Moved from SoCal to the midwest and knew I needed a 4wd eventually. My wife was looking at cars and test drove a 4Runner and didn't care for it, she went with a Highlander. When we went back to pick up her Highlander, I sat in the 4Runner and just felt like it was the one for me. Went back and picked mine up 2 weeks later.
What inpired you to buy a Runner?
- Thread starter Cali4Runnea
- Start date
John7M7
New member
I wanted a capable and reliable 4WD vehicle for many reasons, and went to a garage in SoCal to look at some options. I think I went there to look at an old Pathfinder.
The garage only deals in true 4WD vehicles, and while I didn't like the Pathfinder (I'm 6'4" so my head touched the ceiling) I looked at what I considered to be the holy grail, a 3rd gen T4R.
Well, two hours later I was driving it back home! Also tested a 4th gen that day but it was moded in a weird way and wasn't for me.
The garage only deals in true 4WD vehicles, and while I didn't like the Pathfinder (I'm 6'4" so my head touched the ceiling) I looked at what I considered to be the holy grail, a 3rd gen T4R.
Well, two hours later I was driving it back home! Also tested a 4th gen that day but it was moded in a weird way and wasn't for me.
JVC8790
New member
As funny as this sounds, my friend with his Jeep (pic below) is the reason I'm buying a 4Runner (I'm working through final details on an 04 V8 Limited, should be picking up in a week or two).
I went with him to SEMA this year and got my feet wet in looking at offroad rigs. After SEMA, flew back to Denver (where he's from) for a few days and took his Wrangler off road up in the mountains near Idaho Springs, CO.
Was addicted from the moment we left pavement and spent all my time sitting at the airport that Sunday night deciding on what type of offroad rig I wanted. Knew it wouldn't be a Jeep because I didn't feel the creature comforts of the interior were good enough (coming from Volvos that have insanely comfortable interiors and good stereos).
Budget landed me on a 4th Gen and a local friend of mine here in Cincinnati who has owned many 4th Gens chatted and I made a list of what I wanted. A month and a half later stumbled across the one I'm picking up and couldn't be more excited!
I went with him to SEMA this year and got my feet wet in looking at offroad rigs. After SEMA, flew back to Denver (where he's from) for a few days and took his Wrangler off road up in the mountains near Idaho Springs, CO.
Was addicted from the moment we left pavement and spent all my time sitting at the airport that Sunday night deciding on what type of offroad rig I wanted. Knew it wouldn't be a Jeep because I didn't feel the creature comforts of the interior were good enough (coming from Volvos that have insanely comfortable interiors and good stereos).
Budget landed me on a 4th Gen and a local friend of mine here in Cincinnati who has owned many 4th Gens chatted and I made a list of what I wanted. A month and a half later stumbled across the one I'm picking up and couldn't be more excited!
Visited Seattle this time last year and fell in love with it. Went to Rainier National Park while we were there but had to have a vehicle w 4WD per the park's rules. Wife got a new Wrangler JL a few months ago but it just wasn't doing it for me. I've always been a Toyota guy anyway, so after doing my research for best offroad vehicle, trading in my Tundra for the 4Runner was an easy choice. Picked up this beautiful 2019 Voodoo Blue TRD Pro last week and now Seattle can't come soon enough!
<img src="https://i.ibb.co/3FttRDf/T4R-1.jpg" alt="T4R-1" border="0">
<img src="https://i.ibb.co/3FttRDf/T4R-1.jpg" alt="T4R-1" border="0">
kihnspiracy
New member
I was looking at SUV's and nothing could match the features I wanted except Toyota.
I had a daughter. She is 6mo old so the stroller ect needs a suv or van to stay clean and dry. I still want to trail and camp so the van is out. Very few SUVs have the capability of the t4r and none have the resale of the trd pro. That made the choice clear as in a few years when the stroller ect is gone I plan to get back to a pickup provided I dont fall in love to much with t4r
2019 voodoo blue pro
2019 voodoo blue pro
Personally I was never super into camping and what not when I was younger (much rather be inside) but as I'm getting older I'm definitely wanting to adventure/explore and get outside more often. Started researching and watching youtube videos on just camping and overlanding and what not. Recently decided to pickup something capable so have my eye's set on a 4th gen because I love the look of those the most....Just gotta find one here in Cali which is the hard part it seems...
Was it the JK or the JL that put you off?
2016 4Runner SR5
Senior Member
Nope, those are the only kinda real Jeeps left. I've owned, a TJ Rubicon which I loved, multiple XJ's, multiple ZJ's including a 98 5.9 Limited which I loved. Pretty much everything Jeep today besides the wrangler is a joke. Jeep is not at all what it was founded on.
