Trading my T4R for a Durango R/T

[BeyondAddiction]

Thanks guys for all the feedback.

I'll try to hit on a couple points made.

I did consider the highlander but wasn't sold on the styling or engine.

The Pilot is just ugly as sin. And again underpowered.

A big selling point is the V8. I miss having one and so few vehicles nowadays offer a true V8.

Both the wife and I refuse a minivan.

The Flex has the power (no V8) but again the styling is just not my thing. I can't drive a vehicle that I don't like the looks of. I see a new Pilot every day at work and I think how bland and boring and just like all the other crossovers out there. The old Pilot was better looking, atleast it was different from the crowd.

Regarding the reliability that is also my biggest concern.

I've read up as much as I can on the 2014+ Durango's for issues and problems. There's actually not many threads on issues like the Cherokee. I don't know why the Cherokee has so many issues than the Durango. I even looked at TrueDelta.com for reports on issues.

I think the Land Cruiser is out of my budget. The sequoia is still out of my budget at $53k MSRP and doesn't have the features that the Durango has.

Trust me, I'd like to keep the 4Runner but I have to hear the wife complain each time she tries getting the carrier in the middle. That's something I don't want to hear.

I'll be sure to check in with updates if/when i do get the Durango. Nothing's final yet. I submitted the order but no deposit and it won't arrive for 2 months anyway.

You had a very hard decision to make. I was looking at the same thing for a third row seat option.

I was originally dead set on waiting a little longer and getting a new Explorer Sport with the EcoBoost motor since I came from a Focus ST with the 4cyl version and man do those motors put out some power! Anyways, I had to go to the Ford dealer for something and really didn't like how I was treated by the service department, it was pretty disappointing (2nd local Ford dealer to have a poor experience with) and I didn't want to deal with them again so I moved on. I was looking at the Durango R/T because of the 3rd row, V8, plus think they look amazing. But that 8speed transmission just scared me too much since I do a lot of driving for a living and couldn't to risk it.

So I ended up in the 4Runner for the reliability, 3rd row, and badassness, because I sure didn't pick it for its speed or fuel mileage lol. The oldest will be driving in the next year though as well so the 3rd row won't be a requirement for much longer.

So in a long round about way I'm just saying I understand your reasoning, and hope you get one of the trouble free versions, and that it's amazing!

 

[T4R2014]

The only Durango worth a shit was the first gen. Fun vehicle even though the interior was typical 90's Detroit trash. The second gen was a miserable pile of garbage in every aspect that also appears to be the first and only vehicle to be modeled after a pig. The latest one is a Charger station wagon.

 

[dekeman]

...I'd like to keep the 4Runner but I have to hear the wife complain each time she tries getting the carrier in the middle. That's something I don't want to hear.

Kinda pathetic. But OK, so instead of one gripe, I promise you'll get these with a Durango:
"Honey, the effing truck just quit again. The baby and I are on the side of the highway. I'm cold. And scared."
"It cost how much to fix?"
"We just fixed it last month!"
"That's not covered under warranty?
"Shouldn't a tranny last longer than 24 months?"
"The lights on that thing keep flickering."
"I don't trust that thing."
"What's that smell?"
"That noise is back, and it's driving me crazy."
"No, I can't take the day off to take it to the shop."
"We spent how much on that PoS, and it's now only worth that?"
"Aren't you the financial genuis."
"Why didn't we just get a new 4Runner?"

 

[Jhalko]

Sorry OP, I might have just gotten the Toyota minivan and painted racing stripes on the side.

I've owned 5 Chrysler vehicles, only one didn't have quality issues. Ignorance was bliss because I never understood how much better Toyota is until I bought one.

 

[LandCruiser]

-don't complain when the engine breaks
-don't complain when the transmission breaks
-don't complain when the windows break
-don't complain when the roof leaks
-don't complain when the electrics break on a monthly basis
-don't complain when it leaves you stranded
-don't complain when the dealer does a half-assed job fixing it
-don't complain when it's worth nothing before the loan is over

 

[00Sebby]

The Durango will probably be fine. Just because a manufacturer has a higher incidence of quality issues, the odds you will get a lemon are amazingly low. It seems a lot worse because forums amplify bad issues and repeat over and over and over last year's or last decade's manufacturer quality performance. :deadhorse:

The whole time I owned Jeeps (7 of them with about 500,000 of my miles) I had to listen to people bash Jeep and Chrysler quality (yawn). I never had an engine, transmission or any drivetrain failure in a Jeep. I was a member of a Jeep club that could pull together 70-80 Jeeps for a run on the weekends. Talking with those guys that had new Wranglers, no one had a major issue. Yet you go to the forum and you would think every other Wrangler had sand in the cooling system, defective cylinder heads, burned a quart of oil every 500 miles, etc. In all of my Jeeps, I had a leaking power steering pump in a Cherokee Laredo at about 150K miles, a bad heater core in a new '97 Wrangler, a finicky carburetor on a '91 Grand Wagoneer that I fixed and a faulty fuel pump sending unit on a '12 Rubicon due to two O-rings on the fuel pump. That's it.

