Have SR5, thinking about Limited. Thoughts?

[the_fornicator]

I'm in the exact same boat. Currently the wife has a 4th gen v8 Limited and she loves it. But, it's getting a bit old so we should start planning on a replacement. No rush, but we've been talking about it.

I have 5th gen SR5 i bought new a year ago and I thought I could give her the SR5 and just grab something cool for myself (GX 460 or so) but I realized she wouldn't have the center locking diff / AWD anymore. So, expecting her to figure out 4hi under less than ideal circumstances and within a certain speed range is asking too much. It requires a fair bit of forward planning esp if you're hitting city/highway mix during each commute.

So, giving her my SR5 is out of the question for that reason. Looks like she'll be getting the GX 460 and I'll have to live vicariously through her after I lift it and jazz it up a bit. I've always wanted one but should have thought a little further ahead lol I really wanted RWD though so I could do donuts in the snow lol


1) Pros? Cons? Does the full-time 4wd system have any reliability issues?
Cons.... no RWD so no donuts? The center locking diff has no known/common issues. Just throw the thing into 4hi whenever you get a chance i.e. once a month for 10 minutes and don't drive on dry roads or go to full articulation to keep things lubricated.

2) The Limited will come with Xreas, correct? Any issues with Xreas?
Yep. No known issues more than any other shock/strut set up. Easy to replace with bilsteins. Anybody with a lefted 4th gen has removed their xreas so it's a common mod.

3) Are there any other differences I should know about before making the switch.
I don't think you can turn the stability control off on the limiteds which makes donuts reaaaaaaally impossible. Have you considered a lexus gx 460? haha it's got a lot of bells and whistles and is in a similar price range of the a lightly used limited.

 

[Bumbo]

I really do like my 4Runner… but if I could do it over again I would have bought a GX 460 instead for how I am currently using the Limited.

At the time (2016) and perhaps still now… I think it was the lack of off-road aftermarket support for the 460 that landed me into another 4Runner.

My long term plan was that I would build up the 5th gen as it got older as a replacement to my 4th gen which is what I am currently using as my dedicated off-roader. At this point it feels like I did some future planning for something that may never happen because I would probably ditch the 5th before the 4th gen. My 4th gen is still in great working order and I don’t really see it going away anytime soon and love using it off-road.

In addition to that… at least if I am being honest with myself, I am a lot more comfortable and willing to beating on an older less expensive SUV than something more expensive. Most of my decision to get a 4Runner over a GX was based on something that might not happen now. In hindsight the GX was the right choice.

 

[BIGpharma]

I too love my Limited, I had a 2005 SR5 before it so its a huge upgrade. I would have gotten a TRD-OR but scored my 2015 three years ago for $25k so there was just no beating that. I really like the air conditioned seats and the touch activated door locks.

 

[That_Titanium_4RNR]

has more stuff on it so expensive repairs. buy the warranty. if one drop leaks out of the shock system it is a big problem $$$..
need to rotate tires often all need to be the same diameter.. have to replace all tires at the same time..

The statement about the tire diameter is really only applicable to vehicles with AWD systems like Subarus have. They are much more sensitive to tire diameter variations than the AWD system the 4Runner has.

Don't believe me? My 06 V8 Limited with the same AWD system has 181k on it with no issues. I bought it at 160k with 4 mismatched tread wear tires. Looked like one was nearly new, and one wouldn't have passed inspection. No telling how long it had been like that for before I bought it. I'm guessing awhile based on the rough condition of the truck when I bought it. PO did not baby it, that's for sure. But in the 18k miles I put on it before swapping to bigger tires I didn't have the slightest issue or noise. You most definitely do NOT have to replace all at the same time. Would it be wise to? Yes, but it's not necessary for the truck to function well.

 

[That_Titanium_4RNR]

My wife drives the SR5 4Runner. I love it and I want her to drive it "forever", but my wife isn't the best judge of when to use 4wd when the roads are slick. She always asks me things like...

"Should I use 4wd if... it is raining hard? there is slush? if snow is blowing across the road? if there is packed snow?" etc.

So I'm thinking about getting a Limited with full-time 4wd so she has less to worry about and is more confident. This would give me a little peace of mind also.

1) Pros? Cons? Does the full-time 4wd system have any reliability issues?

2) The Limited will come with Xreas, correct? Any issues with Xreas?

3) Are there any other differences I should know about before making the switch.

I would probably buy a used Limited with around 50,000 miles.

Thanks!

1. The AWD system is the same as the V8 4th gens to my knowledge (torsen style diff). Mine has gone 181k so far with 0 issues. Extremely reliable overall. Makes it very confidence inspiring to drive in inclement weather. Also I like the fact that even with a V8 I wasn't able to chirp tires on road because of this system. Great traction.

2. XREAS will most likely go bad before 150k. Most simply swap with an aftermarket brand like bilstein when that happens though. However most lift their trucks before 150k anyways, so not sure how much that will matter because you'll be swapping suspension when doing the lift anyways.

3. not sure tbh

 

[tflux]

Thank you so much everyone. Very helpful thread!

need to rotate tires often all need to be the same diameter.. have to replace all tires at the same time..

The statement about the tire diameter is really only applicable to vehicles with AWD systems like Subarus have. They are much more sensitive to tire diameter variations than the AWD system the 4Runner has.

Any other input on this? Is there anything in the manual about matching tire diameter? I believe Subaru states in the manual that tire diameter must be the same.

Sounds like Xreas will need to be replaced eventually. Not too big of a deal, but good to know before I buy.

