Which drives better, an early 3rd gen or a late 3rd gen?

[amalik]

OP, I feel the same way you do about my 97 Limited as you do about yours. I am usually working on her once a month (9 times out of 10 it's preventative maintenance), but I love this TRUCK. I really do not ever want to get rid of her, and my Dad has let go of too many now-desirable vehicles and told me not to make the same mistake (e.g. his late 80s Supra, Celica, oh and his 2nd Gen 4Runner!).



However, around the middle of last year I got a great new job with a not-so-great commute. I went from daily driving about 12 miles RT in the city to 60 miles RT on the highway. I started to notice things about the ride quality that I used to be able to ignore, but I couldn't anymore.



I have been in stock late year 3rd gen 4Runners before and thought the ride quality was a lot nicer than my 97 w/ Eibach/Bilsteins and E rated Duratracs. That said, I realized most of that was fixable, so I ditched my E rated tires for C's, and I immediately noticed a difference. Then I replaced my front Bilsteins that were leaking, and that made an even more perceptible difference. I replaced the LCA bushings, and that just about settled the highway driving quirks I had. The interior is still nice, but things like climate control and what not are just dated because it's a 97.



However, I realized that my lovely lifted beast is going to be sent to an earlier grave if I kept daily driving her. I started looking at 2015 4Runners with the idea of keeping it stock (yeah...right) and then having the 97 for off-road duty. That didn't make as much sense to me though since the performance differences weren't huge, and I'm just not into stock SUVs. So, I went the opposite route and I'm about to sign paperwork on a '16 Golf R. This way I can put some wear and tear on a vehicle more suited for this kind of daily driving, and I can make my 4Runner even LESS practical now! I can keep the roof rack on her full time because I don't have to worry about parking garage clearance (I barely get in 7' clearance garages without the rack), added weight from armor, and I won't have to worry about repairs or mods being finished up in time for the work week!



The moral is that I think you'd be just as happy keeping your 97 and looking for something to daily that has more updated creature comforts, maybe? I have terrible ADD and I love talking 4Runners, so...sorry! I'm just so excited to read all of this gushing for the 3rd gennies.

Nice post here

yay for another Denver member with a 97 limited ... small world indeed but I think we have met before on this forum

anyway

Just curious though -- If you just wanted a smaller/newer DD for 30+ Highway MPG, etc -- You could have done it under $30k (I don't know anything about the Golf But I see $35.6k as the lowest 2016 price).

Why the German premium?

 

[ThorInc]

I'll jump in 97 v6 Sr5 5 speed....keeping it for as long as I can. Always & only preventative maintenance.

 

[paddlenbike]

in 5 years we will all be in 5th gens, right?

lol,

Have you driven a 5th gen? They are rubbish.

 

[amalik]

Have you driven a 5th gen? They are rubbish.

No, I need to. Live only a few minutes away from the local dealer.

I've heard on this forum the v6 is very disappointing in it.

At least it's made in Japan, maybe the only thing going for it.

....right?

 

[T4R2014]

No, I need to. Live only a few minutes away from the local dealer.

I've heard on this forum the v6 is very disappointing in it.

At least it's made in Japan, maybe the only thing going for it.

....right?

Drive it and see if you like it. I'm not big on it, but I can't say I hate it. At least it maintains the 4Runner DNA. I'm not to impressed with the interior quality or the 5-speed from 2003. The engine should be good, but Toyota's eco throttle mapping garbage ruins it. Still not a V8. I'm not big on the size of the 4th gens and beyond either. They don't have that small Japanese truck feel.

I find the need to make a "Trail Edition" submodel equivalent to the "Trail Rated" badges on Jeeps; isn't it supposed to be capable of that without being stated anyway?

All in all, it's not my favorite, but when I line it up with every other brand new vehicle, there are so many other better options for me to hate. Look at what Nissan did to the Pathfinder. I thought the Quest already served that purpose.

 

[1985taylor1925]

Have you driven a 5th gen? They are rubbish.

How so?

 

[paddlenbike]

How so?

To each is own, but the 5th gens do not feel like a 4Runner. Even the 4th gens still feel like a 4Runner. They are big, heavy, underpowered. I would recommend visiting the 5th gen section and reading about the driveline clunks, rusty tailgate hatches, squeaks and rattles and other issues that seem prevalent in that section of T4R. They don't appear to be built to the same high standards as the 3rd gens were.

On the plus side, it is new and comes standard with that new car smell. The Trail edition does have a transfer case lever and an elocker. The chassis is generally regarded as good.

Overall, it is just missing soul, for whatever that is worth to you. I recommend you drive it; maybe you will be more impressed than I am.

 

[T4R2014]

Rubbish is a harsh word to describe it IMO. I think it's stupidly big, but I'll still pick one over a Wrangler. Off the showroom floor, there isn't much to compare it to.

