Is a 4Runner the right vehicle for me?
- Thread starter CJSheridan
- Start date
tacobill
New member
Well JohhnyT, I sincerely hope you get that far mileage wise. If you are so sure that the 4th gen is the best, enjoy your intelligent choice with quiet confidence. I honestly don't know why you would bother to rag on the 5th gen so much other than from an analyst's point of view; your overreaction = envy. I personally am enjoying my 5th gen.
jspagna1
New member
Sorry guys, a 5th gen owner here but still own my 97 4Runner that I bought new and now has 167,000 miles and that was the best built 4Runner imo. Truck still runs like a top and would take that off roading any day over my 5th gen. The newer they make them the crappier they build them. But that's America. Otherwise they wouldn't sell any cars.
JohnnyT
New member
FlyNavy
New member
KCcarguy
New member
This issue has been beat to death on other threads. Here's what it comes down to: If you can find a better off toad capable $35,000-$40,000 SUV on the new car market, buy it.
That kind of money just doesn't buy what it used to. If you want better, they'll be happy to sell you a GX at the Lexus dealer for $50k.
That kind of money just doesn't buy what it used to. If you want better, they'll be happy to sell you a GX at the Lexus dealer for $50k.
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JohnnyT
New member
Comparing new trucks, yes.
But comparing products made pre-2008 (any products) or even earlier compare very unfavorably unfortunately to those made in more recent years. Appliances, electronics, home goods, etc, etc, are made to last 3-5 years with as cheap labor as possible. It really shows. Unless you buy top of the line (which I TRY to do at every occasion for just about everything), many many products these days are crap and don't last even if your the type of person who cares for his/her things.
I had two grandfathers that had tools, parts, etc for 20-30 years and it was common place. If it broke, you could fix it and it would last another 10 years.
Not today. I sound like an old-timer but its a damn shame and an unfortunate sign of the times. $35-40k should buy you an amazing product and that's not always the case.
CJSheridan
New member
Well... This thread got a little strange there....
But thank you all so much for the responses. This is a fantastic forum. The wife and I talked and did some test driving. We both loved the 4runner and that's what we are going to go with. I understand the practicality of the highlander and it is a very nice vehicle, but at the end of the day, we like both wanted a truck.
That being said, I think price wise we need to stick with an SR5, but definitely want a moonroof and whatever navigation includes a backup camera. The first salesman I delt with gave me a price of $36,224. He is claiming that that is dealer invoice, but it seems a little high to me, but this is long island where everything is expensive....
What do you all think? Good? Bad? Ripoff? Fair?
Thank you so much!
But thank you all so much for the responses. This is a fantastic forum. The wife and I talked and did some test driving. We both loved the 4runner and that's what we are going to go with. I understand the practicality of the highlander and it is a very nice vehicle, but at the end of the day, we like both wanted a truck.
That being said, I think price wise we need to stick with an SR5, but definitely want a moonroof and whatever navigation includes a backup camera. The first salesman I delt with gave me a price of $36,224. He is claiming that that is dealer invoice, but it seems a little high to me, but this is long island where everything is expensive....
What do you all think? Good? Bad? Ripoff? Fair?
Thank you so much!
rushrunner
New member
We got a new 12 Caddy SRX AWD less than the Runner.
Socco
New member
You paid less for a Chevy than a Toyota? Shocking.
Enjoy that massive depreciation, I mean new car smell. :wink2:
rebelbowtie
New member
Idk if it's ignorance or extreme brand loyalty but some of the post in here make me lol. Massive depreciation? You must have never priced any GM trucks, a good condition GMT400 (mind you the newest ones are still 13 years old) can sell for close to $10,000. My GMT800 (2004) that I sold prior to buying my 4Runner had 80,xxx miles on it and had been wrecked with $10,000 worth of damage and I STILL received $12,000 on a dealer trade in.
Do the interior pieces rattle and fall apart? Do door handles break? Do tailgate latches break? Are the tie rods weak? Yes to all the above, but will any GM small block from gen I to gen IV run for 200,000+ miles with little maintenance? You bet your ass, they are just as reliable as any Toyota.
Socco
New member
Well, I'm neither ignorant nor do I suffer from extreme brand loyalty. I speak from the experience gained over the years from: having owned many GM products, working at a Chev dealer, a repair shop and a hot rod shop, being a fleet supervisor (Ford and GM Commercial Vehicles) and owning two 4Runners. I don't know what the market in your neighborhood is like, but around here, used Cadillacs can be had for cheap. Yes, C/Ks can still somehow command good money. I sold an '89 Stepside C1500 for $10G without even trying. Wish I still had it though, loved that truck. 800s and 900s, we'll have to wait and see.
Brand loyalty? Isn't that why were on this forum? OK, I'll admit, I have some. I realize it every time my Dad complains about the money he's just spent, fixing his Yukon. I had lost track of how many parts I had to throw into my '90 SuperCoupe, '89 Astro, and my '01 Astro.... My '99 Runner? starter contacts and a new battery in 10 years. No rattles. No squeaks. No loose panels. To me, I'd call that reliability.
nw_4Runner
New member
Was in LA for a week, late June, the '12 SRX was our rental. Nice car, lots of luxury touches (e.g. auto sunroof shade, navi directions in IP, etc.), and surprisingly sporty (esp. when smashing the throttle). That said, very different beast than 4Runner - one is utility, other is lux/sporty.
That said, priorities will determine value, not price. Proclaiming the '12 SRX is a better value, because the 4Runner disappointed you, seems a desperate argument (and you come off as - oddly - bitter that Toyota didn't build the SUV you wanted). At end of day, if value is determined by what car is the least expensive, then we'd all be driving used Geo Metros.
Enjoy the SRX - a unique car. Should be fun.
Brand Loyalty
I am loyal to Toyota and not afraid to say it. Not because of resale, longevity, etc (although those things are nice), but because Toyota has stood behind their product for me in the past. I had a Tacoma a few years back that had a bad cv joint at 65K miles (out of warranty). The dealer said that t was out of warranty, but should not have happened and fixed the problem without cost to me. That was the only problem I ever had with that truck over 12 years and 150K miles. It will take something special for me NOT to buy another Toyota. I recognize that this may have been dealer dependent...
I am loyal to Toyota and not afraid to say it. Not because of resale, longevity, etc (although those things are nice), but because Toyota has stood behind their product for me in the past. I had a Tacoma a few years back that had a bad cv joint at 65K miles (out of warranty). The dealer said that t was out of warranty, but should not have happened and fixed the problem without cost to me. That was the only problem I ever had with that truck over 12 years and 150K miles. It will take something special for me NOT to buy another Toyota. I recognize that this may have been dealer dependent...
Seems a little high. You might want to use a site like cars.com or others to email a bunch of dealer exactly what you want. Remember on the SR5 you need to manually shift it into 4wd. The limited is the only version with AWD. Unless you or your wife have a history of driving RWD you might want to look at the AWD version. AWD was a must have for my wife after driving FWD all her life and having no experience with RWD in inclement weather.
