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Comments
You were right and Edmunds was wrong. OK? I still don't give a hoot. I was just presenting the data I had.
Case closed please.
http://www.edmunds.com/maintenance/MaintenanceServlet?step=step3&- amp;year=2003&make=Toyota&model=4Runner&style=Sport+E- dition+4WD+4dr+SUV+%284.7L+8cyl+5A%29&zip=20735&popup=cur- rent&synpartner=edmunds&tid=edmunds...mnt.step2.8.Toyota*- #2
That fuel thing recall was talked about a while ago. It only affects 4 Runners made before april 03.
If that's what caused the lower rating it's odd. So pre-april 03 gets a lower reliability rating and post-may 03 trucks get a good rating? When you get the recall fixed does it make your truck reliable again?
Odd system they have...seems like the more you find out the more confusing it is.
Larry
Larry
(WIRE, COWL No. 2 : 82132-60110)
Hope that helps.
I got that part also; it was in the glovebox. That, however, is the "trailer brake jumper harness" that installs under the dashboard for hooking up trailer rigs with certain braking systems. The owner manual addresses that part, which I'll probably never use.
ckdexter, thanks for the tip about U-haul center. I'll give that a try.
Larry
2004 forerunner. i checked on an another site
carsdirect; they say a factory to dealer incentive
is currently in place until 12/01/2003 on the 2004 forerunner; my wife and I had placed a buy order for a 2004 forerunner ( her new car) for her after looking at the highlander and honda pilot; the car is supposed to arrive within a week or two. I also checked on kbb and they don't mention it either. so where is carsdirect getting there info from.
tx
It's funny that Toyota makes these trucks for towing but doesn't sell the accessories, i.e. the all important "weight distributation device" which allows you to tow 7200 lbs. by shifting the weight more toward the front.
The best parts and advice ,I found, come from a good experienced hitch shop which can be found in the yellow pages.
RE the wheels. Canadain tire sells good mulitfits for 50 to 60 bucks but they are black and need a hub cap. The Toyota OEM part from the dealer are 82 bucks and are styled silver steel which only need a small "push through" Cap in the middle These look so much better. I have a 03 sport in gray with plastic cladding and match well .I am probably the only person who actually likes the grey cladding but we do lots of gravel driving and tow our horses to really remote areas and do a bit of real off roading on old forestry roads in the BC interior and Rocky mountain foothills so the cladding does its job.
On the rims my dealer said they are backordered for at least a couple of months due to demand and may not even get any this season. I had to pay a premiem for the last 4 available, 86.00 each, and they had some scratches on them. I was told to take it or leave it. They were a lot less than the mag wheels to they are my truck now. Ps. I found them through a tire wholesaler.
cheers steve
Incentives also vary by region, so maybe there's not one in your area.
Steve, Host
Rogers... the "Monroney Label" is also called the window sticker or the MSRP sticker. It is the list of factory equipment, options and suggested retail price. It is named after the Oklahoma senator who sponsored the legislation requiring them. The fine for not having one affixed to any vehicle available for sale is $10,000 from the Federal Trade Commission.
When you first mentioned it, I thought it was something else.
What do dealers do when they immediately repossess a vehicle and are able to sell it as new, but don't have the original sticker? Can they print a new one?
BTW, thanks for the historical background on SR5. I guess the letters and number have no real significance for trucks then...
Can a dealer legally sell it as "new" if it's been owned before? "Like new" would be more fitting. I'd sure be upset to find that my new truck was already titled, even if it had only a couple hundred miles.
Larry
1.Extended warranties are smarter on cars with historically worse than avg reliability.
The 4 Runner is a solid product and the only real costs would be regular maintence. 7/100 sounds good on paper but realistically I don't think 4 Runners need any serious work until after 100K, just my opinion.
2. If there was some defect or mechanical problem, I imagine it would happen within the normal factory warranty period.
3. If you do get a extended, make sure it is a Toyota factory warranty and not a fly by night operation.
4. There are dealers that sell factory warranties online for much cheaper. I lost the link but someone posted one a long time ago.