 

[Jason B]

To each is own, but the 5th gens do not feel like a 4Runner. Even the 4th gens still feel like a 4Runner. They are big, heavy, underpowered. I would recommend visiting the 5th gen section and reading about the driveline clunks, rusty tailgate hatches, squeaks and rattles and other issues that seem prevalent in that section of T4R. They don't appear to be built to the same high standards as the 3rd gens were.

On the plus side, it is new and comes standard with that new car smell. The Trail edition does have a transfer case lever and an elocker. The chassis is generally regarded as good.

Overall, it is just missing soul, for whatever that is worth to you. I recommend you drive it; maybe you will be more impressed than I am.

I hear you on those points.

 

[fblainen11]

To each is own, but the 5th gens do not feel like a 4Runner. Even the 4th gens still feel like a 4Runner. They are big, heavy, underpowered. I would recommend visiting the 5th gen section and reading about the driveline clunks, rusty tailgate hatches, squeaks and rattles and other issues that seem prevalent in that section of T4R. They don't appear to be built to the same high standards as the 3rd gens were.

On the plus side, it is new and comes standard with that new car smell. The Trail edition does have a transfer case lever and an elocker. The chassis is generally regarded as good.

Overall, it is just missing soul, for whatever that is worth to you. I recommend you drive it; maybe you will be more impressed than I am.

My mother's 5th gen is a very well built vehicle and a joy to drive.

 

[fblainen11]

Back to the subject matter, my wife's 2000 seems to shift much differently than my 97....auto obviously. Ive never looked into it, but do they have different transmissions? I thought the 2000 is electrically controlled as opposed to the 97s hydraulic controls.

Either way, I notice a big difference on shift speed between our two 3rd gens. That makes for a better experience in driving.

 

[T4R2014]

Back to the subject matter, my wife's 2000 seems to shift much differently than my 97....auto obviously. Ive never looked into it, but do they have different transmissions? I thought the 2000 is electrically controlled as opposed to the 97s hydraulic controls.

Either way, I notice a big difference on shift speed between our two 3rd gens. That makes for a better experience in driving.

I would service the transmission. Drop the pan and change the filter and fluid.

 

[JohnMc]

My '99 5 spd has always seemed a bit quicker feeling than my wife's '96 5 spd.

They're not directly comparable, though. At first hers had 4.10 gearing vs. my 4.30. Then we swapped a locker onto hers and changed it to 4.30 as well, but she has 33" tires now vs. my 32". She's got a bit more stuff on hers as well, sliders and on board air. We both had belly armor, rear bumper, and a roof rack.

 

[Dobe99]

Besides slightly more refined and maybe less dust, they are mostly the same I think.

 

[SnowLizard]

cloth seats were not as good as the later years... they kept getting better.

 

[Jason B]

I'll tell you what makes ANY 3rd gen ride 10 times better. A set of Michelin LTX M/S 2's. Those tires have transformed my truck into riding so much better and softer. The sidewalls on those tires are bigger than other tires in the factory sizes and soak up the bumps with more flex, even at 35 psi. Also, that tire is all one piece, where most tires are multiple pieces and glued together, which make the ride a lot worse!

 

[T4R2014]

I'll tell you what makes ANY 3rd gen ride 10 times better. A set of Michelin LTX M/S 2's. Those tires have transformed my truck into riding so much better and softer. The sidewalls on those tires are bigger than other tires in the factory sizes and soak up the bumps with more flex, even at 35 psi. Also, that tire is all one piece, where most tires are multiple pieces and glued together, which make the ride a lot worse!

The original LTX was a superb tire. If your driving is mostly on road, these things drive so much better with a stock size P-rated tire.

 

[Jason B]

The original LTX was a superb tire. If your driving is mostly on road, these things drive so much better with a stock size P-rated tire.

Yep! The new version has side sipes in it to help bite into the snow ice better, and updated sidewall from the super generic one it replaced.

 

[fblainen11]

I would service the transmission. Drop the pan and change the filter and fluid.

I did. It works and never had an issue with its reliability. I just feel like her's is a bit snappier than mine.

 

[fblainen11]

I'll tell you what makes ANY 3rd gen ride 10 times better. A set of Michelin LTX M/S 2's. Those tires have transformed my truck into riding so much better and softer. The sidewalls on those tires are bigger than other tires in the factory sizes and soak up the bumps with more flex, even at 35 psi. Also, that tire is all one piece, where most tires are multiple pieces and glued together, which make the ride a lot worse!

I've got Firestone le2s on both of my 3rd gen. I really wanted the Michelin's but I couldn't justify the cost. The LE2s give a great ride in my opinion. I'm sure the Michelin's are superior, they just couldn't command the price tag to me.