Why did you buy your 4 Runner?

After 3 years with a 5th Gen I'm loving it more than ever. I'm a first time 4Runner owner and moved over from an '06 Jeep Rubicon. I still have a small hole in my heart after selling Ruby but as the family grew, so did the need for an SUV. The gas mileage is better than the Jeep was too so that's a plus. With regards to the 4th Gen v 5th Gen discussion, I like them both but prefer the beefier full size truck look of the 5th Gen with the extra cabin space. Just my 2 cents.

Gig Em
 
Wife's/family car...wanted something spacious with a full frame and able to tow what I need. Purchased it new in November and she/we love it. Will take our first "trip" in it for Easter, looking forward to see how it handles of the 1200mile trip.
 
I needed more trunk space!
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1) Had a baby on the way and the wife told me to trade the Tacoma in on something "we can haul the baby, the dogs, and our luggage" in.

2) Wanted something reliable and off-road capable for hunting/ fishing, and getting to work in snow.

3) I can't afford a Land Cruiser.
 
When my second daughter was born I found it awkward and inconvenient mounting 2 car seats in a regular cab pickup. Needed an SUV. The girls (4 and 6) love it; beg to sit in the third row, demand channel 78 on the XM (kids place live). Party mode keeps it in their hemisphere.

I've always admired the 4runner (not so much the 4th gen) and knew where I was headed when I first laid eyes on the 5th gen. (In college I had my buddy roll down the rear window of his 2nd gen so I could pee out the back while rolling down highway 61--not a good idea! (think urine mist backdraft)).

Body-on-frame, lever shift 4wd, and will still be in the family when my I teach my daughters to drive in 10 years or so.
 
KCcarguy said:
1) Had a baby on the way and the wife told me to trade the Tacoma in on something "we can haul the baby, the dogs, and our luggage" in.

2) Wanted something reliable and off-road capable for hunting/ fishing, and getting to work in snow.

3) I can't afford a Land Cruiser.
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i thought long and hard (that's what she said lol) about buying a 100 series LC. they v8, interior space, build quality and HD suspension were all impressive. I jus could not get over the price, lack of a factory locker and the torsion bar suspension. Having previous driving a '07 Classic GMC Z71 - i wanted nothing to do with torsion bar set up again.

The 4Runner jus seemed like the perfect blend of size, power, capability and cost. And deep down inside i always wanted a 4Runner.
 
H&KRunner said:
i thought long and hard (that's what she said lol) about buying a 100 series LC. they v8, interior space, build quality and HD suspension were all impressive. I jus could not get over the price, lack of a factory locker and the torsion bar suspension. Having previous driving a '07 Classic GMC Z71 - i wanted nothing to do with torsion bar set up again.

The 4Runner jus seemed like the perfect blend of size, power, capability and cost. And deep down inside i always wanted a 4Runner.
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I did the same thing! The 200 was WELL out of my price range. But Iwas literally on my way to carmax to have a LC100 transferred when I stopped at the Toyota dealer and they gave me a deal I couldn't refuse.

The runner was new and about the same size as the 100.....probably equal or better reliability. I couldn't justify paying the same for a 6yo LC with 65k miles. But, I still lust after them....Damn it!
 
KCcarguy said:
I did the same thing! The 200 was WELL out of my price range. But Iwas literally on my way to carmax to have a LC100 transferred when I stopped at the Toyota dealer and they gave me a deal I couldn't refuse.

The runner was new and about the same size as the 100.....probably equal or better reliability. I couldn't justify paying the same for a 6yo LC with 65k miles. But, I still lust after them....Damn it!
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yup i know exactly what u mean. everytime i see a build thread on expedition portal or ih8mud i think "what if?"

but like you mentioned, i got a vehicle that is 86.9999% land cruiser and i got it brand new w an extended warranty.

my next vehicle will no doubt be a short bed/standard cab 2.7L 4x4 tacoma though lol
 
I bought my T4R because I like to DRIVE OVER THINGS. Logs, rocks, curbs, small vehicles, etc. I needed a vehicle that could do this without needing a wheel alignment every time I took a shortcut!

