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Well, I couldn't really understand how it works because it was VERY complicated (sophisticated as he put it). He also said 4Runner tire monitoring system is most advanced among Toyota vehicles. Basically, the valvestems (including the spare tire) transmit signals when the pressure is lower than a threshold. To reset the monitoring system, you have to deflate all the tire once and start inflate one by one. Each time one tire is inflated, it seems that you have to turn on and off the vehicle.
The metalic valvestem costs $150-200 each (very cool looking). The wheel is specially designed to accommodate the valvestem so you can't simply buy new wheels. He said the wheel is "very expensive" too. He also said that I should think twice before I bring this car to a regular tire store for tire change at least people out there become familiar with this new system. We also adviced "don't side-swipe this wheel"!
So what exactly are you trying to imply in this post? That I don't know HOW to drive an SUV and so I shouldn't drive one? I mean really, in reading alot of the posts on this site, the ignorance of alot of you are really starting to come through. If I would've came on this board questioning my choice between 4Runner and RX330 and was a MALE, I'm sure all of you who like to question my driving abilities and ability to handle an SUV would not be adamant to steer me towards some ugly XC90, unreliable SRX or any sedan regardless of what I state my uses would be. But I came in here and simply because I am a woman most people are trying to steer me away from the 4runner to a minivan, or a wagon or sedan. Well I didn't come in here asking for advice on what type of vehicle I should choose because believe it or not this is not a rash decision like many of you like to suggest. I have been in the market searching for the right vehicle for myself since 2002, and my number one concern is reliability. I want a vehicle that has a proven track record of reliability, I don't spend money to watch it go down the drain or spend money on some depreciation hungry dodge, ford, mazda, mitsibushi or a vehicle/manufacturer with questionable reliability. And with those considerations in mind most of you would be hard pressed argue with me that the three companies that have proven themselves reliable, have excellent resale value and are very safe vehicles are Honda, Toyota, and Lexus. So with that being said, obviously a Volvo, Cadillac, Chrysler or whatever else will not fit my two most important criteria.
As for the fact that I am limiting myself to a SUV without considering a sedan. PLEASE! You all only know what I come here and tell you, what you don't know is that I've already looked at the Avalon, Camry, and Accord, and if one of you could get my dog's crate in the trunk or even backseat then PLEASE let me know. However, we do have a dog and are getting another one next month and we take frequent road trips where we have had to rent SUV's because we had no space for our luggage and our dog. So please get off your high horse and stop assuming you know my life and exactly what my needs are. And frankly who gives a crap if I didn't even have a dog, had no husband, never went anywhere but work, grocery store, mall and home and still wanted an SUV, so what?? So let's stop assuming and implying that we all know what is best for me because I do have a father and none of you are him.
As for the rest of you that have given me your opinions and suggestions, I really appreciate it, I take into account everything you all say and I am still weighing my options, I will let you all know once I come to a final decision.
HAVE A BLESSED DAY!
Those of us who have 4runners are very happy with them.
Thanks
I traded in an '00 Audi A4 wagon for an '03 V8 sport 4Runner. The audi was a great car - it wasn't overpowered, but it had plenty of "kick" when driving 80 for passing, etc. I could sit low and had a great feel for the road. It had the great audi quattro system (AWD). This was probably the best car I have ever owned. Unfortunately, it was a bit small for my growing family, the ground clearance was minimal, and, the killing blow, it couldn't tow. SO - off I go vehicle shopping.
The 4Runner is also a great vehicle, and handles very well. Did I say for a truck? No, but....
I'm only talking driving impressions here...I don't race, and I haven't had it on a track. However....you sit taller, which gives a wider view, but I for one am concious of the higher center of gravity. Braking distance is noticably longer. It has a larger turning radius, and is not nearly as "nimble" or "agile" as the audi. I *think* the X-REAS is great, but I didn't compare it with a non X-R 4R. I have driven LOTS of explorers, however, and there is no comparison. The rocking and rolling on twisty mountain dirt roads can make you sea-sick in an explorer. Am I happy with it? You bet! Do I love this truck? ummm....no. It is a competent, safe vehicle, and I don't think there is a better one that can do what it can do. It is very comfortable, can hold a ton of gear, and tow 5000 lbs. effortlessly. Dirt roads, mud, snow, are no barrier. My wife, on the other hand, loves this truck! So...go figure.
