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First, you live in Phoenix. You get an average of 7.6 inches of rain a year. I live in Philadelphia. We have an average of 41 inches of rain and 21 inches of snow a year. So don't even begin to say that black cars look cleaner than others until you actually have some weather to deal with. I agree that black looks great, and if I had 3 straight weeks of sun I would consider black. But when it rains every other day, I'd rather get a color that can mask the rain, snow, and mud. And when it is 10 degrees outside, I really don't wash my car as much as I would like.
Second, anybody who has taken high school physics knows that a darker color absorbs more light and thereby more thermal energy than a lighter color, which is able to reflect some of the light. Now, I'm not saying there is a drastic difference in temp between the two and for most people it doesn't make a difference. So if that is what you are arguing, than I agree. But if you are arguing that a black car with a black or gray interior doesn't get hotter than a white or silver car with a tan interior, than I would have to disagree. If you need to learn about this first hand, you can do the high school experiment on the following page and get back to us:
http://www.nmsea.org/Curriculum/4_6/Interaction/Interaction_light- _matter.htm
Or if you want straight figures, the National SAFE KIDS campaign has figures on the temperature inside a car depending on the color of its interior:
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content3/news3/temperatures.sa- fety.all.html
JD
Don't get me wrong, black as a vehicle color is great, just not in the southeast US for one. Somewhere I read that they won't even paint a substandard car black in Japan because the color is so revered.
Has anyone replaced their backup bulbs with brighter ones? Where can get them?
Thanks,
Morry
My hitch receiver was also tight. I could get the Toyota hitch in, but it was a bear to get it back out. After a few times it worked OK (I probaby should have tried filing the receiver as some have suggested). However, I needed the ball to be lower for my pop-up trailer--the Toyota hitch is straight. I was able to find one with a 2" drop at an RV dealer but he had to saw off the back of it because of the spare tire. It was also tight at first, but after installing and removing a few times it works OK now. My Colorado State U. hitch plug works fine--it is not tight at all. Unfortunately, probably most people that see it wonder why I have a Dodge Ram hitch plug in my Toyota. Oh well, I plan to retire in a year or two to either Boise (Steve--it would be nice not to have to wash my Runner very often!) or Fort Collins--if Fort Collins at least people should recognize the hitch plug as a CSU Ram.
I got the Husky cargo liner (the one that is made to fit over the folded down cargo shelf. It works fine. Also used the Husky liner for the back seat. IMHO, though, the Toyota all weather mats look best in front--they fit exactly, accept the anchor hook, and even say "4Runner".
"Dirtiest car in the world is a black car, but the cleanest car in the world is a black car..."
"Make: TOYOTA Model: 4 RUNNER Year: 2003 Recall Number: 02V339000 Summary: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FIVE FACTORY ALLOY WHEELS (MODEL 6934 AND 6936), WITH FACTORY LLAT, AND WITH PORT INSTALLED WR4, FOUR ALLOY WHEEL UPGRADE PROCESSED AT THE JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA PORT AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE PROCESSED AT THE PORT, AN ALLOY TIRE/WHEEL UPGRADE WAS INSTALLED. THE UPGRADE INCLUDED 4 ALLOY WHEELS. THE ORIGINAL SPARE TIRE/ALLOY WHEEL WAS NOT CHANGED. THE SPARE TIRE REQUIRES THE USE OF A DIFFERENT STYLE OF WHEEL NUT TO ATTACH IT TO THE VEHICLE. Consequence: IF THE SPARE TIRE/WHEEL IS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE USING THE WHEEL NUTS PROVIDED FOR THE UPGRADE ALLOY WHEEL, DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL COULD RESULT AND COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A LOOSE WHEEL. Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH DIFFERENT STYLE LUG NUTS, A WARNING LABEL FOR THE SPARE RE/ALLOY WHEEL, AND AN OWNER’S MANUAL ADDENDUM. Notes: N/A"
; )
Mackabee
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=4de88375e46488a38b- a20b1796272d23&threadid=421
The NHTSA states that it affects 176 trucks, so it seems like a problem specific to the region, as indicated by "WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE PROCESSED AT THE PORT"
JD
tidester, host
--------------------
(176 trucks, not too much of a recall.)
6934 = 4x2 limited HIGHLANDER
or any model # starting with 69 will be Highlander
4RUNNER model #'s start with 86.
I bought my 4Runner through carsdirect.com. Their local affiliate is John Elway Toyota in Englewood (unfortunately, that's the far side of town from me, but they did get the color and options I wanted in the timeframe I wanted), and they work through the fleet sales there. I believe carsdirect's prices are a lot better than Elway's no-haggle price, so at least check there or other online sites as a sanity check before you do anything. I don't know if Elway does a no-doc-fee on their normally sold vehicles, though.
