How long will you keep your t4r?

[Night_Wolf84]

I've had mine since October of 2008 and I don't have any plans on getting rid of it, even though sometimes it can be frustrating figuring things out on it (mods, engine issues, etc.)

We have a guy that's a delivery driver for one of our normal customers. Almost every time he shows up, he asks me if I'm ready to sell it to him. Just the other day, he showed up and offered $10,000 for it. As usual, I turned him down, but I can't say that it wasn't tempting.

If I did sell it, I'd keep a lot of stuff off of it and end up buying another 1st gen. and start over again.

 

[Steamfitter]

Is it just me or has anyone noticed a trend in people who buy domestic vehicles to upgrade more frequently? The friends I have who drive Ford's, Gm, Dodges always upgrade every 4 years (granted they are single with the money to do it, but so am I and I think it's a waste of $). I'm pretty cheap though as I had a Scottish father and only had minimum wage jobs until I was 26. Though Ford and GM tend to change their designs more frequently maybe they look dated quicker?

 

[UnderFire]

Is it just me or has anyone noticed a trend in people who buy domestic vehicles to upgrade more frequently? The friends I have who drive Ford's, Gm, Dodges always upgrade every 4 years (granted they are single with the money to do it, but so am I and I think it's a waste of $). I'm pretty cheap though as I had a Scottish father and only had minimum wage jobs until I was 26. Though Ford and GM tend to change their designs more frequently maybe they look dated quicker?

Fords and GM's start falling apart after a few years, it's just now starting to happen to 3rd gen 4runners, you do the math...

 

[mrt6644]

I used to trade in my vehicles after 2-3 years but when I bought a Toyota I changed that. I used to worry about having the vehicle beyond the warranty.
I had my FJ Cruiser for over 6 years and the only reason I traded it in was because I was lusting after a 4Runner for years. Otherwise I would have kept the FJC for much longer. Even the FJC's battery was original stock.
I hope to keep my 4Runner for over 5 years unless the nbext generation comes out and it blows this away.
Im womndering if there will be any real offroad vehicles in 5+ years. Maybe Wranglers and pickup trucks only.

 

[dawudih]

Told my 6 year old to come & help me wash her car yesterday.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

The natural order of things

Meh. Everybody always says they will NEVER part with their car.

Day 1: You get a little itch, you go in to the dealer "just to look around", you have a little cash to throw around and BAM - you get that new car smell as you open the door up.

Day 2: You take a test drive. So much new technology. No rattles, no squeaks and you start thinking....

Day 3: If you are not impulsive, you don't buy. You go home and say to yourself "I love my car and it's a good car".

Day 4: You are commuting and you hear every damn little rattle and squeak that 100K+ miles makes happen on the best of cars.

They are almost imperceptible to everyone but you. But like screaming babies in a church, you hear them.

Day 5: You re-read the sales brochure. You start saying "I'm NOT buying a new car, but if I did, I would order these options".

Day 6: You have a new 4Runner sitting in your garage.

It's the natural order of things and once Day 2 happens, it's over. ;-)

Of course some people condense this all into 1 day. Me - I took 6 days.

 

[itgogitrev]

I think my 2nd gen has a few more months with me before I sell it. There's nothing particularly wrong with it aside from the color (Sandalwood, yuk) but I would rather have a 3rd gen simply for the better engine.

 

[having fun]

We came to an agreement(me and the runner), RIP.

 

[snivilous]

Never. There's a deep bond between me and my 4Runner. Never getting rid of it, regardless how many problems or how much someone offers me--it may as well be a part of me.

 

[cmills]

This is my first 4runner and I love this truck, but I have noticed that these things hold their value very well. With that being the case I may see how I like the 6th gen and if I like those I would maybe look into trading for one before I get a zillion miles on mine and while it is still worth something. But I would like to wait until the second yr of the new model and by then this one will have around 175,000 miles on it, so I don't even know what it will be worth then, so I guess time will tell.

 

[MONTYMTB]

Meh. Everybody always says they will NEVER part with their car.

Day 1: You get a little itch, you go in to the dealer "just to look around", you have a little cash to throw around and BAM - you get that new car smell as you open the door up.

Day 2: You take a test drive. So much new technology. No rattles, no squeaks and you start thinking....

Day 3: If you are not impulsive, you don't buy. You go home and say to yourself "I love my car and it's a good car".

Day 4: You are commuting and you hear every damn little rattle and squeak that 100K+ miles makes happen on the best of cars.

They are almost imperceptible to everyone but you. But like screaming babies in a church, you hear them.

Day 5: You re-read the sales brochure. You start saying "I'm NOT buying a new car, but if I did, I would order these options".

Day 6: You have a new 4Runner sitting in your garage.

It's the natural order of things and once Day 2 happens, it's over. ;-)

Of course some people condense this all into 1 day. Me - I took 6 days.

There's not a single vehicle on any lot today that I would give up my 3rd gen for. Not one. No offense to the 5th gen guys, but even if someone offered me a brand new one as an even swap I would turn them down in a heartbeat. Truth.

