Just Wondering...

[redwhisky5150]

As some of you may recall i traded my V6 in for the "bigger motor". I couldnt resist the 8 cylinders.

I see a lot of posts on here about the different motors. I was just wondering how many of you guys on here either enjoy their current displacement, or would like the latter, etc. No matter what the answer, I was wondering what you guys thought.

 

[SteveM]

I always buy the biggest engine available for the car I'm buying - too many regrets if I don't.

In fact, I'm sort of lusting after the variable valve timing that comes on the 2005 V-8 right now.

 

[chunderboy]

Don't mean to hijak, but i never really knew what vvt-i stood for. Any help would be great.

And yes, def. wish i go the 8. But with gas prices on the rise, i am happy with the decision

 

[horsey]

I always wanted the biggest engine they offer The VVT-I stands for variable valve timing with intelligence. It's like having an extra brain in the engine. It controls the open and close of the valves depending on your driving habits/needs. (Correct me if I'm wrong ) It should helps achieve better gas milage.

 

[Hank]

I'm plenty happy with the V6 in my '04 Ltd 4wd, but I must admit that there are times when I need a bit more torque such as climbing a steep grade. I would definitely get the '05 V8 vvt-i motor if I could (too much $$$ lost w/depreciation already). I must confess, not getting the V8 was the only slight regret I have after buying my 4R. Obviously, I got the Ltd & 4wd trim since I didn't want to regret not getting those down the line My current occupation requires ALOT of driving (I did over 50,000 miles last year), so getting the V6 to save $$$ on gas was logical. However, I will be changing occupation soon, so I won't be driving as much. Maybe, I might be able to get the V8 after all, as my girlfriend (soon to be fiancee) wants a 4R! Perhaps a V8 SR5 or maybe a new Taco.

 

[BenSD]

I've had my 04 sport V6 4x4 for nearly a year now, and I have no regrets. When I've needed quick acceleration (passing), I have not been let down by the V6. On a recent road trip, my friend was shocked that my 4R was *just* a V6 after doing some passing. Plus, I love the switchable 4WD. It helps save a bit of cash.

If I was getting an 05, I'd probably go with the V8 just because of the updates to the engine and similar fuel economy, but I'm glad I don't have the 04 V8 4x4.

 

[Solice]

I've been happy so far with my decision on the V6. A big decision maker for me was the upgraded 5-spd transmission for the V6 this year. If not for that I would have went with the V8. I'm not pulling any horse trailers so I didn't need the extra torque .

 

[tkr128]

Sure, there are times when I wish I had the 8, just so I could say I had the 8. But, the 6 is perfectly fine for me, it has enough power for the way I drive it and getting 24mpg is amazing for an SUV especially when it's $2.85 for a gallon!

 

[EDGE]

I don't think the average person knows the difference, I have a friend who just bought a new Pathfinder cause the HP of the V6 was 270, nice truck and everything but he gets in mine and is like how come yours is different

 

[CVsGX470]

Unlike most of you I am very confident in the size that I have.



In all honesty, I don't know why you would want a V8 if you don't have any need for it. I mean if you have a big RV or boat I can see why it would be pragmatic to have such a thing. But honestly, why would you need a V8 if all you do is the daily commute and have a little fun on the weekends. You just end up burning more money on gas. I especially like the fact that I can drive my truck in 2WD. Oh well, to each his own.

CV

 

[Koz]

Don't mean to hijak, but i never really knew what vvt-i stood for. Any help would be great.

Camshaft profile is probably the single most important engine design parameter determining the personality of an engine. Years ago engines could either be tuned (using cam timing) for low-rpm torque or high-rpm horsepower using a single cam, but not both. Today

 

[abin]

Unlike most of you I am very confident in the size that I have.



In all honesty, I don't know why you would want a V8 if you don't have any need for it. I mean if you have a big RV or boat I can see why it would be pragmatic to have such a thing. But honestly, why would you need a V8 if all you do is the daily commute and have a little fun on the weekends. You just end up burning more money on gas. I especially like the fact that I can drive my truck in 2WD. Oh well, to each his own.

CV

funny. what makes you confident about your size? v6 or 17" ?
i know some people shose v8 not because they don't have confidence, one of the reasons is, it shares same engine used in Lexus GX470. i feel exactly the same as you said including the capability to switch to 2WD (my first rear wheel drive).
i will need a v8 when i have a RV to tow.

 

[Northof49]

When I got the 2003 V8 Runner I did not own anything to tow (boat came 6 months after out of the blue). Fortunately, working for Toyota at the time, I was able to spend a week with the thing before actually buying it. Drove the identical model of V6 in that time, and still made the decision for the V8. The V6 (to me) just does not feel like quite the same truck....the lower gearing, sounds and smoothness alone are worth the extra money for me (and 5 spd auto in 03)....added performance and towing ability are just bonuses. Also, I have found the V8's so far to be an easier sell

As for fuel mileage, I was very impressed to find the 03 and 05 V8's to getting slightly better mileage than my old 2000 4Runner 3.4L V6 did! As for mileage comparisons to the 4.0L V6....these have been beat to death, so I'lll just say for my purposes, the difference is too small to notice. On a roadtrip say, one extra uphill passing lane at 80mph in the V6 and any benefit would be gone. My driving is too random to ever notice a difference, period....I get the same mileage in the damn 4Runner than I did in a BMW 325i !!

