OkiSurf1996
New member
Living in Japan right now, driving a 3rd gen 4Runner (Hilux Surf). When I return to the states...I'm torn between buying another 3rd gen or 4th gen...give me reasons why I should buy a 4th gen over the 3rd gen!
Convince me to buy a 4th gen instead of a 3rd gen
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LOSTR4
Member
Well for starters, everything you can do to the 3rd gen for comfort, power, and reliance has already been addressed and built into the 4th gen...4th gens are much more refined and the motor and transmission choices are heralded as some of the best since the 22RE of moons past...4th gens are slightly larger too and still look era-correct...there are pros and cons to both but much many more pros on the 4th than the 3rd...
paperchasin
New member
Why are you torn? Simply write down all of the pros and cons of each, prioritize them, and see which one wins on paper. I've always told anyone buying a car to always buy the newest car they could comfortably afford. If I had a choice I would've picked up a 5th gen, but I didn't want to stretch my budget.
V8Limited4wd
New member
Go out and drive one, specifically the V8. That's all the convincing you will need.
V8 AWD
Projector Headlights
Larger
More comfortable
Newer - so more still on the road, more to shop from
Newer - less rust/wear, less time for strange things to have happened to it
SR5, Sport, Limited V6, V8, 2wd 4wd - more variety to choose
...and really in an older car its the small things that get annoying (the big things will get repaired) but when tiny bulbs start burning out or windows dont work as smooth its just a pain in the ass !
Projector Headlights
Larger
More comfortable
Newer - so more still on the road, more to shop from
Newer - less rust/wear, less time for strange things to have happened to it
SR5, Sport, Limited V6, V8, 2wd 4wd - more variety to choose
...and really in an older car its the small things that get annoying (the big things will get repaired) but when tiny bulbs start burning out or windows dont work as smooth its just a pain in the ass !
nevada
Senior Member
yup. this.
progress4m
Member
Here is the way I see it (just fyi- I owned 3rd gen for 10 years before buying 2005 V8 4x4):
Biggest pros to 3rd gen: in OEM form it has better ground clearance (especially 1999 model of 4Runners), better approach and departure angles vs. OEM form of 4th generation;
But, even with simplest and cheapest Day Star spacer lift you can make 4th gen be as good if not better than 3rd gen in aspects mentioned above;
However, there is nothing you can do to make 3rd gen bigger, a lot more comfortable and refined… and more powerful...especially comparing it to 4th gen V8 models;
I know you can add supercharger to 3.4 L V6 but now you loosing reliability and it still does not match horsepower or torque of N\A 4.7 V8 (unless you going to push that supercharger beyond what it was intended to do by TRD… which is in IMHO not smart to say at least);
Biggest pros to 3rd gen: in OEM form it has better ground clearance (especially 1999 model of 4Runners), better approach and departure angles vs. OEM form of 4th generation;
But, even with simplest and cheapest Day Star spacer lift you can make 4th gen be as good if not better than 3rd gen in aspects mentioned above;
However, there is nothing you can do to make 3rd gen bigger, a lot more comfortable and refined… and more powerful...especially comparing it to 4th gen V8 models;
I know you can add supercharger to 3.4 L V6 but now you loosing reliability and it still does not match horsepower or torque of N\A 4.7 V8 (unless you going to push that supercharger beyond what it was intended to do by TRD… which is in IMHO not smart to say at least);
ARunner
New member
Like others I have spent a lot of time in both. I picked up a third gen to replace my daily driver 1st gen last year. Previously I had owned third gen 4runners as my primary vehicle. I found a fantastic low mileage third gen. I bought it. I also had a 4th gen in the garage at home Id had for a couple of years. I had big plans for the third gen. But after driving it for a couple of months and comparing it to the 4th gen I would otherwise have been selling, I just couldn't do it. The 4th gen was so much more comfortable, advanced, quiet, safe, and able to do more (tow more, haul more, etc.) than the third gen. So while I like the fact the third gen has tighter dimensions and more clearance for offroading, the fact is I'll spend 99% of my time on the road where I'll rather be in the 4th gen. So I sold the third gen and built my 4th gen instead. So happy I made that decision. It's quite capable offroad and still able to haul down 5 hour road trips more comfortable than a stock third gen ever could be.
Weejub
New member
I'm going back to a 3rd Gen from a 4th Gen in the next few weeks.
I will miss the head room and not fighting over the center console / arm rest with my wife/son.
I will miss being able to easily pull a utility trailer without worrying about overheating my tranny. I will miss the 4th Gen in the snow, as well.
For me, my "main car" is now a Prius V - - the 3rd Gen will be our off-road vehicle and we need to cut back on cars from 2 4runners to 1.
The 4th Gen has to go and this is after I "upgraded" from 3rd to 4th and told everyone I would never sell the '04 as it was perfect.
The 3rd gen feels better balanced front to back to me - it is more nimble - like a cat.
I will miss the head room and not fighting over the center console / arm rest with my wife/son.
I will miss being able to easily pull a utility trailer without worrying about overheating my tranny. I will miss the 4th Gen in the snow, as well.
For me, my "main car" is now a Prius V - - the 3rd Gen will be our off-road vehicle and we need to cut back on cars from 2 4runners to 1.
The 4th Gen has to go and this is after I "upgraded" from 3rd to 4th and told everyone I would never sell the '04 as it was perfect.
The 3rd gen feels better balanced front to back to me - it is more nimble - like a cat.
OkiSurf1996
New member
Thanks for the input so far everyone. Also, it's not an issue of finances. I really just don't enjoy car payments, I could purchase a new TRD Pro on the budget I have, but I would rather not have payments to make every month. Gotta retire some day, and no car payments let me retire sooner!
