New 70 series Landcruiser

I learned to drive stick in my brother's '87 Corolla FX16. I had a blast in that thing! 2nd car was an '85 Celica coupe (stick), 3rd was an '85 Supra I converted from auto to stick, 4th was an '87 MR2 (stick). My ex had a TC with a manual, and I also miss running around town in that.

I used to say I'd never drive an automatic. But, that V8 4Runner was so nice!

 

Thank you kindly. When I think of what the 4runner has been to me over the last few years, sometimes I get a little verklempt and it just falls out of me lol.

But, I’m curious…when I say the “pinnacle of 4x4 wagons”, I figuratively meant it in the most literal sense possible ( ). I actually do think it represents the peak of the art of 4x4 design and manufacturing.

Are you skeptical of the word pinnacle because it doesn’t roll off the tongue, or because a better 4x4 wagon has made it into your heart?

 

Allow me to acquaint you with the early ‘90’s Mercedes 300GE. Gray market. Unlike the G500, this thing is all business.

• 3-liter inline 6 (with an available diesel variant.)
• Full time 4WD.
• 3 locking diffs from the factory.
• Available in long or short wheelbase versions.
• Manual transmission available.
• Coil over solid axle, front and rear.
• Massive frame.
• Breathers for the axles, transmission, and T-case terminating with snorkels under the hood.

This is the pinnacle. Not the G500, mind you. That’s garbage.


This one was mine. Photo taken at Anza Borrego State Park…



Anyone who tells you that IFS is better because coil over solid axle has a harsh ride doesn’t know what they’re talking about.

 

I really like how these look, function, ride, feel, and the reliability. I would also love a Ferrari F40 but I could not deal with the feel, maintenance, and reliability. These bricks with wheels are nice in all the categories, maybe not the best of any one category, but they do everything you ask them to and they are stupid reliable doing it.

 

Yes. 4Runners are quite the jack of all trades. They’re great. I know because I own one. But Spaz and I were discussing the word “pinnacle.”

 

Litigation (the father of regulation) is a big gear in how the U.S. social machine works. It isn't worth the risk for auto makers to sell these salt-o'-the-earth vehicles that don't completely protect people from themselves.

 

See, in my mind ^^^ that vehicle is the pinnacle. When I live in Germany in the 1980's, and then when I was sent there in the 1990's, these things were everywhere. They were a favorite of: Hard core off roads, the military, first responders (ambulances & fire trucks), and farmers.

The only thing that beats it in the off road categories is a Unimog. The G-wagon is like the German 4Runner. Durable, practical, capable, easy to mod easy to fix (sometimes) and beloved by so many

 

You are all wrong, there is… but one true Pinnacle.




Edit: While the G-Wagen is being discussed, I found this to be a great read: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/2014/newsspec_8703/index.html

 

Pinochle

 

Don’t forget the Pinzgauer! But I consider the Unimog and the Pinz to be in a different category. Esoteric. Pure utility instead of sports utility. Although I’ve seen photos of some pretty cool Pinzgauer camper conversions.

 

Where is it now?

Do they last as long as 4Runners from the 80's and 90's?

 

If I read between the lines of your question I see “If the Gwagen is so great, why don’t you still have it?” And that’s a totally legitimate question.

My Gwagen was a gray market vehicle. There were very few in the U.S. at the time. The parts counter at the Mercedes dealership didn’t have the fiche for it, but I was able to lay my hands on a printed parts manual, and I would just go up to the parts counter with the part numbers in hand and place my order. This always made the counterperson nervous, Parts that were common to Mercedes sedans originally sold in the U.S. were easy to get within a day or so. But parts unique to the Gwagen had to be ordered from Germany and took weeks to get. But shortly after the G500 began to be imported, there was a change in the parts ordering system. Step one: provide the vin of the vehicle. The vin of my gray market vehicle was not in the MBUSA system, and suddenly I was unable to get parts. My 300GE came with a booklet containing the names and addresses of all the dealerships in the world where the vehicle could be serviced. My local dealership was listed in the book. The parts counterperson was unsympathetic as I frustratedly pointed out his dealership’s listing in the book. I ended up selling that vehicle.

I replaced it with a 1997 NAS Land Rover Defender Ninety. (NAS = North American Spec..) Between 1994 and 1997 only around 7000 Defenders were imported, and none after that. I bought mine around 2005. I drove it daily for many years. After the installation of front and rear air lockers (it came with full time 4WD and a center diff lock from the factory) it was almost as great off road as the Gwagen. Almost.

