Spec'ing my 5th gen 4Runner

[Quentin]

Test drove an SR5 w/ convenience and premium package w/ stereo and backup camera options. Initially, I was looking at sacrificing the premium package for 3rd row seating w/ the sport seats. More research revealed that I'd be giving up the leather wrapped steering wheel and shifter knobs. The heated seats are nice too, as this will be my winter ride. I could take or leave leather seats, but everyone I've talked to says that when kids come along (a year or so), I'll be wishing I got the leather for ease of cleaning. Plus, my dealer says that 3rd row isn't really even an option for ordering. Anyway, when it comes down to it, the premium package seems to be the way to go.

My questions... any reason I should fore-go the Premium package? Are the leather wrapped steering wheel and shifter significantly nicer than the standard ones? Those w/ 3rd row seating, especially those that didn't specifically look for it or order it, is it something you absolutely love now that you have it, or is it mostly useless to you. (I only plan on have 1 or 2 children, BTW.) I was slightly disappointed that the load floor isn't flat w/ the middle seats down and no tray or 3rd row.

I'll definitely do the convenience package, stereo upgrade, and backup camera. I was very impressed with all these options/packages during my test drive and poking around the car.

Other background:
- avid cyclist so bikes will be laying in the cargo area w/ laid down seats often.
- this will probably get 8k miles/year as mostly winter excursions to the mountains where my parents live, camping/hiking/biking adventures, vacations, ikea runs for the wife, and home depot runs for me. Plan to get a small trailer for it.
- no serious offroading, but unpaved, harsh, mountain roads to the trailheads will be on the agenda.
- ordering the 4Runner will be my Valentine's gift to my wife.

 

[westwind77]

Plus, my dealer says that 3rd row isn't really even an option for ordering. Anyway, when it comes down to it, the premium package seems to be the way to go.
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Why would you settle?! Get the leather AND the 3rd row! You can order ANYTHING you want, just a matter of having to wait for it. Dealers hate to order them (at least the few I went to but if you press them long and hard they will do it). They would rather sell the ones they have on the lot. I went back and forth if I wanted to do the 3rd row as the SUV being replaced had it, but I only use it about once a year. I know I will be having kids in a couple years but by the time the 3rd row becomes practicle I figure I could trade it in towards a new one

 

[Quentin]

Why would you settle?! Get the leather AND the 3rd row! You can order ANYTHING you want, just a matter of having to wait for it. Dealers hate to order them (at least the few I went to but if you press them long and hard they will do it). They would rather sell the ones they have on the lot. I went back and forth if I wanted to do the 3rd row as the SUV being replaced had it, but I only use it about once a year. I know I will be having kids in a couple years but by the time the 3rd row becomes practicle I figure I could trade it in towards a new one

The dealer is aware I'm planning on ordering one instead of taking one off the lot, so there was no pressure to move one that is on the lot. He even mentioned how well they are selling and recommended I order to get the combo I want since I don't need the car right now. My wife and parents mostly talked me out of the 3rd row saying that the leather interior is better use of the cash. I tend to agree now.

One thing I just noticed. Even w/ the leather package, the SR5 get gray or beige glove compartment, surrounds below the steering wheel, door cards, and armrest. The Limited model gets all these blacked out. The all blacked out look is much classier looking. I'm not willing to spend Limited money, though.

 

[Mdrei]

Two comments from a lurker who just ordered a 2010 TE:
1. I ordered my TE because I couldn't find the color I wanted. Dealer didn't prefer to do it but didn't resist too much either. If you're keeping the vehicle for an extended period of time then you might as well get the package you want.
2. I definitely recommend leather over 3rd row option. As mentioned, it's easier to clean and with kids on the way you'll will definitely appreciate that advantage. Plus, as an owner of a 14 year old 3rd gen 4Runner with cloth seating, I noticed the seats developed an odor after 9-10 years. My guess is that even if water (snow, rain, bottled) spills on the seat (and eventually dries) it soaks into the cushioning and mold begins to develop. Add to the list coffee, soda, beer, etc and you can clean till the fabric wears away but the odor will remain. Leather will stop a lot of the seeping and is easier to clean.

