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Toyota 4Runner

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Comments

  • cubanpapadjcubanpapadj Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2004 limited 4runner with the V8 and the 4wd. all the toys. anyway I want to know if anyone knows if i can have the 3rd row of seats put in at the dealer. any experience?? thanks
  • jamonrobjamonrob Member Posts: 11
    A few factors exist for you. Good idea to review the sites that the host here posted links for. How long do you intend to have it? What condtitions might you be driving under? The vehcile is very, very reliable, but at the same time .... the cost of just about any repair gets ways up there. ALso, I've read something that if you don't use it, you will get your $ back.????

    Anyway, how much did you pay and from what dealer?
  • bcmalibu99lsbcmalibu99ls Member Posts: 625
    are like any insurance. Insurance companies do make money, and chances are high you'd never need it. But if you ever do - it would likely save you some very pretty penny, considering very high labor and parts costs, which will only keep rising.
  • toyboxxtoyboxx Member Posts: 150
    The cargo system was useless to me not defective. But besides being useless and taking a couple on inches of height out of the cargo area, the surface was hard and my dog could not grip it and would slide around the back. He (my dog) is much more comfortable now that he can keep himself stable and in one spot. Did I mention it was useless though? :)
  • simbasimba Member Posts: 2
    I usually rent through Hertz. I rent in Dublin, or Shannon Ireland as well as Gatwick, London. All are at airport rentals. I find in Ireland the height does work for you but the width against you as the roads (secondary) are extremly tight. I'm use to it but would not recommend it to most US drivers unless experienced right-hand drivers. Hertz has LR RR, LR Discoveries, X5's etc. I just got back from Dublin this past weekend and believe that the new Discovery 3 (LR3 here) will be available for rent by my next trip.

    I'm still torn though about the RR vs my 4Runner. I have had no issue with them in UK. I might just wait awhile until a few more years are under the new RR belt.
  • kjack100kjack100 Member Posts: 133
    Extended warranties are not worth it if you are likely keep your vehicle less than three years. If you normally trade your vehicle in close to regular warranty expiration or even a little bit past, I don't feel like they are worth it because it adds no value to a dealer. But if plan on you keeping it longer than three years, it becomes valuable in light of expensive repairs to today's complicated auto systems. Also,it makes for a great feature/benefit if you were to sell your vehicle to an individual "down the road." Just be sure it's a Toyota brand warranty. Third party warranties are um, not as good in my opinion. Toyotawarranty.com has jamonrob's warranty at $1170, $5 less than he paid. These guys are generally as cheap as you can find without getting a deal on one included with your purchase. So I think he got a good deal. Was only kidding kheinz.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    My current rides are 5 and 7 years old, the other two owned in the last two decades were 10 and 17 years old when sold. The 17 year old one was a Toyota btw.

    No extended warranties on any of them - the one with three head gasket problems had a 7/70 factory drivetrain warranty (else I might not have bought it to begin with).

    So I don't think extended warranties are worth it even if you try to drive them forever. Especially if you don't have NAV or power doors or other expensive gizmos.

    Steve, Host
  • golfdude54golfdude54 Member Posts: 2
    I'm planning to keep this car until it dies. I will occasionally take it on ski trips and camping trips that will use my 4wd option. And yes, if I don't use it then I will get my money back minus the processing fees(around $100). I paid $1150 at Manhattan Beach toyota in SoCal.
  • kjack100kjack100 Member Posts: 133
    If it's the Toyota zero deductible platinum warranty, 84 months/100,000 miles, I'd keep that if I were you. Worry free for seven years is worth it, especially since you are keeping it at least that long.
  • rjordanrjordan Member Posts: 30
    Hello,
         I like to hear from those have have this suspension and their opinions of it.
  • alfster1alfster1 Member Posts: 273
    The X-REAS is a great option to have as it improves handling, especially on twisty roads. To best appreciate the difference, try test driving both versions (w/ vs. w/o).
  • sevenjsevenj Member Posts: 3
    I bought an extended warranty at the time of purchase. I paid $700 for the 84 mo/100k platinum with a $50 deductible. I wanted the warranty simply for peace of mind. I plan on keeping this truck a while--at least the five years I'll be paying on it. An extended warranty is a funny thing--you buy it hoping you never need it. I hope I never use it--but knowing it is there helps me sleep at night.
  • bmw323isbmw323is Member Posts: 410
    A co-worker also bought an extended warranty for his Toyota van. He first used it this week. Turns out that his warratny is only good at the dealer in whcih he bought the van (which is not where he got it serviced). So, as always, read the fine print and 'buyer beware'.
  • kheintz1kheintz1 Member Posts: 213
    In 11/01 I bought a new Ford Explorer along with a $1250.00 Ford extended warranty. 18 months later, the odometer clicked past 36,000 miles, and within another couple of months the Ford's transmission started failing. The Ford truck turned out to be a lemon, and Ford service turned out to be horrible. That extended warranty paid for itself at least 4 times over what it cost before I finally dumped the Ford (at a $2500.00 loss) and bought a new '03 4Runner Limited. Had I not had that extended Ford warranty, I would have been in deep financial trouble. By purchasing the extended warranty, I was able to avoid a financial disaster.

