Just need to vent - 11 te

[DaveS]

And your very good at it....keep up the good work!:jump: Toyota is listening....

Serious question: Do you s'pose that Toyota has some intern in the Product Planning Group, whose job includes reading these forums and compiling a report?

I doubt it. A high percentage of forum members are off-roaders through and through and I suspect Toyota sees that as only a small part of the market for the 4Runner - why else would they put FT 4WD on the LE that has 20" alloys and low profile tires? They also seem to have decided that building to a price point is key - the 4Runner has not shifted in basic price range for a long time - result is some things have to be dropped regardless of opinions.

I took just one thing from this thread that might not be immediately apparent in a test drive - underpowered blower for the heater.

 

[Hawkdog21]

I doubt it. A high percentage of forum members are off-roaders through and through and I suspect Toyota sees that as only a small part of the market for the 4Runner - why else would they put FT 4WD on the LE that has 20" alloys and low profile tires? They also seem to have decided that building to a price point is key - the 4Runner has not shifted in basic price range for a long time - result is some things have to be dropped regardless of opinions.

I took just one thing from this thread that might not be immediately apparent in a test drive - underpowered blower for the heater.

Agreed, forum members account for such a small small fraction of their sales, they do not really care what we think.


As far as the heater comment you mentioned though... I agree that you might not find that out the heater blower is weak during a test drive, say in the summer, but is that the deciding factor in purchasing a car? If not what is the point in *****ing about it, it is what it is so deal with it or buy another car, its a damn heater blower.

The complaining on this forum is on preschool levels.

 

[Falls]

C'mon guys , I said I just had to VENT !!!! (it says in the title) VENT !!! about things that became more noticeable in my 2 months . You are all making a bigger deal of this than it really is . I accept how the 4R is , I do like it , I trust it anywhere and through anything , just some things I have noticed and could not have noticed on the multiple test drives I've done on different SR5's . Hardly any TE's around to test drive .

For those of you who keep asking about the test drive part and the research part , you really don't have a clue at all what your even talking about. Most all of my searching on internet is 4x4 , truck , tire related and specifically Toyota related , so get a grip before you start to bash me for something.

With the engine . I came from a quiet powerful/torquey 4x4 V8 to a louder V6 (and V6's are always noisier than V8's , especially the 4R because of the timing belt in the V8 and timing chain in the V6) it takes some getting used to . it is what it is .

I will get a few things checked out at the dealer , but no big deal . I love the truck , just some things I don't particularly like thats all. As with everything in life has it's pro's and con's .

The sliding around on the hiway was just slippery and I felt to slippery for 2wd mode , I went to 4hi and problem solved . Yes my tires did just fine Yes I was traveling fast for conditions , but I had to (personal job reasons) but I didn't over due it. Besides here in Wisconsin if you slide off the road doing 3mph you WILL be cited for driving to fast for conditions. Just how the law is here . Unless law enforcement gives you a break which i doubt.

The ride quality like I said is great on good roads and rough on some side roads. Our pavement here gets what called freezing heaves and literally can jar you fillings loose and potholes that get to be the size of half a basketball. nothing is going to cross that without jarring the heck out of you. Most of these roads are in the city of Milwaukee , not where i live , but i do have to travel through there.

All in all Im happy with the truck except for some things i need to get looked at and I should be good to go . Would I buy this 4R again...... yes I would !! I like trucks and have always had truck's and to be able to have a second 4R SUV thats like a truck and something mid size is perfect combo for me. I dont feel like i got a lemon or anything like that.

I plan on some spring/shock/rim up grades in the near future.

Mike

 

[Crit Rat]

Falls, how would you rate the ride quality and handling compared to the 2006 4R you had before?

I'm in a 3rd gen 4R now and that is one of the biggest things I am unhappy with in my 97. New shocks and poly steering rack bushings made a big difference though. i'm curious becuase a Trail Edition 5th gen is the leading candidate to be my next vehicle.

 

[Falls]

Falls, how would you rate the ride quality and handling compared to the 2006 4R you had before?

I'm in a 3rd gen 4R now and that is one of the biggest things I am unhappy with in my 97. New shocks and poly steering rack bushings made a big difference though. i'm curious becuase a Trail Edition 5th gen is the leading candidate to be my next vehicle.

Well from reading this thread you can see everyones opinion is different.

With the exception of having a vehicle with Xreas the shocks/struts and springs are all the same on all 3 model (excluding Xreas) . That is what dealer told me when they looked up the part numbers for me , because i asked if the shock/springs were any different.