In comparison, my major repairs have been on a Suburban transmission that went out at 125000 miles, a water pump and related damage on a VW Golf, all kinds of nitpicky crap on an '09 Mini Cooper S, lots of stupid stuff on an '04 Mini Cooper. Even my 4Runner had to have a front wheel bearing replaced at 70,000 miles. My other 20 or so vehicles (GM, Toyota, Mazda, Ford, etc.) never had any serious issues.

 

[Herculean T4R]

I suggest renting a sienna or odessey for a few days. You may not look "cool" driving one but minivans are practical. I own three SUVs, Xterra, 4runner and SantaFe. Once the lease is up for Santafe, I will buy a Sienna. Both my wife and I swore that our family will never be seen in a minivan, but after test driving sienna, we were sold. 3rd row seating in Pilot and Highlander is a joke.

 

[Knight-Errant]

A Toyota 4runner towing a Toyota Yaris might have been another option. You could also get a good deal on a used Scion IQ. This ensures you keep Toyota reliability. Plus once you get to your road trip destination both you and your wife have a car :biggrin2:

You wouldn't have to hear any of your kids cry or complain! Great for road trips :biggrin2:

 

[Knight-Errant]

I was stuck with a minivan for work once. I didn't have much prior experience, but I walked away liking them. Really easy to load just about anything in or out, and actually fun if it is full of people you like.

A mini-van is not needed by me at all for my stage of life, but I wouldn't be afraid to buy one if I had a family...especially if it was a second car to my 4runner:biggrin2:

 

[ViktorV]

I do not understand what it has to do with the 4Runner. The man made a decision to expand his family before he can afford to keep a living standards up to a certain level. So he cannot afford the Sequoia or Landcruiser, but needs a bigger vehicle. I have seen families of 6-7-8 members driving in whatever vehicles. I also have seen families who were brought up in much worst conditions and all came out as outstanding members of our community. Yes, potentially he is going to have some issues with quality of Chrysler product, but in a long run he is going to win with bigger and nice loving family. God's speed..

 

[hedgehorn]

Chrysler

In my experience. The last 7 years I have owned 3 Ram/Dodge/Chrysler products. 2011 Cummins turbo diesel, 2009 Challenger and a 2011 Chrysler 300. I do not think that the build quality is the issue. My trouble with these vehicles is that if something did go wrong with them while under warranty the dealer couldn't fix them without taking it back multiple times and often creating other issues in the process. There must be a lack of training for the tech's at least in my area. I hope if you do buy the Durango that your experience is positive. The other thing that really bothers me is the resale is absolutely horrible.The dealer that sold it to you wont even give you anything for your trade if you decide to go down that road. I will never spend my own money on another Chrysler product.

 

[ViktorV]

In my experience. The last 7 years I have owned 3 Ram/Dodge/Chrysler products. 2011 Cummins turbo diesel, 2009 Challenger and a 2011 Chrysler 300. I do not think that the build quality is the issue. My trouble with these vehicles is that if something did go wrong with them while under warranty the dealer couldn't fix them without taking it back multiple times and often creating other issues in the process. There must be a lack of training for the tech's at least in my area. I hope if you do buy the Durango that your experience is positive. The other thing that really bothers me is the resale is absolutely horrible.The dealer that sold it to you wont even give you anything for your trade if you decide to go down that road. I will never spend my own money on another Chrysler product.

RESALE VALUE, this is a good one! Had only one Grand Cherokee for two years and after numerous trips to the dealer for endless warranty repairs, traded it in...BAD, BAD, BAD. Could take a European vacation for the money I lost!

 

[mickeyblue]

Actually, I got a really good trade in value for my 2009 Challenger. But, then, I was extremely diligent in taking care of it and had ALL of the required maintenance done at required intervals.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Eh... my opinion on Chrysler has to do with their technology, lack of quality, and implementation and my experience having to fix them regularly for our dealership, not to mention the plethora of used Chry-crap vehicles I have inspected and many trusted shops I know who deal with these vehicles on an unfortunately regular basis.

Then of course there's the whole fact that they went bankrupt twice and are now essentially Fiat. So... that sort of speaks volumes about a company.

