Looking for insight from those who left a v8 and came to the 4Runner

I had nano-second of “I could trade my 23 for this LC” flash through my mind but then realized the lure of this LC was more of an ego-look-at-me thing (which is not reason enough to buy any car, IMHO). I love my Runner and will hang onto my cash until it’s time to buy my retirement ride in 8 to 10 years. By then, who knows what there will be to chose from. I’m skeptical of EV and turbo hybrids but I’ve got plenty of time for Toyota to work out the kinks on the 6th gen before I will be in the new car market again.

 

Same with me! It crossed my mind until I looked in the mirror and was like wtf are you thinking even considering having that much tied up in a year round daily hauler??

Honestly, even the 4runner is completely unnecessary and overkill for what I need, but it’s reasonable and I love it. I’d replace my Type R with a 997 GT3 before I dump $100K into a daily driver SUV just so I can have a V8 LC.

 

Spot on assessment of the LC200 and GX460. My other vehicle is a ‘21 LC Heritage Edition and it’s on a different level in terms of build quality.

I recently helped my parents purchase a ‘23 GX460 Blackline in Nori Green. It’s a fantastic vehicle and silky smooth. Likely the last vehicle they’ll ever buy.

The 4R feels more truck like and visceral. The 6 cylinder gets the job done and it’s still a very fun vehicle to drive.

Can’t go wrong with any of these trucks. And totally agree, these vehicles are meant for long term paid off ownership.
Not leasing. I probably don’t need to buy another vehicle ever, and I intend to pass these down to my kids who are currently 4 and 1.

 

Woah woah…..please give us a NSFW warning next time you post a sexy pic like that!

Man, what a lineup. 3 best Toyota trucks in my favorite colors all in one driveway lol very cool, congrats.

 

Welcome to the 4Runner family. Of what use will the V8 be when the truck is that high? I just put on the BP51 and 285/75/R17s. The power from the 4.0L is good enough for this truck, it purrs and moves. If you want power and fun, then get a Grand Cherokee with the Hemi and 8 spd.

 

i too came off a v8 truck, 2010 f150 that has way better low end that these engines BUT a peddle commander is what you need. i run mine in sport mode and its a night and day difference. no noticeable fuel mileage change. 17.2 city

i kept my f150 as well because there are some things you just need a pick up for. haha

 

My opinion the 4.0 has plenty of power for the 4runner. It doesnt haul ass but it moves. Now if you are going from a supercharged v8 to a naturally aspirated v6 then you should come into this expecting it to be much slower than youre used to. Just expect that. Realize that the 4runner wasn’t designed to be a muscle car.

 

very true but with the stock programming on the gas peddle, they are pathetic. almost dangerous if you have to merge quickly into traffic.

tuned up that 4.0 scoots pretty good for a 4500 pound rig

 

I actually like the way it drives stock. Its actually really smooth and easy to drive. Never had any trouble merging into traffic. I honestly dont think the 5th 4runners needs a tune. Not like the 3rd gen tacoma does.

 

by tune i just mean the peddle commander. all it does is accelerate the the gas peddle ratio. it doesnt change the fuel map.

ya i get it though. my buddy bought a 6.2L raptor that came with a peddle commander. the ford has the same deal as the 4r, a slow peddle curve for fuel. they are pretty doggy off the line for a 400 HP engine with 4.10 gears. the PC makes it into a monster. i love driving it that way. he, on the other hand, drives it in econo mode because he can't handle the increase in sensitivity and likes it smoother like you.

preferences, that all. i'm just glad they made those. otherwise i'm not sure how long this relationship would last. haha

 

No yeah i get it, im like your buddy i dont like a touchy sensitive throttle.

 

I had one on my 20 AG pro and sold it right away. Did not like it. I preferred it stock. I also mentioned my 23 feels quicker than my 20 did. Not missing my V8 at all.

 

The value is driving it 300k miles and only buying a gas station a little at a time passing parts stores. It's a real 4wd and isn't designed for power. They could have left 4:10s in it with 6 speed would probably get mid 20s. I think it's about how much co2 your pumping at speed now. It's nice knowing you're not limited to terrain, interstate medians, curbs, access roads, muddy trails, no problem. Really the value is in keeping it for life. A Pedal Commander makes a big difference in throttle response and mileage but I only run in City mode. You can supercharge the 4runner. If I bought new I might, but I buy used and get same vehicle at half price. $7000 isn't worth what power it makes to me. Intake, exhaust, Pedal Commander works well. Made more for torque off road and reliability 4.0. Sequoia if you want to tow the family house behind you.
.

 

I used to run mine in City +4 but it is too sensitive. Just City 0 now and transmission is not as confused. It just increases throttle response by nano seconds but makes a difference in response. Borla exhaust, intake, electric fan, Jet MAF and mine runs well. Amazing how free and fast engine revs with no clutch fan. 19-24 mpg so far. I could do better on longer trip.

