The straw that may break this camel's back

M

M1911

New member
I'd hoped that after last December's frame replacement, timing belt + water pump, that my '03 4Runner would be in good shape for a while.

Then last month I ended up with another $2500 repair -- intermediate steering shaft, power steering lines, CV boot, running board brackets.

Now the rear brakes are acting up again, I think I've got yet another frozen caliper. But the straw that I think will break this camel's back is the sunroof. While cleaning my windshield, I noticed that the rubber trim around the sunroof is puckered up in one place. I tilted up the sunroof so that I could try to tuck the rubber trim back under, only to find that there is a metal trim piece around the glass that is rusting. No way I'm spending another couple thousand replacing the sunroof.

So I think it is time to replace my 4Runner. Sigh. I'd hope to wait until 2017 when, I expect, there will be a new 4Runner released.
 
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M1911 said:
I'd hoped that after last December's frame replacement, timing belt + water pump, that my '03 4Runner would be in good shape for a while.

Then last month I ended up with another $2500 repair -- intermediate steering shaft, power steering lines, CV boot, running board brackets.

Now the rear brakes are acting up again, I think I've got yet another frozen caliper. But the straw that I think will break this camel's back is the sunroof. While cleaning my windshield, I noticed that the rubber trim around the sunroof is puckered up in one place. I tilted up the sunroof so that I could try to tuck the rubber trim back under, only to find that there is a metal trim piece around the glass that is rusting. No way I'm spending another couple thousand replacing the sunroof.

So I think it is time to replace my 4Runner. Sigh. I'd hope to wait until 2017 when, I expect, there will be a new 4Runner released.
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do a 24 month lease then spring for the 2017
 
Then a lease is definitely not what you want. You're definitely in a rock and a hard place though. To be honest, the 2017 is such a long time away, you might end up dropping more coin than necessary on your current 4Runner waiting for it. Why not get a used 5th Gen in the early refresh model then trade it in on the 2017 when they come out. Save some money on the front end so you have more to put down on the Elusive 6th Gen.
 
the rusting sunroof frame is quite common. I have a 2006 with absolutely no rust on the sunroof frame, and a 2007 that has a couple of small rust spots on the sunroof frame. I sanded them down and put tremclad on them.
 
RPS13 said:
What were the symptoms on the steering shaft going?
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The steering suddenly got very heavy. The u-joint was rusted. Apparently it is integral to the intermediate shaft. Reading here on t4r, this has happened to a number of other people.

At this point, I think I'm doing with it. It is only worth about $5k and I've dropped that much into it this year alone. Enough.
 
Man, sorry to see this. After a frame, now steering components and a rust sunroof. Well, you sunk this much into it, may as well go the distance.

I dispute the sunroof thing as not all of us have the rust issue. You can save some bucks by having a sunroof shop (read: more competent than a dealer) remove the rust and service the sunroof (lube it good). The steering thing, isn't that part from your "old framed" 4runner? If the frame rusted to bits, I can't see why the suspension bits (steering and brakes) came away unscathed. The seized caliper happens to most of us included cars (my Civic has suffered many seized "pins". It sucks, but I won't blame Toyota or Honda for this as many manufactures have their "stupid" issues). All in all, the 4Runner is still a solid truck. You should still see another 100-150K miles out of your rig.

If you give up on your truck, I can't blame you for your frustration. Hang in there!

Good luck!
 
This would be at least my third set of rear calipers. I'm sick and tired of it.
 
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M1911 said:
What have you done about it?
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It's been there for years and I've been thinking about what I want to do. I'm thinking covering it in rust converter and permanently sealing the sunroof shut. I haven't used it in years after it stuck open.
 
Its all because of that salt they use on the roads during winter.
Trust me I know I used to live in Framingham by the court house and then went to Grafton now I am away from that stuff here in Seattle with a 05 with no rust at all.
 
Your truck has lived it's life in Massachusetts. Cut that poor machine some slack since it didn't rust away into dust 5 years ago.
 
T4R2014 said:
Your truck has lived it's life in Massachusetts. Cut that poor machine some slack since it didn't rust away into dust 5 years ago.
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It did, actually. That is why it has a new frame.

I'm at the dealer going to test drive a 2015. No V8 anymore, of course. Sigh.
 
I test drive the 2016 Limited. It handles and rides a lot better than my tired '03. But I'm still not a fan of that V6. It just sounds coarse when pushed and you have to push it to get the truck to go.

I test drove a GX460. Much nicer, as expected. Much quieter overall and the engine is more refined. Unfortunately, because of the way the seats fold (and due to the third row), there is less room inside with the second row folded down.
 
M1911 said:
I test drive the 2016 Limited. It handles and rides a lot better than my tired '03. But I'm still not a fan of that V6. It just sounds coarse when pushed and you have to push it to get the truck to go.

I test drove a GX460. Much nicer, as expected. Much quieter overall and the engine is more refined. Unfortunately, because of the way the seats fold (and due to the third row), there is less room inside with the second row folded down.
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The Lexus is pretty boring to drive. I checked out a GX470 and I felt like it handled worse than my V6 4th gen by quite a margin (more top heavy?).

Have you thought about looking outside of Toyota?

I have had BMW E70 X5's on the brain lately, and I test drove an X35D. The thing is a freakin' riot. 425 ft-lbs of torque that peaks around 2k RPM. It hauls ass pretty solidly for an SUV, and does it while being quieter and handling better than any Toyota SUV.

If you're considering a GX460, you could easily snag a low mileage X35D and get an aftermarket warranty good for at least 4-5 years. After owning a few BMWs, I don't think they're *that* unreliable compared to Toyotas (which I now rate behind Hondas based on my ~15 yrs of bouncing between them). With a warranty you're covered for anything crazy, and a little DIY maintenance makes them pretty reasonable to own.


That, and after you feel the wonder of the 20-way adjustable electric seats (optional - but so worth it), you're pretty much sold!

Just don't get a V8 BMW - they cannot keep those things sealed, so by 80-100k miles they're leaking like a sieve. There's a reason they cost the same as the I6 models!

Ready for the :flamethrwoer2:, but my 4Runner has been anything but trouble free.
 
RPS13 said:
The Lexus is pretty boring to drive. I checked out a GX470 and I felt like it handled worse than my V6 4th gen by quite a margin (more top heavy?).
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The GX460 handled about the same as my '03 4Runner. Maybe not quite as well as the 2015 4Runner, which had the XREAS system. But it was fine for what it is -- a body-on-frame, solid-rear-axle truck.

Have you thought about looking outside of Toyota?

I have had BMW E70 X5's on the brain lately, and I test drove an X35D. The thing is a freakin' riot. 425 ft-lbs of torque that peaks around 2k RPM. It hauls ass pretty solidly for an SUV, and does it while being quieter and handling better than any Toyota SUV.
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The thing is, I take my vehicle on the beach. That is the primary reason why I have an SUV. And I wouldn't want to risk a crossover like the X5 on the beach. I've never gotten my 4Runner stuck, but there have been times where I wasn't that far away from getting stuck.

I haven't priced an X5, but my guess (after pricing a Mercedes GLE) is that they are significantly more expensive than the GX 460, and likely less reliable.

Ready for the :flamethrwoer2:, but my 4Runner has been anything but trouble free.
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My 4Runner has been relatively expensive to keep running, and it seems to be getting worse.
 
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