What car did you almost get instead of your 4Runner?

If Toyota had solid axles and triple locked like the 80 series I'm ready to pay $85k. What we have now with 200 series hell NO...!!

 

Specifically went for the 4R. After countless Jeeps and Tacoma trucks, I sold one of each (2004 Jeep Rubicon & 2013 Tacoma TRD 4x4) to buy the 2019 Off Road.

 

I only wanted another 4Runner this time, but when I was replacing my previous 4Runner I considered a Lexus GX, a Jeep Wrangler (because I wanted three pedals), and ultimately bought an Outback which was a bad decision

 

Outback Wilderness seem to getting lot of love because of the re-tuned cvt. Though I'm not a big fan of those I love the STi. It was such an awesome car for the price. The suspension was little firm but that manual trans was bloody awesome...!!

 

I wanted a Tacoma first starting around 11/20. After much research, I switched to wanting a 4R around 01/21. Undecided whether I wanted a ORP or a Pro until 03/21. At that point I wanted a Pro. MGM color originally and then warmed up to the LR color. Luckily, I had a 2021 LR Pro fall in my lap 05/21. I am very happy with how this played out and feel very fortunate to have a 2021 Lunar Rock Pro. Five months and 7,200 miles in - very pleased!

 

Yeah, I almost bought an 80 series way back, when I sold the Defender. I think what you buy depends on what you want to do with the truck. I have friends with a mildly modified 200 series, it kept up with me in the Rubicon without issue. Is it worth the money? That's up to each individual. Wasn't for me.

 

I changed my mind several times..

In 2017, I was actually looking to buy a Nissan 370z. I ended up deciding that replacing my '03 4Runner was more important. I bought a '15 Tacoma in March of '17, and almost immediately regretted it. It was a great truck, but I missed my wagon. It took almost 2 years, but I got back into a 4Runner. I managed to have plenty of fun in the Taco while I had it, though.

 

SRT8 Jeep. Yes it scratches a totally different itch, but my reticence about displacement on demand spilled over into my giving her my input on a vehicle. New they were (for us) prohibitively expensive so used was a no-go. My wife has only owned two other cars and never a truck so this was a very new experience for her (I have had several 2500 series trucks so I loved the road feel of the 'runner)

Frankly I love driving her 4R and if I could afford one for a daily I would do it. Then again working from home four days a week really makes even have a second car for the winter hard to justify. I (and more importantly she) am/is very happy with her decision. Just got an email from the dealer for the one year anniversary of her buying it.

-J

 

Landcruiser Heritage Edition (but couldn't find one in the only acceptable color -- black).

 

Trabant

 

The Outback I had was great in many ways but the “iPad” dashboard conked out on a near daily basis, which drove me nuts

 

I had this basic one on the Ascent and it was good to me for the short time I had it.

 

Tacoma, but rear seating too tight so not good for family hauling; used FJ but prices too high with reasonable miles on odometer, and less cargo space than the CR-V that was our daily driver.

4Runner was only vehicle with off road chops that could also haul our gear without needing to buy a trailer.

 

I ordered a Bronco Sport in March. It's been built minus one chip since June. ETA now is 12/24.

4Runner was out of my price range back in March. I decided that if my savings towards a down payment reached the level that put a 4Runner in reach, I'd check one out.

I didn't intend to buy the 4Runner, but a test drive and they had a red one....

 

Bought a 2021 Outback in April ---- sold it 5 months later in September ---- then purchased a 2021 TRD ORP. The Outback had some fit and finish issues.

 

Tahoe. But a bit too big, more than a bit too expensive similarly equipped, and of course less confidence inspiring on the reliability front. While I hadn't intended to do any serious off roading, the fact that the 4Runner could do that, while checking all the other boxes, was icing on the cake.

Thought briefly about a Sequoia, but had the same price and size problem as the Tahoe. That said, if Toyota would swap me a 2020 Sequoia with 12K miles for my 2020 4Runner with 12K miles, I admit I'd be very tempted. I couldn't say the same for the Tahoe.

Thought briefly about the Passport and the Kia Telluride. But let's be serious. They're nice but they ain't trucks. If I wanted a car I'd buy a sports car, not a jacked up family station wagon.

 

1a) T4R TRD Pro (better ruck tomorrow!)
1b) T4R Nightshade (got heem)
2) Tundra
3) A short little yellow bus

 

Gave the Jeep Gladiator a look. But overall preferred the reliability,, interior and usable space of the 4R.