I choose the 4runner over any other comparably priced similar vehicles due to: X-REAS, the smoooth power and transmission of the V8, the reputation for reliability and resale, the comfort, the quiet interior, and the fairly roomy back seat. I have the cladding, btw, and am very happy with it. It has already saved the painted steel from numerous scratches, etc. from bushes and branches, not to mention parking lot and garage dings.
As one of the very wise men on these boards says repeatedly
"Drive what you like"
Toyota 4Runner (of course)
Lexus RX 330 (although you do lose a fair bit of luggage space with the severely sloped rear)
Toyota Highlander (car-like ride with mild off roadability and lots of space - trifecta? )
Nissan Pathfinder (a little smaller, good power, great reliability).
As for the Volvo XC90, although MT SUV (CAR) of the year last year, is a nice vehicle and safe, reliability is something of concern. The same goes for the Caddy stationwagon.
Hope that helps a bit.
I don't think anyone needs to justify themselves to someone else, so I'm with you on that one. I tell people that the 4runner is the best thing I have ever driven (all the cars I've driven where older), but if they are not going offroad or towing a lot, there might be some better options. If it turns out that they pick the 4runner b/c they hate minivans or they think the Pilot/highlander/pacifica/etc are weak and boring, then so be it, they are getting a great truck, and they got what they wanted. And THAT is the most important thing.
I don't see why you have to go offroad to own a 4runner, I personally offroad myself, and I don't mind a bit. But I DO mind if you go and put all the accessories for offroading on your 4runner that I can't afford and then not go... that'll piss me off.
-Jared
Trying to fit a dog crate into a sedan IS a losing proposition, I agree.
How about a station wagon? How about a minivan? There are some great wagons out there. Try the Passat wagon. Try the Audi (talk about unreliable). Try the RX330 (we can all pretend it's an SUV, but we know it really isn't).
I'm not sure it's fair to say the SRX or the XC90 aren't "reliable." The SRX is so new we don't even have reliability data for it. Is the CTS unreliable? Has the XC90 been unreliable? We have at least one year to go on.
I can't imagine the 4Runner ride is better than the SRX, but I could be wrong. If someone is never gonna go offroad, why buy the 4Runner over an SRX or the RX330?
Lady: I am totally with you re Honda, Toyota, Lexus. When I started my search, I would only look at those cars, but I have learned that other cars are more reliable than I had assumed, so I broadened my search. No question that you can't go wrong with a 4Runner. Everyone I know that has one loves it. YOu did say you are driving an Accord, so I think it is fair for me to say that you are used to the ride of a sedan. The 4Runner will be a different ride. Not necessarily worse, but different. You may like it more.
And there's no question that you don't want to be putting dog crates into the back seat of your Camry, etc. You may be surprised at how nice some minivans are. My friend has a Sienna and it is a sweet vehicle. Plenty of places for me to put my juice box.
:-)
i was wondering if you knew of any good off roading trails in lake tahoe in the snow covered winter? my friend and i are caravaning up to tahoe for the new years and want to do some snow 4x4ing. thanks in advance.
The lady has obviously done her research and her decision has come down to TWO vehicles, the RX330 and the 4Runner. To continue to push a car on her, especially on the 4Runner board, is ridiculous.
By the way, wouldn't it be a lovely day for a 4x4 4Runner in the Tidewater area? My last two cents...if you can afford the RX330, you owe it to yourself to test drive the a Limited V8 AWD with all the bells and whistles. I believe that will make your mind up. I'll bet you'll have to pay full sticker (around $44K?) for an RX330. While fully loaded 4Runner lists at about $44K, which you should be able to get it discounted close to $40K. Have a nice day.