    Now, there's no question that Toyota's are generally far more reliable than any Ford, but there have been, and will continue to be, exceptions to this generalization. So as others have said, if one plans to keep a Toyota vehicle longer than either the time or MILEAGE limits of the standard factory warranty, then the Toyota Platinum extended warranty should be carefully considered. (My '03 4Runner is not quite a year old, and it already has 22,300 miles on the odometer.)

    Here's a suggestion: Any time your new 4Runner happens to require a repair or repairs covered by the standard warranty (or the extended warranty!), be sure to ask the service advisor how much that fix would have cost you if it wasn't covered by a warranty. Do so, and you will likely find the numbers to be sobering if not occasionally staggering, even for seemingly trivial or minor repairs. You'll be amazed!

    In addition, be sure to include the cost you would have otherwise incurred for a rental vehicle. Not infrequently, when a vehicle needs repair, it may sit for days or even weeks on a dealer's back lot, waiting on ordered parts. And once those parts arrive, it may be another many days before the needed work can be scheduled in the shop. Suppose you need a tranny repair, but their crack tranny technician is on vacation, or out sick? Well, you'll have to wait even longer, even if all the parts are in. Meanwhile, the car rental bill starts adding up. Oh, and don't forget the not uncommon phone call from the service shop which says, "Well, a bit of bad news-- turns out 'they' sent the wrong part..." [Often, the real reason is that the dealer either ordered the wrong part, or they neglected to order the correct part(s) in the first place.] Another common phone call might be along the lines of "Well, more bad news-- we've started the work alright, but now that we've gotten into it, we've found that X, Y, and Z parts also look like they ought to be replaced, so we've ordered those and they should be here any day now! (Meanwhile, your vehicle is now sitting in a shop bay, partially disassembled, and the hood has turned out to be a convenient place for donut boxes, coffee cups, and so on...)

    The Platinum warranty offers several other perks and advantages, including (1) provision of a free loaner vehicle for the duration of the extended warranty (or a $50.00/day allowance for a rental if out of town); (2) free towing to the nearest Toyota service center (potentially big money); (3) "Travel Protection" (an allowance of up to $100.00/day for lodging and meals for a maximum of 5 days); (4) the extended warranty is transferable.

    If you're like me, it only takes one really bad experience to see the wisdom of buying a manufacturer's extended warranty.
  • slandyslandy Member Posts: 46
    What makes me think twice about the warranties is this. Toyota gives you 60 mos or 60k miles on the powertrain warranty. That means if you buy a 80k warranty you only get a warranty for 20k miles, since the factory warranty will cover you for the 1st 60k. For 1200 bucks I will take my chances. I love the look on the finance manager's face when he tries to sell me one and I ask him that quistion.
  • kheintz1kheintz1 Member Posts: 213
    I just checked the paperwork on my Platinum warranty, and the price was $930.00-- sorry for the misinformation, I must have been thinking of the old Ford warranty. Also, my Platinum warranty covers 6 years/100,000 miles.
  • bcmalibu99lsbcmalibu99ls Member Posts: 625
    If Toyota covers powertrain for 60mo/60K, then, obviously, the need for an extended warranty up to 80K is not as great. But there are still plenty of things in a vehicle which may go wrong, and they are not a part of the powertrain. Here in Canada, GM dealers are charging close to $100 (CAD) an hour for labor. Toyota usually charges even more, and Toyota parts are usually more expensive. Even with the exchange rate taken into consideration, the labor prices are just astounding. An extended warranty may still be worth a peace of mind
  • nsmollernsmoller Member Posts: 7
    if u have audio wiring stuff fax to 518-453-0328
    04 SR5 w/jbl synthesis
    Make it attention neal please
    Thanks in advance
  • charleskcharlesk Member Posts: 2
    I also had problem, 3 of 4 tires went flat over 4 month period. Told there was nothing wrong with the tires, and the dearlersahip simply removed the tire pressure monitoring device. So time will tell. However after each experience and removal of pressure gauge, tire was good and never went flat again