 

[Quentin]

Two comments from a lurker who just ordered a 2010 TE:
1. I ordered my TE because I couldn't find the color I wanted. Dealer didn't prefer to do it but didn't resist too much either. If you're keeping the vehicle for an extended period of time then you might as well get the package you want.
2. I definitely recommend leather over 3rd row option. As mentioned, it's easier to clean and with kids on the way you'll will definitely appreciate that advantage. Plus, as an owner of a 14 year old 3rd gen 4Runner with cloth seating, I noticed the seats developed an odor after 9-10 years. My guess is that even if water (snow, rain, bottled) spills on the seat (and eventually dries) it soaks into the cushioning and mold begins to develop. Add to the list coffee, soda, beer, etc and you can clean till the fabric wears away but the odor will remain. Leather will stop a lot of the seeping and is easier to clean.

Great advice on item #2. I didn't think about the potential smell. My mom's cloth seat 02 explorer definitely has a funk to it that is probably caused by what you've mentioned. I have noticed, especially after my cross country roadtrip in my cloth seat GTI, that there was a funk in the cloth that took a while to come out. I imagine it will be that much worse in a vehicle that is 10 years old. My GTI is not yet 3 years old.

Congrats on the TE! I love the exterior of the TE. It is simply badass.

 

[desertred]

Not too many smells as unpleasant as barfed up baby formula. If you go with cloth, I'd think about getting a fabric protectant treatment on the material and reapply it when you are blessed with children in the future.

 

[ckon]

Not too many smells as unpleasant as barfed up baby formula. If you go with cloth, I'd think about getting a fabric protectant treatment on the material and reapply it when you are blessed with children in the future.

Several years ago my dog had an "accident" on my 3G 4Runner's cloth seats that REALLY soaked the fabric and the foam. My wife found an enzyme treatment that worked very well to neutralize the damage. There was no lingering odor at all after a few days. !! Sorry, I wish I could remember who made the product, but it's been too long. At any rate, there ARE products out there that will take care of organically caused odors in the cloth seats.

 

[sandcrawler]

Several years ago my dog had an "accident" on my 3G 4Runner's cloth seats that REALLY soaked the fabric and the foam. My wife found an enzyme treatment that worked very well to neutralize the damage. There was no lingering odor at all after a few days. !! Sorry, I wish I could remember who made the product, but it's been too long. At any rate, there ARE products out there that will take care of organically caused odors in the cloth seats.

probably Nature's Miracle. really works quite well on both people and pet stains/odors.

 

[ckon]

probably Nature's Miracle. really works quite well on both people and pet stains/odors.

Yup - my wife says that's the one.

 

[westwind77]

One thing I just noticed. Even w/ the leather package, the SR5 get gray or beige glove compartment, surrounds below the steering wheel, door cards, and armrest. The Limited model gets all these blacked out. The all blacked out look is much classier looking. I'm not willing to spend Limited money, though.

I agree, I wish it was the same color all around, but I guess they have to push you to spend the extra $$$ somehow. I will say the tan leather interior with the tan plastic looks better than the black/gray combo, but that only works (IMO) with the black exterior, which I did not want (too hard to keep clean). Oh well, I am happy

 

[Quentin]

I agree, I wish it was the same color all around, but I guess they have to push you to spend the extra $$$ somehow. I will say the tan leather interior with the tan plastic looks better than the black/gray combo, but that only works (IMO) with the black exterior, which I did not want (too hard to keep clean). Oh well, I am happy

I feel the same way. The beige just looks nicer. Oddly, I normally hate beige/tan. I actually didn't buy a 2007 WRX several years back because the white exterior was bundled w/ the beige interior. I'll have to prod the wife a bit and see if she'd consider a tan interior w/ the white exterior.

I'm trying to keep telling myself that I don't want to pull these plastic parts off and plasti-dip them.

