Land Cruiser VS 4Runner

KokaneeRanger

KokaneeRanger

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Land Cruiser VS 4Runner (other than off road capabilities)

I understand land cruisers are a step up from 4runners in terms of off road capabilities. some good points in this thread in terms of the off road capabilities:
4Runner vs. Land Cruiser?

A question came up on another forum and ppl dont seem to understand the joy you get out of these machines...(4runners)

So I ask: why do ppl still get 4runners and mod them when they could get a cruiser and make it way more capable?

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4x4-trucks-iceland-4runner-44.jpg
 
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My guess is entry level price on comparative years. I also think there are a lot of web-wheelers. Finally, I'm guessing that the 4Runner is an "introduction" vehicle into the sport. If someone was to ask me what base I would like to start with it would have to be an FJ40, 60, or 80.

Maybe availability of parts? 3/4 of the people on this site including me for sure would be laughed straight off places like Pirate. That place scares me. Ha ha ha!
 
FourEyedWilly said:
My guess is entry level price on comparative years. I also think there are a lot of web-wheelers. Finally, I'm guessing that the 4Runner is an "introduction" vehicle into the sport. If someone was to ask me what base I would like to start with it would have to be an FJ40, 60, or 80.

Maybe availability of parts? 3/4 of the people on this site including me for sure would be laughed straight off places like Pirate. That place scares me. Ha ha ha!
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LOL if you can afford an FJ40 then more power to you.
 
FourEyedWilly said:
My guess is entry level price on comparative years. I also think there are a lot of web-wheelers. Finally, I'm guessing that the 4Runner is an "introduction" vehicle into the sport. If someone was to ask me what base I would like to start with it would have to be an FJ40, 60, or 80.

Maybe availability of parts? 3/4 of the people on this site including me for sure would be laughed straight off places like Pirate. That place scares me. Ha ha ha!
Click to expand...

4runners are better because they are narrower and i think they are less top heavy. granted any vehicle will be as capable as your budget allows, but i love my 87rnr.
i too wish i could afford an fj40. i could have traded my 4rnr for it but decided not to.


Glock_19 said:
LOL if you can afford an FJ40 then more power to you.
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X2 on that one! one day i will have one
 
I got my 4runner when I was 18. what I payed for it was out of my budget, but a short term loan from the parental units fixed that. No way I could have gotten a LC, and I just wanted a smaller SUV anyway (was a toss up between 4runner and escape). For those that have a LC in the bounds of the budget, I guess MPG's and general size of the vehicle would be a large factor.

There is no doubt in my mind that a moderately equipped LC can outperform a moderately equipped 4runner (factoring out driver skill), and a nice 80 series will always be on my dream list. But as I said earlier, I just wanted a small SUV that could handle some trail runs, 4-5 people, and get me and my board to the ski area for years to come.


EDIT: by small, I mean compared to a LC or other full size SUV, not like crossover small. Obviously the 4runner is not a 'small' SUV.
 
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Hell, why not just get a LR Defender 90 or 110 if price is not a factor? Bottom line I think for a lot of people is that you can get a ton a capability out of a 3rd 4th or 5th gen 4r with only a couple grand over "sticker" and still come out ahead in the dollars-to-trail-difficulty equation while still maintaining a fully streetable truck. Even if you decked out a Land Cruiser, it could still be trumped by a custom tube frame buggy. So, I guess if off road prowess was the supreme end all, a tube frame custom buggy rolling on 47" tires would be the solution. However, vehicle's are nothing more than a variable in an equation that involves things such as time on road, time off road/trail difficulty, budget, and family concerns. Heck, a full blown lifted 2nd gen with dual locked SA's would be a helluva truck...trailer'd, of course, to and from where its used. Basically, IMO you can get more bang for the buck out a 4r, especially if you are honest about how you intend to use it.
 
Synister said:
Hell, why not just get a LR Defender 90 or 110 if price is not a factor? Bottom line I think for a lot of people is that you can get a ton a capability out of a 3rd 4th or 5th gen 4r with only a couple grand over "sticker" and still come out ahead in the dollars-to-trail-difficulty equation while still maintaining a fully streetable truck. Even if you decked out a Land Cruiser, it could still be trumped by a custom tube frame buggy. So, I guess if off road prowess was the supreme end all, a tube frame custom buggy rolling on 47" tires would be the solution. However, vehicle's are nothing more than a variable in an equation that involves things such as time on road, time off road/trail difficulty, budget, and family concerns. Heck, a full blown lifted 2nd gen with dual locked SA's would be a helluva truck...trailer'd, of course, to and from where its used. Basically, IMO you can get more bang for the buck out a 4r, especially if you are honest about how you intend to use it.
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Very well put. :hatsoff:
 
well I have an FJ40 and its fun for around town or trails cause its a tank. but the short wheel base and gearing makes it 55 cruising speed. bumps in the road I actually can catch Air on some.

would love a 80 LC, but the gas mileage and road tripablitliy was my factor for getting a 00 4R and just happen to find one with a stick shift and 4-locker.

I did find some LC's for decent price, but still more miles and cost of fixing or upgrading was also a factor.

so far I am 4 days into my ownership of my new to me 4runner and happy with it.

