Do you think THEY are on T4R.org?

[sp8ball]

A year ago, in the spring of 2010, seeing our 5th Gen 4Runners on the road was very rare. I’d see one maybe once a week. I remember I’d gawk and stare and point them out to my wife. (note: she didn’t share my enthusiasm and often called me a "dork", but did look so she could evaluate the available colors)

Now, I see at least 2 or 3 every day. But I look at them differently.

I look to see if they’re Limiteds or SR5s or Trails. I look for mods. I look for wheel/tire combos. I look for stubby antennas. I blame this forum.

However, it has dawned on me that only a small fraction of 4Runner owners are actually members of this site. So maybe we can have some fun, amongst ourselves, with our camaraderie and common love of mods and upgrades.

I thought it might be fun to start this thread – “Do you think THEY are on T4R.org?” – as a way for us to stereotype and poke fun at ourselves.

Let’s list the things that we look for as soon as we see another 4Runner. Things that might be a dead giveaway that someone just might be - or very likely isn’t - a member of this site. As you drive around your respective hometowns and you catch yourself looking at other 4Runners, post the first thing you thought about the truck you saw, and whether or not you said, “I bet that guy’s on the forum!” or “there’s no way that owner is on our site.”

Yes, we will stereotype – and I ask that we do it nicely so we don’t get in trouble with the moderators. Do it in FUN. I fully anticipate that I will find myself making fun of myself, or even some of the posters on here that I truly, truly admire.

And yes, we may say something about a 4Runner we see, and say that a member of this forum wouldn’t do that to their truck…and someone on here has done it.

It’s all in good fun.

And it’s also designed to see if I’m crazy or not for thinking the things I see when I spy another 4Runner…

 

[sp8ball]

I'll go first...

This morning on my way to work, I pulled in behind a Blizzard Pearl 5th gen 4Runner just outside of my neighborhood.

They had a white, fuzzy, Mickey Mouse antenna topper (on - gasp! - a stock antenna), with the stick figure family members (with mouseketeer hats) on the right side of the back window, and a mickey mouse sticker on the left side of the rear window.

The chrome was not blacked out. The wheels and tires were stock. It was not lifted.

I am going to say they are NOT a member of our forum.

 

[Jesse1983]

haha, this is very funny, and true.

when I drive by, or am next to another 5th gen, after I check if they've done any mods (I've yet to see another 5th in person with any mods) I look to see if they are checking out mine. If they aren't, I assume they aren't on this site. I assume they don't care about mods and therefore don't see anything different about mine, and they don't have a reason to be on a 4R forum. I've actually never seen another 5th gen owner check mine out. The 4th gen owners are always envious though :biggrin2:

 

[emsmatt]

Awesome idea for a thread. I do the same thing although 5th gen's arent all over the place here. I see mayby 2-3 a week and I've yet to see any that have done anything in the way of mods. Makes mine look like Harper7's in comparassion and I have done so very little, so far.

 

[Jesse1983]

this pic was posted in the general section. I'm going to guess the owner is not a member. if he/she is, come out of hiding :whipping2

 

[Jesse1983]

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[sp8ball]

haha, this is very funny, and true.

when I drive by, or am next to another 5th gen, after I check if they've done any mods (I've yet to see another 5th in person with any mods) I look to see if they are checking out mine. If they aren't, I assume they aren't on this site. I assume they don't care about mods and therefore don't see anything different about mine, and they don't have a reason to be on a 4R forum. I've actually never seen another 5th gen owner check mine out. The 4th gen owners are always envious though :biggrin2:

Yes! When I came up with the idea for this thread (in the shower, this morning...don't ask), I thought about this CRITICAL part of the discussion, and I left it out of my original post.

The critical piece is this: are they checking YOUR RIG out as much as you are checking out THEIR T4R? That should be another giveaway that they may be a forum member.

Example: I knew Antman lived near me (we had exchanged PMs when he saw "Bel Air" on my profile), so when I was in my driveway installing Nerf Bars and a Mag Grey 4Runner pulls a slow drive by and then stops to introduce himself, I already knew who it was!! :hello:

Thanks Jesse!

 

[sp8ball]

front

Talk about having baggage...

(thank you, thank you...I'll be here all week. Tip your waitress!)

 

[iDRiVaT4R]

I've noticed many more SR5's and Limited's on the road in my neck of the woods. Almost see at least one daily. I have only ever seen 2 trail editions though on the street in the last year since I bought mine. One looked like mine, lifted and etc. and another was a stock TE. I tried tracking down on the forums who the lifted one belonged to but never got anywhere.

 

[SeattleMike]

I got honked at by a red TE the other day. Based on the color and location I think it was tonkat. Other than that one time, I have yet to see another member of this forum on the road.