5. If you put that $1370-$2000 into a 10yr savings, bond or that type of thing- you would have enough money to cover any mechanical mishap that came along plus enough for a burger and, heck, supersize it for the mrs.
good luck!
the way i see it you're spending your hard earned money buying this car and hopefully you won't need to use the warrantee ; but what your buying is peace of mind.
you can see on toyota website the suggested prices
for the warantees; but the dealers are not held to those prices;they can discount or not if they wish. we bot the 7/75 for $1250. the dealer would not go lower.
terrafirma - fyi - interest rates on us treasuries are currently yielding around 5%;
5% return over 10 years lets say $2000 is not a lot.
what is peace of mind worth to you on a car you buy. that is really in my opinion what the warrantee represents.
Stephend2, thanks for the trailer harness adapter info.
Larry
P.S. 2000 miles on my V8 Sport, and I'm getting a consistant 21-22 mph freeway only (in-dash computer readout;optomistic, I know), and 13-15 mpg city only. I live in SF; there's a traffic light or stop sign or crowd every 2 blocks or so, and plenty of hills...I couldn't be happier with these numbers from a fairly heavy truck with a V8- Good job, Toyota!!!
My thoughts on the warranty: it's gambling. You bet up front that something will go wrong during the period for which you purchased coverage. I personally don't think I have enough information to make that bet intelligently, so I pass on it. I presume Toyota knows more about the future costs of repairs than I do, and they would not offer the bet if they were not going to make money from it. I just wouldn't bet against Toyota on their own product.
My only experience with the smell was while test-driven a 2003 model and really flooring it. Soon thereafter, while stopped at a light, I noticed the strong smell, and it went away as soon as I got the car moving again. I test drove the car 4-5 other times, and noticed no smell.
Would you please let me know whether the smell is something to worry much about? How frequently does it happen? Does it happen only when you rev up the engine to an extreme, only when the car is stopped, etc?
Bottom line: should I cancel the order or should I look forward to owning a great SUV?
Thanks a lot in advance.
If the SUV hits something (car, tree, deer, etc.) then the front, side, and head (curtain) airbags will deploy and save my front, side, and head. But all the heavy stuff in the cargo space will fly forward and maim or kill me, my wife, etc.
I've seen some commercial dog screens, but they are flimsy.
Can any of you folks suggest a commercial or home-made protective cage or screen that would reliably protect people from flying "stuff"?
Thank you.
Replaced my 4Runner with an Ifiniti FX35 - I must say I love it. Totally different type of SUV from the 4Runner. If you've had a 4Runner and want something else but still an SUV but not off road, you should check them out!
I say to anyone wanting to buy a 4Runner that if you like the vehicle go for it, I've been extremely happy with both of my Toyota purchases and definitely feel I got my money's worth.
Just my 2 cents!
If general probability is your guide, I think you can look forward to a great experience with the 4Runner. Most folks have no significant problem with the smell, and for their vehicles it is produced only on heavy acceleration after a period of cruising or other lean-mixture operation. The smell doesn't make its way into the cabin to any significant degree unless people drive with the rear hatch window rolled down, and that's a poor idea for other reasons anyway.
The problem threads generally attract a more-than-proportionate number of folks with the problems, since that's their purpose. Unfortunately that makes these threads qustionable tools for estimating the probability of certain problems.
There are probably actually two smell problems, excessive production of the smell, and getting it inside the cabin to a significant degree.
Some vehicles produce the smell a lot, and not only under heavy acceleration. There has been speculation about excessively rich mixtures and problems with engine computers or oxygen sensors or similar stuff, but no real agreement has developed as to the source of the problem, and affected vehicles aren't recognizing the problem themselves, to the degree that they might trigger the "check engine" light or something like that.
Some vehicles that regularly produce the smell also manage to get it into the cabin to a considerable degree. The thread I mentioned above also discusses and speculates on this issue, and potential remedies.