    Charles
  • slandyslandy Member Posts: 46
    I have something even better for you. Email me at slandy@atlantamobilelube.com
  • jgriffjgriff Member Posts: 362
    Gee whiz, can you find a new 4Runner without a $900 sunroof and a double-decker cargo setup?? I like sunroofs when there is plenty of headroom. But due to the tight head-room, I just as soon not have a sunroof.

    Seems like every 4Runner has about 3-4k worth of options [except for the dealer's loss leader], sorta make the MSRP pointless. Might as well have 1-2 models mostly loaded.

    Oh well just venting, I don't care for how Toyota options out their vehicles, better than in past, but still needs some fine tuning.
  • hprjrhprjr Member Posts: 24
    I understand your frustration-I'm trying to find a 2004 sr5 v6 with side curtain airbags-I've searched from D.C. to Phoenix (3 or 4 different distributors)with no luck. All say the same thing-must have a moonroof or leather along with some other less expensive options. I guess I could special order one but it would have to be a 2005 model loosing the 750$ rebate as well as any price increase. What kind of pricing are you finding?
  • loinvaloinva Member Posts: 4
    I wonder if someone could save me a trip to the dealer to check this out. Does the '04 4R (Sport) have an adjustable seat height on the passenger side? We test drove one yesterday & didn't see that available, but the Edmunds detail sheet says it does. I wonder if we just overlooked it. Thanks for your help.
  • loinvaloinva Member Posts: 4
    I wonder if someone could save me a trip to the dealer to check this out. Does the '04 4R (Sport) have an adjustable seat height on the passenger side? We test drove one yesterday & didn't see that available, but the Edmunds detail sheet says it does. I wonder if we just overlooked it. Thanks for your help.
  • digitaldocdigitaldoc Member Posts: 3
    I brought the 4Runner back to the dealership, and they took it over to service. Two and a half hours later, the vehicle was fixed. The spare tire also has a tire sensor, and that was the one beeping. I'm sure getting air in it is a production because you have to take it down. The dealership did try to make it right, but it should have been fixed from when I picked it up on the initial delivery. It's always hard to make up for what should have been right in the first place.
  • carm11carm11 Member Posts: 13
    can anyone tell me the differance between the factory rear spoiler, and the one available through my local toyota dealer here on the east coast. iam thinking about putting one on my 04 sr5 but wondering how different it might be than the factory installed one. thanks
  • toyboxxtoyboxx Member Posts: 150
    The difference is very slight. The difference is in the brake light cover. The factory one does not wrap around at the bottom edge like the other does.

    Anyway they redesigned the spoiler for '05. So I would wait and see if you like that one.
  • ohtomaohtoma Member Posts: 28
    Well, after many months of looking we finally bought the beast -- Galactic grey SR5 with the third row seats (thanks toyboxx). They threw in the Michelins to seal the deal, and I ended up taking the 0% financing in the end, ~$4300 under sticker and ~blue book for my '96 Jetta (RIP)

    Can't say it was the most pleasurable buying experience, but the truck has certainly lived up to my high expectations (so far!). The dealers here in the northeast seemed a bit more eager to unload inventory at the end of August than in the end of July, there must have been some back-end cash involved.

