New guy looking at runner, explorer and durango..

[tlhfirelion]

I'm leaving Subaru as it's just too small for my family. I like the Durango ALOT, but have never owned a Chrysler/Dodge product and am a bit concerned about long term reliability. I had a 99 Runner and it was decent but started having axle issues at 99,000 miles despite me babying it. My 82 Landcruiser went to 282,000 miles with never a problem and then I sold it. I'm a bit of a maintenance freak, all synthetic fluids, early fluid changes, etc.

I'm looking at an SR5 Runner as it has all the options I'd want, which is really just bluetooth. lol I've read through the forums and I wasn't able to locate any common issues like I did on the Ford Explorer Forums, but I may have just missed them. On Ford forums there were overheating issues, bad wind noise issues, electrical gremlins, Mysync problems galore, etc. Ford seems to have stepped up and fixed them all rather quickly, but still.

I know most everyone here will rave about the 4 Runner, but how does it stack up to the other rigs mentioned above? Did anyone else here do any comparisons to any of the above or was it Toyota or nothing?

Thanks for the feedback and have a good day.

 

[phillyd2]

I think this is about the only complaint thread I remember seeing:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/102314-rattles-creaks-how-much-patience-do-you-have.html

Oh, there was one guy who 'claimed' his Porsche was faster than the 4Runner but he never really proved his outrageously slanderous statement.

 

[StRanger7032]

Here's my opinion-from a guy who's owned just about every brand. The 4Runner is a truck, built with body-on-frame construction. Considering that, it handles and rides very well, but its still a truck. The reliability and resale value are exceptional compared to the Explorer and Durango.

I have driven a new Explorer, and it was pretty impressive for a car. I use the term "car" intentionally, because that's what it is. The 2011+ Explorer is a Taurus with a beefed-up suspension and SUV sheet metal. It handles like a car, but can still tow 5000lbs. The interior looks like a spaceship, and is full of high-tech gadgetry. The 4Runner is much more like a truck inside, but in a good way.

Like the Explorer, the Durango is built on a unibody platform like a car. Its the same vehicle as the Grand Cherokee, with different sheet metal and interior. I know there have been a ton of reliability issues with the Grand Cherokee already, so I can only assume the Durango will be similar. If you really like the Durango and are planning to lease or trade in once the warranty is up, it might be less of a concern, other than down time in the shop.

 

[Sells]

As a car lover in general about the only 2 brands I stay way from are Ford and lately anything Dodge, although the new Durango is pretty sweet, but I do believe the 4runner is the only one or those that is the body on frame design like it has always been. For the price of the Durango You could at least get a Trail Edition 4RUNNER or possibly the LIMITED so I'm not sure why your comparing the SR5 to a crossover when the TE or LT have a much better suspention. But when it comes down to it, it's up to you test drive them all, I would keep in mind long time durability though because neither one of those companies have ever kept up with Toyota in that department.

 

[westwind77]

All depends what you need the vehicle to do. The 4R is more of an offroad machine than the explorer or durango could ever dream to be. That being said, the durango has received some great initial reviews (not sure the long term or forum complaints) Of course one of the 1st Durango's did go up in flames in a DC parade a while back. I had a 99' durango, a lot different than the new ones, it had its core issues but other than that it was a great SUV for 11 years. I have heard the same as you in regards to issues with the new explorers. My wife had an 07' escape (60k) and now an 11' escape (10k), neither one had/has a single issue. Personally I looked at a lot of different SUV's (was not brand loyal) and ended up with the 4R as it met my needs to the best and had the best resale value, a win win. I will say the 4R does not have nearly the room my old durango had, but I can live with that...for now. I do see a lot more of the new durangos on the road than the explorers.

 

[dpreich]

I agree with StRanger. I am actually one of the ones that has some rattles and creaks, but my T4R was rear-ended and it cost almost $18,000 to fix. I actually expected to have a lot more rattles than I have. Other than that, there have been no issues in almost 36,000 miles.

 

[4FL]

Just save yourself the headache and stay away from the explorer. I do not know anything about the durango so I cannot comment.

The best thing is to do what you stated you did, go to the forums and see what people are talking about.

Between the explorer and 4runner forum, it is obviously clear which one is the better vehicle.

 

[Sells]

I agree with StRanger. I am actually one of the ones that has some rattles and creaks, but my T4R was rear-ended and it cost almost $18,000 to fix. I actually expected to have a lot more rattles than I have. Other than that, there have been no issues in almost 36,000 miles.

UHH 18,000.........What?

 

[Glenn_Law]

I had a 2002 Explorer. It made it to 135K miles before the tranny went out. It was going to cost $3K to fix the tranny, and the bluebook on it was just under $3K. I had many quality problems with it - plastic below the back window cracked, power windows stopped working, rear electrical harness went out, etc. It also developed many rattles by the time it was five years old.

My best friend bought a 2003 4Runner shortly after I got my Exploder. He has abused his 4Runner in central America for years and it is still going strong. When it came time to replace my Exploder, it was a no-brainer for me.

I have had my 2011 4Runner for a year now and I am quite happy with it. The 4Runner is rock solid. The 4Runner is made in Japan where the average worker really cares about quality.

The new Explorer is a car based "CUV." It has more interior space and creature comforts. If you need space to put your purse, get the Explorer. If you want a rugged truck that does well on-road and great off-road, then get the 4Runner.

Glenn

 

[4FL]

My 2003 explorer has a new tranny put in before the 80k mark, and new tq right before that. New wheel bearings, and the cd player has stopped working. The AC/heat fan is stuck blowing faster than normal, and closing the vents some make this annoying whistling noise. It also loses water, I dump a gallon in it every two months (i walk to work, so it moves only on the weekends, so a couple hundred miles per gallon I guess).

It has 105k now, looking to trade it in when I get my 4 runner. Thinking of just selling it out right now or taking it to carmax to see what they give for it just to get rid of it before something breaks, because I am not aiming to get the 4runner until late spring, and that is if they have what I want, maybe longer if ordering.

 

[Glenn_Law]

My 2003 explorer has a new tranny put in before the 80k mark, and new tq right before that. New wheel bearings, and the cd player has stopped working. The AC/heat fan is stuck blowing faster than normal, and closing the vents some make this annoying whistling noise. It also loses water, I dump a gallon in it every two months (i walk to work, so it moves only on the weekends, so a couple hundred miles per gallon I guess).

It has 105k now, looking to trade it in when I get my 4 runner. Thinking of just selling it out right now or taking it to carmax to see what they give for it just to get rid of it before something breaks, because I am not aiming to get the 4runner until late spring, and that is if they have what I want, maybe longer if ordering.

Don't wait too long to get rid of the Exploder. I went to Carmax and got an offer when I first noticed tranny problems. The tranny problems were subtle enough that they didn't notice. In the 3 mos it took to find the exact 4Runner I wanted, the tranny got noticeably worse. My Carmax offer went down by $1K when I finally went to sell it.

 

[4FL]

I think my tranny is starting to mess up again. It has this noticeable hang when shifting between gears every now and then, have to let off the gas a bit to get it to shift. Do not know if this normal and I am paranoid, or it is showing signs yet again before the OD light starts blinking.

Plus the darn power steering is whining.

 

[endgame]

I shopped all three and had a chance to take a Durango and Explorer as rental cars on two of my business trips. Durango was o.k. I suppose. One of the earlier comments was in reference to the 4Runner being a body on frame whereas the Explorer and Durango were not. For being a unibody, the Durango handled just like my SR5; the Explorer handled the best of the three.

The Durango seemed very cheap to me (on the inside), I was not impressed with it at all. The Explorer, as noted ealier, does look like a spaceship inside. However, of them all, the 4Runner has mild enough street manners (actully they are very good IMO), and can take the 'off road' jobs on more readily.