On my 06 I had pulled off the xreas system so i ran a long time with FJ springs , shocks , struts and a front spacer to level it. That stiffened up my ride and eliminated my body roll and nose diving . I loved it that way.

I think though my 06 had a softer ride , but so much depends on that , like tires and tire pressure , type of roads , temp outside , ect.....

What type of driving do you do ? and what type of ride are you looking for ? what type of tires are you running or plan to run if you get a new one ? is your gen ride to harsh ?

 

[03_4x4Runner]

Serious question: Do you s'pose that Toyota has some intern in the Product Planning Group, whose job includes reading these forums and compiling a report?

I always wondered if they did or not. On the "All ford mustangs" forum" there is a Ford customer service rep on there all the time offering advice. If you have any questions you can give them your VIN number and get personal attention if the dealer does not know.

 

[trentfysty]

I thought I would chime in as I have been shopping for about a year. I currently own a 1994 Land Rover Discovery. It's full-time 4wd with a locking center diff. I have added OME all around, ARB Air Locker in the rear, Warn Winch, Safari Snorkle, full skid plates, etc. As it is a 1994 I am ready to replace it.

There are a ton of options out there but you have to decide what is most important. If full-time 4wd is really key then that would knock out the SR5 and the TE right away. That would also knock out the Xterra, Wrangler Unlimited. Having driven both Full-time 4wd and part-time, it really comes down to selecting the best option for road conditions. Yes full-time 4wd makes it a no-brainer but I don't think it provides better traction.

The SR5 has a softer ride then the TE. I guess my thing is, this is a truck and is going to ride like a truck. If you want a car-like ride then you will have to go with a uni-body style vehicle. That might be okay but it has it limits as well. The RR ad LR4 have independent suspension which helps the on-road ride. They are very capable off-road but are you going to take a $50k plus vehicle off-road? Also, you have reliability issues. If you don't believe be check consumer reports or any LR forum. I put up with it for 17 years because I felt that the benefits that the vehicle provided were more than the short comings. When I bought it, new, it was by far the best option out there. There wasn't another vehicle that offered full-time 4wd, solid axels, no rust aluminum body, V8, and the off-road ability that the Discovery did.

Today, LR has more reliability issues, mostly due to increased electronics. Jeep, well, again reliability issues, underpowered etc. Xterra, not as good of reliability as 4runner and very little aftermarket options.

So here we are talking about the 4runner. The TE, SR5, and Limited are very different vehicles targeted at different consumers. Most hard-core offroaders are not going to pay extra to have leather and all of the other bells and whistles that the limited has. The full-time 4wd costs more to make. To keep the price point where it is Toyota couldn't offer it in the other models. Would I like full-time 4wd in a TE, sure, but it's not a deal breaker to me. I would rather have the KDSS etc then full-time 4wd. The SR5 has some good options but again, is geared more toward the very occasional off-road driver and more to the urban driver.

I guess, in the end, you spend time shopping, researching, driving, talking to owners etc and should know the short falls before to buy. There isn't a perfect vehicle out there, if there was we would all be buying it, oh but wait, we all want slightly different things. Toyota does listen to it's customer base and they listen mostly buy way of what sells and what doesn't. Why do you think there are so many more silver, black, and grey TEs then Red and Blue? Because there is a great demand for those colors. Remember, Toyota has been selling cars for many years, and I am sure they track everything. They use that data to come up with a car they feel will appeal to the broadest range of customer at the best price. Believe me it is all about making money, not pleasing a select group. If car companies would want to please a select group you would see the Defender 90 come back, a diesel 4runner/Jeep Wrangler but you don't because the companies don't think they can make money selling them.

My feeling is let's talk about real problems/strengths with the 4runner, not what we wish would happen. The biggest way we can influence a car maker is buy buying or not buying. If you don't like the 4runner, don't buy it. But if you do buy it don't spend all your time talking about what would make it better as you already made your choice, so live with it. Now if something is not working the way that it was advertised to then lets talk about it and figure out how to make it right. If there is an after-market fix that makes a nice difference, lets bring it up.

Write a letter to Toyota if you want to make sure they get it. To expect them to read this forum is crazy. We are only a small percentage of their customer base.

 

[Ponce]

I thought I would chime in as I have been shopping for about a year. I currently own a 1994 Land Rover Discovery. It's full-time 4wd with a locking center diff. I have added OME all around, ARB Air Locker in the rear, Warn Winch, Safari Snorkle, full skid plates, etc. As it is a 1994 I am ready to replace it.

There are a ton of options out there but you have to decide what is most important. If full-time 4wd is really key then that would knock out the SR5 and the TE right away. That would also knock out the Xterra, Wrangler Unlimited. Having driven both Full-time 4wd and part-time, it really comes down to selecting the best option for road conditions. Yes full-time 4wd makes it a no-brainer but I don't think it provides better traction.

