Buy a locked 4runner or locked 80?

[firetruck41]

The seating position in the 80 is more upright, while the 4runner is low like a car, and your legs are closer to horizontal in fron of you. The second gen was way cramped for me (after selling my first 80) and I am short, the third gen I have sat in and was a little better but still "low", the fourth gen was more comfortable but still overall feels like a smaller cabin, though it is fairly close to the 80 series in size.

 

[Imola Red]

I was driving thru Carson City today and we don't see many modded LC's around here but a raised LC with a basket type roof rack drove the opposite direction and it was beautiful!!

I forget sometimes just how great looking they are. Totally worth a little extra in gas money.

 

[tech_dog]

I had a GF with a 4runner, and it always felt cramped to me.

I love the headroom and the "face room" of an 80. After driving an 80 for 12 years, even my new 100 feels a bit more cramped. The 100 seems to have more shoulder room, but the windshield has more of a rake and you lose some of that face room.

In the end, the GF sold her 4runner, bought an 80, and recently traded "up" to a 100.

The 80 remains my all time favorite vehicle, money no object.

T.

 

[Cattledog]

With a wife and two kids, go 80. Space on a 3rd gen runner is a bit lacking for a family of four. Gas mileage is not enough different to make or break the purchase.

 

[Moses John]

Here's my two cents...

I just bought a '96 LX. Dang, I love it more and more each day. It's only been a week, but I like to just go and sit in it. I am a little nervous about the fuel consumption, but I drive kinda' conservatively--easy off the line, anticipate stops-- and will get the best mileage I can, though I am not expecting miracles. I could tell, right away, this is a superior vehicle to most things on the market. Especially things from the 90's era.

I have a second car that gets circa 25 mpg. I haven't driven it since I've had the LX.... I'm thinking about selling it.

 

[Elijah]

If gas consuption is a true issue for anyone, just get a second vehicle for $1,000 that gets 35-40 mpg. My wife drives the LX450 30 miles each day and I drive a Festiva that I rebuilt the motor on 2 years ago. I drive it 60 miles everyday and get about 41-42 mpg Metros and Festivas are dirt cheap. BTW, these engines are extremely easy to rebuild.

 

[mitchhonore]

Get the LC, but if you can't make sure you get a five speed
4Runner, thats what I would do.

 

[jditom]

Oh boy lot's to think about. The size thing does bother me a little. Maybe I need to sit in a 4runner first. I'm 6'4 225lbs so I like a little room plus I have the wife and 2 kids.

Oh man my fuel costs are going to jump hugely no matter what. I got 24-25 MPG in my BMW which I just sold but it also can't drive up here in Lake Tahoe in the winter.

BMer man an X5 V8 gets 22 mpg highway! But it is not designed for serious offroading. This is why I have both