Several have mentioned gx460. I would be open to that, but they are a little more expensive for pretty much the same truck. (My wife doesn't need the V8.)

 

[Bumbo]

You can’t have a gross mismatch in size in tire size in these trucks either… it matters but there is still some allowance. I forgot the actual figures but it’s something along the lines for 2-3%? Someone else can confirm it.

Either way, in AWD find my tires wear pretty evenly, but I still keep up with rotations. It’s not that big of a deal. What matters most is that you have a matching spare, which you do.

 

[cbuchanan87]

I live in Michigan so the full time 4WD is great. I have no idea how often my front wheels come into play while driving in the snow or when I go off the paved roads. But I know the vehicle is stable and confident in those conditions.

Having said that, I notice a significant difference when I actually lock my differential and put it in 4WD. So in my experience, the full time 4WD is more like 4WD Lite. It’s a huge convenience when it starts snowing or the road takes me to some muddy terrain, but it’s not a substitute for true 4WD.

I have 125K on mine and I’m thinking about getting a newer TRD Pro or ORP. But the convenience and confidence of full time 4WD is definitely a huge consideration.

Hope this helps a bit.

 

[tflux]

I don't think you can turn the stability control off on the limiteds which makes donuts reaaaaaaally impossible. Have you considered a lexus gx 460? haha it's got a lot of bells and whistles and is in a similar price range of the a lightly used limited.

Ah yes. Can you Limited people confirm/deny this?

I like being able to turn everything off, during a snowstorm, in an open parking lot, ok yes, i like donuts okay! You can turn everything off in the SR5 and slip around

If you want to do donuts in an outback, you have to pull the ABS fuse. Not convienient.

 

[tflux]

My wife's cousin had an SR5. They were in 2wd hit some black ice on the interstate (going ~50mph) and had a horrible crash. She said she had zero time to react and the truck was "instantly sideways." The truck hit the median, rolled twice, and landed on the road with cars coming at them. They were ok, just bumps and bruises, but the 4runner was totaled. VERY scary.

That got me thinking, what if she was in a limited with full-time 4wd? I realize it is impossible to know the answer, but I bet she would have been better off in the limited. Maybe she wouldn't have slipped at all.

I know the limited is more expensive, (and trust me, i definitely don't want to spend more money on a vehicle) but if the limited could save a crash, OR A LIFE, then that extra couple thousand dollars is nothing.

Am I wrong?

 

[phillyd2]

XREAS is fine for how most drive but it is expensive to fix. However replacing with normal shocks is very easy when the time comes.

Personally I would only by a Limited but as always do whatever works best for you.

 

[tflux]

Heres a pic.

 

[CutthroatSlam]

My wife has the SR5 and knows how and when to use 4wd. She also shops for jeans at Bass Pro Shops as opposed to Nordstroms.

 

[Toffees]

I too love my Limited, I had a 2005 SR5 before it so its a huge upgrade. I would have gotten a TRD-OR but scored my 2015 three years ago for $25k so there was just no beating that. I really like the air conditioned seats and the touch activated door locks.

Oh, I forgot this. I don't really want to give up my smart key.

 

[Roverguy1]

Man, you guys really have no faith in your wives do you? Take them out and show them how to drive a 4x4. When my wife got her first Range Rover classic, my buddy jumped in with her, I jumped in his Disco with his wife, sometimes better, in my case anyway, they don't learn from you, and we taught them all about off-roading. On my wife's first trip, she came through an off camber section a bit too low and clipped her rear quarter panel on a tree. I showed her the damage when we got off the trail. She smiled and said, "my first war wound" and wore it like a badge of honour. Later she had a Ford F250 and had no problem switching into 4 wheel drive when necessary. It's ok, empower them.

 

[DaveSki]

Currently in a 2012 Limited and just hit 93k miles. Dealership told me on last oil change XREAS was starting to seep, cost, $3800. I’ll probably go with the Eibach Pro kit this summer. Less than $750, and I’ll install myself. The XREAS appears to be fairly simple to remove intact or just cut out. We’ve had a few snowstorms and it’s been fantastic. Easily made it up a giant snowy hill that was like a car warzone. Easy to tow the boat on a slick boat ramp. I replaced my 20’s with TRD Pro wheels for not a ton of money.

Heres a pic.

Same thing happened to me in my first 3rd gen, backend went right out with zero time to react. Rolled it twice, me and three friends walked away without a scratch. Have only owned 4runner since.

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[tflux]

Man, you guys really have no faith in your wives do you?

hahahaha! No. No I don't. Some people just aren't good "operators." When my wife drives, her foot is either hard on the gas or hard on the brake. No smoothness, no looking ahead. She will accelerate right up to a red light then slam on the brakes. I try to politely point out what she could do better. In one ear and out the other. It is what it is.

Same thing happened to me in my first 3rd gen, backend went right out with zero time to react. Rolled it twice, me and three friends walked away without a scratch.

Glad to hear everyone was alright! Do you think the wreck would have been avoided if you had full-time 4wd?

 

[DaveSki]

Glad to hear everyone was alright! Do you think the wreck would have been avoided if you had full-time 4wd?

Yes absolutely. Loving the fact my Limited has full time 4wd. Have had zero issues, and haa held its own off-road.

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[phillyd2]

Do non-Limited versions allow you to go into 4WD without locking the center diff?

 

[NorthwoodsRunner]

I, too, was thinking about trading in my SR5 for a Limited because my wife asked (still asks) the same question regarding the 4WD mode. I didn't do it because of the cost. My wife preferred using that money for trips and vacations. If I had to do it over it again, I would buy a Limited model and be done.