Stranded by Southwest

My wife and I got caught up in the Southwest debacle and were stranded in Reno (we live in SoCal). So the logical thing to do was obviously to go and buy a 4Runner and drive it home...

We'd been thinking about getting a 4Runner for some time and the prices and availability of 4WD models was better in Reno than here in the LA area. We chose an SR5 Premium with 4WD, debated between that and the TRD Off Road Premium. Chose the SR5 because I don't think we'll ever need the locking diff, crawl modes, and KDSS etc. I do prefer the styling and interior in the Off Road Premium, just couldn't justify the extra $5K (including tax).

We think this will likely be the last gas car we ever buy and hope to make it last 10+ years. Another advantage of the 4Runner for me is that it's primitive enough that I can do all my own work on it. Primitive is a good thing in my mind.

Here's a pic. More to come. Happy to take suggestions on simple things to do (I already bought a blackout kit for the emblems. Maybe some more aggressive tires.



Ian

 

Now the trick is to get Southwest to reimburse you for your purchase!

 

The thought has crossed my mind. I think it'll be hard enough to get them to reimburse me for the extra 4 days of parking at the airport...

 

The 4Runner is easy to work on. Just did transfer case, front diff, rear diff oil change. While in there greased up the user-serviceable u-joints and prop shafts. Most vehicles now days don't offer that.

Swapped the PCV, the spark plugs, and a bunch of other maintenance, it's all pretty easy if you are decent at turning wrenches. I love the simplicity of the 4Runner so much that even after daily driving a 200 series LC I still enjoy getting in the 4Runner. It's that good of a vehicle.

 

Welcome

People say that things happen for a reason

 

Welcome

 

Best story I’ve heard to come from southwest

 

welcome

 

Welcome to the forum, Nothing wrong with some primitive tech.

Good call.

 

Happy New Year! Congrats on the new ride. Thanks SouthWest

 

Welcome. Happy adventures in the rig.

 

Welcome from Wisconsin! Cool story on how you acquired the 4Runner. Flying commercial airlines anymore is a crap shoot.

 

Welcome and Happy New Year from Arizona! Great story

 

Welcome, we bought our first 4Runner in 2020 to take a cross country road trip, the plan was to sell it when we got back. Instead we kept it for a while before trading it in, then we missed it, so we bought a new one.

 

Welcome to a great forum.

 

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the new 4Runner! For me the very first thing these need is a new set of tires. I enjoy exploring difficult roads, but even if I was doing it solely for appearance, more aggressive tires are pretty much a necessity in my book. I can’t stand how 4Runners and Tacos look with stock tires.

 

We just wheels and tires on ours about a month ago.

 

great looking truck! welcome from Denver!

 

Great story & welcome to the family!

 

Nice mate! Welcome to the "dark" side (jk), where your famous last words will be, "yes, I'm gonna keep it stock." Get the credit card out and ready....

Cheers,

Sean

 

What tires do you recommend?

 

wildpeaks wont break the bank & are great tires

 

I personally love mud terrains. I’ve owned several sets of BF Goodrich KM2’s and KM3’s, and I’ve gotten very decent mileage out of them. I don’t mind the slightly stiffer and louder ride of an MT, E load tire. I guess I want my trucks to feel like a truck. The next tire I plan on trying is the Toyo Open Country MT. If MT’s are not your thing, I’ve also loved the BFG K02. There’s a reason it’s a hugely popular tire. I know folks get hung up on tire cost, but honestly, for an item that’s going to last 40-60k miles, paying a bit more (or heck, even double) to get the tire you’re really going to be happy with is worth it IMHO.

Edited to add more to my comments:

I think some people get the idea that mud terrains are only for people who like to go mudding, and that you're a "poser" if that's not a hobby of yours. I couldn't disagree more. First, appearance is important when it comes to a vehicle we care about. But more importantly, tires can make such a huge difference in the capability of a vehicle. Why buy a 4WD vehicle and then limit yourself with a tire that has poor traction off-road or in snow, or would puncture easily on sharp rocks? I'm not the kind of person who goes to someplace with mud or rocks to crawl as a destination (no judgement on those who enjoy that as a hobby), for me it's all about exploring new places, with peace of mind of not getting stuck or causing damage to my vehicle while doing so.

Here's my 4Runner stock:


I bought a set of BFG KM3's (stock size) within 60 miles of buying my 4Runner (just enough to drive it home). When I took this next photo, the only changes I'd made were new tires and removing the running boards, and look at how different it made my truck look (and more capable). Engineer Pass is not one of the hardest jeep trails, but it is considered a "Jeep Badge of Honor" trail, and I felt a sense of accomplishment finishing it. I would not have been comfortable trying it with stock tires.



And this stretch of "swamp" (where the road became a river), down near Great Sand Dunes National Park, I would absolutely have become stuck in if I'd had stock tires, no question in my mind. It kept going, even around the bend, and that's looking back the direction I came...I made it through (barely) with my BFG KM3's. A Subaru had to be winched out an hour before I drove it.



And here's how it currently looks, with a Victory 4x4 roof rack, Pelican cases, a Gobi ladder (not visible), Tuff Stuff Awning, Weathertech wind deflectors, and a 2" Old Man Emu lift kit:

 

Very nice. I picked up my TRD Off-Road in February. You would've waited for KDSS for a long time, most dealerships only get a few per year.

 

The dealer in Reno had 2 ORPs in stock, both with KDSS. I just couldn't justify the extra $5K (including tax) when I knew that this is not going to be an off road vehicle except for trips to the snow and very occasional dirt roads. It would really have been more cosmetic for me. I prefer the ORP seats and console (the 4WD selector is nicer), and the exterior just looks a bit more badass.

Ian

 

Did you test drive one with KDSS? I had wanted kdss, but never an option in my search.

 

I didn't test drive one. The stock suspension felt plenty stable enough around corners and at speed and I didn't want to risk deciding that KDSS was essential and therefore costing myself an extra $5K...

 

Great story! Well done! The SR5 is definitely the most bang for the buck!

 

That's an awesome buying story hahaha. Welcome, from SoCal!