Done with my 4runner: lack of originality, room and HP.

[mnofpeace]

Bored is bored...i understand...and sometimes you just want something new and fresh and those types of things.

Ill say what i say to anyone who has a wish to own a LR...i owned a Disco 2 bought used with 20K miles on it...i LOVED that rig, right up until i didnt. Yes, many will have the same cliche'd things to say about its reliability...the sad part about it is they would be right.

the thing is a beast in the dirt, on rocks, on the trail, in the snow...but when your alternator fails, or when your gaskets start to leak, or you get a failed cylinder, and the ONLY real place to go to get it fixed is the LR dealership, and that price hits you...you wonder why you didnt go back to a Toyota. My experience; it was the nicest thing i had ever owned, and the most capable for about 2 and a half years. when things started to break, it was an 'every 4 month' thing taking it back to get something fixed...and all while under 125,000 miles...vs my T4R which is at 130k and hasnt given me any issues since bought new in 2014. Just my 2 cents. Add to that, my LR is the ONLY vehicle ive ever owned that left me stranded (multiple times).

Are 4Runners the nicest, most interesting vehicles in the land, not even close. Their simplicity is their weakness for some, their charm for others. Do your research before you buy and see if the LR3 will not only give you what you are looking for in the NOW, but will not give you alot of what you dont need in 26 months...

I will say the idea of a Sequoia TRD sounds like a possible answer for you. All of the room in the world, the same 5.7 as in the Tundra and LC200s, Toyota reliability...if you can take a similar Toyota esthetic, i would say give them a look. i sat in one while at the dealership getting my Runner serviced, and was shocked. if i had one more kid (3 instead of 2), i would have bought one myself for the added room.

 

[4Reak Show]

If you're done you're done. And that's fine. It does make me laugh how it seems a lot of people complain about power in these rigs. Many of you have never done the same things we do with 4th and 5th gen 4Runners with a first gen. Talk about lack of power! I had many many older Toyota trucks with 22R's and 22RE's. Even one with a 22RET that wasn't anything great compared to what we have now. But I loved them and I love my 5th gen. I'll admit I did test drive a 2.7 Tacoma a few years back (and I had bought one new in 05 and loved it) and didn't buy it because it was just too damn slow. We get spoiled.

I’m right there with you. My old 4Runner is a 1995, was 3.0/automatic 4wd... absolute slug. So I proceeded to drop shit loads of time, money, effort and energy and went about the 3.4/manual swap... then supercharged it... then added the 7th injector... then took time to tune it...

And you know what? All that did was make it somewhat less slow. Still no where near fast. I wonder what people will expect in the next 20 years. 75 mpg and 400 horsepower

 

[zcruiser]

We tow a travel trailer with our 2016. Weighs in around 3500 probably with all the nonsense loaded in for campground camping. Add to that my wife, our 5 and 1 year old kids (both in bulky car seats) and the ice chest full of the weekend’s beverages and yeah I can see it’s crammed.

As for power: drop down to S (standard) mode and then you have waaaay more control of the gears. I tow in 4th all day long, and when a hill comes up I drop it to 3rd, maybe 2nd. Let the RPM’s climb and make the engine work. Redlines at like 6K doesn’t it?

Basically, it’s NEVER gonna win any races. But it WILL get you there. Just gonna walk up the hill, not sprint. Personally a fair trade off for consistent longevity numbers of these rides.

But if you’re bored, you’re bored. Or maybe you like the IDEA of overlanding more than the actual journey of what overlanding represents. Or maybe I’m just full of horse shit.

Do almost exactly the same thing but no kids. Had to drop to 2nd for the first time last weekend climbing up to Boone, NC from the east. The 4Runner works great for us, I plan on putting 300K on my 2012 Limited.

 

[Inked]

Bored is bored...i understand...and sometimes you just want something new and fresh and those types of things.

Ill say what i say to anyone who has a wish to own a LR...i owned a Disco 2 bought used with 20K miles on it...i LOVED that rig, right up until i didnt. Yes, many will have the same cliche'd things to say about its reliability...the sad part about it is they would be right.

the thing is a beast in the dirt, on rocks, on the trail, in the snow...but when your alternator fails, or when your gaskets start to leak, or you get a failed cylinder, and the ONLY real place to go to get it fixed is the LR dealership, and that price hits you...you wonder why you didnt go back to a Toyota. My experience; it was the nicest thing i had ever owned, and the most capable for about 2 and a half years. when things started to break, it was an 'every 4 month' thing taking it back to get something fixed...and all while under 125,000 miles...vs my T4R which is at 130k and hasnt given me any issues since bought new in 2014. Just my 2 cents. Add to that, my LR is the ONLY vehicle ive ever owned that left me stranded (multiple times).

Are 4Runners the nicest, most interesting vehicles in the land, not even close. Their simplicity is their weakness for some, their charm for others. Do your research before you buy and see if the LR3 will not only give you what you are looking for in the NOW, but will not give you alot of what you dont need in 26 months...