(Why is it that people always read stuff into what people write on message boards?)
(Why is it that so many SUV drivers feel they have to defend their SUV purchase? Maybe it's not just SUV drivers. I know alot of Saturn drivers who do it, as well.)
I have driven a 4Runner. My buddy has a sweet, grey, Limited one. About 6 months old. Very nice ride. I like it alot. It's not what I want to drive, but I acknowledge that it is a great ride. If you read my posts, you must have missed that I have acknowedged it is a great ride and I completely understand why people love them.
Most Dangerous Drivers
http://money.cnn.com/2003/10/30/pf/autos/bad_drivers/index.htm
I didn't mean to offend you when you posted in the SUVs room. You just stepped into the room when it was hot and crazy in there, and got blasted. My bad on that.
Didn't know that before but I found that out on here... However, that is exactly why I came in here to see what people were saying about the 4Runner, and to learn things that I might have not otherwise learned. If I do get the 4Runner it would be nice to take it out on the Outer Banks now that I have that tidbit of info.
There are no hard feelings adp3, like I said I respect everyone's opinions just like I hope they would respect mine.
>>>>Whatever you like best, both are excellent choices.
I payed $39,571.00 for a 2004 4Runner AWD V8 on Wednesday.
MSRP $43,700.00
Invoice 38,565.00
Natural White with Oak Interior
OPTIONS:
SR Moon Roof
GY Curtain Air Bags
RF Rear Spoiler
RL Daytime Driving Lights
CF Floor mats
NF Rear Air Suspension with X-REAS
NV Navigation
WL Wheel Locks
WH Wireless Head phones
TDA 506.00
Dealer mark-up 500.00
Total $39,571.00
Documentation fee $149.00
Tag transfer $67.00
This is an outstanding truck, cannot say enough about it.
Good luck on your decision.
A woman's money is as good as a mans- this I've said a long time ago around page 438 or something.
If someone is here asking about the 4Runner, divergent comments on sedans and wagons are counterproductive and can be considered somewhat rude.
If I go into a dealer and ask to see a 4Runner and he shows me a Celica and says it's a better fit for my lifestyle, guess what I would do with my foot and his [non-permissible content removed]?
Everyone here is trying to be helpful but I think we should stay on topic of the 4Runner even for the selfish reason that I, me, myself and I, am not interested in talking about any other truck:)
That being said, the moment I took the '04 Limited V8 for a spin, I sincerely appreciated the engineering and incredible thought Toyota put into this vehicle, sans sulfur smells. As a former resident of Japan, I never believed I'd consider any Japanese vehicle, including Lexus. But then I realized why this vehicle was not included in the training syllabus.. because it is incredibly addictive. Students might intentionally fail just to spend more time behind the wheel. ;-)
Most drivers may never experience the sand, snow, mud, rock, and other conditions this vehicle was built to handle. But even "just" for getting around town and up that low-height parking garage with the opportunity to leave pavement only on weekends or ice storms, this is a great all-round choice for combined safety, handling, ride, visibility, etc. in this price range. If you're concerned about fuel economy, truck-like ride, cargo capacitiy, bumper costs, and racetrack driving habits, then go for the Highlander, Pilot, or RX-330 and don't look back.
Believe me, the decision to give up my '02 Accord EX V6 commuter and '01 Cherokee Sport 4x4 (2H mostly) hobby/expense account is not easy. Just waiting a few more days for an "all-in-one" solution in Stratosphere Mica to arrive at the dealership is killing me. And of course it snowed today sigh. Despite potential problems with Toyota's new engine, I think the '04 4Runner Limited V-6 4WD is perfect for me. Won't start the V-6 vs V-8 discussion again. Just go for it!
Whatever choice you make, I highly encourage you to learn how SUVs in general, and the 4Runner in particular, behave during high-speed conditions. Otherwise, you'll be amazed how you will park a tree dead center in the middle of your hood (between E and E for Jeep owners) every time. Works perfectly well for the rear bumper too. Accords only seem to attract deer, or Integras in my case.