 

[ckon]

I agree, I wish it was the same color all around, but I guess they have to push you to spend the extra $$$ somehow. I will say the tan leather interior with the tan plastic looks better than the black/gray combo, but that only works (IMO) with the black exterior, which I did not want (too hard to keep clean). Oh well, I am happy

I didn't want a black interior, but when I saw the tan I was disappointed in the multi-color application so I "settled" for black. It was the only one where all parts looked like they were designed that way instead of looking like a cost-saving measure. Anyway, I'm glad I did. To me, now that I'm used to it, it seems like a much "higher level" trim package because of the fact that it's so monochromatic. However, YMMV! .

 

[desertred]

One thing I just noticed. Even w/ the leather package, the SR5 get gray or beige glove compartment, surrounds below the steering wheel, door cards, and armrest. The Limited model gets all these blacked out. The all blacked out look is much classier looking. I'm not willing to spend Limited money, though.

I agree. One possible choice is to just hang on until someone unfortunately totals their Limited and then grab the black dash panels from a yard. I'm considering this route, although it may take some time.

People seem to respond to multi-colored interiors in a love-it or hate-it type manner. Typically, I prefer solid colored interiors. I actually like the way Toyota designed the 4Runner's color scheme. All of the darker colored pieces seem to be located where dirt tends to collect, so will (hopefully) help hide it a bit better. I also tend to like contrasting interior and exterior color schemes, so the black and sand is a favorite of mine (white & black would be another). My 3rd gen (which was traded for the 5th) had the same color scheme (black & tan). I thought about going with the white and tan, but that color scheme would most likely had gotten old after the novelty wore off - just a personal thing. White and light grey has a similar effect for me. The Salsa Red would have been my second choice. As it is, the tan and black both matches and contrasts nicely with the black exterior of my SR5.

 

[Quentin]

Ordered an SR5 today. White exterior, black interior, premium package. :bravo:

 

[Norcal_Mike]

If it is going to be your only car that could potentially have 3rd row and you are going to be having children, I would go for the 3rd row. We use the 3rd row for in-laws and play dates all the time. Get a mat to go under your baby seat and it should cover most spills... we had twins and got through the "spittle" years w/out any damage to the seats. I would be kicking myself if I opted for leather over a 3rd row.

Plus, cloth breathes in the summer and is warmer in the winter. Good luck.

**ooops.. just saw your last post.. you will be happy either way **

 

[Quentin]

If it is going to be your only car that could potentially have 3rd row and you are going to be having children, I would go for the 3rd row. We use the 3rd row for in-laws and play dates all the time. Get a mat to go under your baby seat and it should cover most spills... we had twins and got through the "spittle" years w/out any damage to the seats. I would be kicking myself if I opted for leather over a 3rd row.

Plus, cloth breathes in the summer and is warmer in the winter. Good luck.

**ooops.. just saw your last post.. you will be happy either way **

The wife was pretty blunt about not needing 3rd row seating or the pull out tray... or she knew it would be a while and she didn't want to wait. This is good, because it means she really wants the vehicle and isn't just humoring me. haha

 

[Quentin]

Quentin--can you elaborate? How not flat are we talking??

At the pivot point of the seatbacks for the 2nd row, there is a 1.5"~2" ramp between the rear cargo area and the laid down seat backs. The plane of the seatbacks is a little higher.
_____________
. . . . . . . . . . .\_____________

 

[Quentin]

Hmm that sounds like a bad design to me!! I also bike and while I'm not a 4Runner owner yet, that is a slight downer. I mean, not so much for a bike, but just other big items, e.g. furniture possibly. But you did mention it's a 'ramp' and not a 'step', so that sounds better.

_____
. . . . |_____ <--- This would be bad!

It is a small ramp, probably 45 deg or so.

If you get the slideout tray or 3rd row, it folds flat.

 

[Quentin]

I got a call from the dealer today. It is on the way to port, should be here by the end of the month.
:hungry: