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Comments
Changes for '04:
Colors red and green are dropped
Charcoal seat on SE changed to stone
Color white now available on the Limited
3rd row seat for the SR5 and Limited, not SE
All cladding is now color keyed to car color
Several items now standard on the SE/SR5: (I think Limited's options are unchanged)
Towing Pkg (V8) (all models)
Tow hitch ball mount kit (all models)
Black running board (SE SR5)
fog lamps (SE SR5)
HD battery (all models)
All weather guard (all models)
Privacy glass (SR5)
P265/70R16 7J Alum (SR5)
Tonneau cover (SE SR5)
The SE requires the SP package which includes a host of things:
Sport Package
(NH) X-REAS Shock Absorber
Silver Radiator Grille
Silver Door Handle/Rear License plate garnish
Color Keyed Heated Outside Mirrors
Tilt + Telescopic steering wheel
Silver Roof Rack and Black Cross Bar
Hood Scoop
Two Tone Seat Fabric
17" Alloy Wheels w/P265/65R17 7.5JJ
17" Tires w/ raised white lettering
17" Alloy Spare Tire
13" Front Disc Brake
Silver Accent Shift Knob
(NE) Leather Steering Wheel w/cruise & audio switch
So, assuming you can get an '03 at invoice, it will take you around $1000 more to get the '04 and then add another $1000 for the 3rd row seating option.... those are the numbers my wife wanted. I'm not too convinced that the rear seat is worth a few grand more. Especially since I'm itching for the new truck now!
Aaron
Thanks for describing the fix and answering these questions. This is driving me NUTS and I know the dealer will never be able to duplicate it.
So, in reality, I don't expect to see many around.
Is this mainly because the rear 3rd row seat would cover up the rear speakers? Can you explain this statement more, pls?
Aaron
Radio - Speaker conflict
Navigation - No place for the unit
Sunroof - Not enough head room
Why would this be different because of a 3 rd row seat ?
BTW I like your TH I.D.
a loss of 1,500. how did you do it? how much did
you get the car for, how much did you pay in taxes
and licenses, and how much did you sell it for?
i am surprised that you only lost 1,500. i was trying to trade my 03 4 runner for a honda pilot
and i would be taking a $4,000-$5000 hit if i did that.
Glad I don't need a 3rd seat ;-)
TH (3rd seat) conflicts with:
CM - double deck cargo
SR - Sun roof
DJ - JBL 3 in 1, 10 SPKR
EJ - JBL 3 in 1, 6 CD, 10 SPKR
NV - JBL 3 in 1 with NAV, 10 SPKR
NF - Rear air suspension
and deletes:
tonneau cover
Trunk & Deck Carpet
I would not give up NAV, air suspension, sunroof and a half decent audio system for two stools that also block my peripheral vision when they are folded up.
BTW all the conflicts listed by rward make sense. Even the sunroof, since that would require an additional shape of headliner.
I try Mobil 1 fully Syn at 5k and it makes my V8 even smoother, and mileage increase slightly. However I start to smell sulphur more often. Man, embarrassed! Is Syn the trigger?
I am in N. California, Chevron 87 fuel.
>I would not put any oil that is not recommended >by the manufacture, could void your vehicle >warranty. My thinking is if it really helps the >gas mileage/wear & tear, the manufacture R&D >would have used it to gain a competitive edge.
>Just purchased a new 4 runner V8 and have a few >questions on the V8 engine. Where is the exact >location of the oil filter and what is needed to >change it, like on the side or bottom? Is the V8 >engine noninterference?, just in case the timing
>belt should break in the future.
>Thanks a much!
"Parts" first reaction was "call service." I explained that Service told me to call parts. Then I get what's your vin # ? I said "the interior is charcoal, go to your computer and look it up." Click
This was the second and last time I am taking my 4Runner to that dealer.
First of all, a greasy mechanic does not put covers on the seat, and is tall challenged. He leaves my seat so far forward and angles the seat almost all the way back so he can do the gangster lean. I can't even get in without moving the seat back from it's full forward position. ( I am 6-1) They don't wash my vehicle either.
Worst of all, the dealer sent me a bunch of coupons. One said "if we can't change your oil in 29 minutes , the next oil change is free. It took them 45 minutes. I said "I guess my next one is free." "We can't change the oil in a 4Runner in 30 minutes. This doesn't apply to 4 Runners. " I asked for a comment sheet to rate their surly attitude and total disregard for customer satisfaction. "We don't have anything like that."
I explained that I traded in a Honda Odyssey on the 4 Runner. At Honda they put paper covers on the seat and on the front mat so not to get grease on the vehicle. They also washed it. All their service forms had a mail in post card with free postage. They had boards full of outstanding ratings.
The one time they didn't wash my Odyssey, I put that on the card. The service manager called me at home and said my next oil change was free and to plan on leaving the Odyssey for 6 hours so they could detail it.
I told the Toyota service manager that he should send his people down the street to the Honda service department for training in how to do service. He gave me an extremely rude reply.
I told him his mother was a hamster and his father smelled of elderberries.
I am going to call my old Honda dealer and ask if they'll change oil in Toyota 4 Runners.
The fact that I bought my 4 runner at the Toyota dealer didn't make any difference
You mean Toyota of America right?
He left not on the best terms with the owner, who found out he was not making as much money as they thought he should have.
I just went to look, but my salesman said, I'll give you a non negotiable price. " Since I knew what MSRP and invoice were from checking around, I was curious what this price was. So I said,
"OK what is the non negotiable price ?" He quoted me $200 above invoice. I said. I'll take it.