One negative about SUVs in general (at least in some metro areas) is that SUV parking may be charged at a higher rate than automobiles. This is true of some garages in NYC. Also, some garages don't have spaces large enough for some SUVs, which means that vehicles may be parked very close to each other, possibly leading to more door dings and other minor surface damage. Just FYI.
If, in your above rant, you were indirectly referring to some of MY comments from message #8721, then before you would paint me with this same brush, let me first quote how I prefaced and qualified those comments:
"...If you've not previously and extensively driven an SUV, there a few things you should never forget..." As I wrote my suggestions and comments, I did not know whether you (or most anyone else who would read my post) had any previous experience driving an SUV, and that's why I began this sentence with "If..." Perhaps I should have been more generic by saying "For those who may not..." I certainly never meant to offend or insult you or anyone else who might be new to this forum, but I evidently did so, and I apologize. In reality, I was simply trying to be helpful to anyone who MIGHT be new to, and unfamiliar with, SUVs.
TO ANY READER, REGARDLESS OF GENDER OR ORIENTATION: However, don't forget that this is a web-based discussion forum and not private email. Therefore, while many of us may write in a style that might occasionally seem directed at only one or a few members, the fact is that a vast number of people peruse this forum, including a steady number of newcomers. Thus, a great many of us often tend to write in a "stream-of-consciousness" fashion that's really aimed at anyone who might not have anything better to do than read our babblings and ramblings!
[When I wrote my comments in message #8721, I was merely trying to be HELPFUL not only to you, Lady, but also to ANYONE (regardless of their gender or orientation) who just might be unfamiliar with the benefits and RISKS of driving an SUV, and who might just be interested in what I see as being some helpful, basic SUV driving tips. For those who already know what I was trying to convey regarding elementary SUV safety, they are of course free to skip over this information and move on.]
FOR 1ST TIME SUV DRIVERS: Probably the single greatest factor implicated in serious, fatal and non-fatal SUV accidents involves driver inexperience and naivete. The classic scenario here typically involves someone (regardless of gender or orientation) getting behind the wheel of an SUV, yet they may have little or no prior training, experience, and understanding of just how markedly different SUVs handle when compared to a car. In my opinion, the likelihood of this accident-prone scenario may be further encouraged as SUVs become ever more DECEPTIVELY "luxury-car-like" in terms of their INTERIOR comforts and appointments, as well as (in many cases) their ever SOFTER, "car-like" riding (but not necessarily handling) characteristics. Such factors, when combined with clever and seductive advertising, can lull the 1st-time SUV buyer into a false sense of security and "sameness" when transitioning from a car to an SUV, especially to a more massive SUV. And, it is often the 1st-time SUV drivers who are most likely to be involved in not only fatal or non-fatal
roll-over accidents; but also accidents and/or collisions in which the SUV inhabitants survive (possibly unscathed) while those who were struck by one of these massive TANKS might not be so lucky.
About 4 years ago, at about this same time of year here in Columbus, OH., a beloved female co-worker and friend was minding her own business one evening, driving home in her little Honda CRX. She was stopped at a traffic light close to her home in the suburbs, when an 18 year old male, aggressively driving his Dad's Chevy Suburban, lost control of his vehicle, went left-of-center, and fatally injured my friend. The damage to the Suburban was trivial, but my friend is gone, and the teenager was eventually sentenced to 3-5 years for vehicular manslaughter.
In summary, I again apologize if my words in message #8721 offended anyone. I was merely trying to be helpful by reminding ourselves that piloting an SUV (especially a larger SUV) is really a very non-trivial responsibility, regardless of our gender, and regardless of our individual levels of experience and confidence. I consider myself to be only an intermediate to advanced-intermediate in terms of my self-perceived, on-road skills, but that could change for the worse in an instant, so I try to remain humble and reasonably cautious.
Allow me to wish each and every one of you a happy and safe holiday!
Take your time and enjoy the ride. Besides, there's nothing more satisfying than helping a stranded, overconfident Jeep owner out of a mess. Except for maybe an ex-Jeep owner's satisfaction of safely and comfortably driving through the same nasty stretch of road.
