picking up a 4runner or tahoe/yukon this week. 3rd row seat?

[CBR_GUY_IA]

What are the advantages of the 4runner vs the Tahoe/Yukon?

First let me tell you what I will be using it for and then a few questions.

I live about three hours from Chicago. (6 hours round trip in one day) We often take trips up there in the summer to go to Niabi Zoo, six flags, the museum, etc. Typically we have to borrow a friends minivan to go to Chicago. I really dislike borrowing or renting a vehicle, so this is very important. Typically it's my wife and I, a married couple and both of our kids.
Basically 4 adults and 2 children currently both 5 yr old. Storage space isn't important on these trips to chicago, but is when the rear seats are removed.. When we go to six flags, we typically take one stroller ond just a few luggage bags. (not much for 6 people). Should I be looking at a tahoe/yukon instead?

It will also be used for taking the jet-skis to the river, the 4400 LB drag car to the strip (that's w/o trailer wieght), in the future a 19-21" boot to the river, we have a few areas where we can take 4wheelers and the such. I may use the 4runner or tahoe to get to the area where you can 4 wheeler. I honestly don't know how much off-roading this 4runner will be used for, etc.
I know I'm probably the typical "soccer mom" stereotype that is pissing off the "die-hards", but that's ok with me.

Which leads to the questions.

1.)Which engine is better for my needs? which engine is most desierable for resale value? I see one has a chain and the other a belt. Besides a belt replacement at 100,000 miles is there any other maintaince differences between the two? Also which transmission is more "tried and tested" the older 4 speed or the newer 5 speed?

2.)What are common issues with the 4runner? I've worked as a tech for years, both at a foreign car dealer and at a GM dealer. every car has common issues, foreign or not. Just curious what the common issues are. Ball joints, wheel bearings, window regulators, transfer cases, wheel speed sensors, etc.

3.) How will this vehicle do towing a 4400 LB car PLUS trailer weight? Does the ass end sag WAY down or are the rear shocks or leaf springs pretty stiff and able to handle the extra weight? I saw an ad where one had an auto adjusting air ride suspension. Can I see if it has this option by decoding the in? (Example: 6th letter as an R means aut leeling rear suspension.) Is this a common option or one I'm likely to find few and far between on used 4runners? Did limited's have the self leveling rearend standard?

4.) anyone have any pictures of a 4runner with the third row seats down? I'm not able to find any anywhere. Even though I'e found a few for sale, no pictures found. They must be pretty small? Is there anyone on here who has installed a used second row seat from the junk yard? Something that maybe bolts into the rear with relatively little modification.

5.) Does the 4runner 03+ have a standard trans cooler and/or trans temp gauge? What about the limited edition?

6.) It seems almost all 03-04's I've found locally still retain their alue and are listed for 60+% of their original purchase price. Can an 04 limited with under 75,000 miles be had for $15000? If they hold their value that well I may bite the bullet and look at new ones. I can also have every option I desire this way.

 

[Teqeeler]

I can't give you a pic of the 3rd row seats but when your not using them you have 3 options.

-You can fold them down

-You can store them & hang them on the side which is super easy and opens up space in the middle.

-You can take them out which takes all over 15 secs for both seats.

There are cup holders in the back for the kids and the back window goes down to make is less claustrophobic, the 3rd row seats arent much more useful then for small people and exiting from the rear is the easiest

 

[Thai]

Based on your needs (and future needs), you need a bigger car than the 4runner, whatever that might be.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Based on your needs (and future needs), you need a bigger car than the 4runner, whatever that might be.

I was about to say the same thing.

6 passengers + luggage in a 4runner would be tight.

I would look at a Sequoia or a Suburban. We've had our Suburban for six or seven years now and it's been a really good vehicle. Good towing and lots of room.

 

[coach]

Pathfinder Armada! I love this vehicle, so smooth and lots of mods and options and great prices on them right now.

Brent

 

[Mike07SE]

Hate to say it, but from what it sounds like you're asking, the 4Runner may not be for you. Third row option is something of a joke IMHO. Tahoe/Sequioa is more your size, or even a Nissan Armada.

