new 5th gen runner or f150

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Try to decide if I want a truck or 4 runner. The truck im looking at is 2011 f150 with the eco boost any input??
 
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If you need a truck bed daily, get the truck. If you can do without, get the Runner and a small trailer. Runners are capable off-road, and classy looking in the city, and roomy inside.
 
I have owned trucks for the past 20 years. This is my first SUV. With having a family and dogs I love my runner. I stick the dogs in the back and off we all go.

When I had my trucks I would go buy a truck cap to keep my hunting stuff dry and the dogs safe in the bed. What I really had was a truck/SUV. If I wanted to use the bed for hauling things you just hoped it fit with the cap on. It was a pain in the ass taking off the cap. Once it was off now you had to find a home for it.

I used my trucks for hauling my camper,cars, ATV's,boats and work.


I can still pull trailers,boats with my runner.

With that being said that's why I bought my runner. I feel its more practical for me and my family.

Would you use the truck for what it was ment for? Hauling,towing,work? Or will your truck be a pretty boy truck?

Whatever you buy I'm sure that you will love it! Because it you didn't love it, you wouldn't of bought it.

Only you can figure out what to buy.

Good Luck!
 
If you need a truck bed daily, get the truck. If you can do without, get the Runner and a small trailer. Runners are capable off-road, and classy looking in the city, and roomy inside.

That's pretty much the reasoning I used. I was torn between a Ram 1500 and the 4Runner. I tested and looked at a few different vehicles ( Honda Ridgeline, VW Tiguan, pathfinder, explorer) and all were either too small inside or just unnecessary. Although the Tiguan was A LOT of fun to drive
 
I hate to say it since I do love the 5th gens and drive a 4th gen myself but I'd go f-150. You can't beat the new eco-boost ones.

But it boils down to which one you would be happier with day to day. They both have a great aftermarket too!

Good luck on your tough decision.

Zach
 
Residual value

Getting rid of my 2007 Dodge Diesel 2 weeks ago for a new 4Runner was a tough decision. I miss the power of the diesel and ability to hall virtually anything in the bed of the truck, but I don't miss it at the fuel pump! Regular unleaded $60 cheaper for fill up vs. the pickup.

I considered the new Ford as well but was concerned about lack of power from their V6 and MPG despite their claims. I went with the 4Runner as they hold their value much better than any gas powered pick up truck and I get 23MPG hwy. I am averaging 20 mpg mixed driving, 5 MPG better than the truck which incidently got 21 MPG hwy at 60-65 MPH. I suspect the same would hold true with the new Ford. City driving kills the mileage on the heavier pick up trucks vs. 4Runner.

The 4Runner has acceptable power but I am already looking for tips to increase the power of the 4Runner short of a $5K TRD super charger. I miss the 610 ft. lbs of diesel torque!
 
The F150 is a full size truck, 4Runner is a mid-size SUV they are in totally different classes in terms of towing and hauling. If you have to park frequently in any tight parking lots the F150 will be more awkward to move around and similarly on a trail it's going to be a bear in some situations but if you want to tow or haul anything big the Ford is the way to go.

That said you may want to see what the 2012 Tacoma brings - its rumoured it will get the same powertrain as the T4R this time, which means more HP and better fuel economy. I am going through the same quandry by the way and the one thing really holding me back from the ecoboost is how long term reliability will turn out.
 

Yikes, and the Ford guys used to make fun of the Tundra guys about their frames?

The F150 is a good truck. But at the end of the day you have to consider what you will be using the vehicle for most of the time.

I wrestled with this when I decided to trade my 08 Tundra Crewmax Limited for my 4runner. No matter how I turned and twisted it, most of the time I didn't need that much vehicle as my needs in life had shifted. When I first bought the truck I was towing and hauling all the time and life was great. But in the last year or two I realized I didn't need that much vehicle.

Then gas prices went up and that was the real motivation. So far I'm loving the 4runner and I'm still able to do all the things I need to. Plus knowing the 4runner is rated to tow 5,000 lbs put my mind at ease as for those instances where I need to tow, I have a utility trailer.

It's really a personal decision as to which vehicle will better fit you, your family and lifestyle.
 
I might be wary of long term reliability. I've read that ford is having issues with direct injection and sticky valves....
 
