80 vs 4Runner

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Ting

Ting

15 Year 10 Year
Joined
Sep 30, 2006
Threads
58
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1,211
Location
Monterey, CA
Yes! There is no comparison between LC and 4Runner. ;)

:) Now, I got your attention, please let me ask you some questions. I don’t know much about 4Runner...

Here is my problem. I love my 450, but wifey :princess: refuses to drive it because of the size, and MPG doesn’t help. I bought it so that my wife can drive 450 on occasional grocery trip or around town trip.

I have always liked the look of 4Runner and Tacoma Prerunner with double cab. I don’t plan to be a rock climber. This is mostly going to be expedition purpose or long trip. How capable 4Runner are on and off road and what’s the best year? Thank you in advance...


Stole this picture from JimmyK. It does look like big brother and little brother.


trucks.jpg


https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=110243&highlight=80+4runner
 
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She refuses to drive it because of the size? What is she afraid of?

So, you're going to sell the cruiser and buy a taco or 4skinner? Hmm. How can I politely say this...

Tell your wife to quit being such a spoiled brat. You have a perfectly good car in the driveway (garage) and if she can't drive that she should take a drivers ed class or a cab.

Ok, I think I need to eat something. My blood sugar must be getting low.

But seriously for expedition/long trips you have the perfect vehicle already.
 
Maybe, I keep my LX, and buy another 4Runner. :) Anyway, what’s the best year for 4Runner or Taco? I will prefer 2000 and above.
You know about women…I am sure there are many capable women out there, and she is not one of them. First of all, my wife doesn’t even like driving, and she is already having a hard time parking with small vehicle. It makes her blood level goes up.
She is really not spoil brat…Trust me on this. I have seen many spoil brat before. :)
 
Ting said:
Maybe, I keep my LX, and buy another 4Runner. :) Anyway, what’s the best year for 4Runner or Taco? I will prefer 2000 and above.
You know about women…I am sure there are many capable women out there, and she is not one of them. First of all, my wife doesn’t even like driving, and she is already having a hard time parking with small vehicle. It makes her blood level goes up.
She is really not spoil brat…Trust me on this. I have seen many spoil brat before. :)
Click to expand...

I will kick myself for jumping in on these type of discussions because they get nowhere.....

But... If you wife wants an SUV "type" of vehicle and she wants something a little smaller than your LX and more economical with decent SUV capability:

(In my preferred order)
* Porsche Cayenne Turbo :D
* GX470
* 4Runner (new body style whatever year they started)
* GX300 (basically a Camry SUV)
* Highlander
* (or a new hybrid GX300/Highlander) Big $$$ but lotsa high tech

-B-
 
B,
2003 is when they started the 4th gen (current) bodystyle. However the LxW dimensions are very similar to the 80. If she doesn't like the size of the 80, she won't like the 4th gen, GX or Tacoma-which is longer still.
 
FirstToy said:
If she doesn't like the size of the 80, she won't like the 4th gen, GX or Tacoma-which is longer still.
Click to expand...

That settles it then.... buy her the Cayenne Turbo. :cool:

-B-
 
And what about the older 4Runners (90-95 I guess).
pretty cheap, simiple, comfortable and not plastic-looking. Your wife won't be stressed when she bumps somebody with that car. I had one of these and it was lots of fun. A design similar to the 80 but smaller. The 3.0L 3VZE engine is quite nice. If you take it into consideration I could share more of my memories :confused:
 
1990-1995 4Runners do have their issues, although they happen to be my favorite. I've owned about 10 4Runners between 1990 and 1995, plus another 6 or so that were older (removable hard top). I've owned my '90 for about 10 years now and love it. The issues with this vintage are: weak 3.0L engine, which, when combined with an automatic transmission make for poor power and sad fuel economy. A 3.0L with an auto and A.D.D. (auto) hubs will yield a mpg of about 14 city and 16 highway per factory window sticker and my own experience. Swapping out A.D.D. hubs for manual lockers will yield an increase of about 1-2MPG. The 3.0L V6, besides being weak, is notorious for blown head gaskets and burnt valves (there's a special service campaign V06 a.k.a. recall for it). Before buying this vintage, get the vin # and call a Toyota dealership to call them and see if and when the V06 campaign was done and what was done. My 1990 with a 4 cylinder and 5-speed got around 20mpg, but I now run 35's, 6" of lift, $3000 worth of engine mods, and 5.11 gears and I get around 18mpg now. These years are very prone to rust, particularly around the wheel wheels, the door bottoms, the top and bottom of the rear gate, and are prone to rusty rear brake lines that like to blow just above the passenger rear tire. For someone not wanting an "older" vehicle or wanting these issues, I'd recommend a 4Runner that is 1996 or newer. You get a much better V6 and slightly better mileage overall, around 17 city/19 highway with a 3.4L and automatic. The 4 cylinder 5 speed in these newer years are rated around 20-24mpg. '96 and newer don't seem to be as prone to rust, but then again they are just plain newer.

