What aftermarket components are you looking for?
I'm still trying to understand exactly why you want to sell the truck. What is it that you think a 4Runner will do that you GX can't? Your GX has a much nicer interior and all the mechanicals are the same.
I know you're not looking to install offroad gear, since you were considering a 2WD 4Runner.
So why, exactly, are you selling?
The Mark Levinson audio system sounds sweet, but the speakers are basically junk. If one blows, which they do, mostly due to age and heat, not blasting, you have very few options. I would have liked to replace the speakers with something real, but they are all 8ohm, so no real options are available, unless you go to home speakers and I doubt, they will hold up any better than what’s in the car, since they aren’t made for extreme temps.
No real suspension options besides stock. Either I pay the dealer 3K for a replacement set, or do a full offroad conversion. The stock suspension is sweet and the ride is excellent, with very little body roll around turns. It may just be worth fixing and driving another 100K, but I figured I’d get some opinions here. I’ve looked at doing a conversion too and have seen a couple of posts where people have done full offroad setups and it’s been intriguing, but I’ve gone down that path with other trucks and it’s been a never ending money pit. I’d be more interested in less aggressive solutions. I doubt the FJ/Bilstien combo will work as well on the GX, since the truck is 800lbs heavier. The suspension is not shot, but can tell it’s beginnings to show signs that new components are on the horizon, so I’ll have to decide which way to go at some point.
I have a bike rack on the truck every weekend and can’t get into the cargo area, since the tailgate swings out and the window doesn’t roll down. The two tier storage looked pretty good, but the “what do you hate about your truck” link seems to prove it’s pretty well useless.
I have used the 4WD once, or at least I thought so, till reading some of your recommendations. Evidently, I’ve been using it way more than I thought. We don’t get any snow around here and little rain, but when it rains, things get real slick with all the oil build up on the pavement. I remember this well with my Gen 3 4Runner, but thought the traction control took care of most of that concern, but sounds like that may not be the case.
There’s a huge hatred for the 1% at the moment and I have had the back wiper torn off by haters a couple of times and it’s broken now. Probably the same idiot(s), but they are expensive and another dealer item. Thank God that’s been the only thing broken so far. I’m so not a 1%er and have no animosity toward the successful. It just blows that there are so many haters around now, so keeping a lower profile is another reason to consider a trade.
Not really sure anymore after reading some of the posts! The Sport Eddition has X-REAS, no one can fix and are expensive to replace – sounds like a repeat of the GX in that regard, though there are no doubt better after market options that are proven to work.
Seems the climate control in the 4Runner is annoying, which works great in the GX and the rear air is awesome. Poor interior lighting and no way to turn on interior light manually – That kinda blows. I seem to remember my Gen 3 having that capability. No way to tap the wipers for those days there’s only a light drizzle – Again, that’s pretty strange, because the Gen 3 had it. I was thinking I wouldn’t miss my auto wiper function, but sounds like I will. The dreaded clunk – I had forgotten about this and it was fixed on the GX models, but “claimed” normal on 4Runner. Recommendations to stay away from 2Runners – I was thinking less weight and less drag will improve mileage and save maintenance in the long run, but sounds like that is a bad idea. 4WD Runners are a tough find in Arizona. It seems the dealers send most out of state, since they can get more for them, so there are very few available here. Now I’m not so sure trading cars is a wise move for me, but I guess that’s why I asked this forum in the first place. Glad I did, sounds like the 2WD was going to be an especially bad move.