    Thanks for all the help!!
  • canddmeyercanddmeyer Member Posts: 410
    Anyone out there have the Bridgestone Dueler Revo's in P265/65/17's on their 4Runner, and how do you like them?
  • kullenbergkullenberg Member Posts: 283
    I've done some research on reviews of the Revos, and came up with a mixed bag. I'd say that roughly 80% of the reviews were favorable, and then I would come across someone who was dissatisfied. There was a guy with a Bronco who had little good to say about them particularly in snow. Now I'm giving consideration to the Nokian WR tire in a 275/60/17 size. This would be 10mm wider and .6" less in diam. Anybody have any experience with this tire or any thoughts on the size diff.? I don't go off road, but need good snow capability. Any comments on the Nokians, and the slight size difference would be appreciated.
    Cheers
    Pat
    2004 4Runner Sport V8 4WD
  • kheintz1kheintz1 Member Posts: 213
    The Michelin Cross Terrain gets my resounding vote for being the finest, most reliable, and most versatile "all-around" or general-purpose SUV tire one can buy. It's also a very good looking tire.
  • carguy1234carguy1234 Member Posts: 233
    I'll be putting Nokian WR's on this fall, as I keep hearing they are great for winter traction, and you can keep them on year round. I'd gladly give up a little summer performance for better grip in the winter.
  • canddmeyercanddmeyer Member Posts: 410
    We probably read the same reviews. I rarely encounter ice, so the Revo's look favorable to me for everything except ice & tread life. The Dunlop AT20's I have are ok, but I'm looking for something a little better, especially in rain. Owners so far heap praise on their Michelins Cross Terrains, especially in ice & snow, however they rip the factory Dunlops at every opportunity.
         Michelin owners seem happiest no matter what tire they have on their vehicles. I have some on my Honda, & except for road noise they have never let me down. But just the same as new products appear in the market, I like to find out from those who have tried them.
         Anyway, hopefully more posters will comment in the next day or two. Since our choices are still limited due to the oddball 265/65/17 tire size, the best choices will quickly be narrowed down. Myself, I really do not want a directional tire. Happy trailing!
  • canddmeyercanddmeyer Member Posts: 410
    Guess I need to correct my last comment. I saw no negative reviews of the Revo on ice. Thought I did, but I was wrong & musta got 'em mixed up with another brand. Tread life was the issue that appeared most.
  • denmoredenmore Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2003 4 Runner with the 4.7. added more air into the stock air intake box by installing a 3 inch pipe. added an airaid throttle body spacer and single pipe catback exhaust- 21/2 in mandrel.

    results: offiically measured ET for 1/4 mi 15.48 sec.at 87 mph and overall fuel milage exceeds EPA rating by about 10% on highway driving. Does anyone know any other enhancements that won't affect emissions?
  • denmoredenmore Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2003 4 Runner with the 4.7. added more air into the stock air intake box by installing a 3 inch pipe. added an airaid throttle body spacer and single pipe catback exhaust- 21/2 in mandrel.

    Results:shaved all the previous perfomance numbers and offiically measured ET for 1/4 mi 15.48 sec.at 87 mph and overall fuel milage exceeds EPA rating by about 10% on highway.
    Imagine if one could shut off the 4 WD like the V6 can.
    Does anyone know any other enhancements that won't affect emissions?
  • glb5glb5 Member Posts: 39
    To all you guys out there who are considering new tires, I have an 04 runner v8 with the stock Bridgestones duelers 265/65/17, I have gone thru a winter of a lot of snow and also taken a few road trips this summer. I'am extremely pleased with these tires they griped well in winter, are fairly smooth in summer with 37 lbs of air and they seem to be wearing well. I have rotated them at 5000 miles and they are vary well balanced, i.e. no wheel shake at any speed up to 90 mph. Also the Tire Rack has them for $72 plus shipping.
    I just can't understand why anyone would pay over $140 for the Michlin, they can 't be that much better.
  • toyotaguy21toyotaguy21 Member Posts: 9
    I'm not entirely sure what your requirements .
     I live in Calgary Alberta and do half my driving outside the city on both country roads and mountain roads. Our winter lasts 5 months but its a real mix of conditions. Not a lot of deep snow, in fact very little deep stuff except when the spring storms come. (think montana)
    We do however get lots of ice. The snow melts in our Chinooks( a unique condition when warm winds melt the snow but then let it freeze again. We have icy streets for weeks at a time but in patches. So there is a lot of bare pavement too. Because of the odd tire size I decided to get 16" toyota styled steel rims and mounted 265/70/16. Michelin Artic Alpins. The diameter is identical so the speedo is perfect. These rims are from the dealer so fit perfect. They are just the best on ice
    and are they 2nd best in snow after the winter toyos
    with the little bits of walnut shell in them. ( not joking).
    But what is really good is the dry pavement handling. The best winter tire ever on dry pavement.
    I remember my accura with the winter tires and I couldn't wait to get them off in the spring. But these ,aside from being a bit noisy, are just fine. I did the steel rim thing cause you can't get the tires in the 265/65/17 Check the web sites again before you buy as new sizes are coming out all the time with the advent of many manufacture's going to big wheels. Be thankful it's not a VW toureg. Have you seen those boots?
    Cheers
    Stephen
  • jcliffrojcliffro Member Posts: 108
    What do the letters X-REAS stand for? There was a VERY well thorough explanation of what it is and how it operates several postings back, but am curious as to what those letters stand for.
  • mitchinpamitchinpa Member Posts: 40
    I had the Mich. Cross Terr. for 2 years. The tires were very good, but they only lasted me about 33000 miles (give or take). They were advertised as 65000 miles. YMMV <---how true
  • beercoll1beercoll1 Member Posts: 88
    I had Michelins on my 94 4-runner, and they lasted 67k before I replaced them. Prior to the Michelins, I had Bridgestones(purchased when the vehicle was new) which I got rid of after 18k miles. Both sets of tires were treated the same, i.e. proper rotation, inflation checked, etc. I felt that the Bridgestones were inferior. I also had Bridgestones on my 91 4-runner as well, and got rid of them after 9k. The Bridgestones lost grip on both of these vehicles.
    I currently have Dunlops on my 03 4-runner. These have lost grip around 25k. I now have over 31k on these tires, and will be replacing them with Michelins before winter hits.
  • alfster1alfster1 Member Posts: 273
    I never thought about it, but here it is:

