Why did you buy a 4Runner?

[trd_4runnin]

When my son was born, I found out that my Civic coupe wasn't going to cut it anymore. I had always dreamed of owning a Toyota 4x4 before and apparently it took having a baby to get the courage to sell my Civic and purchase a 4Runner. I still miss my Civic at times, but I know that my 4Runner is the only vehicle I could have bought that could make me as happy behind the wheel as my Civic did.

So what make you purchase your 4Runner?

 

[snhrph]

Similar story: 2nd son was born; my wife did not feel safe with an infant in my Infinity (my wife has been driving SUVs since 1999). I really liked the ride and the characteristics of GX470 that we own, but did not want another $50K truck, so the T4R was a natural choice. :bigok:

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Mine isn't as fancy. I just needed a car to get around in for high school and college, so here I am. Not a bad car for a high schooler.

 

[Wombatsaw]

I've always owned Toyota trucks needed some extra cab room it really only left three choices Rav4, 4Runner and Land Cruiser at the time. Now you can throw in the Highlander and the FJ. I was thinking about buying a FJ since SUV's aren't selling well right now and i've seen some 07 still sitting on the lot.

 

[GrandeLatte]

i had a 98 frontier extended cab, but there were two reasons for me to upgrade to t4r.

1. my kids were getting too big to sit side way in the back seat of that small pick up truck.
2. my wife just couldn't learn to drive a stick shift.

so i sold the truck on craigslist and found t4r (again on craigslist). it was the car i can afford to pay cash and be able to drive another 100,000 miles in style!

 

[rubbman]

1: Toyota reliability
2: Space! (for work or kids Plenty o room!)
3: Tough. My pop has boonie crashin acerage!!
4: all around a sweet ride
5: also a sweet c-list score $6,350 w/ALL!! service records and window sticker! aka welll maintained!

 

[004Gunner]

Same reasons as Clemsonfan for my first one. Not bad at all for hauling around your friends and keeping 3 10s in the back. I did need the 4WD for the snow and launching jet skis too. And my second one was because the first one was so good.

P.S. My personal favorite is the roll down rear window

 

[RonMAIDEN]

Driving my Eclipse around and drag racing it throughout the summers was killing my wallet and 4 years later my bank account is more healthy and I love off roading as my latest vehicle hobby.

Plus I'm seeing parts of Colorado I've never seen after living here for 25 years.

 

[fishingt4r]

I had a 97 Civic Sedan, I used it for fishing and commute. I was able to take it on dirt roads to trout streams, my trusted workhorse. I sold the Civic because a friend had a 04 BMW 330 coupe coming out of lease which I purchased.

I needed a fishing vehicle since I couldn't take my BMW or Acura NSX on a dirt road, so earlier this year when my uncle passed away, I bought his 4R. My wife has 05 MDX but she needs it for our baby due in Nov.

97 4 Runner Limited 2WD w/ 108K miles. Just replaced blower motor, rear seat belt, and deckplate modification. I planned to change the timing belt, water pump, and other belts this winter after the trout season.

No Feesh!

 

[direwolf74]

Traded in my 07 sti for my 01 4runner because:
1 Toyotas rule when it comes to reliability and resale value.
2 Sti's 6 speed was a pain in the a** to drive in stop and go
3 Sti's fuel economy sucked, insurance was a rip-off
4 It was only a mater of time before I got a ticket in the sti
5 Always wanted either double cab tacoma or 4runner
6 Love the go anywhere anytime ability of my 4runner

 

[direwolf74]

Traded in my 07 sti for my 01 4runner because:
1 Toyotas rule when it comes to reliability and resale value.
2 Sti's 6 speed was a pain in the a** to drive in stop and go
3 Sti's fuel economy sucked, insurance was a rip-off
4 It was only a mater of time before I got a ticket in the sti
5 Always wanted either double cab tacoma or 4runner
6 Love the go anywhere anytime ability of my 4runner

 

[jlaud]

Got a job straight out of college, never had a new or even remotely close to a nice car, so i wanted one with all the toys and bought an 07 Toyota Camry V6 with Nav, leather, push button start etc etc etc.

After 9 months I got bored with it, couldnt go camping where I wanted or explore some of the places I wanted to see. It was a great car and worth every penny I paid but I rushed into it. I always wanted an SUV or Truck and was seriously considering a Tundra before I bought the Camry but somehow still ended up with the Camry. Not to mention a Camry is not the best car for a 23 year old.

Always loved Toyota 4Runners, even looked at Pathfinders and Grand Cherokee's, but the 4Runner was so much better. Got a great deal on my 05 and didn't loose much on the trade-in so I ended up buying it. Couldn't be happier.

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

1. We have had 3 Toyotas since 1997, a 92 Pickup 2WD, 95 Previa S/C, and 1990 MKIII Supra. Never had to do more than preventative maintenance for all three. A lot more than I can say for any other car we've owned.

2. I drove an 87 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, W126 chassis. Gas prices really killed my wallet, being that it had a 5.6 liter V8, weighed nearly 6000 pounds, and a loose nut behind the steering wheel :lookout:. 317lb-ft torque when it was new. Even though it was ungodly maintained and had a quarter million miles on it, it still flew right past Mustangs and Camaros. Almost beat a 91 Corvette once, not bad for 18 feet of German tank.

