5th Gen to 4th Gen…

Alright this is what I have been debating lately. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the 5th gen 4runner, however, I am also very partial to the 4th gen. With that said, I have been thinking pretty hard about going backwards to the 4th gen… My reasons would be: that I just seem to enjoy older vehicles more. I think they are more fun because they are easier to modify than newer stuff and I don’t feel as bad pulling stuff out and replacing it (I almost feel bad about tearing into the 5th gen to be honest sometimes) I also think that an older vehicle you can worry about it less when it comes to off roading, daily wear and tear, and such - especially when you drive close to 20,000 miles per year like me.

Has anyone done this on here? And if so has there been anything you regret about the switch backwards?

On the contrary, does anyone feel like that’s an unwise idea for any reason or another?

Curious to see what people think on this.

Personally, I am torn between the 2. I like the new-er feeling of the 5th gen and of course its capability, but also it’s hard to deny a solid, good looking 4th gen build.

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

I own both
Love the 4th gen, my favorite looking is the Limited and Urban Runner model.
Problem is finding a good unmolested one, i mean they are nearing 20 years old and have miles. The ones that dont have a ton of miles are commanding premium prices for such an old vehicle. Things are wearing out, o-rings are cracking, lines are leaking, ect ect. Before long they are going to start nickel and diming you to death regardless on whether you buy a clapped out 260,000 mile unit, or a pristine high priced 160,000 mile unit. 20 years is 20 years and stuff wears out.
ALSO
You never know when you are buying a dream vehicle one owner old man with original panels, original windshield, original pristine paint, or someone elses problem.
I love the 4th gen
I daily drive a 4th gen
I own 2 newer 5th gen both of which i have decked out how i want and i like to drive but i really like the look and feel of my 4th gen.
t.me/260,000 miles and nickel and diming me lately....

 

I shopped 4th gens before buying mine and it's really the question of tradeoffs.

I don't fit in sunroof-equipped 5th gens (don't know about the 4th) so the 4th or last couple years of the third are the only options I have for full-time 4WD in 4Runner land.

Here are some of my thoughts:

• Maintenance history and things like hoses will need to be replaced with age (the youngest ones are over 15 years old!)
• Side airbags were optional until the last couple years, which are the most rare since sales cratered as the Recession set in and for a daily, I want side airbags.
• Availability and rust may be big limiting factors
• I like the third row setup in this one more as it can come out, but not a big deal as it's uncommon
• I prefer the 4WD (with V6) system
• You might not get great value selling-then-buying, especially since you'll pay taxes and have to sell your current vehicle.
• At least insurance will be less?
• Slightly less fuel economy on the same tank size V6 to V6.

There's always going for an older 5th gen too but switching costs aren't going to be trivial. Sometimes I think a beater would be nice but you could always wait as now is the youngest your current 4Runner will ever be.

 

My 4th gen is actually a little more expensive than my 2012 limited
Why you ask? replacement cost.... The 4th gen has less book value, and any small fender bender is more likely to total it so the likelihood the insurance has to payout for a total is higher on the 2008 4th gen so the premium is actually about $9-$10 more per month.
The 5th gen has a more upright A-pillar and more upright windshield, so you FEEL like you have more interior room in front of you.
The width between door panels is practically the same, i think an inch or so difference.
The 5th gen hood is more flat, so the approach angle is harder to see, your line of sight is pushed farther out forward in front of you than in a 4th gen. My daily 4th gen and my 2023 have the exact same lift, same fender height, same overall size tires, the side mirrors are at the same height, but the nose of the hood is about 5" higher in the 5th gen. The 4th gen hood slopes down a lot more and is easier to see over if you are into technical riding without a spotter.
the 2008-2009 i think were standard with air bags, my 2008 has them.
If you get a 4th gen make sure its a 2006+ but shoot for the 2009-2009, thats when it appears things were really really ironed out and they seem the most reliable.
The 4th gen up thru 2008 had the ECU tuned to run on 100% gasoline, and the AFR the ECU searches for runs best on 100% gasoline. When running 100% gasoline my 2008 with 285 LRE tires gets 21mpg no problem and if i am nice to it i have gotten 23mpg.
On standard gas my 2008 gets about 18ish
My 2012 is box stock, stock tires and all, and the average on the dash is 18.4 right now
My wifes 2023 on 305s is about 16 i believe, when she drives its probably 15.5 and when i drive its probably 18 so it balances out to about 16.

