After owning many sports cars mixed with winter beaters, list too long for here, but I had my fair share of working on junk time and time again. My buddy always had Toy's tho, and once in great while we had to work on it, but more for routine maintenance, not cause something gave out. While working on his toys compared to my american junk, I realized that it was designed way better, worked longer, and made sense the way something was built. After listening to him rib me that I should buy toyotas, I started to give it thought, then I met my wife. She works for Toyota, so it was like love at first sight times 2. I loved the Tacoma, and actually that was my first Toyota, and she was a great truck, all be it sucking on power and room, but bulletproof and crazy for off roading, the truck was nearly unstopable. Then came out the new 4Runner in 03, one sit in the cockpit, and I was hooked, it fits me like a glove, I love everything about it. I still must say that the Honda Pilot has an even better interior design, but the runner is a close second for me. After driving it, I was hooked, I had to take it out twice and did not want to bring it back, it handled decent, had good power with the V8 and just looked perfect. I struggled for the next year, I treated my taco good, but like a good looking date you knew you were going to dump just as soon as the hot blonde comes available. So a year later, my wife suprised me with a Galatic grey sport v8, I was shocked, and in love. But she knew my true love was a Titanium one, which there was not one available at the time she bought the grey one. So I was happy, but...
In that month she decided she liked driving the runner more than the Highlander, and she called one day with words of a Titanium Sport V8 just arriving off the truck, it was all I had to hear, I bought it on the spot. I have NEVER been happier with any car I have ever owned, and I have had some pretty good affairs with some prior cars.
Simply put, like I have said here before, even if I won the lotto, I would still drive a 4runner. Thats how much I love it.
and I agree with the others, everything else seems like junk when I ride in it now. Especially American stuff, holy cow when are they going to learn how to make a real car?!