3. Mercedes had a bad transmission leak, possibly rear main seal leak as well. Hell if I wanted to pay for that to be fixed.

4. I love Toyota trucks and the room is definitely a plus. I was always fond 3rd gen T4Rs. A lot nicer having a 4 cylinder with more utility than a Civic or whatever.

5. Got a great deal. Most 3rd gens are over 8k for something reasonable. 3rd gen 4x4's (especially the Limiteds) go for $12k around here. I paid $5,500 (talked down from $6,000), that's 2nd gen price in Southern California. 1999 made the deal even sweeter, or else I'd be spending lots more to someday incorporate those mid gen upgrades.

I very well miss my old Mercedes, but it was just her time to go.

 

[Run4urLife]

When my son was born, I found out that my Civic coupe wasn't going to cut it anymore. I had always dreamed of owning a Toyota 4x4 before and apparently it took having a baby to get the courage to sell my Civic and purchase a 4Runner. I still miss my Civic at times, but I know that my 4Runner is the only vehicle I could have bought that could make me as happy behind the wheel as my Civic did.

So what make you purchase your 4Runner?

I still have my Civic coupe that i've driven for 9 years now. Great car, considered selling it but just can't (sentimental!) and i like to keep it just in case gas prices get too out of wack but i also have plans to "restore" it one day as a toy. (230k+ miles)

I'm also a practicing musician, first as a vinyl dj, then later a used record bulk buyer/reseller, and here lately have gotten into guitars and drums. I have a lot of equipment that i sometimes now have a need to move around and i first considered a Honda Odyssey pretty hard but decided at the last minute to go with a 4runner because i had always wanted one, but they were too expensive for me at the time. I ran into some "free" money so i had the extra dough to spend and here i am :artist:

I'm planning in the future to be doing some mobile "gigging" and i don't like to rely on others for things, so i pretty much had to have something worthy of hauling equipment and a couple people on long trips. Only had my runner for a month now (a month today, actually) but i love it. It feels like a cadillac to me

Ultimately my factors were:

1) needed extra space w/o being a major gas/maintenance hog
2) wanted a nice ride (and a moonroof!)
3) wanted reliability comparable to my Honda
4) wanted something that i could hook a small trailer to one day as well.

In my older age i've become more an appreciator of the clean stock look ride. My civic has a lot of factory upgrades but it is lowered too. For example, i got some stock Del Sol alloy wheels for it. But imo the 4runner is pimped enough clean and stock. If i had gotten an Odyssey i was surely going to lower it and rim it up.. So i went sensible this time :biggrin2:

 

[WERA988]

sold my diesel F250 crew cab because i was no longer racing. didn't need such a big truck anymore and wanted to come back to the yotas. i've had one yota car and four yota truck/runners and have always been impressed with their durability (except the 3.0 that blew up on me). this is my first 3rd generation and i likee.

still have plenty of room for the whole family, with the help of a cargo rack and the mpg's have improved greatly from the recent tune/maintance.

 

[Sloan]

mine is because i was just about to graduate high school and always wanted a bigger vehicle than my mazda protege. my dads s-10 at the same time was finally on its last run after his long drive back and forth to work so he took my car and i got to pick a vehicle of my own. i have always liked 4runners and fount a nice one a car lot. i wanted a 4WD model but sadly could not find one anywhere in my area. so i went with the nice limited and figured i'd just build her up from there.

 

[tshirtsyc]

A friend of mine had a nice one and I always liked it, I was in the market for another vehicle and found mine. Local dealer took it in on trade from the original owner and it was immaculate, even had all the floor mats including the rear. The body had no dents ot scratches and the CARFAX said it was clean.

Now it's the grocery getter, camping rig, drum hauler and kid taxi!

 

[NOR*CAL Roberts]

My reasons

I had a 00 taco SR5 PreRunner. A little over 2 years ago I totalled it with the help of some bad roads, a semi and 2 guardrails. everyone walked away without major injury. the week before that my sister inlaw rollde her 04 taco several times in alaska and walked away without injury. after that my wife said all she cared about was 4 full size doors 4wd and a Yota. I found my 00 4Runner two weeks later and absolutely love it. I have found it isn't the greatest thing with Nebraska Snowdrifts though...

 

[RevengEngine]

My older brother got a 96 stock for his 16th birthday and ended up being T-boned and rolling it 6 times which totaled it.

My other brother got a 97 stock (SLOW!!) for his 16th and traded it in after 2 years for a 99 Limited which he still has.

And now it was my time to get a car and we found a 99 SR5 being sold by one of my father's patients. We got it for around 8000. I love it. Who has a back window that rolls down? huh? no one! lol

I'm going to keep it throughout college and maybe keep it in my garage. Who knows, it may be the next '69 Stang. haha

 

[peter78]

Yesterday, I took my Wife to look at new cars. We looked at a few RAV4s and 4Runners. On the 4Runner she didn't like the new running boards, the notched shifter, the look from the back end. On the RAV4, she didn't like the tire on the back, the plastic wheels on the base model and of course the notched shifter. So I asked her with the price of gas, our need for towing, which vehicle is best for our needs. My Wife simply said, our old 4Runner. I have to agree the third generation models are a good compromise, size, towing, mileage.

Why I bought my car in 2001 still holds true today.