The SR5 has a softer ride then the TE. I guess my thing is, this is a truck and is going to ride like a truck. If you want a car-like ride then you will have to go with a uni-body style vehicle. That might be okay but it has it limits as well. The RR ad LR4 have independent suspension which helps the on-road ride. They are very capable off-road but are you going to take a $50k plus vehicle off-road? Also, you have reliability issues. If you don't believe be check consumer reports or any LR forum. I put up with it for 17 years because I felt that the benefits that the vehicle provided were more than the short comings. When I bought it, new, it was by far the best option out there. There wasn't another vehicle that offered full-time 4wd, solid axels, no rust aluminum body, V8, and the off-road ability that the Discovery did.

Today, LR has more reliability issues, mostly due to increased electronics. Jeep, well, again reliability issues, underpowered etc. Xterra, not as good of reliability as 4runner and very little aftermarket options.

So here we are talking about the 4runner. The TE, SR5, and Limited are very different vehicles targeted at different consumers. Most hard-core offroaders are not going to pay extra to have leather and all of the other bells and whistles that the limited has. The full-time 4wd costs more to make. To keep the price point where it is Toyota couldn't offer it in the other models. Would I like full-time 4wd in a TE, sure, but it's not a deal breaker to me. I would rather have the KDSS etc then full-time 4wd. The SR5 has some good options but again, is geared more toward the very occasional off-road driver and more to the urban driver.

I guess, in the end, you spend time shopping, researching, driving, talking to owners etc and should know the short falls before to buy. There isn't a perfect vehicle out there, if there was we would all be buying it, oh but wait, we all want slightly different things. Toyota does listen to it's customer base and they listen mostly buy way of what sells and what doesn't. Why do you think there are so many more silver, black, and grey TEs then Red and Blue? Because there is a great demand for those colors. Remember, Toyota has been selling cars for many years, and I am sure they track everything. They use that data to come up with a car they feel will appeal to the broadest range of customer at the best price. Believe me it is all about making money, not pleasing a select group. If car companies would want to please a select group you would see the Defender 90 come back, a diesel 4runner/Jeep Wrangler but you don't because the companies don't think they can make money selling them.

My feeling is let's talk about real problems/strengths with the 4runner, not what we wish would happen. The biggest way we can influence a car maker is buy buying or not buying. If you don't like the 4runner, don't buy it. But if you do buy it don't spend all your time talking about what would make it better as you already made your choice, so live with it. Now if something is not working the way that it was advertised to then lets talk about it and figure out how to make it right. If there is an after-market fix that makes a nice difference, lets bring it up.

Write a letter to Toyota if you want to make sure they get it. To expect them to read this forum is crazy. We are only a small percentage of their customer base.

Bravo:cheers:

 

[DocMT]

... The biggest way we can influence a car maker is buy buying or not buying. If you don't like the 4runner, don't buy it.....

Normally I'd agree with you, but not when it comes to the 4Runner. If the trend continues and sales don't increase, I think Toyota will just stop building the 4Runner altogether. We're already on thin ice as it is because most of the "true" SUVs have died off already. You don't see too many midsize SUVs with body-on-frame construction and live axle rear.

 

[trentfysty]

I agree that the 4runners days are limited. That's because most people want a car-like ride and our limited off-road community isn't big enough to pay attention to when it comes to sales. It's sad but true. That and all the stupid reviewers that trash a truck if it rides like a truck.

 

[DocMT]

I agree that the 4runners days are limited. That's because most people want a car-like ride and our limited off-road community isn't big enough to pay attention to when it comes to sales. It's sad but true. That and all the stupid reviewers that trash a truck if it rides like a truck.

Yes, but I think Toyota made a smart decision to stay with the platform as it is now. I say that because everyone else pretty much abandoned the segment. Think of all the unibody SUVs with IRS. For people who don't want that, choices are extremely limited. So Toyota is basically trying to cash in on the niche that was created when everyone else turned their SUVs into softroaders.

 

[progress4m]

....
1st. This is a noisy vehicle . The engine and drivetrain noise when stepping hard on the the gas and getting the RPM's up is just horrible !!

...
5. The ride quality / handling is fair at best. Rides very rough in the winter months and with all the potholes and heaving pavement we have here it is literally bone jarring. Granted on nice roads/hi ways it rides nice and smooth and handles ok.
....