Capability-wise, I would actually say the 4Runner would be even more nimble than an 80 (sorry), simply because there are more after market parts available, wider selection of lift kits, etc... and the 4Runner is a bit shorter and narrower than the 80 and can fit in tighter spots. The '96 and newer 4Runners can be had with a factory rear e-locker only, though I'm not sure about the newest ones. Like the 80, factory lockers are hard to find in the 4Runner, though lockers can be put in aftermarket. 1990-1995 4Runners did not come with lockers at all, though aftermarket choices are plentiful as well.

Interior-wise, my '90 4Runner is only about 5" narrower than my '96 80, and it is maybe that much shorter.

There are numerous Toyota 4Runner/pickup websites and forums available such as 4x4wire.com and yotatech.com . I love my '90 4Runner to death despite any negativities I mentioned. Luckily, I don't own the 3.0 V6 (a.k.a 3.sl0w V6). There are many more aftermarket parts available for my '90 4Runner than for my '96 cruiser though....
 
Late model 4runner is 3" shorter WB 2" shorter overall. I don't think you would notice the difference. I'd go with a Highlander if it's just a grocery getter, or a '90-'95 4Runner with a 22RE if you want to wheel it (103" WB). But if you want to hual your family into the back country for some mild wheelin and expedition type stuff, ther is no better rig available in the USA than an 80.
 
I had a 93 4R V6, they are gutless and tiny inside, get at least a 96+. And as was mentioned the 03-current 4r are very close to the same exterior dimensions as a 80 series, though the interior doesn't feel as "open" to me.
 
If you sell the 450 I got dibs!!! lol

How ya been bro?
 
I'd like to add a SC 4Runner or Taco to my collection one of these days. SC makes a difference up here in CO.
 
You would want a '96-'00 4Runner. These are the only years that can be had with a factory rear locker. As for capability, I would say stock they are just as capable, except for maybe the 80's with both lockers. Even then, though 3rd gen 4Runner ('96-'02) will be right there with it b/c the 4Runner has very similar overall articulation as the 80-of course the front IFS will not travel like the 80's solid axle, but the rear of the 4Runner will travel more than the rear of the 80.

The 3rd gen 4Runners are solid machines and can take a beating. I have contemplated getting an 80 many times and still would if the right one came along, but I tend to be more into heavier offroading. Check out some pics and video of my '99 4Runner on my photobucket site:

http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e335/dragr1/

My 4Runner on Slickrock at Tellico:







I have the rear factory locker and an open front diff.

Last, the 4Runner will get better mpg-in the low 20's with stock gearing and stock size tires. For long term life though, it would be hard to beat the 80.
 
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Before anyone buys the cayenne turbo you should look at the V-8 VW Touareg, they are a lot less, ride a lot better and are the exact same chassis with better 4wd goodies. Oh did I mention that it was available with a 500 + ft lbs torque diesel!!!
 
Ting,

If you're wire really doesn't like the size of the LX450, she probably won't like driving the 4Runner much, either. My wife doesn't really like driving large rigs, either, but she loves driving her L/C. The visibility is great on these. Of course, that doesn't help you becuase you already have one.

If you want to keep your LX450, here's what you do. Buy your wife a 1977-1985 Mercedes 300D. This is the W123 body style. They are one of the best cars ever built. Period. They will outlast anything on the road if properly maintained. After she drives the Benz for about a month, one of two things will happen. She hate it and be begging for the LX, or she'll love it and for about $4k you'll have an incredibly reliable, easy to maintain vehicle that will last to at least 300k miles (500k is not uncommon for these). And it's one of the safest cars ever built. She'll walk away from any accident.

My wife drove one for 3 years and now drives a L/C. I couldn't get rid of my low milage Benz (185k), so I use it for my daily driver now and love it.

My $0.02 (or maybe $0.03....)

Brian
 
my 2 cents is keep the cruiser, i just this mistake and i sold my 92 fj80 and got this darn 4runner, yes its still nice but it is no cruiser, now i stuck with it till i get back from deployment in 2008. loloollolll stay cruiser
 
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