I might be wary of long term reliability. I've read that ford is having issues with direct injection and sticky valves....

Really? YouTube - ‪

BTW I have both a 2011 4Runner and a 2011 F150 with the EcoBoost. I love them both! The F150 is getting about 2 more MPG's than the 4Runner. Get which ever one works for your needs.
 
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I might be wary of long term reliability. I've read that ford is having issues with direct injection and sticky valves....

Ecoboost is eating coil packs, too. Something about the engine being unable to dissipate heat in the heads.
 
a quick google search for ecoboost valve and you'll see what I'm talking about....


Not saying its a fatal issue, just that I'd be wary of any issues with a first gen turbo engine...
 
How long do you plan on keeping this vehicle? The Ford will last about 85k
Miles then the squeaks/ rattles and nagging mechanical issues will begin.....I know from experience.
Before making your decision go test drive a F150 w 100k miles then go drive a 4runner of similar year/ mileage. Then you'll understand what I'm talking about.
 
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Getting rid of my 2007 Dodge Diesel 2 weeks ago for a new 4Runner was a tough decision. I miss the power of the diesel and ability to hall virtually anything in the bed of the truck, but I don't miss it at the fuel pump! Regular unleaded $60 cheaper for fill up vs. the pickup.


I know where you are coming from here. I traded my '09 F-250 Powerstroke in on my '11 4Runner. It was a tough choice, but with the price of fuel, it was a bit easier to make the trade. I didn't use the diesel to it's full potential on a daily basis, so it was more or less a daily driver with the occasional tow.

I do miss having a truck at times, but with the trailers that we have, I can always just use them to haul whatever I need. My Dad has a Tundra, and I wrestled with the idea of buying a Tundra (which had a cheaper payment) or the 4Runner. At the end of the day, I realized that for me, a truck with lower MPGs (I drive about 75% city/country roads) and a larger size wasn't really what suited me best. This is my first SUV besides the couple of Jeeps Wranlgers I have had and I love this 4Runner.

However, the decision is one you will have to make for yourself. If you tow heavy loads often or you don't want to tow a trailer, then I would get a truck. But, I wouldn't pass on the chance to check out the Tundra as well. My Dad gets about 17-18 mpg daily from his when driving on the highway 90% of the time. Plus, it's a Toyota and the 5.7L is a beast when towing or hauling.
 
I've had good luck with for F series trucks over past 15 years. I bought a 2009 F150 which I use to tow my travel trailer camper and other toys.

I also have an F250 with 105,000 miles on it, I use for work. It's very well maintained and I've only had a couple of problems with it. This vehicle is driven hard and I tow often with it. The only thing I've had to replace is the Alternator, Speed sensor, battery and tires. Other than that it's been rock solid.

I think as long as you do proper maintenance, you should have no problem with a Ford truck. This is probably true with any vehicle, but my personal experience is with Ford and Toyota.

That being said, if your towing under 5000# go for the 4runner, my wife uses ours(2011 Limited) just as a daily driver. Once and a while we'll use it to tow our 4wheelers (under 3000#) and it tows them fine.
 
We went from an 09 F150 FX4 luxury supercab to a 2011 Tacoma DC TRD sport and the 2010 4Runner TE. Obviously they are all completely different vehicles. They are both getting much better mileage than the F150. They are also much "sportier" to drive, and easier to drive as they aren't as wide. We realized that we didn't really need the capabilities of the F150 so decided to get something more fuel efficient and compact (as well as a family hauler).

No doubt the F150 is a great truck if you're hauling stuff daily. If not, it doesn't make sense to have one IMO. With our car trailer and John Deere 3520 (compact tractor), you wouldn't even feel them when towing.

Also resale value is awful for Fords. The sticker on our truck was $54k new, got $24k for trade-in after trying to sell it for a week BELOW what other trucks were asking.
 
One of the companies owned by the fund I manage is an auto glass company. While I'm not exactly an auto industry insider, I can say that the general consensus is that Toyota has made, and continues to make, a quality product.

Another thing to consider is that most people over estimate the number of times they need the utility of a full size truck. For not a lot of money you can buy a really great trailer. It doesn't sound like you need a big diesel for hauling heavy loads and fuel efficiency is important to you.

Ford trucks are very popular for a reason, but my money is that you'll be happier with the 4Runner.
 

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