Charlievee
Senior Member
Felt like a good idea at the time. No not so much.
jmperez64
New member
My first vehicle was an '86 4Runner. When our first child came, it was tough getting him into the car seat since the 4Runner was a two door. As we were looking into a new one in '98, my wife's boss was hit head on by a drunk driver. The drunk driver was killed and my wife's boss, wife and child were unharmed, not even a scratch. They were driving a Chevy Suburban. So guess what our next vehicles were? We leased a '98 Suburban then purchased a 2003 that is still running. This year we started talking about a new vehicle and my wife said I could pick out whatever I wanted for my birthday. Went back to my first love and came home with and 2019 SR5 Premium.
I've always owned cars, mostly V8's with a Camry or two in there. I did a ton of research on 4runners since I have a few friends that have them, and all of them said the same thing. "Reliable, they will go forever, and great for a family vehicle". They were not kidding, I've only had mine for a week now, but I love this thing. The ride is so smooth, with a ton of space in it, I think the wife likes it more than I do. We are a SUV family now I guess, with my 4runner and her Grand Cherokee.
Blue 4ever Runner
New member
I was a Jeep guy since '86 When I got my first Cherokee with the horrible 2.8 ltr. V6. It was OK for the time and I took it off road a lot, towed with it and it lasted about 140,000 miles. Next was a '93 Grand Cherokee with the amazing 4.0 straight 6. Lifted it with a 2" budget lift, put 31's on it and 4 wheeled the heck out of it. I love that thing but it was pretty worn out at round 130,000 miles. Next was a '05 Grand with the 4.7 ltr. V8. Pretty good vehicle. Put a Magnaflow muffler on it and it sounded great! Nothing like the sound of a V8. In '27 my son bought a 4Runner and I really liked it. By early '19 with almost 140,000 miles on it the '05 Jeep was starting to give me too many problems. (seeing a pattern here?) I wanted a truck based SUV, not a crossover and there aren't many to choose from. Since I liked my son's 4Runner and knowing their reputation for longevity it was a no brainer so now I'm the proud owner of a '19 Nautical Blue 4Runner. My son will Probably inherit it because it will most likely out live me!
GripT4R
Banned
I originally wanted a Jeep JK unlimited because we live in AZ and love the outdoors....so I bought a mustang instead (hated the lack of interior space, and the feel of driving a JK), turned it into a street legal road race car, tracked it for a few years with NASA.
Got tired of driving a race car every day, and never getting to go out into the wilderness. On a random ass Saturday I decided to drive the mustang to a local Toyota dealer and see what they would give me for it. They gave me $19,900...so I traded it in on a 2019 SR5 in super white that I had got them down to $32K on...I specifically wanted an SR5 because I knew I would change the wheels/tires, and add a lift myself. Sure I missed out on a rear locker...but I wont be rock crawling, so no biggie there.
Now we can go camping, hiking, shooting, I can carry my mountain bike in it and do all the other stuff we haven't done in years. Plus when we have a kid, we have a vehicle for hauling the kid around. And the dog can go in it!
Currently I am trying to convince the wife to trade in her 2015 corolla that we just paid off for a Tacoma crew cab 4x4....we will see.
Got tired of driving a race car every day, and never getting to go out into the wilderness. On a random ass Saturday I decided to drive the mustang to a local Toyota dealer and see what they would give me for it. They gave me $19,900...so I traded it in on a 2019 SR5 in super white that I had got them down to $32K on...I specifically wanted an SR5 because I knew I would change the wheels/tires, and add a lift myself. Sure I missed out on a rear locker...but I wont be rock crawling, so no biggie there.
Now we can go camping, hiking, shooting, I can carry my mountain bike in it and do all the other stuff we haven't done in years. Plus when we have a kid, we have a vehicle for hauling the kid around. And the dog can go in it!
Currently I am trying to convince the wife to trade in her 2015 corolla that we just paid off for a Tacoma crew cab 4x4....we will see.
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Going almost instantly from single guy to family-of-four, talked with my new (and amazing!) wife when we realized my extra cab pickup wasn't big enough in the back seat for two teens.
My favorite vehicle to that point had been an older SUV. Did the research. 4Rs are top three in longevity, durability and reliability. Took the drive. Bought it a couple days later when they lowered the price to my previous offer.
Now I'm driving my new all time favorite.
My favorite vehicle to that point had been an older SUV. Did the research. 4Rs are top three in longevity, durability and reliability. Took the drive. Bought it a couple days later when they lowered the price to my previous offer.
Now I'm driving my new all time favorite.
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chevyjlewis
New member
Im looking to buy since i have a 2nd child onnthe way and 2 dogs. The ext. Cab sierra isnt going to cut it
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
DAW89446
Member
Once upon a time, I bought a new 2002 Tacoma SR5 TRD Xtra Cab; V6, 5-speed.