It seems that most modern vehicles will produce this smell once in a while, and it can be a very putrid and disagreeable one. One can speculate that the V8 4Runners produce the smell more often than average, though it's hard to be sure. At any rate, some of us suspect that the exhaust tip placement on the 4Runner is unfortunate, and moving it a little could go a long way to correcting the practical impact of the smell problem. Also, driving around with the HVAC system on recirculate may be more likely to get the smell inside the cabin.
Well that's one opinion for your basket. I have a V6 and have been very happy with it, and would recommend it to others. I drove the V8s as well, but liked the V6 better for reasons that I described (way) earlier in this thread and won't repeat.
Real good post!! You hit the nail on the head, IMO. Makes me wonder what percent of these trucks have the smell. To read the boards, one might think it's common to most trucks; maybe it's really 5-10 percent? Who knows? (Mine smells perfect, FWIW)
Larry
You may want to ask in Toyota 4Runner Accessories too.
When I've net searched cages in the past, I got lots of hits from Australian manufacturers; guess they go prepared out in the bush down there and take a lot of loose stuff in the back of their rigs.
Steve, Host
If I understand the legalities of this issue, what needs to be proven is: with the windows up and the ventilation on, that exhaust is getting in the truck, smell or no smell owing to a design fault.
If this is the case, my suggestion to owners is go to a hardware store and buy a battery-powered CO detector and put it in the cargo bay of the truck and maybe also one in the front of the vehicle's passenger compartment. If these frequently sound an alert, then it is possible that this would be sufficient evidence to support a lawsuit against Toyota (or other vehicle manufacturer for that matter) for inadequate engineering to prevent exhaust gasses from entering the passenger compartment.
If they never sound an alert, then this may give some assurance that there is not a dangerous level of CO in the passenger compartment, smell or no smell.
Comments please? I would like to hear some feedback on this. I posted something similar in the Sulfur smell topic.
Steve, Host
tidester, host
Does anyone know if there is a price difference in purchasing a Platinum plan now or in 2.9 years/35,900 miles? I have read elsewhere that the time to consider the extended warranty is at the end of the existing warranty. This makes sense if there is not a big hit on the price.
Jagsdad, in what city is Southbay Toyota located?
Regarding the smell problems, I have had none of any kind. I have an '04 Sport with the v-8.
This truck is a fantastic ride: comfort, power and looks! However, I have two complaints: interior ergonomics and a lack of a power outlet in the armrest console between the front seats(except for the change holder, it is a large, empty box). Regarding the ergonomics, the arm rest on the door handle is way too low. When you rest your arm on the door, it is much lower than your right arm on the console. I have a habit of resting both arms on the interstate while I drive. The position feels odd. Other Japanese manufacturers have pointed-out that their engineering has thought about these details as evidenced by my '01 Mazda Protege (very comfortable). Just my $0.02.
Thanks in advance
I'm getting closer to a purchase, and I've been talking with friends about the V6 and V8 4Runner.
I've been told that, for offroad driving, it's helpful to NOT have a large amount of torque at low RPMs, because of the effect high torque has on spinning the wheels. In other words, with lower torque (other things being equal), the vehicle will be less likely to get stuck in loose sand than with higher torque.
First, does this make sense you you?
And second, would this suggest the V6 may be better offroad than the V8 (assuming you're not towing)?
Thanks!
Jim
That makes no sense because for off roading what you want is torque, not HP.
That is why all the hardcore, jungle safari 4x4's have very little HP but gobs of torque. That is why diesels are so popular for 4x4's, the create torque-not HP.
That said, with the 4R, you need a happy medium with good torque and HP. Is the V8 or V6 better off road? That is totally debatable.
Both are good engines.
The V8 is good for towing-when you have a large load behind you.
Off roading, both engines produce more than enough torque and HP to make it a non issue, imo. I off road my V6 and never felt lacking at all.
Not a huge difference. Toyota is planning to increase the number of hybrids in their lineup. In a few years, maybe we'll be able to get a 4Runner with mileage in the mid-twenties.
It's too bad Toyota won't bring a diesel over. VW is going to bring a V10 Touareg over soon. Highway mileage will be well above 20 for a 5000+ lb truck. Too bad it will have VW reliability...
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2003-11-03-reliablechart.htm