 

AT 4 is about only thing GM makes that looks good, but I don't buy their products. They quit making good cars in 1973. I think vehicles are just to overpriced for something to drive period nowadays

 

That’s a bit extreme I think. I’ve never felt unsafe merging into traffic, even with 4 people in the truck and fully loaded with luggage. And I drive in the NY/NJ area where the drivers are basically sadistic maniacs.

 

So can’t thank everybody here enough for offering up feedback. After digging in to BMW maintenance and issues out of warranty, that’s a hard pass at this point. Overarching opinion seems to be never own a BMW out of warranty. I want this next vehicle to be with me for a long long time. With that being said, I just can’t trust these new GM motors. They just haven’t figured out the DFM stuff. They just suck at it and it’s just a ticking time bomb from the jump. Maybe you get lucky maybe you don’t. It’s bad when you are calling for extended powertrain warranty options just to try and justify a purchase. Add on top of that it’s 25k more expensive than the TRD Pro I am waiting on, I just can’t go that route. I am going to go all in here and roll with the 4Runner. Magnuson in the back pocket. Lol. Really want the last year of the 5th gen and add on a one year color, I will take it. Really think the Underground color is going to look great on the 4Runner. Thanks again everybody for all of the feedback here. Keep it coming too. It’s extremely helpful.

 

I work my gas pedal to upshift and downshift. In town I use manual 4th or on interstate ramp. They are long winded once you get right gear, but then mine runs really well with mods I guess. I drove with PC turned off. Just had to get a little deeper in the pedal. Mine feels like a sport runner now

 

I know what you mean. I has a Hemi Ram and got 25 mph on highway. However something about just starting and going and starting and going and going and no replacing parts. 4runner always starts and runs. I really appreciate the quality of the build over the long haul taken care of. Materials hold up better. No domestic electrical or transmission problems. Take care of it and keep it a lifetime. I drive the piss out of mine at 10 years old and think nothing about it. I just maintain it. To me it's having it paid for and no payment for next 30 years. I made more money totalling my 3rd gens from insurance than I paid with almost 300k on them. You pay more for Toyota up front but what you save is a lot. Resale is always high too

 

At least their behavior is predictable. When my wife is along, I play this game where I say "that guy is going to ...", and I rarely guess wrong. There are a lot of places where the most common driving styles bother me more than NY/NJ.

 

I'm used to dealing with people with no license and insurance driving around a curve in middle of the road. I moved a county over and everyone is so courteous and polite driving I might get past 300k without totaling this one. Having hard time with front bumper cover. On second one and killed deer with it last night so 3 in year. I'll take if it did get worse.

 

I came from Land Rover V8s in old Discovery's.....oh wait....you said big power V8s.

 

That’s good defensive driving on your part. I also ride a motorcycle, so it’s become second nature for me to predict the stupid actions of other drivers. Sometimes I play a game while riding that I call, “who’s going to try to kill me today.”

That said the 4R can get up and go when it needs to. It has enough power to get me out of potentially bad scenarios if needed.

 

I had a 2012 Nissan Titan V8 before this. Once is did a full exhaust and running it was a beast. Nothing but power and utility......and frequent trips to every gas station i came to.

I do miss it sometimes. But it's a give and take.

 

I traded in my 2004 4Runner on a 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T with the Hemi engine. It was a beautiful car and I equated owning it to having a gorgeous boyfriend that slapped me around once a month and took all my money. The upkeep on those Hemi engines (if you’re doing it right) is ridiculous and expensive. And, it being a Dodge, was in the dealership for warranty work 50+ times in five and half years (I still have the paperwork).

The only time I miss it is when I’d like to pass multiple cars on the highway. Everything else is fine with the 4Runner, you just have to adapt.

 

I've often said that if my 4Runner had the same engine as does my F150 (3.5 twin-turbo Ecoboost) it would be just about the perfect vehicle. The Ecoboost puts out essentially twice the torque of the 4.0 in the 4Runner, and does it at a much lower RPM. I didn't realize how effortlessly it pulled the mountain passes around here until I got the 4Runner and felt it struggle on the same roads.

But that's highway driving. I bought the 4Runner for back country touring, not highway trips, and for the outback the 4Runner's engine is just fine.

 

LOL..no one would buy a 4runner then! atleast not the guys that currently own one. those are shit motors for longevity....and i'm a big ford guy. just not the turbo gassers.

 

Not been my experience and not a problem I'm hearing about on the F150 forums. My truck is now 7-1/2 years old and has never been in the shop for any reason. And this with a truck that spends a lot of its time with a trailer hooked behind it. All I do is change oil/filters and rotate the tires.

 

That's the way the auto industry is going though. Toyota's 4.0 V6 is one of the last naturally aspirated engines in a new vehicle these days with the only other ones I can think of are Ford's 5.0 V8 and. GM's 5.3 and 6.2 V8s. GM's 3.6 V6 is going away as well.

 

how many miles on it?

maybe you got a good one because i've seen plenty of opposite stories.