Lady came in here to talk 4Runners, not be convinced to drive something else. Then again, if the only people here are totally stoked on 4Runners, so they aren't "listening" to Lady....well, point taken, terrafirma, and no offense intended
It's just that the conversation is so much more civil and informed here than it is in "I Don't Like SUVs, Why do You?" Please don't make me go back!! :-)
I do agree that any SUV does require a bit more care in driving. Unfortunately, for the average test drive, a potential new owner will not likely encounter any limitations in an SUV's handling (ie. longer stopping requirements, although the 4Runner has great brakes, more body roll, slower in the slalom, flipping over low guard rails, etc.) An extended test drive (if available) or renting an SUV for the weekend would be the best way to get a better feel for how it drives.
I purchased my 2004 4Runner Limited from Toyota of Turnersville. They are located in Southern New Jersey about 15 miles southeast of Philadelphia. Two hour drive from NYC.
They will make you work for your price so bring your comparison shopping information. Overall they are an excellent dealership, good people to work with. Over the years I have purchased 11 new cars from this mega dealership (previously Honda's and Acura's) now Toyota's and have never been disappointed.
You live in the NYC area so I will recommend a dealer a little closer, Gateway Toyota in Toms River, NJ. Probably an hour drive south on the Garden State Parkway from the city. Drive another 20 minutes south of Toms River you are in Atlantic City.
You can deal with Gateway on the phone. Bought my wife's Avalon from them last year, a very easy no hassle deal. No other dealer in my area came within $500.00 of what they offered so it was worth the 90 minute trip. They sell many cars to folks in New York so it may be worthwhile to consider them.
You will find that a 4Runner Limited with all the options in the color you want may take some time to find. Gateway will order for you from Japan, not every dealer will take the time to do this.
Depends on how soon you need this truck.
Use this forum to ask questions, the folks will only be too glad to assist you. Eventually you may be one of the people offering advice.
Good Luck and keep us posted.
...Bob
Safe driving applies to a Ford Escort equally as well a Chevy Suburban. If someone is walking across the street and is hit, a 2600lb Escort is 2600lbs more than the human body was design to be hit with.
Safe driving applies to everyone and no more or less is required of a SUV owner.
I wish to get back on topic instead of people wishing to educate everyone on the merits of driver safety, A4's or minivans.
No one is trying to hurt anyone elses feelings ok? Lets move on.
Changing subjects, what changes would you make in the '05? Here's my list.
- Satellite radio option
- voltmeter and oil pressure gauges needed.
- easier access to the V8 oil filter(did they fix this on the '04?)
- lighted window controls
- a 12 volt cig lighter adapter in the dash not the console where you have to open a hinged compartent
- needs a hand emergency brake, not the foot one.
- need a neutral position available for the transfer case switch.
- needs a mute button for the steering wheel audio controls.
- needs an idiot buzz for when you leave your lights on in the non-auto position.
- cupholders in the rear where the (useless?)garbage sack holder is.
- color selection could be better.
- Did they put a lock out between "d" and "4" in the shifter on the '04?
- multi-disc player for the Nav system.
- ditch the slightly odd HVAC controls.
One negative about SUVs in general (at least in some metro areas) is that SUV parking may be charged at a higher rate than automobiles. This is true of some garages in NYC. Also, some garages don't have spaces large enough for some SUVs, which means that vehicles may be parked very close to each other, possibly leading to more door dings and other minor surface damage. Just FYI."
Alfster..you are #2?? What state do you live in? Remind me to never move there..lol j/k I did not know that about SUV's being charged higher rates to park, but I guess living in FL, and VA I never encountered paid parking. Was lucky enough to never have to work downtown etc. But that is indeed interesting...
Actually, my insurance rates are pretty good. I am paying $1250/year for 100/350 auto insurance on my 03 V8 Limited loaded.