Back then, I lived in the eastern Sierra Nevada and regularly explored the trails of the Sierra Nevada, the Great Basin mountain ranges and valleys and Death Valley.
Fast forward to July, 2019. I live in north-central Nevada. I’m older, worn out from decades of injuries and illnesses. I don’t off road as much. My clutch knee hurts like heck. My Tacoma, now 17 years old, still runs and looks like it did then and is still raring to go. But I’m not. I can’t crawl around in the bed anymore, it hurts my knees too much. I use my utility trailer to haul and an ever empty bed is no longer useful. I’m getting fatter, the Tacoma is long but narrow.
I still need a 4x4 because I live in an area where dirt roads outnumber paved ones. It snows and it stays snow covered for months. I like to hunt upland game and there are plenty of nearby canyon trails that require more than a car based SUV. I haul two tons of heating pellets annually and want a body on frame vehicle that can handle my trailer and loads. My two small dogs fight for lap space on my wife’s lap and won’t settle for the floor or behind the seat. And most of all, I want another Toyota, as my Tacoma (my 1st Toyota) proved so reliable.
I did not want a behemoth truck based SUV. I already have a Subaru Outback. I settled on a 4Runner early on.
After browsing the Toyota dealers on the internet and “building” 4Runners on Toyota’s website for more than a year, I noticed and observed that a local Ford dealer had been bringing in 1-3 year old 4Runners to put on their used lot. And they had been selling like hot cakes in a blizzard. Prices were considerably lower than new. The dealership is part of a Boise based chain, which includes a Toyota dealer.
In July, I jumped on my “new” 4Runner, a 2018 SR5. It has the 3rd row (which I wouldn’t have opted for if I bought new, but I have used it once), upgraded Entune system with navigation, and a few other items. Silver wasn’t my favorite color, but it has grown on me.
So far I am very happy with my purchase. It has exceeded my expectations in ride, solid structure, a quality feel for all surfaces. It pulls as well as my Tacoma (same towing capacity). It is 10” wider and I can stretch out more. The power seat provides far superior driver comfort and seat range than the Tacoma; its seats felt like you were on the floor. The dogs enjoy the back seat in their plush beds. And I can take friends in the mountains for a picnic. It has proven to be more practical for my wife and I.
The Tacoma? It was like family and is still in the family. I couldn’t bear to trade it in. It is now on the other side of the Sierra Nevada in the northern foothills.
Back then, I lived in the eastern Sierra Nevada and regularly explored the trails of the Sierra Nevada, the Great Basin mountain ranges and valleys and Death Valley.
Fast forward to July, 2019. I live in north-central Nevada. I’m older, worn out from decades of injuries and illnesses. I don’t off road as much. My clutch knee hurts like heck. My Tacoma, now 17 years old, still runs and looks like it did then and is still raring to go. But I’m not. I can’t crawl around in the bed anymore, it hurts my knees too much. I use my utility trailer to haul and an ever empty bed is no longer useful. I’m getting fatter, the Tacoma is long but narrow.
I still need a 4x4 because I live in an area where dirt roads outnumber paved ones. It snows and it stays snow covered for months. I like to hunt upland game and there are plenty of nearby canyon trails that require more than a car based SUV. I haul two tons of heating pellets annually and want a body on frame vehicle that can handle my trailer and loads. My two small dogs fight for lap space on my wife’s lap and won’t settle for the floor or behind the seat. And most of all, I want another Toyota, as my Tacoma (my 1st Toyota) proved so reliable.
I did not want a behemoth truck based SUV. I already have a Subaru Outback. I settled on a 4Runner early on.
After browsing the Toyota dealers on the internet and “building” 4Runners on Toyota’s website for more than a year, I noticed and observed that a local Ford dealer had been bringing in 1-3 year old 4Runners to put on their used lot. And they had been selling like hot cakes in a blizzard. Prices were considerably lower than new. The dealership is part of a Boise based chain, which includes a Toyota dealer.
In July, I jumped on my “new” 4Runner, a 2018 SR5. It has the 3rd row (which I wouldn’t have opted for if I bought new, but I have used it once), upgraded Entune system with navigation, and a few other items. Silver wasn’t my favorite color, but it has grown on me.
So far I am very happy with my purchase. It has exceeded my expectations in ride, solid structure, a quality feel for all surfaces. It pulls as well as my Tacoma (same towing capacity). It is 10” wider and I can stretch out more. The power seat provides far superior driver comfort and seat range than the Tacoma; its seats felt like you were on the floor. The dogs enjoy the back seat in their plush beds. And I can take friends in the mountains for a picnic. It has proven to be more practical for my wife and I.
The Tacoma? It was like family and is still in the family. I couldn’t bear to trade it in. It is now on the other side of the Sierra Nevada in the northern foothills.
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