 

I have 260k on my 2004 V8 4th gen. Thankfully I haven't reached the 'nickel and diming' phase of this 4runner. It has had its maintenance items pop up which aren't trivial in cost (suspension and timing belt comes to mind) but so far so good on little stuff. Just regular maintenance. What i love about mine is:

- v8, even if its not 'powerful', definitely feels more powerful than my old 2014 v6 Tacoma and gas mileage is almost on par with what my Tacoma was
- AWD
- Vehicle condition, I have a toddler and another on the way, and honestly i don't really care if the interior gets messy or whatever - its an old vehicle, but a reliable vehicle. I feel like if i had something newer i'd be more paranoid about stuff. I am not with this one.
- I'm not really experienced with the 5th gens, but the 4th gen is simple. Its easy to work on, parts are still readily available. I don't really like all the electronic doo-dads and mine doesn't have much of them
- Personal preference, but i like the look of the 4th gens more

 

The nicer climate control stuff we get in the 4th gen, the auto close rear gate, were taken away in the 5th gen. Only the Limited model 5th gen gets the nicer instrument panel and AC controls.
The v8 4th gen is probably one of the most reliable engines Toyota has produced to date. Aside from the timing belt woes needing to replace it, those engines will run almost forever. Crazy reliable and crazy good on gas. If you run 3 tanks of 100% gasoline thru it you will likely see 22-23mpg by the middle to end of the 3rd tank. (it takes at least two tanks for the ECU to switch maps for the 100% gas) Friend has one and runs 100% gas and gets about 22-23 out of his. Run some seafoam thru it every year or two and those things stay clean and run great.

 

I've never heard about the 100% gas thing until this thread. Interesting. But probably no chance of that out here in CA.

I did edit my first post to include suspension as a pretty big expense. I had to replace my worn out OEM suspension and that was $2k+ for the Dobinsons IMS i put in.

 

yeah you’re not getting that out there. Gotta drive into Nevada to a terribles to get 100% gas.

 

V8 on the 4th Gen, that's all I got to say. I tried to find one but couldn't in the end.

 

Wow this is all fantastic information for sure! Thank you all for this! Definitely some thoughts to take into consideration here!

In my searching of the local market over the past couple weeks, I have noticed mostly higher mileage ones. One in particular that I looked at because it was so interesting was a 2005 that appeared to be done in a cement gray color. Now it had the v6 with 327,000 miles on it - but the bright side is it was very very clean inside and out and according to the CarFax, the oil changes were meticulously done every 3k to 5k miles on the dot. Very intriguing for only $6,500. Thought about low balling that one just to see what happened but that would be probably more suited for a build out than an everyday daily driver but who knows!

 

05 v6
325,000 miles
Hard pass
If it hasn’t cost somebody a set of head gaskets already, it’s due. Also a whole lotta other things likely due.
again, 2006+ would be what I would look for with an emphasis on 2008-2009

the shadow mica metallic is a gorgeous color. I almost got another 4th gen not long ago. Saw one at a dealer with 130,000 miles with immaculate paint. It was a gorgeous vehicle on the outside. Inside was destroyed though. Terrible owner who trashed it. Couldn’t get the dealer to come down off their high price. No deal.

 

I appreciate this greatly! This is good to know for sure. Gonna pass on that one no doubt now.

 

tough choice, I don’t think I could do it. but honestly 4th gen looks better everyday

 

In my neck of the woods, the decent condition, unmolested fourth gen supply is drying up. Every other fourth gen I see has 2" wheel spacers and flickering LEDs driven by a kid wearing a high-viz shirt.