I've about had enough of my Jeep- it's starting to nickel and dime me to death. I love the looks but the reliability is killing me. About the only other suv that interests me is the 4-runner. I've never owned one, but I've owned several Toyotas and love their reliability. What I'm wondering is will I still be able to do the same things in a 4-runner that I can do in my Jeep? I don't do any serious off-roading only going to the outerbanks of N.C. and driving on the beach. It's not like driving on Daytona beach or anything the sand can get pretty deep (I've driven right by a brand new Hummer being pulled out by a wrecker). I guess what I'm saying is I know I will answer the reliability problem in a big way by going back to Toyota, but will I just have an overpriced station wagon or will I still be able to have fun?

Iv'e had 2 Jeeps, a CJ5 I built for serious wheeling and an XJ I kept stock. A Toy can do anything a Jeep can and viceversa. I used to wheel both the CJ5 and my Toy p/u on the beach at Assateague Island. The key to beach wheeling is a non aggressive tire and airing down. You want to float on top, not dig in.

Assateague Island - Isn't that like mosquitos from hell?

never owned a jeep but my last truck was a 2000 dodge dakota, owned it since new, had 28000 miles on it and was 4 years old and went to a 97 runner with 75000 on it when I bought it and at 75000 it was better than the dodge at 100 miles new!

I appreciate the comments but I think what was most telling was the LACK of responses to this question. What I mean is on the Grand Cherokee forum I think there is so many people using the forum because they are having problems that the responses to this question would have been three or four pages long by now. I mean most people turn to these forums as an aid or to try and get advice (or in Jeep owner's case as therapy) because their vehicles are so unreliable. I'm thinking that there are less users on this site because the Toyota's are so bulletproof. Maybe I'm wrong about that but time will tell because in about a month or two I plan to be a Toyota owner again. I plan to start looking for a 01 or 02 model 4-Runner. Anything you guys think I should know in advance? Thanks for the advice.

Hold out for a cream-puff. There are alot of used 3rd gen. 4Runners out there. No sense in buying one that has seen hard use or been modified in a way that bothers you.