Why did you buy your 4 Runner?

Bay33saw

Bay33saw

New member
I know this has been covered in the other forums but not yet in our 5th Gen forum, so here goes.....Why did you buy your 4 Runner?

Now I don't go off roading much if at all, mainly fire roads or trails when I go shooting or out mountain biking (Thank's 1st Engineer for helping me out with that one), so I wasn't looking for a super off road vehicle.
My buddy has a 2002 Tacoma that is still to this day as tight as a drum inside, sure the seat is starting to wear but the thing is still quiet inside.
I had 3 pick up's prior to my runner and I have two large dogs that could not comfortably lay in the back on long trips.
I originally was looking for a late 4th gen but during my search I was "Holy Cow" these thing keep their value, eventually I got offered a great deal on a 2012 and so I pulled the trigger on a LE.

So in order the reason I picked a 4 Runner goes as follows.

Toyota Reliabilty.
Resale Value.
Looks.
Rear Window.
Room inside for my pooches.
Optitron Guages.
Keyless Entry
Low APR.
My wife liked it too (Happy wife happy life).

So that's my reasons, let's hear yours.
 
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I bought mine for several reasons, the biggest being reliability and off road capability. I have a 99 that I've had since brand new with 186k on it and it has taken me anywhere and everywhere I have wanted to go. This was a big reason I bought a new '12. Plus I like the way they look.
 
I bought mine primarily for its off road capabilities, but I kind of look at it as a "friend with benefits" situation. I use it for off-roading, hunting and overland expeditions. I wanted something, that with a few mods, would take me anywhere without giving up the creature comforts or internal space. The last thing I wanted was a Jeep. I can't imagine taking a 1,000 mile road trip / expedition in a Wrangler, but I wanted something that had the capabilities of a built up Wrangler. The thing that made me go with Toyota is the reputation of reliability. I have never owned a Toyota before and bought this one because an off-roading friend has a Tacoma that I was very impressed by. It has taken some time to figure out all the whiz-bang gizmos that come with a Japanese vehicle, which in my mind is just more things to go wrong, but if the reliability reputation is real I shouldn't have to worry about it.
 
I looked at the 4Runner and at the time couldn't swallow the mpg and opted for a MINI Cooper S Countryman All4 when we moved from NYC to WA (didn't have a car in WA). Got one German Shorthair and as he got bigger (and we decided to get a second one) we realized we couldn't accomodate friends and family visiting and take the dogs with us (or luggage or anything else) and the mpg of the MINI wasn't much better and it took premium (not to mention it was BMW maintenance *shudder*). So we went and looked at the 4R almost a year ago to the day as an exploratory option (I grew up with Toyotas which we drove to about 250k before moving on to another one and I had an '05 Corolla before NYC so this was naturally a brand I knew well). We ended up buying the one we test drove and they had just started advertising 1.9% APR which I was able to take advantage of.

Had 69 miles on it then and just hit 19,000 yesterday in just under a year of ownership and I still smile every single time I get in it. We got it mainly for space since it's the bigger vehicle and it's also the road trip vehicle. We can put two large crates side by side in the trunk and still seat 5. I discovered forums when I got the MINI and naturally came to this one. I've learned a lot so far :thanks:. I have never been off-roading prior to owning a 4R but definitely looking to try some things with it. Sorry that was rather long winded but I'm a huge fan of this truck.

Cheers
 
1. Towing abilities (Full frame & HD rear diff).
2. Gas mileage (not as good as our yaris.... yet better than my sierra).
3. Comfort features of an SUV for traveling with family & dogs.....
(we call it autotouring the countryside).
4. Reliability.
5. 4x4 for the occasional (where the heck are we) anyone else hear banjo's.
:gun6:
 
Why I bought my 4R?

1. I was in love with 4R's since I was a kid, they have always enamored me. In fact, I still enjoy looking over at the 4th Gen, as I think it's a sexy truck.

The 5th Gen body had to grow on me, and now I love it.

