How did I get Here?

[FordyceCreek]

A little about me, I have been four wheeling for 27 years or so. After the recession I have been restrained for awhile, but hopefully that will change soon. Started out in Mitsubishi Monteros, and soon realized other then a short run of Fj80 Land Cruisers(although too big, under powered and terrible gas mileage) nothing was as reliable off-road. Then Mits quit making off-road Vehicles in the Late 90's. I still have a built 95 Montero for Off-road, but they are getting old. So in 2005 I took a shot at the Nissan Xterra, not knowing they are some of the weakest, most unreliable SUVs on the market. When I went to a Nissan gathering and the Nissan engineer was looking at 20 rigs with the front ends falling off, 3 engines fell out four wheeling....I knew I was screwed. Electrical Gremlins, diff shattering like glass.....I dumped it a few years ago. Around 2005-06 the new Rubicon JK, FG, Hummer H3 all came out also to server the vacuum for off-road vehicles, ALL had huge problems, FJ the worst.(Diffs, Bodies, rubbing stock tires....) Seemed like a lack of testing in the rush to fill the vacuum. At this point the Fourrunner was into the Ghoulish and butt ugly car like Gen 4 disaster with a front end that would not allow passage over a speed bump. Additionally I witnessed just how weak prior Four Runner models were, including a significant nearly total de-construction on the Dusy that leaves me scared to this day.(never had someone total a vehicle on one of my trips) The Gen 4 did not even have a basic rear locker, pretty much standard at the time.

But here we are, 2014 and a Gen 5 that is supposed to be better built, looks good, more focused....But I am dying to get a Rubicon with its gearing, solid axle and front locker. While the JK is certainly larger, better, and not so pathetically weak as older stock Jeeps. It clearly wont drive, handle or be as reliable as Toyota in a million years. It seems a Toyota fits our style better. Granted I have not seen many off-road yet. Ours would be reserved for the basics for years as it is new, but eventually would migrate into a serious trail rig. Then this TRD Pro thing hits( although I wish it had a front locker), and we are really considering popping for a 2015 Inferno......

 

[1engineer]

Based on your observations in your first post here you need to stick with a Jeep. The 5th gen, while upgraded in several areas, shares a lot of DNA with the 4th gen 4Runners and the rest of it from the FJ Cruiser. So, if you think the FJ has huge problems and the 4th gen 4Runner was a disaster (really? Won't go over a speed bump?) then again, you should stick with a Jeep.

 

[USMCRUNNER]

Better stick with the heep. Everyone here knows 4Runners, FJ's and any other yota are just horrible wheeling rigs. :biggrin2:

 

[Texas777]

I agree, better stick with the Heep, as you wouldn't be happy with the 4Runner and all if it's shortcomings. I'm not sure how we all do it here..awful rigs. Speedbumps are problematic for me in my 5th Gen too, but what really gives me trouble is the helix that I have to climb at the airport in order to park. The ramps are at what has to be a 15 degree incline, which makes the speedbump look easy! :redbrick:

 

[Jeremy556]

I think that's the first time I have seen the words "Montero" and "reliable" in the same sentence.

 

[philsey]

"How did I get Here?"

So why, exactly, are you here?

BTW, it's 4Runner.

 

[JET4]

Now that the recession is mostly over according to you I would get both the 4runner and the heep, keep the one you like and sell the other.

 

[Lexusbstrdchild]

Heep FTW! I too hate my 4R. I dont know why I keep buying them. Awful vehicles for sure. (Sarcasm btw before anyone thinks I'm serious...)

 

[STX4Runner]

I don't know what you're referring to when you mention that prior 4Runners are weak. Those older generations are bombproof, with many still wheeling hard all the time. Check out Rising Sun and i8mud forums.

 

[tarpon6]

I hit a speedbump yesterday and one of my wheels fell off. Now I have a threerunner, or is that a 3Runner?

 

[GSPRunner]

Please God go with the Jeep. I don't know if I can read through a thread like this again.

 

[DannyLlama]

Can this be moved to a new section called spam?

 

[Stifler]

stop being a vagina and get both. And if you think a JK has more balls that the old 4.0 you are sadly mistaken. With all that said I recommend you get a Suzuki Samurai and call it a day

 

[mountain mike]

Based on your comments you won't be happy with a Yoda. Just wheel the Mitsu until it blows (shouldn't be long), then get yourself a JK. Lots of aftermarket support for the Jeeps and the parts themselves are a lot cheaper than Toyota aftermarket items.
Also the FJ as the worst? I will admit the first ones had fender bulges if wheeled hard with a aftermarket bumper and winch. Some also had diff issues on the early ones, but people were abusing them and not knowing when to let off the skinny petal. Never heard about stock tires rubbing and I used to own a FJ and am still very active on the FJ Forums. If you go larger a lot of people do a body mount chop to prevent rubbing, maybe that is what you are thinking about.
Fenders and diff have been upgraded and the FJ is fairly bullet proof, but I still think you need to get a JK. Just make sure to carry a strap with you so when it breaks someone can tow you off the trail. I would hate for you to hold me up. :lookout:

 

[Americas High Five]

....

 

[philsey]

Can this be moved to a new section called troll?

:smashputer:

 

[cbielat]

There's definitely a good number of us who actually wheel our 5th gens. They're still relatively new so that could be the reason you don't see many of on the trails. But I know we have a good bunch of us out on the trails up here in New England. Look at what won 4Runner of the month. Can't really agree with some of the rest you had mentioned. Good luck to you.

 

[Plano26]

:snacker: My profile pic is me losing a wheel while going down hill...damn fourrunner; IVrunner; 4Runner...

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Yeah, those Toyota products are absolute garbage... I wish I bought a V8 JGC instead of this garbage 4th Gen. Damn thing barely gets over rocks... Its horribly reliable, the 2UZ-FE 4.7L V8 is too good an engine, and the quality is just appallingly good.

Don't even get me started on those garbage 5th gens and their worthless off-road abilities!

But seriously... I don't get the point of the thread? You don't like the 4Runners (with vague allusions to what seems to be historically inaccurate statements), but you find them a better runner up than a JK... even though you admit the JK's off-road ability doesn't make up for its lack of comfort, reliability, and quality? Is this just a "Troll the 4Runner guys and stir some **** up" thread or were you expecting everyone to somehow agree that the vehicles are worse than a Chry-Crap product, and/or other spattering of SUVs that honestly I wouldn't consider strong contenders (really? an H3... its a poor converted Colorado).

I mean, we're a supportive bunch here and we're welcoming to new members of the Toyota/4Runner family... but "The 4Runner is a pile of crap, but its better than everything else" isn't exactly a good first impression...

 

[phillyd2]

And....Welcome to the site :biggrin2: