Other Options Besides a 4Runner???

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03LimitedRunner

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I might be taking back my 4Runner due to the lame gas mileage its getting - about 10 -11 miles per gallon. What a joke.

If you weren't in a 4Runner what would you be in?

I'm looking for an SUV large-mid sized where I can toss my tools, gym bag and surfboard in the back, plus one that has good performance that is fast - at least 300hp and gets gas mileage from about 18 city to 25 hwy.

Oh yeah and I work in the TV/Film industry in LA so it needs to be classy as well. Prolly black with chrome rims, leather, navigation etc.

What do you suggest?

I have 20k to spend and used is ok for now and I'm REALLY not into those queer crossover vehicles.
 
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If you have 20k to spend go get a better 4th gen. But how are you only getting 11 mpg with an 03 Limited? I've got an 05 SR5 and I'm averaging 15-16 mpg atleast.
 
Really, that milage is unusual -- even with larger tires I get ~18 around town and 20-21 on the highway. I would suggest finding a car-based SUV, since you don't need the off-road ability of the body-on-frame 4runner.
Maybe you just need a tune up?
 
03LimitedRunner said:
I work in the tv/film industry in Hollywood - about 80 plus hours a week. I handle and fix problems all day at work.. the LAST thing I want to do is come home on my one day off and fix a car that I just bought 2 weeks ago.

You country boys :cowboy: have a lot more time on your hands than I do.
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What is that supposed to mean? Have you tried the suggestions MANY of us gave you on the 1st thread you made?
 
CookieRoe said:
What is that supposed to mean? Have you tried the suggestions MANY of us gave you on the 1st thread you made?
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I threw some Chevron Techron in the tank this week.

If anybody is going to do maintenance on the car its going to be the dealership not me.

I just want to know if its a lemon or not - I'm not asking how to fix it right now.
 
I have never seen gas mileage that low in my 05 V6, even thrashing it around town or towing a boat. However, every tank has a good balance of open highway and city in my case. In your case you must have an extreme amount of city driving and stop start highway - more stop than start in LA?? Dont know if there's any way around that really, anything you drive in those conditions will have low mpg, but, as mentioned above, if you dont need offroad ability, look at a crossover - GMC Acadia, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, still big and trucky, but a more comfortable ride and better gas mileage.
 
03LimitedRunner said:
I just want to know if its a lemon or not - I'm not asking how to fix it right now.
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Based on the info you've put fwd thusfar there is no reason to suspect it's a lemon.

There's nothing out there that will do 300hp and the kind of mileage you want except a GMC Typhoon.
 
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CJ3Flyr said:
Based on the info you've put fwd thusfar there is no reason to suspect it's a lemon.

There's nothing out there that will do 300hp and the kind of mileage you want except a GMC Typhoon.
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x2

No way it's a lemon, thirsty yes. There must be a reason for his high fuel consumption...............
 
I can't explain the poor mileage but I have a lifted '07 with the V8 and I get about ~16mph city/highway mpg's in CO. Have you always got that kind of mileage or did it progressively get worse?

A couple of things stand out in your post. 1) You live in L.A. I used to live in Long Beach and know the area well. Unless you are driving in the middle of the night, there is no such thing as "highway" mpg's in L.A. 2) There is no such thing as a 300+ HP SUV that gets better than 18 mpg's, at least not in "real world" driving applications (i.e. L.A. traffic). If you find one, let me know.

As far as what I would drive if it wasn't a 4Runner? Well, if I didn't snowboard, mountain bike, 4-wheel, camp, etc. it would probably be an Audi A4. I started to consider an A4 when I was pricing my 4Runner several years ago because a well-equipped 4Runner starts to creep into that Audi A4/BMW 3-series price point pretty quick. The A4 with all-wheel drive is a nice car and would get me around in the CO winters without much trouble, but the bottom line was it just didn't fit my lifestyle. Not to mention total cost of ownership and longevity were concerns of mine.

If your 4Runner rarely leaves the pavement and your surfboard is the biggest thing you hall around and you don't like crossovers, I would honestly just buy a car and put a rack on it for your surfboard. Best of luck.
 
03LimitedRunner said:
I just want to know if its a lemon or not - I'm not asking how to fix it right now.
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No, it is not a lemon. It may have a problem, yes but is too old to be a lemon and for a car to be a true "lemon" you have to at very least attempt to repair some type of issue.

