End of the road...

[Eastcoastrunner]

Well, today is the end of my 4runner days for a while.
I 'gifted' my 03 v8 4wd to my parents (saves taxes up here). Their old sante fe is dying...I will miss the ol' girl.
I had a 99 runner before, and I had less troubles with it then this 03.
It felt time to let it go...in 2 yrs:
replaced all calipers at least once (one twice)
xreas leaked, so it was ripped out and bilstein/fj spring setup
rear window regulator and power handle replace
all 4 o2 sensors
right side exhaust mani cracked and replaced
plus wear and tear problems which are normal

In the end the vehicle started everytime in even our coldest winter days and got me where I needed to go...but damn it cost a lot to fix it and keep gas in it!!! (its hovering at 1.40 per liter here...roughly 5.50 a gallon for the US folks)

 

[Gatafly]

Wow, I would have dumped it a lot sooner. Hope your parents have better luck with it. Good luck on the new ride.

 

[Eastcoastrunner]

Wow, I would have dumped it a lot sooner. Hope your parents have better luck with it. Good luck on the new ride.

thanks. I loved my 99...but it just got to be one thing after another. Didn't want to abandon it...now its working pretty good! just fuel prices and the fact I have a more fuel efficient car right now make it the right move for me.

 

[ChaosStarter]

If that's all it takes to get rid of a car, I must really love my truck then.

 

[Eastcoastrunner]

If that's all it takes to get rid of a car, I must really love my truck then.

ya, it wasn't jst that. the gf has a new suv...the runner was a second vehicle for work/travel. Now I work much closer to home. quite frankly, unless you are towing something/big fam/work/offroad i don't see the need for a big suv. That's just my opinion though.

I will say I am disappointed with Toyota. They were a company built on reliability (i thought) and this runner was needy of repairs all the time. There is no reason calipers, new, should be seizing up the way they do in the front of these trucks. Also, charging over a grand for a single manifold is pure gouging. Thankfully, I didn't have to change a sunroof power cable. Heard those were a grand to change!

 

[03_4x4Runner]

How many miles were on your 4runner. You are correct that when these things break they are expensive. There is no excuse for all of the transfer case actuators leaking. Another $2500 fix. My speedometer will read high after a 6 hour drive and then return to normal after a cool down. I here that is a $2000 fix also. I never had a problem with my calipers after 10 years, my manifold is fine also.

 

[Eastcoastrunner]

How many miles were on your 4runner. You are correct that when these things break they are expensive. There is no excuse for all of the transfer case actuators leaking. Another $2500 fix. My speedometer will read high after a 6 hour drive and then return to normal after a cool down. I here that is a $2000 fix also. I never had a problem with my calipers after 10 years, my manifold is fine also.

tks for asking. I have about 228,000km on it..which is 142,000 miles?
Perhaps it is the difference in climate. I live on the east coast of Canada...pretty much exact climate of Maine. Humid, salt filled and cold winters-->stuck calipers? I see you live in the land of no arthritis!