I upgraded from a 07 Xterra Off Road manual 6spd to the 12 Trail. The Xterra never once complained about all the abuse I put it through. 5 years of gravel/mountain roads, towing, camping, DRIVING OVER STUFF and just plain commuting. I ran like a top till I sold it. Never once had to repair it. 160,000 km with just oil and tires. I really drove it like I stole it too, 2nd and 3rd gear tire chirps from power shifts, aaaah it was a fun truck.

It was time to get into a new vehicle and the T4R was the only 4dr SUV that had all the features (comfort) and utility that I was willing to change for.

I still really like the look of the Jeep Wrangler/Rubi, but I was not willing to deal with the reliability issues with this domestic and when I test drove one, it's fate was sealed. NOT A CHANCE. I drive a 4k round trip at least twice a year and the Wrangle was just plain scary on the highway above 90km/hr. I could not imaging what it would be like to try and tow a 4000 lb camper.

Then I drove a 4runner. NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE and comfy, same power capability as the X but so much more refined. Price was about $10K higher too though but:

Materials=nicer
Capability=same(for my needs)
Space=more(kids are getting bigger). The reclinable rear seats were a instant hit on the long drives!
Sun roof=+
Brake= BIG +, the Xterra had a very mushy brake system, it worked fine but it just felt like it was always about to fail.
KDSS++++++++++++++++++++++, I have taken corners at speeds that would have left me on my roof if I tried to do the same thing in the X. It is really one of those things that is SO functional, yet understated, but just works wonders on and off road.

Overall the 4Runner just feels planted to the road better than the Xterra ever did. I had the same DuraTracs and Bilsteins on the Xterra as I now have on the Runner and this setup just works better with the T4R stock suspension.

I have driven up, over, around, through, down and around again with the Runner and its performance has been flawless. I have yet to use the Crawl Control for more that just messing around, but the rear locker and the PT transfer case are awesome in the Alberta snow!

It is a longer vehicle (body+wheelbase) and I do miss the slight edge that the X had in this department, but its minor.
 
First post on first 4Runner

So I wasn't planning to actually buy, and was just looking at trucks. I went to the dealership and have been wanting to get back into something bigger since I'd traded in my 98 Durango and got an 06 Charger. After 7 years sitting lower to the ground, having less cargo space, and no ability to go over a curb if I needed to.

So I was visiting the dealership that my company has an EPP with, and while I was looking at trucks or an FJ, I found a 4Runner. 2012 SR5 Blizzard Metallic White.

Things I missed were the large cargo space, sitting high in traffic.

When I bought my Durango in 98, it was a better buy than a 4Runner (more standard items and 4x4, cargo space, engine size etc). So now buying a 4Runner is just something that's been getting put off for a while. The reliability of the Toyota engine is something I am looking forward to.

Only real regret I have is it didn't have 4 wheel drive, but honestly seeing as I live in a concrete jungle there's little places to go that I'm aware of, and so I wouldn't get enough use out of it to justify it.
 
My daily driver was an 82 bronco I had been driving for last 18 years, 300-6, 4 spd and 225k miles. Was starting to have lots of little things going wrong. Was torn with fixing it up or replacing and was looking at a truck - Tacoma or F 150. Kept putting off. Then one day wife had to drive the bronco - was raining outside (which meant it also was raining inside). Got home that night wife met me at door and told me that when she got to her destination the seat of her pants was wet from sitting on the truck seat and it was time to replace the bronco - what a sad day :biggrin2: Decided to stick with an SUV and nothing compares to the 4Runner. elk hunting - check, bird hunting - check, commuting - sigh!
 
Got your money's worth on an '82 Bronco convertible, eh? Feel that open road? Got a picture of that bad boy? Nostalgia definitely has it's place, but hopefully you get 18 years out of the 4Runner, and it never turns into a quasi convertible!
 
My least favorite feature of my Tacoma was the interior. I looked inside a 4th gen and there was my Tacoma interior. No thanks. 5th gen body takes some getting used to, but the increased size, power and efficiency won me over. Sorry Dexter.....
 
badhabits said:
2Walker?????
Is this some strange beast from the hallowed mountains of WV. or is it something that they issue you at the retirement home?
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See, I told them nobody got my jokes until later. Ready? 2 Walker instead of 4 Runner! Hmmmm, maybe it's me but I thought that was mildly humorous. Next would be 8 Sprinter lol.
 
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