2. I wanted a truck I can take in the snow, never expecting to take it "off roading". Now, almost 2 years later, I have an addiction, and it's expensive :madgrin:

3. I wanted a truck that I would keep for 200k miles, a truck I can give to my kid when he is ready to drive and still fully functioning. Which I expect nothing but from this truck.

4. The ability to tow toys down the line, nothing major (jet ski/campers).

5. Enough room for the kids and something rugged to take a beating of a toddler/kids. Not a pretty bmw that i'm going to get pissed at my kid for scratching/spilling.

6. Low maintenance cost and minimum maintenance.

7. Wife liked it's her daily driver.

8. It's a TOYOTA!

This truck, really grows on me more and more everyday. I never owned a car that I cared about, it has personality and feels loyal (liability).

When the truck was stolen and we had to get a rental car, a van.
No joke, my wife would complain everyday about how the van handled like shit and she misses the feel of a truck, it is really an amazing, capable truck.

:cheers:
 
"bility."

Reliability
Durability
Capability
Flexibility
Hilibility
Bikability

and most important - Drivability. I drive it a lot.
 
... Because my Volvo didn't drive to well anymore.... :AK47:
4234769946_0bb7765dab_z.jpg

Someone thought it looked better as a tricycle... it did involve an offroad excursion.

Okki
 
Because after 12 years, my baby (2000 SR5) was all grown up and ready to leave the nest. Now I needed a new baby to raise.
 
Okki said:
... Because my Volvo didn't drive to well anymore.... :AK47:
4234769946_0bb7765dab_z.jpg

Someone thought it looked better as a tricycle... it did involve an offroad excursion.

Okki
Click to expand...

Well when you park like that I could see why someone would do stuff to it :behindsofa:
 
I had an 05 JGC Limited with Hemi and QT2. It was fun to drive but thirsty, and it felt "old." My wife got a promotion which allowed her to have a company car for personal use, and so we traded her 2011 Kia Sorento in after letting it sit for several months.

We needed a vehicle that could tow our SeaDoo boat, that we could grow into when we decided to have a child, that was reliable, etc.

The 4Runner was the best fit. The new explorer still felt cheap, the new Jeep while nice also felt cheap in terms of build quality. We literally test drove a new JGC then drove to the Toyota dealer to test the 4Runner and we both new immediately the Toyota was leaps and bounds better.
 
G8RB8_12SR5 said:
Well when you park like that I could see why someone would do stuff to it :behindsofa:
Click to expand...

That's how the tow truck driver left it at the dealer collision center. The reason it got there includes a family member, a hill, a sharp curve after the hill, some snow and a big boulder at a subdivision entry. Followed by a phone call that started off with the phrase: "Dude.. I wrecked your car."

How's that for a Christmas present LOL.

Okki
 
Okki said:
That's how the tow truck driver left it at the dealer collision center. The reason it got there includes a family member, a hill, a sharp curve after the hill, some snow and a big boulder at a subdivision entry. Followed by a phone call that started off with the phrase: "Dude.. I wrecked your car."

How's that for a Christmas present LOL.

Okki
Click to expand...

Oh Jeez man.. That sucks.. Looks like we both had a delightful experience this Christmas.

it's repairable though, right?
 
DannyLlama said:
Oh Jeez man.. That sucks.. Looks like we both had a delightful experience this Christmas.

it's repairable though, right?
Click to expand...

Nah.. this was Christmas 2009. It spent 6 months in the shop and got pretty close to being totaled. However, it wasn't and it never drove the same after I got it back, so I sold it about 4 weeks later. I figured if I was going to dump it, the faster the better; before it showed up in CarFax etc.

Anyway, between the trade in, cost of the 4Runner, Military Discount and Student Discount (was getting my MBA at the time) it all worked out... and besides I don't think the Volvo would have done well at the FJ Summit LMAO!

But that's how I ended up shopping for a vehicle again and while we liked the FJ... I liked the 4Runner better.

Okki
 
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