I had no idea that the salesman did not like the dealership, and was selling the vehicles at minimum.
Bob
But, yes, unless that is the only dealer in town, if you get treated badly, take your hard-earned cash elsewhere. That's how it works in capitalism
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Elderberry is a berry which among other things, can be used for wine making. http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques30.asp
Now back to the 4Runner discussion....
> put covers on the seat, and is tall challenged.
> He leaves my seat so far forward and angles the
> seat almost all the way back so he can do the
> gangster lean. I can't even get in without
> moving the seat back from it's full forward
> position.
>( I am 6-1)
> pat84
> In regard to your seat position, ditto for me
> too. Everytime I get back into my car the seat
> has been adjusted for P. Diddy
> sacstate1
I find that both of these remarks to be bigoted and really don't have any place in this forum. There is no such thing as "tall challenged", but the references to "gangster lean" and P. Daddy" were insensitive and unnecessary.
Perhaps you would like it if the shorter person drove your car with the seat in it's original position and crashed your expensive car into something or somebody. If someone drives my car I want them to adjust the seat and mirrors so that they can drive it safely. When I get back into it I can put everything BACK the way I like it. It's a whole 10 seconds out of my day, about what the mechanic spent.
Rward99: "I find that both of these remarks to be bigoted and really don't have any place in this forum. There is no such thing as "tall challenged", but the references to "gangster lean" and P. Daddy" were insensitive and unnecessary."
Are you serious? You took offense to that? I read right by it and didn't blink an eye. In fact I chuckled, I thought it was funny. The last thing on my mind was some "political correctness" crap or whatever. Don't try and make a mountain out of a mole hill, the remark was made all in fun and should be taken at nothing more than that.
I was wondering about that extra 3 inches height on the GX470. The 4Runner barely clears the airport parking garage here. Guess you have to park a GX470 on the height (un)challenged lot. The P. Diddy gansta lean comment may have been a hair over the top. :-)
I was responsible for the "gangsta lean" comment. It was meant as a humorous comment about the fact that the service dept, mechanic left my front seat all the way forward, with the seat back reclined quite a ways.
I had to move the seat rearward in order to get in. Add to that the fact that there were no seat protectors used and that that my front seat is soiled with grease, "inconsiderate, short, sloppy, greaseyast moron" is more appropriate.
I had the vehicle in to the dealer for this issue. They did some testing in order to show when the fan is engaged as a function of coolant temperature. They have sent the data in to their "technical factory rep" and are awaiting a reply.
What we do know is:
-They agree that there shouldn't be such a dramatic power loss from the fan.
-They agree that what we're seeing is from the fan.
-The condition happens on my vehicle at outside ambient temperatures as low as 87 F.
I talked to the dealer's mechanic that has been helping on this about it. He said that it is more of a function of engine temperature than of outside ambient temperature. Also engine temperature is a function of how much load the engine is being subjected to.
That makes sense, however in my case I'm not hot-rodding around, driving up steep hills or towing anything in order to induce the problem (although it's certainly more noticable when doing those things). If it's this easy to cause with easy driving, why isn't the problem more pervasive on other 4.7l V8 equipped vehicles in a wide range of operating conditions?
The "Click and Clack" story you hear about that this all reminds me of is where someone's car is repeatedly overheating when idling or with stop-and-go driving, but works fine when driving faster. This occurs when the viscous clutch fails in a mode that it never engages. At higher speeds there's enough airflow without the fan that the problem only shows up in slow driving or idling conditions.
The reason I bring this story up is that the the fan shouldn't have to be fully engaged while driving at higher speeds. There should be enough air flow without it (or at least with it only partially engaged). The added air flow should cause the temperature to drop enough that the fan disengages (or at least is not fully engaged).
One additional point that I now have clarification on is with how the viscous clutch is controlled. It is NOT electronically controlled (like some or all current GM vehicles are) and simply has a temperature sensor inside itself (like most vehicles with a front-back oriented crankshaft have had for years).
I'll report back when we hear back from the factory.
Please update us if you have any new information on how your vehicle is behaving relative to this issue.
-Eric
First, I can't imagine how the fan could create much of a power loss, especially at highway speeds. I think you've described a loss that's probably in the tens of horsepower, and that doesn't make sense relative to what a fan needs, especially at speed.
You're right about the viscous clutch operation being non-electronic. It's described in the maintenance manual a little. To be more specific about its operation, the degree of coupling depends on the temperature of the air going past the fan, air which has been warmed by the radiator and A/C condenser. Higher temps=stiffer coupling and higher fan speeds. Simple and effective, and the only odd thing (on my V6 at least) is how the coupling is stiff for the first 10-16 seconds after start-up, probably due to the internal fluid settling some when not spinning for a while.
I agree with your assumption about the fan not being needed as much at higher speeds. It's probably drawing only a little horsepower then. The fan is always spinning, though, due to some residual coupling. That's a desirable thing, to make sure that the clutch body is always drawing a "sample" of the air past the radiator/condenser to get the temperature.
My opinion (I wish it were worth more) is that you've got a problem with the engine management system or one of its sensors. At high temperatures it's backing off on timing or doing something with fuel flow or mixture. Unless this only has happened on one tank of unusually terrible gas, the problem should be reproducible and detectable from the OBD-II port. I wonder if your dealer has the ability to use something like the "Car Chip" or other device to do some data logging while driving at high ambient temps. I suspect it would be very tough to diagnose this kind of problem without data logging or a lot of parts swapping, test driving, and educated guesses.