SO Cheers to each there own
 
You want to do an expedition, and you are right the 4runner is not the vehicle for it. My personal reccomendation would be a Land Rover 110/Defender 110, with a 300tdi as you can can bring those it, as that is one of/if not the best base for an expedition vehicle, as it has a high capicity fuel tank, small motor with decent fuel milage so you have a long range, huge rack's available, Fairly reliable in the wild, lots of aftermarket support specifically for expeditions.

I suppose the LC can do it as well, but of all the things the Land Rover is known for, this has to be the most famous one.
 
Okay, here in Austria it's a little bit different. Here we have only 2nd gen Runners (and a handful 1st gen). No current or younger model since the 2nd gen. Maybe the sale figures were too lousy to bring on newer models.
With the LC Toyota got a all-time winner on the offroad-market (which is very small here). Just the last few years more and more SUV start coming. And here is the LC with it's luxery very welcome. Most of the people just move on the highway and when they hit a dirty road, they think they are offroaders.

But in the small offroad scene we have, the (older) LC is quite popular because of it's offroad capabilities with the solid axles. And it is even more easier to make them more offroad-able (the supllies-market for offroad-vehicels is also very small).

That's the reason, why we have more LCs here than Runners.

I have both; a LJ73 and a 2nd gen Runner.
The LC is my offroad rig, which I use for light-competitions and daily-drive.
And with my Runner I want to build a weekend-truck for getting on trails.

greetz, Tom

(for some pix check out my myspace-site)
 
OffroadJunglist said:
Okay, here in Austria it's a little bit different. Here we have only 2nd gen Runners (and a handful 1st gen). No current or younger model since the 2nd gen. Maybe the sale figures were too lousy to bring on newer models.
With the LC Toyota got a all-time winner on the offroad-market (which is very small here). Just the last few years more and more SUV start coming. And here is the LC with it's luxery very welcome. Most of the people just move on the highway and when they hit a dirty road, they think they are offroaders.

But in the small offroad scene we have, the (older) LC is quite popular because of it's offroad capabilities with the solid axles. And it is even more easier to make them more offroad-able (the supllies-market for offroad-vehicels is also very small).

That's the reason, why we have more LCs here than Runners.

I have both; a LJ73 and a 2nd gen Runner.
The LC is my offroad rig, which I use for light-competitions and daily-drive.
And with my Runner I want to build a weekend-truck for getting on trails.

greetz, Tom

(for some pix check out my myspace-site)
Click to expand...

thanks tom,
what do you like about your 4runner that the LC doesnt have?
 
Thank you!! :)
The runner is my newest rig. Have to do some work, to get it on the road again and to become streetlegal. (Austria it's very strict according to building conversions)
So I didn't drive much with it until now, just the few miles to the workshop of my buddy. I don't want to start a comparison with that less experience. ;)

But if I compare the LC with my Hilux, the LC is much more comfortably concern to the features. But you know, a Hilux is a working animal compared to the Runner.

LC vs Hilux (as a 4Runner-working-brother ;) )
For my offroad-use the LC is better because of it's smaller wheelbase and the shorter overhang in the front and back and the solid axles. But this is all depending on the offroad-surroundings and what kind of terrain you're wheeling or what you prefer (going on trails or offroad-ability-competitions).

I think both have their pro- and contra.
Can't wait till my Runner is ready to get dirty :)
I'll tell you more when I've done a few more miles with it. :)

greetz, Tom
 
I was really intending to buy a Land cruiser 80 series, of which I've heard of a lot of good things. I just couldnt find one for sale that wasnt originally right hand drive - converted to left, and which the owner was willing to sell.

So instead I stumbled on a used 96 LTD 4runner.

I think I made the right decision, for the following reasons:
- The LC80 is more expensive, so I have more funds for modding the 4runner. :P
- The 4runner is smaller and would have better mileage (except against the diesel LC) and daily drivability than the LC80. My wife can also drive the 4runner without difficulty. In truth, it seems more fun to drive around.
- The 4runner just looks better for me. :D
 
JohnsD90 said:
You want to do an expedition, and you are right the 4runner is not the vehicle for it. My personal reccomendation would be a Land Rover 110/Defender 110.
Click to expand...

why not? Why is the 4runner a bad "expedition" vehicle? Because you read it in a Land Rover mag? :bash:

For expedition vehicle, i would want some basic safety features to protect me and my family. LR Defender is not avail over here because it lacks certain safety features that the US demands. For me, expedition vehicle means that it is made for cross country travel over any terrain and, at the same time, be practical/safe for my family and reliable/durable. LR Defender does not have these features. Does it even have front air bags or adequate crush zones?
 
I own both an 80 series and an 4Runner.

Reasons people prefer 4Runners:

Smaller and more nimble on the trails
Better fuel economy (14 vs. 17+)
Cheap to get into and cheaper to fix up then LCs
IFS (Much more comfortable on the road / dirt roads)
More reliable (at least the bullet proof 3rd gens w/V6)


I have also had the opportunity to examine one of the Camel Trophy D110s, and I was impressed by the spartan ammenities and solid / serviceable construction. You get what you pay for. They have gained their good reputation for a reason, but are not rock crawlers by any stretch of the imagination.

If you want to look at an LC which is capable of all you mentioned in the other thread, check out my buddy Dave's truck. It is featured on our website:

Truck: Dave's LC80, Dec10
 
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