    Diagonally Linked Relative Absorber System

        X RE A S

    It is a great system! I wonder why Toyota doesn't include it on all of their SUVs. Perhaps it is just a matter of time...before they do.
  • trdsctwotrdsctwo Member Posts: 67
    Has anyone had their 4-Runner on a dynojet to verify
    rear wheel HP and Torque? I am interested in the
    results and I do not care what year or engine, whether it was normally aspirated, or modified.
    If you have had your vehicle on a dyno please post
    the results and what RPM those results came from.
  • mrwhipplemrwhipple Member Posts: 378
    the yokohama geolander ATII+ is a very good tire. $98 at tirerack. very smooth and quiet on and off the road with great handling on dry pavement, rain and in the snow.
  • toyotaguy21toyotaguy21 Member Posts: 9
    Is see the info on 2005 4runner is on the .com site(usa but not yet on the .ca(canada) site. Any one know first available delivery dates.
    Cheers
  • rjordanrjordan Member Posts: 30
    Hello,
         I noticed that on the web and in newspaper ads, some dealerships are calling some models of the 4Runner SR5 as the Sport which is misleading buyers into thinking they are being invited into showrooms to examine the 4Runner Sport Edition. Toyota does not use the name Sport when identifying the SR5. I have been mislead twice as I have been looking for the Sport Edition with certain options. I just filed a complaint with the FTC regarding this practice and will soon do the same with the local BBB. Do others out there have an opinion on this?
  • jcliffrojcliffro Member Posts: 108
    Thanks a lot Edmunds for killing the usefulness of this site by requiring a time consuming sign in with a password I can never remember each time I would want to visit this site. This annoyance continues even though I checked the box that asks that I be remembered on this computer. Whoever came up with this change needs to be fired. Why couldn't you have left well enough alone?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The auto login bug is irritating:

    Sylvia "Our Software! Your Questions Answered..." Sep 24, 2004 10:09pm

    And it wouldn't hurt to fill out a Contact us form.

    Steve, Host
  • hlronhlron Member Posts: 113
    Sort of quiet here lately, so I thought I'd do a post on my 2004 SR5 V-6 two wheel drive I have had since late January 2004...gold, sunroof..absolutely zero problems to date, with just over 12,000 miles. I really like this 4Runner, and if something happened to it I don't know what else I'd replace it with, and would most likely get another one. As a side note, I rode in a friend's brand new Explorer today - I can't believe the interior quality difference between the 4Runner and this Explorer - that is, at least in the particular Explorer I was in - 4Runner is WAY ahead in interior design and quality by far - hands down, no question - in my opinion.
  • kjack100kjack100 Member Posts: 133
    After looking at the toyota.com website, it seems they have done away with the rear air suspension option for 2005. Wonder why?

    Also, no 2005 V8 4Runner seems to be available until they come out with the VVTi technology for it in January. Is this VVTi the same thing as the TRD supercharger you can buy aftermarket at the dealer?
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