 

[T4R_Finally]

I'm the dork that joins a forum site for any and every vehicle I own or have owned, including my Dodge Ram, my Mazda RX8, the Jeep Liberty I owned prior to the T4R, the Harley I owned until last summer before giving in to the wife and sold it, and even my golf cart. I started with the Harley. I found that I could get a lot of ideas as well as save a lot of headaches and money learning to do my own mods and do them correctly. That prompted me to join the other forum sites and to, ultimately, go out and find this one when we decided we wanted a 4Runner. I've made mods and/or repairs to all of those other vehicles using advice from those forums but we've yet to really find a need or desire to mod our 4R in any way.

So, back to the purpose of this thread, I'd be the guy with the 100% stock T4R that you'll see and assume I have no affiliation with this forum site, but I do. But, yes, to answer the other question, especially when I see Harley's or RX8's that have been mod'd in a way that I've seen referred to on the forum sites, I do wonder if they are forum members as well.

A couple of the forum sites I've been members of have had folks make up window decals and even had design contests for them, so that members can buy them and proudly put them on their vehicle. And the forum site gets a cut of the proceeds to help support the site.

For now, I'm proud to say, I own the only 5th Gen in the small town we live in. I've yet to see a TE in person, either on the road or on a dealer lot.

 

[fxoffroad]

Interesting thread as I'm sitting@ Mountain States Toyota in Denver.

When I pulled into their service drive there were two other 5th Gens and it does make you wonder if those people ever visit this site. Since I've been waiting (in less than a hour), I've seen 3 more 5th gens pull in.

It's seems there are tons of 4Runners in western states... there are several 5th gens just in my neighborhood and I've seen 5 or so with mods. I see BFLAN, I AM SAM and a few other known T4R members on the road on often - which makes my stock 4R look very boring.

 

[mtbnole]

in the 3 weeks i've had the 4runner, i've never seen another TE on the road in south florida, and even on my drive to SC and back for the weekend. There are 2 new sr5s in the parking garage at my office building, and my brother has a 2010 sr5, but i know he's not on here, as it's strickly a mommy wagon (not sure why they didn't get a Highlander). I figure if I see another trail, they are more likely to be on here, or are a just a poser.

 

[bluebullet]

I don't many in nw MT course I don't get out much either. I usually look at the license plate to see where they are from. If I get a chance, I try to see where they located the front tag as I have yet to drill holes on my TE for the tag. I just carry it on the floor behind the passenger seat anticipating a warning or a ticket. MT does not give you a sticker for the front tag b/c people steal them to put on the rear of their vehicle. Eliminating the front tag seems like a good ideal to me.

I have seen several SR5s with a T4R sticker on the hatch window.

 

[beamer4prez]

I've been dying to run across a lifted 4Runner in person but haven't had the opportunity around DC.

I know there are a lot of forum members in and around DC but it seems like every day I see more and more stock ones out and about.

As for the clear identifier, the stubby antenna without a doubt.

 

[nashman69g]

I've only seen a Trail once in person....I met with a fellow forum member before I bought mine when he was visiting the area. Haven't seen one since. I've mostly seen stock SR5s, white, black, and gray. I've only seen 2 stock Limiteds, white and black. I'm pretty sure I'm the only SB Limited 4x4 in the area and sadly have no mods yet.

As for my stereotyping, none of the locals are forum members.

 

[I AM SAM]

It's seems there are tons of 4Runners in western states... there are several 5th gens just in my neighborhood and I've seen 5 or so with mods. I see BFLAN, I AM SAM and a few other known T4R members on the road on often - which makes my stock 4R look very boring.

I have only seen a Shoreline Blue twice here in CO so I bet I've seen you too. I see BFLAN and IceNomad on a weekly basis, does that count? Besides those two, I am noticing that there are more and more 5th gens on the road. I just last Thursday saw a black SR5 that had a lift on it. We both stared and admired one another's 5th gens, his girlfriend didn't look nearly as impressed as he did….

 

[Antman]

I usually look for people installing nerfbars in their driveway- LOL- but it worked! To my wife's chagrin, whatever mod I just completed, if I see it on another 4Runner they HAVE to be a T4R member. She just smiles and nods... When I put on mudguards I looked for that, top spacers ditto, it goes on and on. I'm waiting for a nod or a wave- maybe we need a T4R hand gesture like the dreaded Jeep Wave? SP8ball- Great idea for a thread BTW!!!

 

[philsey]

I waved at a "fellow owner" the other day - nice looking BP LE. Turned out to be a woman who didn't even notice me. Does this count?

 

[sp8ball]

I will admit that half the people I see driving 5th Gen 4Runners are women, and they appear to be (and yes, I'm stereotyping) soccer moms who don't want minivans. The car I was behind today (see post #2 in this thread) points in that direction.

I'm going to say they are NOT members of this forum, or going to be on this forum.

Likewise, I have seen ONE Salsa Red Pearl 4Runner on the road in the last 12 months. It looked good, though - low profile Moab-like roof basket to boot. I bought mine, and three days later I pull up behind one at a stoplight. The rear window had a misaligned "I Love My Yorkie" sticker on it.

12 months. I buy one I think is unique. Then I have that encounter.

I'm going to say they are NOT members of this forum.