 

Wanted to buy new, considered the following until I ultimately chose my 4Runner:

- Ram 1500
- Wrangler Rubicon
- Outback XT
- STI

 

Mostly small pickups Tacoma/canyon/Ridgeline. My primary goal is a to tow 2,400lb aluminum fishing boat to Lake Erie.

I had 90s Explorer packed in spring with fishing gear and left in garage until I wanted to go (single dude with spare car)

The pickups even small ones took up a lot more space in garage with lawn/snow blower. I wanted a full frame for safely towing.

The new Explorer looks to familyish and quality sucks. Grand Cherokee reviews not great and so I picked 4Runner.

I also looked at Yukon but thought it was overkill. Now that I read these threads may go to upper peninsula and do some exploring as well. Just need to take time off to go.

After learning of 4R durability I thought why not buy this and it will be my recreational vehicle into retirement and I am only in mid 40s lol.

Now that I work from home even my Accord may be my retirement everyday car..as long as we can buy gasoline anyway in future

 

This was back in 2016 when I got my 4Runner.

1) Ford f150, could not find a 4x4 V8 with crew cab. went through a lemon law on my taco, so ordering was out of the question.

2) Ram 1500, could not get exactly what I wanted at the time

3) Toyota Tundra, no 4x4 crewmax. ( I lived in Fl at the time 80% of trucks are 2wd)

3) Taco, it was new and all the tranny issues were huge at the time

4) super white trail (now trd off-road) with all black interior, which was rare at the time, and got 10k below msrp. I had a check from Toyota and they did not want me to take that else where.

 

Never even considered any other vehicle.

 

I had a 2008 Tacoma that was great and after I sold it with 165k miles (Got about 65% back from what I paid new) I was considering a new 3rd gen tacoma. However since I have a dog the 4runner was more practical and since it still has the bulletproof 4.0 engine, test drove it and was a lot more comfortable and better built than the tacoma.

 

Range Rover. Couldn’t justify the price of ownership.

 

This was me as well.
I searched ONLY for three vehicles:
---FJ Cruiser but ONLY the ones with a stick (unicorns think these are rare)
---Land Cruiser
---4Runner

After two months of searching nationwide for all three, and my budget of $30k, it had to be a 4Runner.

The FJ's, while amazing and fun, weren't as roomy as the 4R. That was the only downside.
The Land Cruisers all had a minimum of 125k on them, which didn't scare me. But their pricing was always at $30k or higher.

I'm happy with my Trail Premium, needless to say.

 

1) Ford Explorer Sport 3.5L Ecoboost -Loved the power and fun to drive but visibility all around was terrible. What broke the deal was the large hump on the left foot area which made it very uncomfortable to drive.

2) Highlander - Comfortable but boring to drive. Wife did not like it because it was a soccer mom mobile that everyone had.

 

I had a 2012 Tacoma before the Runner. I was pretty set on getting a new Taco when I went to the dealer. The wifey asked me "have you looked into the 4runners? They look cool and It'll probably be a better family car..." I looked over at a lifted one they had there and I was set on it lol.

 

Was set on a Tundra double-cab 4x4 SR5 in Cavalry blue, brand new and on sale for $33k. But, I had a large 100 lb. best friend at the time and the Tundra would only seat two with my big dummy in the back. Then I realized that for 98% of what I do, the 4Runner was better.

Took mine for a test drive, which was one of three on the lot, and fell in love. Had to pay $36k for it, but it's worth more than that now. Of course, I will never see another new Tundra on the lot for under $40k again, unfortunately.

 

Tacoma with manual transmission. Still kind of want one, but I don’t really need a pickup. I wish they’d offer a manual on the 4R.

I considered reserving a Bronco too and am now glad I didn’t.

 

I wanted a manual Wrangler Rubicon but wife said no to the manual. I had a '15 4R Limited and was hesitant to go from one 4R to, well, the exact same 4R but I'm glad I did. I love my '21 Venture much better than the '15 Limited or the '06 Sport I had. I still wanted a Wrangler and was strongly leaning diesel Rubicon but then discovered the Wrangler didn't have rear curtain airbags. That and Jeep *refused* to allow me to order a Rubicon without their $4,000 xTreme Recon package which I did NOT want. So I bought another 4R and love the new one. I put some KO2's on it and am super happy.