Overall carsdirect was a pretty good experience, but if I were to do it over again I'd probably get completely outside financing, despite their protestations about a particular lender. Chances are someone else has as good a rate.
In any event, check your lug nuts.
Steve, Host
I've long been a 4Runner fan, but don't have one. I was stupid and didn't sign the papers on an 02 sport back in sept cuz I wanted to see the 03's - now I wished I wouldve as it was a great deal.
Anyway - question is I have found 2 '00 4Runners - both black with sport pkg / sunroof / certified / ~36,000 miles for about 23k. This is a great looking truck!
Questions:
1) What maintenance is due or coming up (big stuff)?
2) I know the '01's got VSC, Trac, and EBD.... do you think it's "worth it" to wait till I find an '01 instead? I don't think I really "need" these (also, does the '01 4wd model come with Trac? just curious)
3) Anything else that is a big change from 00 to 01?
4) Any tips/pointers for when I go look at these 2 vehicles?
Thanks!
: )
Mackabee
The new hitch comes pre-wired with a harness(in glove compartment) ready to be plugged in under the driver's side and able to recieve a brake controller. The problem is most brake controllers have 4 wires and the toyota wiring harness has 5. Which of the five wires is not used. Anyone help?????
__________________
Twice now it has brutally ejected portions of a bag of groceries onto the unforgiving concrete of my garage floor. While some items survived, in the first incident a container of sour cream suffered a compound fracture accompanied by release of a small amount of product. The last incident last night was much more heinous. A glass jar of yummy chili stir-fry sauce shattered, its eviscerated corpse exanguinating it's garlicy, spicy contents all over my garage. While it gave my garage a pleasant odor, it was undesirable.
So other owners, I beseech you, how do you keep your groceries in the cargo area of your 4Runner? I usually keep the shelf down, which may contribute to there being a drop-off, allowing groceries that have shifted during transport to fall out when the liftgate is opened. However, with the shelf up, I could see it falling even further, and causing even more carnage. Putting the cargo net across there seems kind of extreme and obtrusive just for groceries, but is it my only option? How do I stop the wholesale slaughter of my innocent foodstuffs?
-Karl
-Eric
With your new hitch, how much distance is there between the end of the hitch and the spare tire? I've got one of the old hitches, and it's easy to run out of room. Thanks.
Hope that helps. Now get me an answer to my question and we'll be even!
1) cargo net
2) roll down window to check
3) some type of low-cut box in the cargo area
Steve
Seems like anyone paying for the appearance package wouldn't be too happy. Plus how will they sell an 'appearance package' for vehilces on the lot when there is no charge now? (I know the appearance package also includes fog lights).
Also, does anyone know if there are additional incentive on the 4runner now, besides the $750 for the cladding?
And what's the distance between the back of front seats and the tailgate, from inside the vehicle? Thank you!
-Jared
Bottom line, I think the max room was perhaps 5 ft. 9 inches plus.
That's the best I can do from memory. I'd like to hear what folks find for certain.
Not terribly comfortable if you're 6'1".
Vodgut, do I understand you correctly, that the actual distance inside the 4Runner from the tailgate to the back of the front seats is about 6'3 - 6'4?
As far as hitting 2nd row folded seat bottom before hitting the back of the front seats, how much does the 2nd row folded seat bottom stick out from the floor? I figure, if it's not by much, then something like a carpet (or a small futon, if the 2nd row folded seats stick out too much) could be used to level the floor completely from the end of the tailgate to the back of the front seats.
What do you think, is that possible?
Straight from the back of my '03 4Runner - I just measured these.
I can probably take a digital pic soon here and show you what I mean....
But let me see if I got this right. From where the bottom of folded 2nd row seats sticks out to the beginning of the 8-inch gap (between folded 2nd row to the back of front seats) there's a 3-inch space? I can't figure out how 5'9 becomes 6'2 :-)
There's 5'9 between the tailgate and the rear-facing bottom of the 2nd row seats. There's 5 inches of seat bottom, bringing it to 6'2. Then there's an 8" gap between the top of the folded 2nd row seat bottoms and the back of the fully forward passenger's seat, bringing that to 6'10" in total length at a height of 10" above the rear load floor.
Here are two pics, one from the passenger's rear door, one from the tailgate:
http://www.lethean.net/4Runner/conv_new-DSCN1448.JPG
http://www.lethean.net/4Runner/conv_new-DSCN1449.JPG
I only bothered to fold the passenger's side. If the front seat were fully back, it would touch the top of the vertically positioned 2nd row seat bottoms, but as is depicted there's about 8 inches between them.
Hope this helps clarify.
Another question :-) Is it possible to completely remove the seats of the 2nd row? The backs fold flat very nicely, and if the actual 2nd row seats (which on your pictures are resting against the back of the front seats) could be completely removed, then there would be 6'2 inches of space (with a very small gap) between the tailgate and the back of the front seats.