4 Runner Questions (Yes I wanted the Offroad PW Guys and Gals to respond)

[thkbaron]

Hey I'm going to get my wife a new 4 Runner. Anyone in the Wagon world have any experience with these things? If the moderator needs to move this thread I have no problem with that btw. Our Durango just isn't cutting it. Time to change.

 

[Udy2554]

Hey I'm going to get my wife a new 4 Runner. Anyone in the Wagon world have any experience with these things? If the moderator needs to move this thread I have no problem with that btw. Our Durango just isn't cutting it. Time to change.

I had a Tacoma! Most reliable vehicle I ever had! First failure was at 189,600 miles...factory clutch finally gave up! Lots of mud and trails!

Original discs had 115,000 miles!

Sold it with 198,000+ to a friend! He’s had it 3 1/2 years!

Awesome vehicle! I miss it! I’d buy another in an instant!

Check out TacomaWorld.com...the have a 4 runner section! Awesome site.

 

[48PowerWagon]

Honestly only you can really answer that, Make a list Pro and Con what doesn't the Durango do for you that the 4Runner will, check the 4runner forms and find the common problems.

I've only had one Toyota in my stable I bought a New 1980 4x4 on my way to my first duty base, rolled 5 months later took the insurance money an bought a 79 (.5) D200 4x4 and have never bought another brand of trucks since so I'm not qualified to give opinions on the 4Runner but I do know the Durango having had a few.

 

[Polock]

My wife had (2) 4 Runners. 2010 and 2016. We now have our oldest child driving the 2016 (got rid of 2010). The 2016 is a Limited, I would advise getting the wife a limited as it has Full Time 4WD instead of Part-Time. Shocks are also more road-worthy than an SR5 (ride is more planted, and not as bouncy). I will say that I've never drove a vehicle better on ice/snow than the 4Runner...it's unbelievable. It's not the most feature-rich vehicle in the world, but dependability is absolutely rock solid. 120K on limited now; not a whiff of problems. They hold their value well, and they are a solid buy. The TRD-PRO has the cool factor, but there is alot of sway and wandering in the road manners (enough to get passengers sick). She will notice this when test driving a Limited vs SR5/Trail/or TRD Pro.

 

[olyelr]

Hey I'm going to get my wife a new 4 Runner. Anyone in the Wagon world have any experience with these things? If the moderator needs to move this thread I have no problem with that btw. Our Durango just isn't cutting it. Time to change.

Thats its. Get the fawk outa here already...

































bahahahahahhaahaahahaha....


From what i read, they are great machines. My wife had a 12 durango when they first came out with that newer style. Was a great rig....but far from an off road type machine by any means.

 

[Tray Burge]

I've had a Toyota since I was 16 to this day and are hands down the most dependable vehicle on the planet. With general maintenance they're good for a million miles.
That's why they're pricy and hold their value. Hondas and Mitsubishis aren't even in the same universe, had those too. Mitsi's are the worst.
Parts are kinda pricy, no aftermarket, but they very rarely, if ever break, anything! You need to let an experienced Toyota mechanic work on it, only.
My cars:
77 Celica GT with all the spoilers and louvers was my first.
83 Celica GT after that.
85 MR-2 after that.
97 4runner with factory TRD supercharger.
13 Corolla.
18 Highlander (wife's daily) presently.
and my dad always had Toyota Cresidas.
What can I tell you?

 

[Travelin Ram]

My next new vehicle will almost certainly be one of those. The only thing I’d consider alternative wise is the Lexus GX or a used LandCruiser.

 

[Keith67]

My wife has a 2020 4Runner (TRD Off Road). She loves it. I appreciate it for what it is, but I have some gripes, which is why I don’t drive one.

Pros: Reliable, resale is awesome
Cons: Feels underpowered, transmission is frustrating

The 5 speed just isn’t enough. The torque converter will unlock in 5th at the *slightest* whiff of a hill. Then drops down to 4th. Revs high as expected. Shifts back to 5th on flat ground. Rinse and repeat constantly. I really think they need a 6 (or 8 or 10) speed with different ratios. Or, a more appropriate final drive ratio (4.10 might feel better). Don’t get me wrong, I love the 4Runner, it’s just about the best “do it all” vehicle out there. Carry people, dogs, go off-road, decent gas mileage, reliable as hell, short wheelbase so excellent access in tight places. It just feels...sluggish...and the transmission is frustrating.

I guess for someone who just wants a vehicle to drive it’s awesome. Most wives probably don’t care about the transmission lol. But for a “car guy” it’s got some areas that could be vastly improved.

That said, it really is a fantastic do-it-all option if you want something capable on/off road that isn’t going to break the bank.

I drove a 2012 Tacoma for 8 years, same transmission and engine as the 2020 4Runner has. I stuck 4.56 gears in it and that helped immensely with the gear hunting and general lack of torque. It was heavily modified though so not appropriate gearing for stock.

 

[Tray Burge]

My wife has a 2020 4Runner (TRD Off Road). She loves it. I appreciate it for what it is, but I have some gripes, which is why I don’t drive one.

Pros: Reliable, resale is awesome
Cons: Feels underpowered, transmission is frustrating

The 5 speed just isn’t enough. The torque converter will unlock in 5th at the *slightest* whiff of a hill. Then drops down to 4th. Revs high as expected. Shifts back to 5th on flat ground. Rinse and repeat constantly. I really think they need a 6 (or 8 or 10) speed with different ratios. Or, a more appropriate final drive ratio (4.10 might feel better). Don’t get me wrong, I love the 4Runner, it’s just about the best “do it all” vehicle out there. Carry people, dogs, go off-road, decent gas mileage, reliable as hell, short wheelbase so excellent access in tight places. It just feels...sluggish...and the transmission is frustrating.