Overall the T4R is a stout truck, a Limited V8 sounds close to what you'd be after since it would have Air Susp.
- V8 has timing belt vs. V6 timing chain.
- V8 has heavier duty hitch along with a Aux trans cooler.
- Tranny is 5spd. Haven't really heard about people having problems with them. Drivetrain overall is the same for V6/V8, other than the V8 having Full-Time AWD.
- Resale value on T4R's tend to be very good.

 

[blaniac22]

I'm with the others - you probably need something bigger. Me, my wife, baby and a dog makes it tight for long trips/vacations. I recently purchased a roof carrier which makes it a lot easier.

 

[ShipOfFools]

Definitely go for a Sequoia. They're incredible vehicles, and even though the engine can't hold a candle to the Vortec 5300 (5.3L V8 found in GM trucks), the Sequoia will last longer, get slightly better gas mileage, and it drives a bit nicer. Not to mention Toyotas hold their value like crazy. If I were you, a Sequoia would be my choice.

 

[T4RBoarder]

What about a Land Cruiser or LX470? Amazing Vehicles, I actually prefer them to a sequoia...family has had seven of them, all perfect. Just my .02

 

[CBR_GUY_IA]

Probably not the best car for my needs, but probably what I'll end up getting anyways.

Test drove a 4runner today and fell in love with the truck like feel. The 4runner felt much more solid and "rugid" then my old Denali. It had a tighter steering wheel, which I'm sure is the design and result of rack & pinion.

2 drawbacks I found.
1.) The seats are hard as a rock. As a mechanic I hae a bad back. It started getting a little sore from my 5 minute test drie. I'm sure there are upholstery shops that can remedy this for relatiely cheap. Especially if I pull the trim off and take the cushions into them.
2.) Gobs of wind noise. I'm sure rolling down the windows and hanging on the doors to flex them inwards will solve most of this.

I test drove an 06 just within the 3/36 warranty. Come to find out I can extend the bumper to bumper warranty to 7/100 for another $1500.. That pretty much seals the deal on buying a used Toyota.

It's a little smaller inside than I expected, but I really liked the vehicle. The Sequoia would honestly sit in the garage more than being driven, and only taken when really needed. I want something I can drive daily and not get looked at by my hippie neighbors as a resource sucking pig.

The big plus with the 4runner is when it gets a little older, I can keep it and turn it into another toy hauling toy.

I'm really considering buying the 4runner anyways and tinting the back windows a little darker. Here's the big one.
If I happened to get pulled over and they found two kids laying down in the back playing with a laptop or a puzzle would I get DHS after me in this day and age? :nono: I used to do it all the time growing up.

If I decide to go with the non X-REAS rear, how does the stock suspension with the stock hitch package do with around 6000 LBS being towed?

EDIT: Just checked out the landcruiser. At 3 years old those things are selling for $33,000-$35,000. abit out of what I'm willing to pay for a used vehicle. They are defiently bad ass. Especially if as ruged as the 4runner.


Also just found a good deal on an 07 SR5 with 25,000 miles for 19,500 with a clean carfax. How good are the SR5 brakes and what are the advantages and disadantages of the X-REAS system? Both now and 5 years down the road when I turn this into more of a toy?

 

[Thai]

EDIT: Just checked out the landcruiser. At 3 years old those things are selling for $33,000-$35,000. abit out of what I'm willing to pay for a used vehicle. They are defiently bad ass. Especially if as ruged as the 4runner.

Being a top-of-the-line Toyota, you can look further back (1999-2006) and still find a gem in terms of reliability. I would also look at LX470, which i prefer over the Land Cruiser.

According to Carmax, a 1999-2000 LX470s with around 105k miles run around $16k. You may even get better deals elsewhere.

 

[Fuzion]

With X-REAS
If you're planning on lifting, you can only do a spacer lift without removing X-REAS.
You can also pull out the entire X-REAS system and install your own coils.

 

[nc211]

I think you'd be fine with a basic suspension set up on a V8 model with the tow package. The V8's can tow either 7,000 or 7,500 lbs "i can't remember which one". As my signature says, I have an 05' V8 SR5 with the tow package. I bought it used with 53k miles in early 07' for around $20k. Albeit, I have not towed anything with it, I've seen several with 23+ foot boats hitched up to a V8 4runner along the coast of NC that looked just fine. I have loaded my down in the cargo area before for long highway cruises, all the way up to the ceiling, probably an additional 800+lbs, and the truck actually road BETTER with the added weight. No real sagging in the rear.

