emoji106] then all my seating and space issues would be solved.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

 

[08runnertjb]

My wife has a sequoia and it's a great family vehicle, but man, the interior is so plasticky it's disgusting for a vehicle that costs as much as it does. The LC is a very capable vehicle and very reliable so I wouldn't be concerned about it being aged as much and especially the 67k miles assuming the maintenance checks out like you mentioned. The interior is great on the vehicles and yes it's old technology, but it's proven and that's why it's in the vehicle. I will be getting one myself sometime next year.

Good points. I really like the sequioa. It's just...so...big. but the space for long trips and camping would be tremendous.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

 

[SumDumGuy]

Good points. I really like the sequioa. It's just...so...big. but the space for long trips and camping would be tremendous.

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It definitely is. It's nice though being so wide allows for more room across the seat. We actually needed to fit 3 car seats on the second row and it was one of the only vehicles that could do it. It's also nice the rear seats fold flat versus up to the side taking up space. Even with the seats up there is still a decent amount of room. It all comes down to what you need really. Definite trade offs if you consider a sequoia and you'll notice it right away as soon as you sit in there after being in a LC.

Good luck with your decision.