I will say the idea of a Sequoia TRD sounds like a possible answer for you. All of the room in the world, the same 5.7 as in the Tundra and LC200s, Toyota reliability...if you can take a similar Toyota esthetic, i would say give them a look. i sat in one while at the dealership getting my Runner serviced, and was shocked. if i had one more kid (3 instead of 2), i would have bought one myself for the added room.

That's a fair assessment. There's a real love/hate relationship associated with LR's. Especially the Disco 2. The LC is still a very nice option but I can't get over the aesthetic of the 99-2004ish body style...it's the front end. I'm trying to keep this budget under 20k so that's my range. Maybe it would grow on me. I'll say though, after looking at Sequoia's, there's a ton to be had with low mileage, 2008 and newer in my price range. These really fly under the radar. I'll give these a hard look as well.

 

[rdruss]

Let us know what you finally decide, especially if a Sequoia, want to see it before and after!

 

[zcruiser]

I’d love to have a new ‘96 LC… Such a nice vehicle.

 

[mscot]

As for power: drop down to S (standard) mode and then you have waaaay more control of the gears. I tow in 4th all day long, and when a hill comes up I drop it to 3rd, maybe 2nd.

I thought you were always supposed to tow in the gear below the top b/c the top is essentially OD and you can burn your transmission out with it searching all the time.
I got this from my XJ, towing a trailer all through the Appalachians, and then ending up having to tow my XJ home behind a uhaul after the trans gave away b.c I was in OD.

 

[thennen]

If you're done you're done. And that's fine. It does make me laugh how it seems a lot of people complain about power in these rigs. Many of you have never done the same things we do with 4th and 5th gen 4Runners with a first gen. Talk about lack of power! I had many many older Toyota trucks with 22R's and 22RE's. Even one with a 22RET that wasn't anything great compared to what we have now. But I loved them and I love my 5th gen. I'll admit I did test drive a 2.7 Tacoma a few years back (and I had bought one new in 05 and loved it) and didn't buy it because it was just too damn slow. We get spoiled.

Same here. I had a 1988 with the 22R-E, and fast wasn't anywhere in the owner's manual. But I could still run it at 90 on the interstate, and it went to 305k miles with zero engine problems. I traded in a 1984 Supra on that, and until my 5th Gen, the Supra was the fastest car I'd ever owned (and it wasn't a scorcher). The Gen5 beats the Supra to 60 by 1.2 seconds. So I'm happy with the power this thing has.

 

[mscot]

Same here. I had a 1988 with the 22R-E, and fast wasn't anywhere in the owner's manual. But I could still run it at 90 on the interstate, and it went to 305k miles with zero engine problems. I traded in a 1984 Supra on that, and until my 5th Gen, the Supra was the fastest car I'd ever owned (and it wasn't a scorcher). The Gen5 beats the Supra to 60 by 1.2 seconds. So I'm happy with the power this thing has.

I had an 88 supra turbo for a minute. Turbo went out and gaskets blew at same time. Would have cost more than the car was worth to fix it. Less than 100k. "Toyota reliability"

 

[thennen]

I had an 88 supra turbo for a minute. Turbo went out and gaskets blew at same time. Would have cost more than the car was worth to fix it. Less than 100k. "Toyota reliability"

I suppose it could have been driven hard in its life. Plus, back in those days, with turbocharged cars, it was advised by many that you sit and idle for a minute or two after driving to allow the turbo to cool down so the oil wouldn't turn to coke inside the bearings. Then again, I'm not a fan of turbos for reliability, though they may be better these days.

 

[mscot]

I suppose it could have been driven hard in its life. Plus, back in those days, with turbocharged cars, it was advised by many that you sit and idle for a minute or two after driving to allow the turbo to cool down so the oil wouldn't turn to coke inside the bearings. Then again, I'm not a fan of turbos for reliability, though they may be better these days.

It was my uncle's then my mom's then mine. Wasn't driven hard by either. I think I just had an unlucky run with engines. My XJ ended up with a cracked head about 10k miles after replacing the transmission (and yes it was well maintained). The supra was a hand me down after the XJ.
Car's I've never had a single problem with... 79 Chevy Scottsdale, 84 Trans Am, 2 VW Jettas, a Passat (wife's), and a Touareg TDI. And now my 4Runner but it has very low miles for a 4 year old vehicle.

 

[thennen]

It was my uncle's then my mom's then mine. Wasn't driven hard by either. I think I just had an unlucky run with engines. My XJ ended up with a cracked head about 10k miles after replacing the transmission (and yes it was well maintained). The supra was a hand me down after the XJ.
Car's I've never had a single problem with... 79 Chevy Scottsdale, 84 Trans Am, 2 VW Jettas, a Passat (wife's), and a Touareg TDI. And now my 4Runner but it has very low miles for a 4 year old vehicle.

Ouch, a lot of pain there. My last non-Toyota was a 1975 Granada, which I traded on my first Toyota, a 1982 Corolla Liftback. The Granada had its share of problems, but wasn't horrible. Slow though? That 250 I-6 made my 22R-E 4Runner look fast, lol! I've owned maybe 12 or so Toyotas since then, and never had an engine or transmission problem - well, the clutch on the Supra slipping around 90k, maybe my fault. Every single Toyota was a manual trans until we bought a used 2001 4Runner in 2005.

