POLL! What year 3rd gen 4Runner do you have?

What year 3rd gen 4Runner do you currently own?

  • Total voters
    313
hehe, I have one from both of the top two production years...

1997

1999

btw can I add my 97 vote? I forgot to add that (thought it was single choice before I read the thread)
 
habanero said:
Here's a balance for you- Having access to both I'm much happier driving my 96 over the 99. 'Course, the ol' blue 96 has a lot more me-happy bits added on for my doing stuff pleasure.
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Aside from all the personal stuff on your 96, what is it about the 96 that you like in particular over the 99?
 
StreetCreeper said:
Aside from all the personal stuff on your 96, what is it about the 96 that you like in particular over the 99?
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Ummmm, all my personal stuff!!

Those in-dash cup holders are pretty awesome too! :doh:

The 96 is mine and my daily driver. The 99 used to have nicer seats front and rear and cup holders more where they should be. The 96 has cute little non-rust-hiding wheel trim rather than the 99's flares. I do prefer the 96's center console for unknown reasons. I know the 99 has a bigger cubby in the rear that might be nice, but I don't really care about the 96's smaller cubby. Taller springs haven't been an issue for years and now both trucks have rear lockers. I do maintain the snot out of the 96 because I love it and just staring at stuff underneath/ inside/ under the hood makes the neighbors nervous.

And all the many silly little tweaks I've done over the years.

Both are pretty similar to drive despite the 96 having something like 80,000 more miles on the odo. The 99 used to be a little lighter and peppier, but that's starting to change as the hubby adds armor to and has lifted the 99 and I don't really care about the little bit of difference that was there to begin with.

Driving the 96 is like snuggling in a warm blankie.
 
Scramble said:
It means you're moving in the right direction. Now get some 99 Talls & a console/armrest conversion. :thumb:
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No doubt. I do have the console, it just hasn't been coverted. Afraid if I make all the interior changes I'm gonna miss my cup holders that block the a/c and clock. Man, I think I just made it to 15 posts. Only took me 8 years to get there haha.
 
bootheel said:
No doubt. I do have the console, it just hasn't been coverted. Afraid if I make all the interior changes I'm gonna miss my cup holders that block the a/c and clock. Man, I think I just made it to 15 posts. Only took me 8 years to get there haha.
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Haha, yea I was gonna say something about that. I only had 40 posts between 2006 & 2014 & then caught the mod bug.
 
bootheel said:
Well I have a 96 with 99 seats and headlights. Does that make me cool or just confused? Haha
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I think I have junk yard parts on my truck from every year of 3rd gen. Most of it is interior stuff like dash, seats, console, visors...etc. Reminds me of this Cash song.

 
Last edited:
Looked at some of the poll data alongside some historical data.

The following is my completely unprofessional analysis. Marijuana contributed significantly to this report. So don't mark anything I say as gospel...cause it's not. Just the midnight ramblings of an old pothead.


​

1996: New model = excited eager buyers = screw the fuel cost. 4Runner sales are brisk.

1997:
Fuel cost remain the same but word is out that the 3rd gen trucks are great and Toyota sells the most units of any year.

1998:
Despite low fuel prices, 4Runner sales take a slight dip. Nothing significant happened in 98 besides Chris Farley dying late in 97...so maybe everyone was still kinda depressed and didn't want to drive a kickass truck....(misty-eyed in remembrance, StreetCreeper pours out the old bong water and packs another bowl...)

1999:
Everyone is freaking out about Y2K and the end of civilized society. Capable off-road vehicles look like a good investment.

Toyota saw the falling sales numbers of 98, so they tell the engineers to spruce up the interior a bit. 1999s get new taller springs and better cup holders along with a few other nice upgrades. Despite the rising fuel cost, sales reach the second highest level of all 3rd gen years.

2000:
To the embarrassment of some, the world didn't end on Jan 1st — but the future still looks gloomy. Fuel cost are on the rise and instability in the stock market negates the appeal of the new interior upgrades. Sales begin to decline.

2001:
Fall out from the Firestone tire fiasco prompts Toyota to shorten the ride height to help reduce rollover risk. High fuel cost along with high electricity prices (with rolling blackouts in California) continue to hurt 4Runner sales as they take a steady march downward. Sadly, 9/11 helped cement an already sketchy year for the 4Runner.

2002:
Negative reverberations continue from 9/11 along with tumultuous high energy prices and economic instability help the 4Runner to reach an all new low in sales. War in the Middle East is clearly on the American horizon. The final nail in the 3rd gen coffin is hammered home. Model redesign is imminent for 2003 in hopes of bumping up sales.

​
 
StreetCreeper said:
I think I have junk yard parts on my truck from every year of 3rd gen.
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Well, if you're going to go that route...there's small bits of Mazda, Ford, Land Rover, Honda, Toyotas, GM, Saab, etc, aftermarket, and scrap bits of this and that on the 96.

But I don't have a cool song. I need a cool song. :nod:
 
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