Also, the 4Runner just looks much more fit to me than the others. I am happy with my selection.

 

[jca21]

my suggestion is to invest a little bit of money and rent each vehicle in the trim you are looking at if possible.

try to drive them over 2 or 3 days and while you have them, put them through the rigors of what you would expect out of a vehicle.

you should keep in mind the price point of the vehicles while comparing them, theres been too many people who come on this forum and compare a limited grand cherokee to an sr5 4runner and expect all the bells and whistles.


in my honest opinion, i think after the week or two of test driving vehicles you will chose the 4runner.

the sr5 with the upgrade package is nice (reason why i'm suggesting that you get the upgrade package which comes with leather is that your family is growing, i.e. kids) and would most likely suit all the needs you are looking for.


a few suggestions though,

when you go to buy the 4runner be sure to get the dealer to swap out the tires for you. while the factory bridgestones do fine for driving on pavement, they lack in other areas especially snow. i've taken the tires on gravel/dirt forest service roads and through a little mud and they've done decently.

if you plan to mod the 4runner be sure to check out the modifications sticky at the top of the 5th gen forum page. there are all sorts of mods from led replacements to suspension componenets and beyond. theres some crazy s.o.b. who also posted a link on how to replace the road runner horn with a set of fiamm el grande's that you might wanna check out

theres been stockers on here that have pushed the boundaries of stock off roading that few would go beyond. these machines are fairly capable in the outdoors especially when you slap on a nice set of tires. popular tires like duratracs or bfg at/ko's, destination at's, etc etc compliment the vehicle nicely. if you're more of a pavement pounder and family go getter you might benefit from all seasons like the michelin ltx ms2 or other all seasons tires.

happy shopping. hopefully we'll see you back here with a "I DID IT" or "I PURCHASED ONE" thread.

 

[Ramzey28]

I would never buy a Chrysler product again, had 3 prior. Here is your new Durango


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5VpwuPmTg4&sns=em


Durango 2011 fire during parade, delayed parade hours, was in parade to show off new model...lol

 

[DizzyV6P]

I test drove all three extensively before settling on the 4Runner. Consumer Reports had great initial quality for the new Durango. However, its after the 3 years that I'm more concerned about. I felt the interior was pretty nice and the 3rd row seat is very usable. With the V8, you'll only get about an avg of 15-16 mpg at most. Don't even bother driving it w/ the V6...its not enough power. The Durango had a very good ride and was able to take corners like a sports car. I test drove a Citadel w/ every option. In the end, it came down to how long it would last. Without further long-term tests, I just wasn't ready to plunk down $40K+ on a Chrysler product. In addition, I asked some of my rental car friends and they've already said that their Durango fleet has started to have a lot of rattle issues along with other misc mechanical issues. It's "suspect" long-term reliability was what made me decide on the 4Runner Ltd.

The Ford Explorer is very "cool." If you like technological baubles, the Explorer is for you. It rides like a car as well. My issue w/ the Explorer was all the "Mysync" issues that I've heard on the Explorer forums. From blank screens to crashing systems, it doesn't look like its ready for prime time. It's an odd issues since the MySync seems to work fine on the Expedition EL's that I also tested. If you really need 3rd row seating, the Explorer and Durango have usable 3rd row seating. The explorer's spacing behind the 3rd row seat is also bigger than the Durango and 4Runner. It has addition space that sits below the level of the seats; you'll have to see it to see what I'm talking about. Once again, initial quality for the Explorer had issues. It's long-term reliability is also suspect. As much as I probably would have got a great deal for the new Explorer, its continued problems steered me away from it. Maybe in a year or two it might be a decent product. By then, we'll have more long-term reliability numbers to examine as well.

