Mike Beyers
New member
Because you will continue to drive, literally, an automotive legend based on it's performance and reliability.
Convince me to buy a New 4Runner
- Thread starter 054Runner1
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Snowtrooper
New member
I had the same jeep fever for about three days. What snapped me out of it was witnessing the infamous death wobble as a buddy was trying to keep up on the highway in his heavily modded JK. Nope!
thennen
New member
Agreed. Data I've seen indicate that the 2005 is about 1/2 second slower to 60 than the current 4R. Regardless, they're close enough that nobody would notice. If you haven't been rear-ended on the Texas entrance ramps in your current 4Runner, then you're safe with a new one.
And how could anyone spend a decent amount of time on this forum and come to the conclusion that the current 4Runner has quality issues? Other than the petty gripes you find everywhere about this feature or that, I don't think I've seen anyone complain that their Gen5 is falling apart or is a piece of junk. And if there is someone, it's probably one unhappy person - certainly not multiple people.
So if you've had your 4Runner for 15 years, and "some people" say the new ones aren't what they used to be, and that's enough to move you to another vehicle, I say go for it. Your current 4Runner doesn't appear to have convinced you, and it's the best evidence you've got. I've seen people on here move to different vehicles for many reasons, but I don't believe I've ever seen someone make the switch due to quality complaints.
rageandlove
Member
If you ever have plans to mod anything, the current 4Runner is ideal - it's very adaptable and mod-able, there is a giant ecosystem of vendors that build everything you could ever want, and billions of forum posts and youtube videos that show you how to change anything you want to change. That's the a benefit of a design that doesn't get "refreshed" every 4 years.
thennen
New member
As I understand it, "the manual stick is a direct connection to the transfer case, but the action locking the front axle into 4wd is still electronically actuated" (quoted from elsewhere). Is this what you mean?
I would keep your old one even if you buy a new one.
A couple of years ago my 2003 was getting close to 200,000 so i thought I better buy a new one. I bought a new 2018 Limited and decided to keep the 03.
I now have 206,566 on my 2003 and still drive it every day. I like the 2003 a lot better than the 2018. It drives better, has a better ride, and gets better gas mileage by 1 or 2 mpg and uses NO oil between 5,000 mile changes of Mobil 1. I guess one day my 2003 will die but I think that is a long ways down the road. I will keep both of them for the foreseeable future.
Oh by the way my 2018 has just over 5,000 miles on it. Like I said I like the 2003 better.
A couple of years ago my 2003 was getting close to 200,000 so i thought I better buy a new one. I bought a new 2018 Limited and decided to keep the 03.
I now have 206,566 on my 2003 and still drive it every day. I like the 2003 a lot better than the 2018. It drives better, has a better ride, and gets better gas mileage by 1 or 2 mpg and uses NO oil between 5,000 mile changes of Mobil 1. I guess one day my 2003 will die but I think that is a long ways down the road. I will keep both of them for the foreseeable future.
Oh by the way my 2018 has just over 5,000 miles on it. Like I said I like the 2003 better.
Patrick777
New member
I would stick to 05 4runner. Well that's what I have, it's a v6 with 385kms and it runs and looks mint ( except the tailgate)
054Runner1
New member
Oh I’m definitely keeping my 4th gen. I have 270,000 miles on it now and have only in the last 6 months had to make moderate repairs. Had my
Brothers Mechanic friend do a total overhaul on everything front to back and he says I’m good for another 270,000. My goal is to make it to 500,000 miles. It will be driven daily and the new one will sit in the garage except on weekends at first. I think you folks are solidifying my choice of a new Runner. I won’t make a ton of mods but will probably get a 2”-3” lift and tires. Beyond that probably not much else. Now to figure out which trim and color.......Thoughts?
Brothers Mechanic friend do a total overhaul on everything front to back and he says I’m good for another 270,000. My goal is to make it to 500,000 miles. It will be driven daily and the new one will sit in the garage except on weekends at first. I think you folks are solidifying my choice of a new Runner. I won’t make a ton of mods but will probably get a 2”-3” lift and tires. Beyond that probably not much else. Now to figure out which trim and color.......Thoughts?
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Tuco S.
New member
About the powertrain, some might call it outdated and ancient, others might call it proven and pretty much bulletproof reliable. It's certainly not a weak point. Turbos and direct injection all sound great on paper, but all that added complexity will increase maintenance and repair costs.
A better time to buy was 2019. I just priced the same model I bought in 2019 and it appears to be @ $3000 more, apparently thanks to all that safety junk, pushbutton start, etc etc. But at least it's the same reliable vehicle. Good luck finding that in a Wrangler.
A better time to buy was 2019. I just priced the same model I bought in 2019 and it appears to be @ $3000 more, apparently thanks to all that safety junk, pushbutton start, etc etc. But at least it's the same reliable vehicle. Good luck finding that in a Wrangler.