8. Engine : I miss my V8 with a passion !!!! This current 11TE truck is a dog from the get go , even though it is supposed to have a whopping 5 more hp than the V8. The 4.7L V8 power and torque were excellent , engine ran totally smooth and quiet. Gas milage is so far the same as my V8. Although though I don't buy these kind of vehicles for gas milage at ALL. Im sure in time of break in it will go up a mile or so per gallon. As long as I'm not getting 12mpg ....lol Im ok with it . I think im at 15.5 average (mostly city stop and go) running winter blend fuel (which takes away a couple miles per gallon and makes it run crappier too). so who knows with milage . it may get better but not overly concerned . I just thought with the new 4L it would be better power and milage & quieter.

.....

That exactly what I felt during test drives…

 

[Koz]

I thought I would chime in as I have been shopping for about a year. I currently own a 1994 Land Rover Discovery. It's full-time 4wd with a locking center diff. I have added OME all around, ARB Air Locker in the rear, Warn Winch, Safari Snorkle, full skid plates, etc. As it is a 1994 I am ready to replace it.

There are a ton of options out there but you have to decide what is most important. If full-time 4wd is really key then that would knock out the SR5 and the TE right away. That would also knock out the Xterra, Wrangler Unlimited. Having driven both Full-time 4wd and part-time, it really comes down to selecting the best option for road conditions. Yes full-time 4wd makes it a no-brainer but I don't think it provides better traction.

The SR5 has a softer ride then the TE. I guess my thing is, this is a truck and is going to ride like a truck. If you want a car-like ride then you will have to go with a uni-body style vehicle. That might be okay but it has it limits as well. The RR ad LR4 have independent suspension which helps the on-road ride. They are very capable off-road but are you going to take a $50k plus vehicle off-road? Also, you have reliability issues. If you don't believe be check consumer reports or any LR forum. I put up with it for 17 years because I felt that the benefits that the vehicle provided were more than the short comings. When I bought it, new, it was by far the best option out there. There wasn't another vehicle that offered full-time 4wd, solid axels, no rust aluminum body, V8, and the off-road ability that the Discovery did.

Today, LR has more reliability issues, mostly due to increased electronics. Jeep, well, again reliability issues, underpowered etc. Xterra, not as good of reliability as 4runner and very little aftermarket options.

So here we are talking about the 4runner. The TE, SR5, and Limited are very different vehicles targeted at different consumers. Most hard-core offroaders are not going to pay extra to have leather and all of the other bells and whistles that the limited has. The full-time 4wd costs more to make. To keep the price point where it is Toyota couldn't offer it in the other models. Would I like full-time 4wd in a TE, sure, but it's not a deal breaker to me. I would rather have the KDSS etc then full-time 4wd. The SR5 has some good options but again, is geared more toward the very occasional off-road driver and more to the urban driver.

I guess, in the end, you spend time shopping, researching, driving, talking to owners etc and should know the short falls before to buy. There isn't a perfect vehicle out there, if there was we would all be buying it, oh but wait, we all want slightly different things. Toyota does listen to it's customer base and they listen mostly buy way of what sells and what doesn't. Why do you think there are so many more silver, black, and grey TEs then Red and Blue? Because there is a great demand for those colors. Remember, Toyota has been selling cars for many years, and I am sure they track everything. They use that data to come up with a car they feel will appeal to the broadest range of customer at the best price. Believe me it is all about making money, not pleasing a select group. If car companies would want to please a select group you would see the Defender 90 come back, a diesel 4runner/Jeep Wrangler but you don't because the companies don't think they can make money selling them.

My feeling is let's talk about real problems/strengths with the 4runner, not what we wish would happen. The biggest way we can influence a car maker is buy buying or not buying. If you don't like the 4runner, don't buy it. But if you do buy it don't spend all your time talking about what would make it better as you already made your choice, so live with it. Now if something is not working the way that it was advertised to then lets talk about it and figure out how to make it right. If there is an after-market fix that makes a nice difference, lets bring it up.

Write a letter to Toyota if you want to make sure they get it. To expect them to read this forum is crazy. We are only a small percentage of their customer base.

There is the perfect vehicle out there, you just need to spend more, the GX460! Go test drive one.

Koz

 

[hhalimi]

Agree with every thing you said

I waited a couple days to post this so would not be irritated ......lol.

My 11 TE has 2500 miles on it and it's 2 months old.

1st. This is a noisy vehicle . The engine and drivetrain noise when stepping hard on the the gas and getting the RPM's up is just horrible !!

2nd. The rear defrosted was horrible on my 06 4R , but this one takes the cake ! it can't even melt a dusting of snow off the back window. It really stinks.

3rd. Heater/blower motor is a total joke too. Not much power/CFM there in my opinion.

