Hi everyone, I've been a viewer for years, I stop by every night to see what is new. Thought I'd share my search for my perfect 4 runner! When I was 16 my parents bought a '97 Limited. It was the coolest thing I ever saw. I was never a "car" kid, but was instantly hooked. I have had many cars over the years and have tried to buy it off my mom every time she "really still liked her truck!" Here is a quick list of what I have had..
-1984 Accord, gave to sister (who wrecked it) to buy a..
-1999 Jetta TDI, had too many problems,
so sold to buy a
-2005 Subaru outback, which I hated, this is when I seriously started to try to buy the family runner, being 8 years old at this time, Mom could use an "upgrade" right??
So I drive this outback for 3 years, and start a new Job Selling BMW's in Richmond VA in 2008, I go on vacation in AUG of 08 to come back and what do I find... a locked '00 Limited with 65K miles on it, the previous owner was moving out of the country and needed to sell quick, we traded it for $7K in 2008, holy crap, I asked for the chance to buy the family runner, "no"... so I could not trade my Subaru in quick enough on the '00.
That spring 2009 I trade my wife's 2000 Accord for a 2006 BMW 330i that was a really good deal. Gracie my, now wife, really liked my runner, so we tried and tried to buy the '97 again, no go, so we moved on, starting to accept that the '97 would stay with the original owner.
2010, my wife and I get super pregnant on her 30th Bday trip to the Bahamas, 1/2 way through the pregnancy she can no longer sit down in the BMW. She steals my 4runner. The next day the 2006 330i is on Clist for sale. I sold it in a week, now here the '97 comes back into play. My mom actually says I can buy it, but backs out of the deal, she just "really really likes it still." so I back off. I know how much she loves this car.
At this point I have no car. But another car I always wanted come up, a 1995 1 owner 120Kmi Landcruiser. I get all LC crazy, but SHE backs out too, what is up with the Toyota separation anxiety??? So I go out and buy a..
-1996 Landcruiser, bought in Jan of 2011, shows HG failure and low compression by March. Crap... I took a bath getting out of this and needed a car fast with a newborn, so I jump into a BMW Center employee Lease of a...
-2011 BMW 328i, manual, I've given up on the '97, I drive this car for a year on a 2yr lease, I hope to just deal with my next car later at this point, untill I get a call from my mom...
"Adam, I think I'm ready for a new car, the truck is 15yrs old, do you still want to buy it? I've driven a bunch of cars and I think I want a X5" Long story short, the BMW is really easy for my Mom to get in and out of, So I do another employee lease for her, 3yrs and order her her car... Here is a few pics of her car coming in.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73117&stc=1&d=1349835782
Off the truck
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73118&stc=1&d=1349835782
All cleaned up
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73119&stc=1&d=1349835782
Now I will admit, my parents wanted to sell me this car CHEAP, much less than it's worth, I accepted on the grounds that they give some money to my sister for her student loans, they accepted.
So the day came that they came to pick up their new car! Here is a pic of the 4runner after they pulled up.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73120&stc=1&d=1349835782
Pic of me and my Mom!
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73121&stc=1&d=1349835782
What a service record!!! Every record going back to Birth.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73123&stc=1&d=1349835782
After all was signed at the dealership, we went back to My house for pizza and beers, and to do this!!!
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73122&stc=1&d=1349835782
So needless to say, I'm super pumped, my Mom is happy to have a new car AND that her loved 4runner will stay in the family. Over maintained, like new, 101K miles. I swear I'm done with cars now, there is no more need to do anything else, but now comes the main question, stock or mod?
Thanks!
Adam
-1984 Accord, gave to sister (who wrecked it) to buy a..
-1999 Jetta TDI, had too many problems,
so sold to buy a-2005 Subaru outback, which I hated, this is when I seriously started to try to buy the family runner, being 8 years old at this time, Mom could use an "upgrade" right??
So I drive this outback for 3 years, and start a new Job Selling BMW's in Richmond VA in 2008, I go on vacation in AUG of 08 to come back and what do I find... a locked '00 Limited with 65K miles on it, the previous owner was moving out of the country and needed to sell quick, we traded it for $7K in 2008, holy crap, I asked for the chance to buy the family runner, "no"... so I could not trade my Subaru in quick enough on the '00.
That spring 2009 I trade my wife's 2000 Accord for a 2006 BMW 330i that was a really good deal. Gracie my, now wife, really liked my runner, so we tried and tried to buy the '97 again, no go, so we moved on, starting to accept that the '97 would stay with the original owner.
2010, my wife and I get super pregnant on her 30th Bday trip to the Bahamas, 1/2 way through the pregnancy she can no longer sit down in the BMW. She steals my 4runner. The next day the 2006 330i is on Clist for sale. I sold it in a week, now here the '97 comes back into play. My mom actually says I can buy it, but backs out of the deal, she just "really really likes it still." so I back off. I know how much she loves this car.
At this point I have no car. But another car I always wanted come up, a 1995 1 owner 120Kmi Landcruiser. I get all LC crazy, but SHE backs out too, what is up with the Toyota separation anxiety??? So I go out and buy a..
-1996 Landcruiser, bought in Jan of 2011, shows HG failure and low compression by March. Crap... I took a bath getting out of this and needed a car fast with a newborn, so I jump into a BMW Center employee Lease of a...
-2011 BMW 328i, manual, I've given up on the '97, I drive this car for a year on a 2yr lease, I hope to just deal with my next car later at this point, untill I get a call from my mom...
"Adam, I think I'm ready for a new car, the truck is 15yrs old, do you still want to buy it? I've driven a bunch of cars and I think I want a X5" Long story short, the BMW is really easy for my Mom to get in and out of, So I do another employee lease for her, 3yrs and order her her car... Here is a few pics of her car coming in.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73117&stc=1&d=1349835782
Off the truck
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73118&stc=1&d=1349835782
All cleaned up
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73119&stc=1&d=1349835782
Now I will admit, my parents wanted to sell me this car CHEAP, much less than it's worth, I accepted on the grounds that they give some money to my sister for her student loans, they accepted.
So the day came that they came to pick up their new car! Here is a pic of the 4runner after they pulled up.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73120&stc=1&d=1349835782
Pic of me and my Mom!
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73121&stc=1&d=1349835782
What a service record!!! Every record going back to Birth.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73123&stc=1&d=1349835782
After all was signed at the dealership, we went back to My house for pizza and beers, and to do this!!!
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=73122&stc=1&d=1349835782
So needless to say, I'm super pumped, my Mom is happy to have a new car AND that her loved 4runner will stay in the family. Over maintained, like new, 101K miles. I swear I'm done with cars now, there is no more need to do anything else, but now comes the main question, stock or mod?
Thanks!
Adam