 

[Knight-Errant]

I do not understand what it has to do with the 4Runner. The man made a decision to expand his family before he can afford to keep a living standards up to a certain level. So he cannot afford the Sequoia or Landcruiser, but needs a bigger vehicle. I have seen families of 6-7-8 members driving in whatever vehicles. I also have seen families who were brought up in much worst conditions and all came out as outstanding members of our community. Yes, potentially he is going to have some issues with quality of Chrysler product, but in a long run he is going to win with bigger and nice loving family. God's speed..

Its a 4runner forum; you're going to take some ribbing if you get rid of your 4runner No serious harm intended

Very few of us can afford a Landcruiser, only some of us can afford a Sequoia. Many of the folks on here bought their 4runner used. It's not about the money at all, I think it is more about choosing a vehicle that may prove to be not as well built as many other new options out there. It's his money, his choice, in the end it doesn't affect any of us....but if you sell the 4runner for something "less desirable" in the eyes of the 4runner community, and then broadcast it the the 4runner community, you're going to take some ribbing Certainly nobody is making a judgments on somebody because of the car they drive, or how much car a person can afford.

He pretty much knew what would be coming his way when he started the thread and to be fair the thread has been quite entertaining for many folks (probably including the OP too)

This is a 4runner enthusiast community. The folks here love their 4runners, and like I said, if you sell yours people are going to ask "why" and "what made you choose the other car", and yes, folks might poke fun your non-4runner choice if it is not 4runner-y enough

If I started a thread saying I was trading in my 4runner for a wrangler....oh boy! (that isn't happening [hopefully] ever though)

 

[coykili]

If it were me and I just had to have a V8:
1. I would save up for a new Land Cruiser
2. I would buy a used 4th gen T4R or used Land Cruiser from some soccer mom.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Good luck with it. I know reliability is very questionable but I bought a Durango in its very first model year (usually a major no no - think it was 1998?) and had it 9 years without a single problem. I had the 5.2 HEMI. Enjoyed it thoroughly and it served my family well. Hope you have the same luck but I don't know anything about their current product line.

That didn't have a HEMI motor. It had that 5.2 Magnum V8. They were decent little motors but weren't HEMI's.

 

[Runer4Life]

I know I will be flamed so be it. However, I will say I love the 4Runner for a lot of reasons, but it no longer fits the requirements of my family.

I submitted an order for a 2016 Durango R/T with the only options being Sunroof and split rear captains chairs.

Why am I doing this? Wife and I decided to add a 3rd child to the mix. Currently we have a 10 and 7 year old. I really wanted to keep the 4runner but it will become tedious trying to fit all 3 in the back seat. We went and bought a baby holder thing to see what room would be on each side when placed in the middle.

Did it fit, yes. However, my wife is 5' tall and had a very hard time getting the carrier into the middle. And that was without a baby inside of it.

So we came to the conclusion that a 3rd row is needed.

So luckily a local new vehicle car show was last month. We went to every single SUV with a 3rd row that was reasonably priced (under 45k).

I also looked at the 3rd row for the 4Runner, figuring an option would be to trade our current SR5 for one with the 3rd row. My god is that a bad design. There is really no easy way to get to the 3rd row in a T4R and with the 3rd row up, now space behind it.

A 2016 Explorer was next up. It was promising but I really don't like the look but the Ecoboost 3.5 would be nice. It was also over our budget unless i want to go with the lower model (no fun there).

So we looked at a Durango R/T. It seemed to check all the boxes.

3rd row. Easily accessible either via pass through captains chairs or the chairs flip forward really easy for easy ingress/egress which is nice. Plus with the 3rd row up, plenty of room behind for stuff.

We figured placing the carrier in one of the captains chairs, one kid in the other and the last kid in the back.

I get V8, AWD (not as good as true 4WD but I rarely use it except for winter), good looks and a 3rd row.

What I'm worried about is Dodge quality. So far most complaints have been about the infotainment system being buggy. No real issues mechanically.

My 4Runner has been rock solid and I can't complain about the quality. its great. I hate the Entune system and HVAC controls but beyond that it's an awesome vehicle.

Anyway, just wanted to share. I do have a TRD intake I'll try to take off before I trade in and put it up for sale.

op2:

I would rather have this 1988 Toyota Masterace Surf than a 2016 Dodge Durango R/T!

 

[Loadedpocketz]

 

[hikenbike]

That didn't have a HEMI motor. It had that 5.2 Magnum V8. They were decent little motors but weren't HEMI's.

I stand corrected. Whatever it was, it did a nice job.