Parking is usually a hassle in any city, but in NYC, where monthly parking can cost as much as rent in some areas, is a huge expense. I usually commute in my other vehicle unless there is inclement weather (like today)
Glad you are making headway on the decision. It's tough but sounds like a nice place to be in!
Sounds like the dog crate situation is a real dealbreaker. It was for me with the RX300 when it came out. The idea of having to flip down the back seats everytime my dog jumped in the back. was a real turn off. Besides the fact it's a total waste of space for no other reason than the look of the sloped hatch.
I am all for a stylish package but in this case, it was a deal breaker for me. The same thing bothered me about the Murano- although the Murano (to it's credit) doesn't actually slope inward much so the actual cargo space is fairly well maintained.
Thanks!
Greg
Otherwise, it's a great truck.
This morning I made a comment to my friend who purchased my 2002 4Runner Sport Edition that I preferred the gauge package on his new truck (my old) vs. my 04's. Maybe with time I will accept this, what other choice do we have?
The former design is very easy to read. They should have taken / borrowed the Sequoia or Land Cruiser's display rather then try to create this sort of retro look. They both have the oil pressure and voltmeter gauges, why not on the Runner?
And the information display is even worse. You are right, fire that bozo and his boss. At night it looks o.k. but in bright sunlight it is difficult to read, not logically designed.
Again, they can not please everyone, maybe most folks do not notice or care.
Overall I would not give up or trade this truck for anything with one exception, its big brother, the Land Cruiser.
If they made the 4Runner close to perfect with all the upgrades that you and kjack100 recommend, then who would buy the GX470 or even the Land Cruiser? I have had my new Runner for 4 days and now am thinking of what improvements the 2008 should have? ......time to get a life and enjoy this outstanding truck!!!
The center information display would be nicer if there was more contrast (ie. more settings). I haven't had much problem with seeing this dispaly w/ or w/o sunglasses. I wouldn't fire the boss, but would send him back to the drawing board.
I do agree that with polarized sunglasses it can be impossible to see the NAV screen, although that is due to the lens design and not a fault of the screen.
The lit sterring wheel mounted controls are very dim. I wish that they could be adjusted, but I assume that Toyota intended them to be dim to reduce distraction while night driving.
I considered purchasing an LC, but figured that the 4Runner would be more than enough for my needs. Besides, the 4Runner is much more affordable and is more fuel efficient (but hardly anything to rave about).
If you want to turn it off for deep snow or off roading then lock the center diff and turn it off.
With regard to the manual, look first at page 138 and beyond (for the AWD model), or page 141 and beyond (for the 4WD model). Here, you'll note the following recurring message (quoted here from page 138):
"Use the center differential lock system if your wheels get stuck in a ditch, or when you are driving on a slippery or bumpy surface. When the center differential is locked, the vehicle stability control system is automatically turned off... because the function that controls engine performance [sic: traction stability?] interferes with the process of freeing your wheels...Use this [e.g., the center differential LOCKED mode] when you experience a loss of power [sic: traction?] such as wheel slipping, [that might occur while driving] in the center differential unlock mode..."
On the other hand, page 148 of the manual seems to contradict what's been quoted above, especially the yellow-highlighted cautionary note immediately below the heading "ACTIVE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (4WD MODELS) which reads:
"Under certain conditions, full traction of the vehicle and power to the 4 wheels cannot be maintained, even though the traction control system is in operation. Do not drive the vehicle under any speed or maneuvering conditions which may cause the vehicle to lose traction control. In situations where the road surface is covered with ice or snow, your vehicle should be fitted with snow tires or tire chains. Always drive at an appropriate and cautious speed for the present road conditions."
And then, even more confusing is the bold-typed note on the same page 148 (again referring to "4WD models"), which says "Leave the [active traction control] system on during the ordinary driving so that it can operate when needed." Hmmm, this last statement would seem to indicate that the TRAC can in fact be turned off, but how? Even though it is not clearly stated, in my opinion the most likely "off switch" would be the center diff. lock/unlock switch!
