edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
One thing I do not want to see, but happens a lot, is 4WD racing in snow, as they are really not good in snow.
When I see JEEP or a truck in snow in my rear view mirror, I immediately downshift and run away.
What's the allure of older 4Runners?
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When I see JEEP or a truck in snow in my rear view mirror, I immediately downshift and run away.
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Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
One thing to remember, experience from one example isn’t very relevant in the grand scheme of things. Anybody can have the most reliable car known to man and have one failure and then get a sour taste in their mouth.
But to be honest letting an engine get so hot it warps the block isn’t the car’s fault, it’s the stupid owner’s fault.
No kidding.
However, the 5th gen V6 has more power under the curve than the V6 in the 4th gen. Even though they are both '1GR-FE' engines, there are so many differences Toyota really should have changed the name of the engine, IMO.
Even though the V6 in the 5th gen is more powerful through the rev-range than the V6 in the 4th gen, it doesn't make it a race car. But it was never designed to be. It is adequate for it's intended purpose. As I said, there are several options for forced induction, if people really want more power.
I would have a 200 series Landcruiser, if they sold it here with the 1VD-FTV Diesel it's sold with in other markets.
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I think these are over priced but that’s the nature of speculative market value. These are a lifestyle vehicle, the previous gen with the chrome bumpers looks way better. That being said these are handsome cars that are capable, reliable, and easy to fix. Part of the ones you see on the road are just people who just bought them new or when they were reasonably priced and they’re just still on the road surviving the other part is my generation’s version of baby boomers buying old muscle cars. They’re just fun weekend cars that get taken to the beach or Moab once a year. You can’t look at BAT prices on these in terms of representing market value. Those are usually museum pieces that cost exorbitantly more than what an average example would bring. I’d go FJ60 way faster than I’d go 4 Runner personally those things look very cool and are still extremely capable. I had a neighbor who would run them all sorts of crazy trails in Moab sans issue.
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AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2025
Yeah well not my fault lol I wasn’t even old enough to drive at that point. Every time it over heated the radiator burst too so had to keep putting new ones in.
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This is an interesting question and I have always wondered it myself, I mean I get the reliability (I get that aspect of it), but is it really worth spending that much more for a vehicle that is a ten plus years old? They aren't great on gas, they don't have a lot of room, the interiors aren't great looking, they don't ride real smooth...seems like there are better options out there for less.
Have a friend that had both an older Grand Cherokee and an older 4-runner. He liked the Cherokee better...better on gas - which really surprised me but he said the gearing just was too low to get good fuel economy in the 4-runner - and the overall ride he said was much better in the Cherokee. He ended up putting almost 300,000 on that Cherokee and actually sold it. He traded the 4-runner in with half the miles.
Have a friend that had both an older Grand Cherokee and an older 4-runner. He liked the Cherokee better...better on gas - which really surprised me but he said the gearing just was too low to get good fuel economy in the 4-runner - and the overall ride he said was much better in the Cherokee. He ended up putting almost 300,000 on that Cherokee and actually sold it. He traded the 4-runner in with half the miles.
I live in an area that gets heavy snowfall. 4wd is ubiquitous. SUVs in particular.
The only vehicle more popular is Subaru. Rattling heatshields and all.
Also lots of public lands with dirt roads or trails to explore. Lets just say that the 4wd SUV is very popular. I can see numerous examples of every generation of 4Runner just about any time I go for a drive. The SUVs from any other brand that are over 20 years old, and used to be literally everywhere, are now rare to see.
Having worked in consumer car repair, and having many friends that still do, I can say that reliability trumps all other aspects of vehicle ownership with most people who are not enthusiasts or mechanics.
If old 4Runners are popular, and sell well, there's a reason for that.
This post didn't age well.With that said, the used market for Toyota mini vans is great! People are all about SUVs now and the demand for minivans has plummeted. Since they were popular 10-20 years ago, there are a lot of high quality Toda vans in the used market for super cheap. Got a 2002 myself a couple months ago for a bit over $2,000. Same year and miles for a 4runner would have been $10K+ easily, at least for something not in dire need of critical fixing.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Toyota offers forced induction in 4Runner?
I have Prado diesel in Europe based on 4th gen 4Runner. It is pinnacle of unreliability. When things get really complex, I will take any German car over Toyota.
Their performance division (TRD) did. I think they stopped because interest was just too low to justify the marketing and stocking of them. Now you can buy a Supercharger from Magnuson (the company that produced them for TRD). It's an Eaton Supercharger, and can boost power through the rev-range well beyond what the V8 that was available ever produced. It will also maintain the powertrain warranty if installed by a certified mechanic.
There are other options like Procharger, URD, and others.
As for German vehicles, we're happy with our four BMW's.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Well yeah, I mean there are always aftermarket solutions. Was TRD selling final product or bolting SC's after vehicle is purchased?
I wouldn't say they are good in the snow, but he was a good driver, and it launched good in the snow, which was fun for us stupid teenagers at the time.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Yeah, those 4WD's do launch good. Their problem is handling and braking.
This is how it goes here when it snows, crashes wise:
1. JEEP's
2. Trucks/Subaru
3. Other 4WD's.
4. AWD's
They were installed on some vehicles, before the vehicle was sold to the public. They were an official Toyota marketed product. Or customers were buying them after they had bought the vehicle, and either installing them themselves, or having the dealer install it.
TRD stopped marketing them because, as I said, there simply wasn't a big demand for more power than the N/A engine produced. Most people aren't buying BOF SUVs with high performance expectations.
Not sure which jeeps you mean specifically but the TJ like my dad's Rubicon feels very twitchy in heavy snow because of the short wheelbase. I feel like anything that short wouldn't be too stable in slippery weather.
My extended cab 4wd 1/2 ton with Goodyear duratracs feels as stable as my 83 Caprice with cheap winter tires did. The difference is the truck can go through deep snow and start off on hills in heavy snow with zero issues.
Lots of people drive these vehicles in bad conditions on the highway like they're invisible. Being 4wd doesn't necessarily help the stopping or handling other than the extra weight. If there is ice anything can wipe out.
...and that's why Honda ATV's resale so high, reliability matters, especially way out there where help can't reach you.
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I can’t argue with the reliability of them...there’s a YouTube video of a doctor with a 4runner with 400,000...minimal repairs. Very impressive.
Jettas are unreliable junk compared to Corollas, I think, because I've heard that before. Just because something is easy to parrot doesn't mean it's true.