With the towing you're talking about, I would seriously consider the V8 model. MPG's aren't all that different between the two engines, certainly not enough to justify not getting a V8 if you're a towing kind of guy.

There is one issue with the 4runner though that you will most likely face "we all do, including the Lexus GX470, Tacomas, etc", that is the rear driveshaft "clunk". The slider sleeves on the drive shafts stick in a forward position sometimes when you come to a stop. When you let off the brake, you'll feel and hear a "clunk" in the rear of the car. It can fool you into thinking someone gently tapped you on the rear bumper. It's addressable with rountine greasing of the shaft "look at the stickies in the list for the driveshaft issue". This is a COMMON issue with all of the 4runners. It's not a deal killer in my opinon, and doesn't happen all the time, but it does happen.

Also, I would look for 2005+ models if you're going with the V8. This was the year they did some tweaking which gave it a good bit more power.

At the end of the day though, if you do want a V8 4runner, then I'd have to agree with the guys on the Sequoia, as it's the same engine I believe. And tell you neighbors to get their little Princess Priuses out of your way! If you wanted to drive a golf cart, then you'd buy a Yahama Mule! But nonetheless, if you're a GM guy, then you're in for a real treat with any Toyota truck you buy. They're simply the best on the road, if you ask me. And don't worry about the seats too much. I have a 01' Lexus GS430, have had a LS400 too, and no doubt the 4runner's seat is harder. But, oddly enough, after a long drive of all three cars, I feel the most refreshed and less fatigued in the 4runner, than I do in the other too, much softer, seats.

PS: It's been my experience with a Toyota air suspension set up, that they're great, until they need to be replaced, then they're Chapter 13 kind of expensive! I would of gotten the 4runner's rich brother (Lexus GX470) instead of the 4runner, had it not been for the air suspension. I'm a "guru" on the lexus web forums, and over the past 5 years, I have yet to read a posting about anyone who was happy they bought the air suspension set up when it came time to replace those shocks. Most simply covert over to a normal set up. Even when buying parts online to avoid the stealership retail markups, it's still close to $1,000 per wheel to fix with another air shock setup.

PPS: Not sure how tall you are, but if you're under 6 feet, the sunroof option is really about the only one I consider a "must". The sunroof is HUGE! But, if you're a tall person, then you probably want to be careful, as it does cut the headroom a good bit.

PPPS: The other thing you'll deal with is a sulfer smelling exhaust under a heavy foot sometimes. It's just part of the super clean exhaust set up. You can go through the gyrations of replacing the cats and such, but at the end of the day, if you've got that back window down and put your foot in it, you're gonna smell something not too nice. The upside to that though, is it's a GREAT way to get rid of tailgaters! Just pop that sucker into neutral, give it a good rev or two, and watch those suckers fall back 4 or 5 lengths! Works everytime!

I had to stop into a Toyota dealership in NC to buy some new windshield wipers "I was on vacation down there". When I pulled up to the dealership, a salesman was on me in a split second. I though "oh great, all I want is some wipers, and now I'm gonna have to deal with this guy". I got out, he said "how many miles you got on that 4runner", I said "about 78k", he said "well, no need to try and sell you a car today then I guess". I laughed so hard, I told him "heck, with that kind of honesty, I'd almost buy another one just because".

 

[rushrunner]

Bro -

Ive been a GM guy for years, Lumina, Cutlass, Intrigue, CTS and Saab 9-7x. My wife was all japanese.

I just got a new 09 Sport Edition last week. Let me tell you, I will never go back to GM. I test drove all makes while looking inluding the Escalade/Tahoo/Denali/BMW/JEEP/Benz,,blah blah blah.

The 4R may seem stripped down from the GM gilitter, but less is more,,,just get an MP3 player, a Garmin Nuvi and you are good to go, plus save at least 10-15K while in the process.

But vehicle I have ever owned.

Rushrunner