I've owned 7 vehicles in my life (I'm 48 now), and have had this one for the last 14 years. I paid $18,500 for it in 2001 with 85k on the odo, and it just clicked over 385k. It's still on the original engine (I did put new heads on it last month - that still counts, right?) and tranny, and every single thing on it still works. I drove my mom's 4th gen while mine was in the shop for the heads, and I couldn't wait to get back into mine. Barring an unrepairable crash, it has a permanent spot in my driveway.

 

[SLWRNR]

Minimum of ten years. Unless Toyota makes a Raptor-style Tundra in the near future.

 

[Ezlife45]

Meh. Everybody always says they will NEVER part with their car.

Day 1: You get a little itch, you go in to the dealer "just to look around", you have a little cash to throw around and BAM - you get that new car smell as you open the door up.

Day 2: You take a test drive. So much new technology. No rattles, no squeaks and you start thinking....

Day 3: If you are not impulsive, you don't buy. You go home and say to yourself "I love my car and it's a good car".

Day 4: You are commuting and you hear every damn little rattle and squeak that 100K+ miles makes happen on the best of cars.

They are almost imperceptible to everyone but you. But like screaming babies in a church, you hear them.

Day 5: You re-read the sales brochure. You start saying "I'm NOT buying a new car, but if I did, I would order these options".

Day 6: You have a new 4Runner sitting in your garage.

It's the natural order of things and once Day 2 happens, it's over. ;-)

Of course some people condense this all into 1 day. Me - I took 6 days.

And on the seventh day he rested...

If I can keep domestics running 15 years, and still have them in good running condition, i think I can get more out of my runner.

 

[swapmeet]

Fuel efficiency will probably be the biggest motivator for me to get rid of mine. V8 AWD weight of the armor and sliders etc etc doesn't bode well for MPGs.

Its not bad today with gas being in the $2.20/gal range but if gas goes back up like they say it will, eventually i'll have to make a decision.

Baring the fuel consumption issue, I plan on having mine for a long time. I haven't enjoyed a vehicle this much in a long long time.

 

[NoDak]

if the interior improves with certain features im jumping ship to a new 4runner and to heck with "but you've only had it for 3 years"



I try to plan my purchases on Toyota cycles.

2012 Tacoma to last until the next gen comes out (right at 4 years ownership) and the warden is itching for the return of the SWB color on the Tacoma. she missed out last time since they discontinued it in 2012.

 

[NoDak]

Fuel efficiency will probably be the biggest motivator for me to get rid of mine. V8 AWD weight of the armor and sliders etc etc doesn't bode well for MPGs.

Its not bad today with gas being in the $2.20/gal range but if gas goes back up like they say it will, eventually i'll have to make a decision.

Baring the fuel consumption issue, I plan on having mine for a long time. I haven't enjoyed a vehicle this much in a long long time.

I did that same thing when I got rid of the v8 2004 SE. boy did I regret that. traded to a sonata and yeah I saved gas but the difference wasn't really there when you break down the cost differential.

 

[Rbiggers]

This 2014 is the first 4Runner I've ever owned and I absolutely love it. I'll keep it until 2018 or 19 when the 6th Gen 4Runner is out and/or the next Gen GMC Sierra. If it was financially possible I'd keep this one forever, but I'll need the trade-in most likely. I like to trade for the newest technology out there ever 6-7 years. Vehicles are kind of my main hobby. No boats, campers, beach houses, etc. for me.

 

[chiz45]

I picked up my 1996 Land Cruiser in January '03 and had it until October of last year. After driving it, I was convinced that I would always own a LC. I loved the rig, the ride, simplicity, and of course the go-anywhere ability. It was getting harder to drive long distances as it aged, and averaged 12-13 mpg. It was perfectly fine around town, but not much of a freeway ride.

I even picked up an '06 LX470 for the wife, with the idea that it would turn into the next mod rig once the 80 gave up the ghost. I didn't know what AHC was when I bought it, and several $$ in repairs later, it was gone. Don't miss it a bit (but the wife does!).

I regret selling the 80, but i used the monies towards my current 4R mods.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

There's not a single vehicle on any lot today that I would give up my 3rd gen for. Not one. No offense to the 5th gen guys, but even if someone offered me a brand new one as an even swap I would turn them down in a heartbeat. Truth.

I've owned 7 vehicles in my life (I'm 48 now), and have had this one for the last 14 years. I paid $18,500 for it in 2001 with 85k on the odo, and it just clicked over 385k. It's still on the original engine (I did put new heads on it last month - that still counts, right?) and tranny, and every single thing on it still works. I drove my mom's 4th gen while mine was in the shop for the heads, and I couldn't wait to get back into mine. Barring an unrepairable crash, it has a permanent spot in my driveway.

Then you are truly a man of principle who truly loves his vehicle.

Turn down a new $40K truck for one that might be worth $4K on a really good day with that type of mileage? I think not.

I loved my 3rd gen and would argue that it was cleaner than probably 95% of the 2002 3rd gen's on the road (and with only 115K on the clock) but I don't miss it at all now that I have my 2015 TE.

The only thing I do regret is that I didn't have the time or desire to find somebody who would really take care of it and be willing to pay for it based on condition.

It was a great truck for sure, probably the best vehicle I've ever owned, but I was ready for something new.

 

[wadle5]

I will keep mine until the 4Runner gets a V8 again or someone makes me the right offer.

Define right offer. . .I would kill for an already built 5th gen!