054Runner1
New member
Well finally got to test drive a TRD OR tonight. I have zero concerns now. All that’s left is to find the best deal on a new 4runner. Thanks for the input everyone. I will post a picture when I seal the deal.
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Snowtrooper
New member
Don’t leave us hangin. So what were your thoughts, coming from a 2005?
054Runner1
New member
I really liked it. It just feels like a refined version of my current one. That’s not a bad thing necessarily as I’m pretty minimalist when it comes to tech stuff. I like that it has LED headlights and Apple car play. I do wish it had Blind Spot Monitoring and I wish that the backup camera would give an audible warning for cross traffic and when you are close to something but those are really minor gripes.
I can see why some may be upset by the lack of “innovation” for the price of these things and I somewhat agree but the dang thing just feels well built. Down to the weight of the doors, how they close, the steering wheel, you can just tell this thing is built to last unlike some other domestic products. I DID NOT get that same feeling with the jeep. The Jeep felt nice once you are inside but everything else on the outside felt plasticy and hollow. I also hate the interior space of the jeep. There is no room for anything. It felt cramped. I’m really leaning heavily on getting a TRD Offroad or Offroad Premium at this point. Best I can tell the only difference between those 2 is “Leather” seats.
4runner is a dinosaur but the good kind. I love my 2020 but If i had to do it all over again, I probably would have gotten a 2010-2015 Trail and just paid cash. The good and bad thing about used 4runners is their resale values are very strong so even a relatively clean 10yo model with 100k+ miles will still demand sub-20k on the used market which is a lot for a vehicle of that age. They just don't depreciate much.
The difference are a bit more than leather/softex. Smart key, push button start, homelink, moonroof option, and maybe a few other convenience features. Nothing major but I use and like all of the features in the premium trim so I went that route. Just something to consider.
Charles Bronson
Member
I have a 2016 BMW M235 that I ordered new. It is not equipped with a lot of tech (no nav, moonroof delete, no driving assistance crap). It is my first German car it has been shockingly good. Not a single issue in nearly 5 years and 50K miles of ownership. Hardly a rattle and everything is just tight, solid, and well built. The doors, hood, and trunk close with a heavy and solid thud. When working on the car, I'm amazed at how robust all the drivetrain parts are compared to the prior cars I had from Honda, Nissan, Infiniti, GM, and Subaru.
Then there's my wife's 2020 ORP we got in late July to replace her 2015 Outback 3.6r (given to our son). She wanted a truck to relive her days when she had an 86 Toyota 4X4 and to have something she could easily throw a paddleboard into. Shortly after purchase, we essentially converted the 4runner to a Pro minus the shocks which will soon be Bilsteins.
The 4runner is FULL of hard plastic. The doors aren't remotely as solid as the BMW's. The acceleration isn't spectacular, largely due to being held back by the long ratio 5 speed (really needs to be the 8 speed used in most Lexus products). The 4runner is lacking many of the creature comforts that came in the 5 year older Outback or my M235. The stereo is laughably bad (speakers soon to be upgraded).
BUT, with all that said. We absolutely love it. I drive it as much as she lets me. I appreciate it's simplicity. I love that it's a legit body on frame, jam the lever into 4 wheel drive SUV. It looks the business and can back up its looks which most SUVs can't claim to do and are really just glorified lifted wagons. I also love vehicles with huge aftermarket support. You can totally make it your own. The skies the limit.
Then there's my wife's 2020 ORP we got in late July to replace her 2015 Outback 3.6r (given to our son). She wanted a truck to relive her days when she had an 86 Toyota 4X4 and to have something she could easily throw a paddleboard into. Shortly after purchase, we essentially converted the 4runner to a Pro minus the shocks which will soon be Bilsteins.
The 4runner is FULL of hard plastic. The doors aren't remotely as solid as the BMW's. The acceleration isn't spectacular, largely due to being held back by the long ratio 5 speed (really needs to be the 8 speed used in most Lexus products). The 4runner is lacking many of the creature comforts that came in the 5 year older Outback or my M235. The stereo is laughably bad (speakers soon to be upgraded).
BUT, with all that said. We absolutely love it. I drive it as much as she lets me. I appreciate it's simplicity. I love that it's a legit body on frame, jam the lever into 4 wheel drive SUV. It looks the business and can back up its looks which most SUVs can't claim to do and are really just glorified lifted wagons. I also love vehicles with huge aftermarket support. You can totally make it your own. The skies the limit.
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-E5J-
New member
I did the exact same thing in '02... drove that 4Runner for 14 years... never a problem.
Batang.Gapo
New member
2011 Proud Owner here...
Prod owner of 2011 SR5 Upgrade Package (Canada), zero issue from day 1 (fingers crossed).
Can you wait for the redesign as there are really significant changes with the latest model year ?
My two cents...
Prod owner of 2011 SR5 Upgrade Package (Canada), zero issue from day 1 (fingers crossed).
Can you wait for the redesign as there are really significant changes with the latest model year ?
