Is a 4Runner for me?

BlackdogGS

Observer
I've had many 4X4's over the years. My wife and I are now in our late 60's and need to consider something new. At this time we have a 2005 Ford F-150 4X4. Nice truck but it likes gas, normal highway mileage is 14-15 mpg. The bed is too high and is difficult to load. At this point I feel we need a SUV. I feel the Jeep Rubicon or the 4Runner Trail would be about right. We have always had domestic vehicles, this will be a big step for us. What is the real world gas consumption on this vehicle? Is there anything I should beware of before spending $40,000? I've been involved in built, modified (think lockers, winches and 35's) for a long time. This new vehicle would be used for shopping, commuting to our vacation home with the dogs and an occasional camping trip. Is this rig for me?
 

Ryanmb21

Expedition Leader
I have an '06 4runner which I've driven for nine years and I still love it. If forced to find a new vehicle, I would choose (1) a new 4runner trail, (2) a used Lexus gx or (3) a used land cruiser. Probably in that order, because they all satisfy my wants/needs and at that point it would likely be a value decision. In the ~35Kish price range.

My MPG is 17-18 for mixed tanks, and my best highway tanks are 20 mpg, lifted with 32" and a bumper. With a stock 2015 I would think 20-22 MPG highway would pretty easy to obtain at 65-75 MPH.

As for the $40K figure, I think with some bargaining, and/or using truecar, costco, roadster, etc., you should be able to get a 4runner trail for $3000-$4500 below MSRP. I would be going for ~$35K, which in today's market is a good value. One tip, I would consider skipping the sunroof for the additional head room. I would also be testing out the KDSS.
 

CuStOm

Adventurer
As for the $40K figure, I think with some bargaining, and/or using truecar, costco, roadster, etc., you should be able to get a 4runner trail for $3000-$4500 below MSRP. I would be going for ~$35K, which in today's market is a good value. .

This is not going to happen. There are some geographical differences out there but on a whole the Trail editions have too much demand on them to get that kind of deal. Toyota doesn't mark the cars up enough to get that high above dealer invoice on MSRP. If you can get within $250 of invoice then you are doing well when it comes to a new Trail. I just went through this. There's also a hugh thread over on T4R.org with people remporting what they paid.
 

SurferJacoby

日本車???最高
Pretty loaded question there

Why not consider a Highlander? I mean for what you want I think it'd do you a better job than a 4Runner. I have a 2000 4Runner and if I had to do it all over again I'd still get another 2000 or go straight for a Trail Ediition. For what you want, I'd look at a Highlander or Nissan.
 

Ryanmb21

Expedition Leader
This is not going to happen. There are some geographical differences out there but on a whole the Trail editions have too much demand on them to get that kind of deal. Toyota doesn't mark the cars up enough to get that high above dealer invoice on MSRP. If you can get within $250 of invoice then you are doing well when it comes to a new Trail. I just went through this. There's also a hugh thread over on T4R.org with people remporting what they paid.

Invoice is $34K including destination. I could do it.

If fact, I did last week of a 2015 Highlander XLE AWD, MSRP of $40,100 purchase price of $36,650.
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
Good question
what type of off pavement do you do?
What do you tow?

Is rear seating comfort a need?
Whats your wish for mileage?

F150 vs 4runner your mileage gain is not much. 4runner wont be as comfortable on long rides.

I replaced a 4runner with a Subaru, even towed boats with the subaru. We got another Subaru after 12yrs with the old one.
Not suggesting Subaru but you might consider the crossover options, highlander, Subaru Outback etc. They ride nice, have good mileage and can do most light duty stuff.
 

toylandcruiser

Expedition Leader
Good question
what type of off pavement do you do?
What do you tow?

Is rear seating comfort a need?
Whats your wish for mileage?

F150 vs 4runner your mileage gain is not much. 4runner wont be as comfortable on long rides.

I replaced a 4runner with a Subaru, even towed boats with the subaru. We got another Subaru after 12yrs with the old one.
Not suggesting Subaru but you might consider the crossover options, highlander, Subaru Outback etc. They ride nice, have good mileage and can do most light duty stuff.

My 4Runner gets easily 20 mpg on the highways do 16-17 in town. Depending if I'm driving or the wife. I'm 6'4 and comfortably drive 4 hours no issue.


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98roamer

Explorer
I'm looking to move from a 4Runner to an Outback for the same reasons as MPG with minimal sacrifices. An Outback will align with my daily driver duties without taking away from our camping style; even though I love my 4Runner.
 

SigSense

Adventurer
Think you need to conduct a serious assessment of everything that you'll potentially use the T4R for. Loved mine, but had to sell it due to the requirements of my job. The 4Runner was great, except that it did not have the bed capacity of a truck. You mentioned that you currently drive a Ford F-150 4X4. How frequently are you using the bed? You will not gain significant MPGs by driving a 4Runner. I saw 14/15 MPG city and 19/20 highway. I now have a relatively new 2014 Tacoma, DCLB, 4X4. Should I not need a bed, I would not hesitate to get another T4R.
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
I'm looking to move from a 4Runner to an Outback for the same reasons as MPG with minimal sacrifices. An Outback will align with my daily driver duties without taking away from our camping style; even though I love my 4Runner.

Same here. I bought an old landcruiser for my heavy hot towing needs, that was replaced with our current 07 Sequoia family bus, but our road tripper, camping and daily driver is our subaru. Currently getting packed up for this weekends camping trip.
The 2010 OB 2.5L cvt gives us 28-31mpg road trips with no roof rack or trailer. With roof rack and camp trailer we typically see 21-26mpg. Very roomy seating for 4 and just eats up the highway miles. The cvt has proven to be really good especially in the mountains. 64,000 on ours. We'll keep it till the wheels fall off.

I liked my 4runner off road, hated it for everything else. Couple of high speed highway close calls I was done with it. I like keeping all 4 tires on the pavement.
 

BlackdogGS

Observer
I need to see if a Subaru is big enough for my two 55 pound doggies. Which Subaru has the most room and what are the "must have" options for an adventurer?
 

Arktikos

Explorer
Rubicon and Runner may be overkill for your needs. With the big dogs, I would stick with keeping them in the back of a pickup. You could downsize into a mini Toyota 4x4 for slight MPG gain. 2wd would really give you a MPG gain and would be easy to load, but that's probably not what you're looking for.
 

Dalko43

Explorer
I've had many 4X4's over the years. My wife and I are now in our late 60's and need to consider something new. At this time we have a 2005 Ford F-150 4X4. Nice truck but it likes gas, normal highway mileage is 14-15 mpg. The bed is too high and is difficult to load. At this point I feel we need a SUV. I feel the Jeep Rubicon or the 4Runner Trail would be about right. We have always had domestic vehicles, this will be a big step for us. What is the real world gas consumption on this vehicle? Is there anything I should beware of before spending $40,000? I've been involved in built, modified (think lockers, winches and 35's) for a long time. This new vehicle would be used for shopping, commuting to our vacation home with the dogs and an occasional camping trip. Is this rig for me?

Ultimately its your decision to make, but from the way you talk, it sounds like something like a 4runner or jeep Rubicon would be an overkill for you. If you live somewhere way off the beaten path or you have to deal with crappy roads and terrain on a daily basis, then I could see why you would need something like a 4Runner.

Otherwise, if you are living in an area with good roads and plan on sticking to the good roads, I think something like a crossover (Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota Highlander, Ford Escape would be a much better fit for you (plenty of storage space, capable towing specs, big back trunk areas, and more than capable enough of getting through mild terrain). The 4Runner's body-on-frame design is rugged and robust, designed to take punishment...unless you plan on traveling over hard terrain on a frequent basis, that kind of setup is not needed (and IMO your ride quality and on-road handling will suffer compared to that of a modern day crossover).

That said, if you are set on getting a 4Runner, 2 suggestions:

1) Buy used, not new. As good as the Toyota brand is, your purchase will depreciate drastically the second you drive it off the lot. Look for a 4Runner that is a 2-3 years old with 30k miles, and still under warranty, and you should be able to save at least 20% if not 25% off of the MSRP.

2) Get a limited 4Runner, not the trail or SR5. Based on how you describe your planned activities, it doesn't seem that you really need the locking diff of the Trail Edition's. The limited offers better amenities and luxury options and also offers the full-time 4wd with the torsen center diff. So unlike the SR5 and Trail, you can actually use 4wd all the time, even on dry pavement, and then lock the center diff when you encounter extreme terrain. The SR5 and Trail have a part-time 4wd with no center diff, so you can't engage the 4wd on dry or evenly mildly wet pavement for risk of drivetrain binding.

Otherwise, if you are just a "toyota" guy and want the best, most capable 4runner, get the Trail or TRD pro and drive the heck out of it. They are good vehicles; solid, reliable, robust...I really don't worry at all about where I drive. This vehicle seems at home on a rocky jeep trail just as much as it does on the highway.
 
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BlackdogGS

Observer
We checked out the Subaru's. The wife likes the Outback for its size, (she's intimidated by a full size rig) price and gas milage. I'm liking the 4Runner except for the price. With the Subaru in the mix things are getting complicated.
 

Dalko43

Explorer
We checked out the Subaru's. The wife likes the Outback for its size, (she's intimidated by a full size rig) price and gas milage. I'm liking the 4Runner except for the price. With the Subaru in the mix things are getting complicated.

If you are cross-shopping with a Subaru outback, then I would think that a 4Runner wouldn't even be in the ballpark of what you want in a vehicle. The two vehicles are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum: the Subaru is a compact crossover with a focus on reliability and efficiency; the 4Runner is bulky body-on-frame SUV with a focus on ruggedness and off-road capability.

That being said, the Subaru is a good option given your vehicle requirements (though it has a very limited towing capacity). It's reliable, very gas efficient, and with AWD it will get you most places with little to no problems. Also, they generally sell well on resale due to their reputation as solid vehicles. Same applies for the Subaru as it does the 4Runner: it doesn't make sense to buy new...you will lose money on that purchase the instant you drive off the dealer's lot. Buying a moderately used one, still under warranty, will save you quite a bit of money.
 

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