Both the Durango and Explorer suffers from bad reliability in previous years. Although the new Durango had great numbers for its first year, its long-term reliability is the main concern. Chrysler doesn't have a good track record for reliability in general. In addition, since I'm planning to drive a lot in the mountains and through snow, I need something w/ higher clearance than usual. Only the 4Runner had the higher clearance OEM while the other two contenders have become glorified 4wd minivans without decent clearance. After testing all three, I chose the 4Runner for its reliability, good ride, and higher OEM clearance. Yes, I know I could lift all three...but who wants to mess with that if a 4Runner already comes higher than the others.

 

[tlhfirelion]

Wow, lots of great replies guys thanks. After reading these replies and doing more reading online, I do suspect that the 4 runner would be a better bet. While I do a lot of highway driving, I need a good AWD or 4X4 to even get up our driveway sometimes in the winter and I need decent clearance there. Our Subaru Outback has done a decent job but I'm very disappointed in the fuel economy. I'm lucky to average 24 MPG on a long highway drive at the speed limit. I need more room for the family and I want a long term vehicle that if taken care of, will give me 200,000 miles of "trouble free" driving. I need to tow 10-12 times a year and the 5000 limit will do just fine for my needs. I don't go off road that often, but when I do, it's nice to know the vehicle can handle it. Plus, as my little boys become bigger, we'll be going camping, hiking, etc and a truck is too much and a car is not enough.

I got away from the domestics back in the late 90's after too many issues and a shorter then expected life from the vehicles. I really would prefer to support one of the big 3 but I can't afford to be repairing a vehicle too often, be left on the side of the road just to be patriotic. So, I'm going to either keep driving my Subaru or see if I can get a screaming deal on an SR5. The My Ford Touch issues don't concern me as I don't want that option anyways. As long as it's 4X4, can tow and has bluetooth I'm golden. Maybe I can find a good deal on a 2011.

I do wish it got slightly better MPG's then 22, but I need to do more reading on here to see if people are getting that or better. I'm still hacked I can't get this in a diesel, but I don't imagine I'm the only one that feels that way on this site. lol

Unfortunately, I do think that whomever gives me the best deal will be the winner but I'm going to try and make it the 4 runner. Thanks again for the replies and have a great weekend.

 

[dpreich]

UHH 18,000.........What?

Rear ended by a jacked up F-250. The 16 year old girl was going about 35 when she hit us. Luckily it missed the frame and all of the damage was to the body.

 

[ClockWork]

Get yourself back in a Cruiser.

If you don't plan on keeping it that long, the Durango may be more "family friendly" simply due to the features it offers. The 4R is cramped for a family of 5.

 

[brockeverly]

:nicethread:

Here is my $.02. Obviously coming here, you are already leaning this way. Another thing, the 4Runner is not, IMO, the same type of vehicle. A more fair comparison would probably be a Highlander. The 4Runner is a truck. It handles like a truck, it rides like a truck, it is a truck. The other two are cars, or CUV's for those sensitive to calling their "truck" a car . Reliability and resale are going to play a huge part, but that has already been addressed.

As for your mileage, if that is your main concern, you may not want to go this direction. Here is why. Stock I got around 20-22mpg with my driving style. AT tires cost me a little under 1mpg. Lift and 285s (approx 33" of tire) put me to averaging around 17-18mpg. Baja Rack on and I have yet to see what it will do to my mileage. For most of us, its SMG that are important (smiles per gallon :lmao: ). Point of this was, these trucks are asking to be modded. Once you start, you probably will keep wanting just a little more. Buying a 4x4 truck/suv is not conducive to saving fuel.

Final thoughts, do it! It is a great truck, by far my favorite vehicle I have ever owned. Great right out of the box, a little modding and it is even better. Space like a minivan, built like a Mack truck (super safe, my father in law was amazed looking at it on our lift. Boxed frame, etc.), and a hell of an offroad machine. My use is similar to your projected use. A lot of camping, lugging the kids around town, and a bit offroad. I also pull a camper, and it does great.