I drive through downtown LA twice every day and get anywhere from 16-19mpg depending on traffic and how easy I drive. I have a V6 but have 5" of lift, much larger MT tires, roof basket with lights etc... Before though I had a stock V8 Sport Edition and average somewhere in the mid 16's and that was with aggressive driving and LA traffic.

What freeways do you commute on and on average what speeds are you at? I guess I could see you getting 11mpg depending on your commute, but if you are working 80hr weeks I also assume you are not facing true rush hour traffic. Do you do many short trips? How many miles? Face any hills? etc...
 
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G.I.G. said:
I can't explain the poor mileage but I have a lifted '07 with the V8 and I get about ~16mph city/highway mpg's in CO. Have you always got that kind of mileage or did it progressively get worse?

A couple of things stand out in your post. 1) You live in L.A. I used to live in Long Beach and know the area well. Unless you are driving in the middle of the night, there is no such thing as "highway" mpg's in L.A. 2) There is no such thing as a 300+ HP SUV that gets better than 18 mpg's, at least not in "real world" driving applications (i.e. L.A. traffic). If you find one, let me know.

As far as what I would drive if it wasn't a 4Runner? Well, if I didn't snowboard, mountain bike, 4-wheel, camp, etc. it would probably be an Audi A4. I started to consider an A4 when I was pricing my 4Runner several years ago because a well-equipped 4Runner starts to creep into that Audi A4/BMW 3-series price point pretty quick. The A4 with all-wheel drive is a nice car and would get me around in the CO winters without much trouble, but the bottom line was it just didn't fit my lifestyle. Not to mention total cost of ownership and longevity were concerns of mine.

If your 4Runner rarely leaves the pavement and your surfboard is the biggest thing you hall around and you don't like crossovers, I would honestly just buy a car and put a rack on it for your surfboard. Best of luck.
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LOL - In the surfing world, a person that puts their surfboard on roof racks is considered to be a KOOK.

Look it up.
 
BlairB said:
No, it is not a lemon. It may have a problem, yes but is too old to be a lemon and for a car to be a true "lemon" you have to at very least attempt to repair some type of issue.

I drive through downtown LA twice every day and get anywhere from 16-19mpg depending on traffic and how easy I drive. I have a V6 but have 5" of lift, much larger MT tires, roof basket with lights etc... Before though I had a stock V8 Sport Edition and average somewhere in the mid 16's and that was with aggressive driving and LA traffic.

What freeways do you commute on and on average what speeds are you at? I guess I could see you getting 11mpg depending on your commute, but if you are working 80hr weeks I also assume you are not facing true rush hour traffic. Do you do many short trips? How many miles? Face any hills? etc...
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I drive pretty normal - and probably 50% hwy and 50% city. I'm on my 4th tank now, I put in 20 gallons and its at the halfway mark. So I've used 10 gallons and my odometer trip for this tank is at 110 miles right now. That isnt normal.

I used to have a Jeep Cherokee that claimed to get 21 hwy and 18 city (the same as a Toyota 4Runner) and I would drive around on a tank for weeks before having to fill up. It had good pick-up as well being that is was a V6 Manual.
 
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A true SUV with 300+ hp and 18/25? Most sportscars in that horsepower range get that mileage.

My 07 4x4 V6 gets ~18mpg all city, and 20-21 mixed, and 23mpg all highway.

I looked at XTerra's, V8 Explorers, Chevy Tahoe, and 4Runner's. The 4Runner won hands down.

Perhaps you should find an SUV that runs on the tears of unicorns. I hear they yield exceptional power and mileage.
 
4GLimited said:
A true SUV with 300+ hp and 18/25? Most sportscars in that horsepower range get that mileage.

My 07 4x4 V6 gets ~18mpg all city, and 20-21 mixed, and 23mpg all highway.

I looked at XTerra's, V8 Explorers, Chevy Tahoe, and 4Runner's. The 4Runner won hands down.

Perhaps you should find an SUV that runs on the tears of unicorns. I hear they yield exceptional power and mileage.
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Not exactly a full sized SUV but the VW Tiguan was a fun little car to drive. I bet it would kill it with a 6 speed manual. Again as long as I can fit my surfboard and tools in the back then it will work for now, but the car isnt going to impress anybody on the studio lots.
 
I've got a 2005 V8 Sport and drive more freeway than in town, but a decent mix of both at times, have a heavy foot in heavy traffic and average 16.9 usually consistantly...............good luck on the VW what you call it, have a friend that has the v6 VW you spoke of and doesn't get near what EPA claimed.........
 
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