I guess for someone who just wants a vehicle to drive it’s awesome. Most wives probably don’t care about the transmission lol. But for a “car guy” it’s got some areas that could be vastly improved.

That said, it really is a fantastic do-it-all option if you want something capable on/off road that isn’t going to break the bank.

I drove a 2012 Tacoma for 8 years, same transmission and engine as the 2020 4Runner has. I stuck 4.56 gears in it and that helped immensely with the gear hunting and general lack of torque. It was heavily modified though so not appropriate gearing for stock.

My wife liked my 4runner so much she mounted a deer head to it, put it right through the grill into the engine. Toyotas aren't too dependable when a deer enters the engine compartment it seems?
But, you're right, they're not very powerful.
Man I loved that 4runner too.

 

[Omar RVA]

Hey I'm going to get my wife a new 4 Runner. Anyone in the Wagon world have any experience with these things? If the moderator needs to move this thread I have no problem with that btw. Our Durango just isn't cutting it. Time to change.

@Keith67 pretty much nailed it. I’m a Toyota guy at heart but they don’t offer anything that even comes close to competing with my PW. I got my wife a Land cruiser as her daily but that’s a different animal entirely.

The current gen 4Runner is older than dirt as far as most vehicle cycles are concerned and it shows, but makes up for it with extreme dependability and reliability. Check out t4r.org and tacomaworld’s 4Runner offshoot forum for more info but the single biggest gripe is power and shifting. It’s funny because whenever a new generation comes out everyone complains about how sluggish it is and waxes poetic about how great the old power train was. Don’t let them fool you and test drive! The last “appropriately” powered 4Runner in my mind was the 4th gen with the V8.

Beyond what’s been stated, I hated the headlights in my 5th gen and upgraded the bulbs. Other than those items it was bulletproof and got the job done. The dog loved the rear window too.

OA

 

[FlameThrower]

I have owned a 93 Land Cruiser (triple locked) 1ZFE (engine) from about 20k miles to 300k+ miles; 2009 4Runner (100k miles); and a 2020 Tacoma OffRoad (10k miles). I laugh when I hear 200k miles and no problems because those people didn't own from new. Toyota makes good vehicles but like all cars there are problems (some major, some are just complaints). If you buy one take a look at the 4Runner forums (not Tacoma World) and see what the complaints are. For your area think about the frame rot issues that plagued Toyota since the beginning.

For what I've owned these were the common problems:
Land Cruiser: head gaskets, poor cooling, terrible leather quality, clear coat peeling and other problem that were just based on age. I sold it when the prices went through the roof and regret it.
4Runner: Steering rack oil leaks, active shock systems leaks, radio issues and some earlier 4th gens had head gasket issues.
Tacoma: rear diff howling, gear hunting, timing cover oil leaks (fairly rare). I liked the truck but it was too small for what I needed.

All vehicles have their issues. A 4Runner is probably up there reliability wise, but don't be surprised if these are some issues. The current generation is ending in a couple years. They are hard to find and very expensive at the moment.

 

[thkbaron]

Thanks for everyone's responses. Sorry I've been busy and haven't had a chance to respond. We ordered the SR5 Premium. Our (my wife's) initial want was the Limited Nightshade edition. She doesn't really know about much but her big want was memory seats and a good stereo. I agree that the full time 4x4 is a very nice option but she'll just have to learn to shift it into 4x4 if it's gnarly out. I just couldn't justify spending another 10 grand to get those options. Plus I think the front end on the limited line is ugly. She had to have a third row otherwise we would have looked into other models. Yeah she probably won't care all that much about the shifting. It's hard to say really. She doesn't exactly pay attention to those things. The low and fogs are now LED which is nice. I also sourced out a place that makes plug and play stereo systems specifically for these vehicles. OEMAUDIOPLUS I believe. Should be a nice add on. We'll also be doing black wheels (probably Race Relations) and changing the tires out to a more respectible one. I was hoping the Power Wagon crew would have some insights on this vehicle and I was right. I also don't particually like the suspension setup on the limited. Too much crap to go wrong. I will keep an eye on the frame. I'm hoping they've made some improvements. Can't be any worse than a Chevy. Their frames rust the second they leave the lot and sometime on the lot. Still trying to decide whether or not I need rock rails with a step or just go with a traditional running board.

 

[olyelr]

Congrats man, hope you guys enjoy it!

 

[Sportznut]

Congrats. I put Bilstein 5100's on my wife's 2005 Sport at 120k miles. Nice upgrade.

We bought this vehicle (V6) new and it now has 180k miles. Interior and exterior has held up amazing. Leather looks great. No issues at all. Knocking on wood.

We also had a 2000 that we bought new and kept for 225,000 mi.

We regreted selling it.

If the new ones had blind spot monitors we would buy another one.

Sounds like the 2022's might get them.

Good luck with yours.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[thkbaron]

yeah I was going to wait till 2022 but the used market is kick ass right now so I figured I'll do it now. You watch they'll get an 8 speed tranny or something. Sound about right seeing I bought an 18 PW and now the 19's and up get the 8 speed. haha