When it comes down to it tho, you absolutely can't go wrong with either one.

 

[Northof49]

In all honesty, I don't know why you would want a V8 if you don't have any need for it.

You just end up burning more money on gas.

None of us "need" brand new 4Runners at all.....V6 or V8....that's really here nor there. From what I've seen on here, there's only 1 or 2 members towing over 5,000lbs, so technically, they could get away with a 3rd gen 3.4L V6 and save a helluva lot money on purchase than V6 vs V8 gas savings would EVER add up to......

If you are actually worried about the 1 or 2mpg better the V6 gets, there are a lot of other vehicles out there that get much better fuel economy than any 4Runner :

 

[EDGE]

I bought the V8 cause I wanted the V8 no other reason then that, the things I tow and haul the V6 could do as well but I choose the V8, if Toyota did not offer the V8 at all or in the 1st year I would have gotten the V6.

They offered the V8 for the hell of it I guess good for competition, does anyone know what amount of V8 vs. V6 they sell, at 1 time the salespeople told me it was 1 V8 for every 10 V6, I once called Corporate and they told me that was confidential.

With the popularity of the 4Runner, I wish I could get myself into a A8 W12

The V8 was a smart move sales wise, the younger generation does not look at engines like the older generation, where young guys look at the tech stuff, old guys look at the V8 as the domestic muscle they once had, why else do you think the 300C sells cause of the V8:

Now the V8, V6 the V8 will out tow your V6, thats just stupid, they have the same rating, most here will not even keep the trucks beyond 100k, we all have the same thing in common we bought trucks for the quality and reliability, now if this was a Ford or Chevy site we would be discussing our break downs and how to fix stuff that should have never broke and we would ask, do you think I got screwed or paid to much to have this fixed, my extended warranty does not cover this

I enjoy this site but some guys talk about their size to much:arrow: maybe the mods can add a metrosexual sub forum :artist:

and the V6 gets better gas mileage, it's not a corolla, I don't see the difference:

 

[Northof49]

They offered the V8 for the hell of it I guess good for competition, does anyone know what amount of V8 vs. V6 they sell, at 1 time the salespeople told me it was 1 V8 for every 10 V6, I once called Corporate and they told me that was confidential.

At the dealership I worked at, I'm quite confident saying it was VERY close to a 50/50 split. Keep in mind that this dealer is in a small city deep in BC's interior....quite a bit different from a big city with fancy "highways" and such hahaha

Basically, whichever we had more of in stock, or in the more popular packages (Sport V6 and Ltd V8) would sell better.

 

[CVsGX470]

None of us "need" brand new 4Runners at all.....V6 or V8....that's really here nor there. From what I've seen on here, there's only 1 or 2 members towing over 5,000lbs, so technically, they could get away with a 3rd gen 3.4L V6 and save a helluva lot money on purchase than V6 vs V8 gas savings would EVER add up to......

If you are actually worried about the 1 or 2mpg better the V6 gets, there are a lot of other vehicles out there that get much better fuel economy than any 4Runner :

Who says that I didn't need a new 4Runner? I don't buy used...waste of money IMO. I think that saying there is a1-2 m/g difference is a little bit of a stretch. I would say more of a 5 m/g diff with all the in town driving that I do. I need a truck like the 4Runner for my life. I just know I don't need a V8 to accomplish my tasks. If you do, that is fine. I was just saying that I don't like the gas milage and wear on the car from being full time 4wd. CV

 

[toybox]

I think that saying there is a1-2 m/g difference is a little bit of a stretch. I would say more of a 5 m/g diff with all the in town driving that I do.

The stickers for the V6 and V8 in CITY driving only reflect a 2 mpg difference. I don't believe you could get 5 mpg better than the V8 under any equal driving conditions IMO.

 

[EDGE]

At the dealership I worked at, I'm quite confident saying it was VERY close to a 50/50 split. Keep in mind that this dealer is in a small city deep in BC's interior....quite a bit different from a big city with fancy "highways" and such hahaha

Basically, whichever we had more of in stock, or in the more popular packages (Sport V6 and Ltd V8) would sell better.

It's hard to judge the amount of V8 or V6 engines being sold on just what a certain dealer sells, of the 3 dealers I know of 1 can't keep enough V8 loaded LTD in stock and the other 2 have to swap them from other dealers.

I think the V8 sell around 20-40% and the rest is V6, the V8 seems to be more popular then 1 might think.

Like you said the Dealers stock the most popular vehicles.

 

[EDGE]

I don't like the gas milage and wear on the car from being full time 4wd. CV

Your 4wd system has as much wear as any V8 AWD owner, a fulltime shift on the fly system like the part time V6 4Runners has all parts moving, the only thing you need to do is engage 4HI to get power to the front wheels.

They have changed them over the years but their still the same.

Overall maintenance and cost for the 4x4 system should be the same as the V8 models, the only thing you don't have is an added stress to the front end always being in drive.

If cost was really an issue a V6 camry would be better suited, it lacks all the 4x4 components