And while the frame was as beefy as the Gwagen’s, the body was tinny and the fit and finish was crude by comparison. But it would gobble up any trail I could throw at it and was extremely competent off road. But as it approached its 20th birthday, owing to its age and the low import numbers, parts became scarce, and there were enough parts specific to the NAS version that were simply not available, even from England. I ended up selling it to a restorer. For a couple of years I promoted my 1973 Volkswagen Thing to daily driver status. At that time Ford kept promising to release the new Bronco. And like Charlie Brown and the football I kept waiting for it. It was November of 2021 before I could actually see the new Bronco in a showroom. Seeing it in person was enough to crush that dream, and, already aware of the Jeep’s reputation, that same week I ordered my 4Runner, taking delivery in February of ‘22.

 

If you are OK with the same 4L V6 as we have in our 4runners you can still buy them in 2025.

In case you wonder Land Cruiser 300 also available with the same 4L V6.

 

I presume those are available somewhere other that the U.S.

 

A lot of people on this site are actively applauding and will resolutely defend the increasingly restrictive emissions standards that CARB and prior EPA wanted, as if 2024 4Runners' exhaust would cause 1960s era LA Smog to return(that they apparently all saw first hand), that's how incapable of independent thinking many people have become, as they drive around in their 1GR powered gross polluters.

 

the .ae in the url is a subtle giveaway, yes.

 

Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

 

How many vehicles are on the roads today compared to 60 years ago?

 

Yes, for 70 series with 4L v6 you have to look outside of USA. South America, Middle East, Africa, etc..

 

My 4Runner is already bare bones as it is No troublesome equipment like heated seats, sunroof, blindspot monitor, KDSS, XREAS...

 

Same. My 4Runner's plastic steering wheel still looks good after 16 years.

 

I will fully admit that is a grail vehicle. I remember your story about the parts situation and yours being disowned by MB. What they did is shameful.

What engine did yours have?

That’s a pretty epic write up. That combination of form-factor, capability, reliability, and durability can’t really be matched by any current North American market vehicle.

The closest contender is the Grenadier, but the fact it’s got very little history means it’s not proven. While the powerplant might be considered reliable, it’s complex and unlikely to be fixable in the field.

Four door Jeeps share the same form factor, but I’d be very hesitant on attempting anything like Otto did in that article. They’re also smaller inside due to the roll cage.

I still think that the 4runner is the pinnacle of 4wd wagons, but maybe I should have qualified it more carefully…it’s the pinnacle for our time. I know, seems I’m taking liberties with the word…since a mountain climber doesn’t get to define “pinnacle” as the highest point he was able to reach. So it may be more accurate to say the 5th gen is slightly downslope from the pinnacle, but not that far below it, and it’s higher than any other option currently available in my opinion.

A huge part of what makes it great (besides what I previously mentioned) is that it benefits from the advantages a tremendously long production run with very little changes. While it may not be as field-fixable as a the MB diesel in the linked article, it’s it’s probably the most durable and reliable powerplant, and the locked-in design means parts will be available for a long time.

The 4runner doesn’t have the legendary status like the 70 series, or the G-wagen, but I’m betting it will with time, especially when you consider the entire package of what makes it great.

Regardless, we should pour one out for the passing of the G-wagen.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjx0GVPHr04&pp=ygUSNHhvdmVybGFuZCBnIHdhZ29u

 

My ‘91 cabriolet (the black one above) had a 3 liter straight 6 gasoline engine. Before that I had a 1985 long wheelbase version. It had a 2.8 liter straight 6 gasoline engine. It had part-time 4WD and hydraulically actuated front and rear diff locks from the factory as well as all the other amenities mentioned above. Neither vehicle ever had a mechanical failure of any kind. The G500 is a different animal, with lots of electronics and miles of wiring. Not suitable for mission critical applications.

My first 4WD vehicle was a 1985 Toyota ExtraCab pickup. Heavy on capabilities but light on amenities. It performed admirably in spite of my clumsy off-road teething adventures. I imagine the new 70 Series would have a similar level of comfort and build quality.

The most disheartening thing is the Jeep situation. If Jeep could make a reliable vehicle I have to believe many of us would have forgone the 4Runner’s superior refinements in favor of the Wrangler’s superior capabilities. I would have.

 

I’d ditch my 4Runner for a new(ish) 70 series landcruiser in a heartbeat. Most of the comfort features of the 4Runner are irrelevant to me, I’d love a new truck similar to the FJ60 I had in the late 90s. Burly solid axles, mechanical lockers, manual transmission, tough as nails.. I’ve gotten soft as I’ve aged so AC is a must, but heated / cooled seats and steering wheels, zoned climate control, electronic traction control etc, isn’t a necessity it’s a luxury.

America has gone soft..