4. The button for the windshield wiper/heater thing ??? does not seem to have any purpose what so ever . what is it supposed to do ??? I have read the manual .

5. The ride quality / handling is fair at best. Rides very rough in the winter months and with all the potholes and heaving pavement we have here it is literally bone jarring. Granted on nice roads/hi ways it rides nice and smooth and handles ok.

6. Interior lighting is not good . I may replace with white LED's.

7. I do miss having a full time 4x4 mode with center locking diff like my 06 had . I drove on friday nite on the freeway for about an hour to get home. Road had about inch of snow dust in them . After the traction control was doing its job I decided to put it in 4wd/Hi the rest of the way home . The truck was all over the place on the road .

8. Engine : I miss my V8 with a passion !!!! This current 11TE truck is a dog from the get go , even though it is supposed to have a whopping 5 more hp than the V8. The 4.7L V8 power and torque were excellent , engine ran totally smooth and quiet. Gas milage is so far the same as my V8. Although though I don't buy these kind of vehicles for gas milage at ALL. Im sure in time of break in it will go up a mile or so per gallon. As long as I'm not getting 12mpg ....lol Im ok with it . I think im at 15.5 average (mostly city stop and go) running winter blend fuel (which takes away a couple miles per gallon and makes it run crappier too). so who knows with milage . it may get better but not overly concerned . I just thought with the new 4L it would be better power and milage & quieter.

All in all its a good truck but these things really are bothersome to ME , but thats just the way it is I guess so I'll adapt . I love the body styling , the interior layout , the tune system and most everything else about it.

OK my rant is over >>>>> I feel a little better now .... LOL.

:iagree:I had 05 sport eddition V8 and bought an 2011 SR5, but also drove an 2010 limited, none of them comes even close to the ride quality of the previous generation sport, V8. And as far as noise is concrned, i had to test drive my friends car to make sure mine was not defective, especially if you step on gas pedal, the noise gets very rough just before gear change. It is very loud with cruising speed on high way but does not have the "Helicopter noise" of my old 4 runner at 75MPH. Braking fast makes you feels as if the nose of the car will dig into the ground. I liked SUV's that drove like truck, but don't like this one, too rough, may be I amgetting old:moping: Even my wife was telling me the other day that this car drives "slow", but she likes it anyway and she is the one who is driving it mostly

 

[CptKirk]

Make yourself feel better by going out and test driving an Xterra, you'll love your 4Runner

 

[03_4x4Runner]

Make yourself feel better by going out and test driving an Xterra, you'll love your 4Runner

I test drove an xterra this weekend. I actually liked it. The engine is very strong at lower rpms. It does not need to be at 5000 rpm to make any power and does not sound loud and rough like the 4runner. Someone at Toyota needs to drive one and make there engine sound and run like the xterra. Also the xterra felt lighter (which it is) and eager to move. I was impressed. Also much cheaper than a 4runner. The Pro 4x has a locker and is much like a Trail edition 4runner.

 

[SOMDRUNNER1]

Buy the Nissan and report back in 100,000 miles. Good luck to you!....Nobody builds the perfect vehicle, but the 4Runner is the best vehicle in its class for the majority of us!

 

[westwind77]

I test drove an xterra this weekend. I actually liked it. The engine is very strong at lower rpms. It does not need to be at 5000 rpm to make any power and does not sound loud and rough like the 4runner. Someone at Toyota needs to drive one and make there engine sound and run like the xterra. Also the xterra felt lighter (which it is) and eager to move. I was impressed. Also much cheaper than a 4runner. The Pro 4x has a locker and is much like a Trail edition 4runner.

I drove a new Pathfinder a couple weeks ago, what a POS that thing was! I know it is not a Xterra but this thing was 'broken' from the factory, 4wd was locked and stuck engaged, heater did not work, check engine light on! I am not discounting any or your observations, just buyer beware!

 

[DocMT]

I've never driven an Xterra, but I have driven a new Pathfinder on several occasions and I really liked it. The ride was smooth and the V6 engine felt at least as powerful as the 4Runner V6.

 

[DocMT]

I test drove an xterra this weekend. I actually liked it. The engine is very strong at lower rpms. It does not need to be at 5000 rpm to make any power and does not sound loud and rough like the 4runner. Someone at Toyota needs to drive one and make there engine sound and run like the xterra. Also the xterra felt lighter (which it is) and eager to move. I was impressed. Also much cheaper than a 4runner. The Pro 4x has a locker and is much like a Trail edition 4runner.

Hi, thanks for the information. I've never heard of the Pro 4x, so I had to look it up. Looks very interesting. I've always liked the look of the Xterra.