I have mentioned in a few other threads that I have a love/hate relationship with the 4Runner, it's been a very polarizing vehicle for us. For starters, we are on our third one in four years so we obviously like them but we also can't stand them in the same breath and we keep buying them in an attempt to convince ourselves that we love them more lol. They are about as reliable as any modern car can get, they are affordable, they are the perfect size for most trails, they have great resale value, and the aftermarket support is very healthy. On the other end they are full of plastic that makes them feel rather cheap, the glass and body panels are paper thin, the motor and tranny combo leave a lot to be desired, it lacks most modern tech and safety features, the road noise is very noticeable (loud cabin), it gets tossed around in high winds, it wanders all over the road at highway speeds, the fuel economy is marginal (but acceptable), and everyone and their brother has one. Now some of those complaints are subjective and others are simply a product of a vehicle in its class/size, but they are worth pointing out.
For the two of us it works well around town and on short weekend get aways. However, we have two 100lb dogs which eat up most of the interior even with the seats down, and we spend a lot of time on the highway to and from work and the ranch where its most glaring fault/dislike is illuminated. For solo camping trips it's perfect for myself to camp inside, but add a second person and the interior for sleeping is out of the question without removing everything, including the fridge/freezer. Most items have to go on the roof when traveling further reducing its handling and performance. It won't tow a decent sized boat and I am not willing to dump thousands into a supercharger that has issues of its own and will likely reduce its lifespan and reliability. I love that it will likely run for forever if properly maintained and the aftermarket is here to stay and likely only improve going forward. Looks are subjective but I think it's a timeless design and the soaring sales numbers seem to back that up.
Should we find our way back into a full-size HD truck we open the opportunity of a diesel and its towing capabilities along with the multitude of campers and bed build out options. I hate that I would have to start from scratch and should I not end up back in a PW I will have to likely purchase gears, a front locker, lift, wheels/tires, bumpers, etc. so it won't be a cheap proposition. The same can be said if we pick up a second 200 series and while it solves the power, ride, sound, and to some degree the space, it still doesn't provide us with a better sleeping option or a platform more adept at towing large loads or a bed to keep the stinky stuff out of the cabin.
In an ideal world we'd keep the 4Runner for use around town and solo trips, but that's just not in the cards right now with all of our other irons in the fire. So chime in, let me know what you think we should do or maybe what you would do if you found yourself in a similar position. Thanks!
For the two of us it works well around town and on short weekend get aways. However, we have two 100lb dogs which eat up most of the interior even with the seats down, and we spend a lot of time on the highway to and from work and the ranch where its most glaring fault/dislike is illuminated. For solo camping trips it's perfect for myself to camp inside, but add a second person and the interior for sleeping is out of the question without removing everything, including the fridge/freezer. Most items have to go on the roof when traveling further reducing its handling and performance. It won't tow a decent sized boat and I am not willing to dump thousands into a supercharger that has issues of its own and will likely reduce its lifespan and reliability. I love that it will likely run for forever if properly maintained and the aftermarket is here to stay and likely only improve going forward. Looks are subjective but I think it's a timeless design and the soaring sales numbers seem to back that up.
Should we find our way back into a full-size HD truck we open the opportunity of a diesel and its towing capabilities along with the multitude of campers and bed build out options. I hate that I would have to start from scratch and should I not end up back in a PW I will have to likely purchase gears, a front locker, lift, wheels/tires, bumpers, etc. so it won't be a cheap proposition. The same can be said if we pick up a second 200 series and while it solves the power, ride, sound, and to some degree the space, it still doesn't provide us with a better sleeping option or a platform more adept at towing large loads or a bed to keep the stinky stuff out of the cabin.
In an ideal world we'd keep the 4Runner for use around town and solo trips, but that's just not in the cards right now with all of our other irons in the fire. So chime in, let me know what you think we should do or maybe what you would do if you found yourself in a similar position. Thanks!