Clearly, Toyota has not done a very good job of translating the owner's manual into english, and in fact I complained about this manual in one of my first posts here. This is why I've taken the risk of including my above [bracketed] re-interpretations of the poor translation of the manual, and which I suspect are probably good approximations.
Now, based on how poorly this manual is written and translated, several questions are obvious. First, might there in fact be some type of *difference* between the 4WD vs. AWD models with respect to the Active Traction
Control System (TRAC), which the manual may not have specified? (I'm currently rather suspicious of this possibility). Secondly, a literal interpretation of the poorly translated manual would seem to suggest that locking the center diff. disables ONLY the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), but not the Traction Control (TRAC). However, I wonder if perhaps when the center diff. is locked, that maybe, both VSC and TRAC are DISABLED? In other words, when the poorly translated manual refers to "the vehicle stability control 'SYSTEM'..." is it actually comprehensively and inclusively referring to both VSC and TRAC, or is it literally referring to ONLY the VSC? If the manual is actually referring to both VSC and TRAC, this would certainly explain why the manual recommends locking the center diff. when driving on very SLIPPERY surfaces, and it would also explain the previously mentioned comment on page 148 which says "Leave the [active traction control] system on during the ordinary driving so that it can operate when needed." Needless to say, I would love to hear the considered opinions of others who are actually driving and living this vehicle.
By the way, I personally have no complaints about either the styling or visibility of the Limited's instrument cluster, guages, dashboard, mid-console data readouts, etc. I can see everything just fine, and in fact, I absolutely love this vehicle's cockpit, but that's just my opinion.
---"VSC off" will light up in your instruments.
---Locking the diff/turning off the VSC is the same thing in the 4Runner. Locking the diff effectively is the "VSC OFF" switch.
It evenly splits the power 50/50 to the front and rear wheels.
---The system is the same in the part-time and full-time 4wd 4Runners.
---For loose traction conditions (taking one poster's deep snow/slow driving scenario) Locking the diff/turning off the VSC is the appropriate response for increased traction.
---In 99% of on road driving, leaving the system alone is the appropriate response for the safest driving.
---Locking the differential is mostly an off-road feature and owners need to understand it is not something you turn off and on on the road when there is a puddle or rain.
--- Locking the diff on road is worse in some conditions. The 4Runner will automatically find maximum traction (up to 70% power to the correct set of tires) instantly. The TORSEN center diff is the finest production limited slip diff available. Locking the diff (locking out the TORSEN) splits power 50/50 front/rear and if you happen to need 70/30 or 60/40, you have locked out that capability for the 4Runner to instantly react and change power delivery for maximum control.
--- Sand, deep snow, off roading situations-- these are appropriate areas to lock the diff/turn off VSC
---VSC, TRAC, DAC, HAC--- these are not features that make driving more fun. On the contrary, they often make things more boring because they increase safety and control.
Doing donuts in a parking lot might be fun. Toyota equipped the 4Runner to be safe.
No it's not a perfect system but the TORSEN diff and all the other features are the best on the market at the moment and I have enjoyed the use of some and hope never to use others.
I also like the interior. I think it looks and functions great. The only thing is that I wish they angled the clear plastic downward instead of upward (the clear plastic over the speed, tach, etc).
I will never blame a company for trying something different. Everyone complains about stuff looking the same but when something unique comes out, they have no patience for it and want the same old.
I applaud Toyota for going out and trying something new with the HVAC controls and other interior bits. Some work better than others but overall the interior is a 9 in my book.
Unless you can get an answer on when the 3rd row seat with NAV will be available, this is another alternative.
How safe and reliable this seat is I have no idea, maybe a dealer could advise.
This installation must be done so that the seats removal is easily done. Access to the NAV system for upgrades or repairs needs to be available.
http://www.littlepassengerseats.com/toyota_4runner.htm
http://www.jatdesign.com/
http://www.shadetreeonline.com/cerullo/3rdseatsandconsoles.htm
http://www.ultracar.com/Add-On%203rd%20Row%20Seating/3RD%20ROW%20- JUMP%20SEAT.html