My two cents...
I'll throw my $.02, although it's probably only worth half that, LOL. I'm a pickup guy, but my past experience led me to the 4runner:
'15 F-150, leased new, Ford's latest and greatest; aluminum this, electronic that, turbo charged small displacement v-6 - bla bla bla. First cold morning, driver's side door wouldn't close. I'm like WTF? My brand new state of the art + $50k pickup (600 miles on it) and I have to drive to work holding the door closed. Several trips to the dealer, calls to Ford Corporate in MI and all I got was, "Parts are on Back Order, may be a couple months." After a couple months of this, I called the Rep at Ford Corporate that was handing my case and left a message on her VM: "You are taking this truck back and giving me a loaner until it is fixed, or I'm invoking the Lemon Law." I got a call about an hour later from my dealer, the parts mysteriously just showed up, LOL.
Giving Ford the benefit of the doubt that this was a one off, I bought another '18 F-150, this one had the 5.0, pretty much loaded up. The plan was to buy it after the lease was up. I had to put 5 quarts of oil in it before the first oil change. Ford's fix was to do an oil use analysis and then replace the engine. Turns out this is a common problem on the 5.0 Coyote engine, and apparently it's still not fixed, so they are going to replace my engine with another one that likely uses oil like a 2 stroke.
So, the time came to shop again, I was done with Ford, so I started looking at a Chevy. Found a nice Trail Boss - beautiful truck. Was ready to pull the trigger but figured I better research it a bit. Got online - Transmission problems, problems with cylinder deactivation, electrical gremlins, frames rusting, etc, etc. It's a shame, because it was nice as hell and I was ready to sign on the dotted line, but I was done messing around with problematic vehicles.
That's why I purchased my first Toyota (4Runner). I don't want all that stupid electronic "Me-Too" tech that is just going to cause problems in the future - been there, done that, and it wasn't good. Anyway, I love the simplicity of the 4Runner, you can keep all that fancy, latest tech.
'15 F-150, leased new, Ford's latest and greatest; aluminum this, electronic that, turbo charged small displacement v-6 - bla bla bla. First cold morning, driver's side door wouldn't close. I'm like WTF? My brand new state of the art + $50k pickup (600 miles on it) and I have to drive to work holding the door closed. Several trips to the dealer, calls to Ford Corporate in MI and all I got was, "Parts are on Back Order, may be a couple months." After a couple months of this, I called the Rep at Ford Corporate that was handing my case and left a message on her VM: "You are taking this truck back and giving me a loaner until it is fixed, or I'm invoking the Lemon Law." I got a call about an hour later from my dealer, the parts mysteriously just showed up, LOL.
Giving Ford the benefit of the doubt that this was a one off, I bought another '18 F-150, this one had the 5.0, pretty much loaded up. The plan was to buy it after the lease was up. I had to put 5 quarts of oil in it before the first oil change. Ford's fix was to do an oil use analysis and then replace the engine. Turns out this is a common problem on the 5.0 Coyote engine, and apparently it's still not fixed, so they are going to replace my engine with another one that likely uses oil like a 2 stroke.
So, the time came to shop again, I was done with Ford, so I started looking at a Chevy. Found a nice Trail Boss - beautiful truck. Was ready to pull the trigger but figured I better research it a bit. Got online - Transmission problems, problems with cylinder deactivation, electrical gremlins, frames rusting, etc, etc. It's a shame, because it was nice as hell and I was ready to sign on the dotted line, but I was done messing around with problematic vehicles.
That's why I purchased my first Toyota (4Runner). I don't want all that stupid electronic "Me-Too" tech that is just going to cause problems in the future - been there, done that, and it wasn't good. Anyway, I love the simplicity of the 4Runner, you can keep all that fancy, latest tech.
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Midnightxp
New member
Funny I basically did the same thing. 2018 f150 with 3.5 ecoboost, had the dash warp replaced, shocks went out around 38k, dual panel sunroof would randomly rattle and randomly not open. Had the cam phaser start up rattle repaired and then while it was in the shop had the transmission fluid changed. Once I got it back it never seemed right and then I closed the sunroof and one side of it dropped down and one side stayed up. Smacked it a bunch of times and it finally fully closed. Got rid of it right before the powertrain warranty was up.
I couldn't find a pick up I had any faith in besides a tundra and just didn't want the poor fuel economy nor did I like the interior. Got the 4runner because my 2005 was pretty reliable, only had to get the rear axle seal fixed in the 120k miles I owned it. I can't say the 4runner is remotely close to being as nice in general as the f150 was but I trust it much more and am not sitting waiting to see what breaks next. Things that stand out as far as down grades between the two vehicles is of course power, room, auto on head lights, gas mileage, and the stereo is horrible in the 4runner. The head unit probable the worst thing in the 4runner. That said it drives very smoothly, and 5-10 years from now it will hopefully still be trouble free and worth a good amount of money.
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