Blind_Io
New member
Hey, I figured I would introduce myself before poking around. First of all, I don't own a 4Runner. I have learned that one of the best resources for researching a vehicle is the enthusiast forum and I'm here to learn more about the 4Runner.
My family used to own a Toyota Land Cruiser (FJ80) and we drove the wheels off it. Almost literally, we put so many hard miles on that vehicle we had to replace the axles because the seals wore grooves in the steel. One of my mom's crowning achievements was dunking the 'Crusier in a river crossing until the bow-wave was four inches above the wiper blades - and didn't hydrolock. That 'Cruiser has gone on to greener pastures. Several years later, I was in a position to get another SUV and opted for the Nissan XTerra, which I am driving today. It remains a work-in-progress (don't they always?).
The reason I am here is that my 60+ year old mom is once again wanting a real off-road capable SUV; partially for fun and wheeling, partially for snow (although she has an AWD Volvo XC70 for this currently) and partially as a "bug out" vehicle in the event of an earthquake or other disaster (since my dad passed away she's become more concerned with safety). She's not in a rush to get one in the next week, but it is in her mind. Right now the 4Runner is a strong contender since the Land Cruiser has turned into a bloated luxo-barge in North America. There are a few others on the radar as well, but the 4Runner is in the top two of a very short list.
I was hoping to find out from you guys a bit more about your ownership experience with the current 4Runner (specifically the Trail), and what issues you might have had. For example, the XTerra's fuel sending unit is a known problem part and the Tacoma's carrier bearing is rather flimsy and can result in problems if you lift the vehicle. It's things like this that interest me about the 4Runner - as well as where you see the vehicle's strengths.
Anyway, I hope you guys don't mind a non-owner snooping around. I hope to see you on the trail.
My family used to own a Toyota Land Cruiser (FJ80) and we drove the wheels off it. Almost literally, we put so many hard miles on that vehicle we had to replace the axles because the seals wore grooves in the steel. One of my mom's crowning achievements was dunking the 'Crusier in a river crossing until the bow-wave was four inches above the wiper blades - and didn't hydrolock. That 'Cruiser has gone on to greener pastures. Several years later, I was in a position to get another SUV and opted for the Nissan XTerra, which I am driving today. It remains a work-in-progress (don't they always?).
The reason I am here is that my 60+ year old mom is once again wanting a real off-road capable SUV; partially for fun and wheeling, partially for snow (although she has an AWD Volvo XC70 for this currently) and partially as a "bug out" vehicle in the event of an earthquake or other disaster (since my dad passed away she's become more concerned with safety). She's not in a rush to get one in the next week, but it is in her mind. Right now the 4Runner is a strong contender since the Land Cruiser has turned into a bloated luxo-barge in North America. There are a few others on the radar as well, but the 4Runner is in the top two of a very short list.
I was hoping to find out from you guys a bit more about your ownership experience with the current 4Runner (specifically the Trail), and what issues you might have had. For example, the XTerra's fuel sending unit is a known problem part and the Tacoma's carrier bearing is rather flimsy and can result in problems if you lift the vehicle. It's things like this that interest me about the 4Runner - as well as where you see the vehicle's strengths.
Anyway, I hope you guys don't mind a non-owner snooping around. I hope to see you on the trail.
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