 

[trey99ek]

It's an SUV you want to overland it. It's not a Durango SRT or a jeep track hawk. I'm okay with bored. It's reliable.

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[2021nightshade4x4]

LOL, he said Land Rover! The Brits can't do reliability. The lack of such is a WELL worn trail of tears, because you'll be walking.

Funny, I just said good bye to the Land Rover forums after buying my 4Runner.

It is said that when people go mad, they will choose pain over feeling nothing…

[emoji23]


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[czgunner]

Land Rovers are a little like small town gossip. One local gal decides to have a fling and suddenly the whole town calls her a clown whore, has the clap laced with herpes, and aborted her meth baby. Point is, not all is true with the Land Rover...the Disco 2 was the classic abomination from my understanding, kind of like the "town whore" but LR did things right with the LR3 and LR4...but her reputation is forever tainted with her previous outing.



As far as the 100 series, I'd agree with the styling. Pretty boring lines, but the newer LC's modern styling is too much mall crawl for me, just my opinion. A sacrifice of some dependability for more comfort and power seems like backwards thinking and I might regret that in the future...much like sleeping with the clown whore. :banana:

I don't want to argue with you, but every single one that came into our shop was a train wreck. I cannot express in words how I would not be paid to own one. You rich and have a hot rod warranty, go for it.

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[Luv4R]

I have a bumper sticker on the back of my 4R that reads..

"4Runner - The Official Recovery vehicle of Jeep and Landrover vehicles".

While a Jeep or Landrover may get you there, a 4Runner will get you back.!

 

[CutthroatSlam]

Be sure to visit the Land Rover forums before buying [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]


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No kidding, the Land Rover is one of the least reliable cars out there. The British have never figured out automotive electrical, but they do make beautiful looking cars. Sorry, but I like women that can move.

We own a 2014 4Runner SR5 with 265K miles on it. I just performed my first engine related repair, replacing the driver's side secondary air injection valve. Arguably that is a engine peripheral as it is emissions equipment that has no impact on engine performance. We use the vehicle for what it was designed for: Highway travel and off-roading. When I want to tow or haul a load, I use my 1999 K2500 Suburban diesel with 228K miles on it. The Suburban is reliable, but I have to constantly work on it. Upcoming service will include new fuel injectors while I am in there repairing a leak on the passenger side valve cover. It has dash rattles which they are well known for. I've replaced every door hinge pin as the doors are heavy and the hinge pins wear, resulting in rattles. Steering is sloppy and I need to replace the rag joint in the steering column which gets sloppy due to the heavy weight up front. The 4Runner is tight by comparison.

 

[4Reak Show]

I thought you were always supposed to tow in the gear below the top b/c the top is essentially OD and you can burn your transmission out with it searching all the time.
I got this from my XJ, towing a trailer all through the Appalachians, and then ending up having to tow my XJ home behind a uhaul after the trans gave away b.c I was in OD.

It’s pretty much common knowledge at this point, but as far as I know there isn’t a single letter written officially by Toyota about towing in 4th aka NOT OD. There’s a wing of folks who consider “DRIVE” to be all-purpose and designed by engineers accordingly... but then why even have the option unless to override the overdrive issue.

At any rate, I also recommend a transmission cooler paired with S4 and then I can’t ever see the trans cooking itself. The 4Runner is a pack mule. It’ll get you there. It’ll just be at its own pace.

 

[who done it]

Drive an FJ80 and you'll know what slow feels like.

I was getting bored with my truck also, then I supercharged that pig. I'm okay with it now. But I do agree that there is a ton of modded runners, we are catching up to wranglers.

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[2021nightshade4x4]

No kidding, the Land Rover is one of the least reliable cars out there. The British have never figured out automotive electrical, but they do make beautiful looking cars. Sorry, but I like women that can move.

We own a 2014 4Runner SR5 with 265K miles on it. I just performed my first engine related repair, replacing the driver's side secondary air injection valve. Arguably that is a engine peripheral as it is emissions equipment that has no impact on engine performance. We use the vehicle for what it was designed for: Highway travel and off-roading. When I want to tow or haul a load, I use my 1999 K2500 Suburban diesel with 228K miles on it. The Suburban is reliable, but I have to constantly work on it. Upcoming service will include new fuel injectors while I am in there repairing a leak on the passenger side valve cover. It has dash rattles which they are well known for. I've replaced every door hinge pin as the doors are heavy and the hinge pins wear, resulting in rattles. Steering is sloppy and I need to replace the rag joint in the steering column which gets sloppy due to the heavy weight up front. The 4Runner is tight by comparison.

American cars sort of fall in the middle, in that they do break but fail gracefully (with notice).

British and German fail catastrophically, without warning, and will leave you stranded while fanboys look on and say “yOu MuSt NoT hAvE mAiNtAiNeD iT!” while they drive past with every single dash light on and their ZF 6HP in limp mode.


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