Thinking about getting a 4Runner

[rcav8r]

Looking for some oppinions from some owners. I need to replace my car as I'v been towing a trailer and although the car pulls and stops it just fine, I'm about 300# over the legal limit for the car.
The car is a 96 Maxima. LOVE it. Gobs of power, nice and solid, and has yet to have a single problem... Just changed the original front brakes at 93K and this is with pulling a trailer. Really hate to get rid of it, but I need something that will tow better.

Have narrowed my choice to
4Runner - 4WD SR w/ sunroof
Nissan Murano: Great Power, and handeling, but looks butt ugly. Little pricy.
Honda Pilot: Nice ride, great interior room. Handels good for it's size, but just OK in general. No sunroof option.

I really don't need the off road capabilities of the 4runner, but it rides a lot better than I though ti would, and there are so many little nice things about it. And as an added bonus the price is a bit less than the others. I initally went to look at the Highlander and ended up liking the 4Runner a lot better. I prefer the V6 as opposed to the 8. WIll get 4WD as we don't get all that much snow around here, but enough that I plow it with the front of the car on occations. I don't want a 3rd row seat.

Questions:
Of the 2 dealers I asked one said I need premium gas, and the other siad no need. Which is it?

What kind of real world milage do you guys(gals) get? I'm used to getting 30-32 mixed. I'm sure I won't get that, but 17 would be kinda disappointing.

Do the 2004s have a timing chain or belt? From reading a few posts, it looks like a chain, but the dealers here can't confirm.

Anything you don't like about it?
Anything to look out for?
What makes it stand out?


THANKS in advance.

[Brian R.]

I don't own one, but I can answer some of your questions from reading:

"Of the 2 dealers I asked one said I need premium gas, and the other said no need. Which is it?"

Premium is necessary for optimum performance, but the truck runs fine on lower octane gas.

"Do the 2004s have a timing chain or belt?"
The 2004 V6 has three timing chains. No timing belt.

"What makes it stand out?"
1. It has a truck chassis vs others who have unibody construction (car-like with no chassis frame rails). The chassis construction gives much higher strength for towing without damage (vs unibody) since the tow rig is bolted to the frame. I feel the chassis construction will last longer with heavy towing than a unibody construction.

2. As you mentioned, the ride is reportedly great for a frame-constructed vehicle.

3. The V8 engine is a tried and true high quality reliable truck engine.

4. The V6 transmission is a tried and true high quality reliable truck transmission.

Personally, I would buy it with a V8 engine since it is proven cast-iron truck engine. The V6 has an aluminum block which is potentially not as sturdy as an iron block. The proof is in the pudding, however and the V6 may turn out to be as sturdy as the V8. I would buy the proven engine with the V8 torque and iron block, particularly if I was towing. The trade-off is the V6 transmission is an older proven design and the V8 transmission is only a year old (new to the 4th generation 4Runner). Even so, I would buy (and have considered buying) the V8 over the V6 since my bias is toward proven engine reliability vs proven transmission reliability. To each his own bias.

"What to look out for?"

Test drive the exact vehicle you intend to buy as long as you can with some significant thottle (don't kill the new engine ). Make sure it doesn't have as strong obnoxious smell from the exhaust. Some do (unknown frequency of occurance) owing to the low-emissions catalyst and sulfur in the gasoline. The smell most often is noticed after hard driving and then pausing at a traffic light. In the affected vehicles, it probably occurs continuously under hard throttle, but it is most noticable when standing still afterward so that the wind doesn't carry the smell away. Also, don't buy the dealer excuse that it will go away with time. It may not and you may not find a brand and quality of gas that makes it go away. I have smelt this odor and it is really obnoxious. I would not own a vehicle that smelled like this. Fortunately, it seems most of the 4Runners do not smell strongly enough to notice.

JMHO

[AndroT100]

I recommend purchasing the 4runner 4x4. I have an 03 Sport 4x4 V8. You only get the smell if you drive around with the back window open. Also, it seems to have diminished over time. Real mpg's from the V8 is 16.5 with mixed driving. I have gotten 19.5 on long highway trips. The V6 from most accounts doesn't get much better than this...maybe 1 or 2 extra mpg. The 5 speed trans with the V8 is fantastic. This drivetrain is wonderful...smooth, fast, quiet and it has been said, the engine is proven. I recommend the Sport Edition so you can get XReas. This option is very effective for better on-road handling. I have driven both my Sport with XReas and and LTD without for thousands of miles and the Xreas really makes a difference.

From reading in forums, I have learned that the V6 in the 04s might be better than the early 03s. It isn't a proven engine yet. It is not as quiet as the V8, and in my experience, not as smooth.

Definitely drive both...good luck with your decision.

[G5gyrl]

My understanding is that the V8 is a proven engine, since it's also in a Lexus model, and has been for quite some time.

I got the V6 though, I just don't need a V8.

Another difference is that the V8 is fulltime 4wd. If you're going to tow, get the V8.

[dickman]

You should seriously consider the V8 over the V6. Consumer reports did a report and gives the V6 all black marks for being a problematic engine. (first time ever for a Toyota) The V8 in contrast is highly touted and recommended over the V6.

[Brian R.]

Consumer reports is full of shit

[G5gyrl]

I have yet to see the CR black marks. I really haven't found much negative stuff on the V6, no more than any other car. But if you're going to tow just get the V8.

[dickman]

I wish it wasn't so but sadly it is. Basically the black dot applies to the V6 '04 for engine reliability. I wish they had been a bit more specific as to the problems they thought it had. Consumer Report's frequency of repair ratings are based on their annual survey of all their subscribers. It is a highly respected source of that kind of information that is available to the general public and whether you like their ratings or not they have an uncanny ability to be "right on the money". This was on page 141 a couple of months ago in one of their review issues.

[4Runner03]

I have a 2003 SR5 4WD V8 that i purchased in August. I love it. I have experienced no troubles with it except the sulfur smell with the rear window down. The smell occurs normally after 2000 or so RPMs. If you drive it hard you will smell it with the rear window down, otherwises you will have no problem.

I also was looking at the Honda Pilot when i was searching. It was very impressive on the safety front. What i didn't like was the all wheel drive system. It is an electronic 4wd drive system that is actually always 2wd until the sensors show it needs 4wd and then it kicks in. I didn't like that. I wanted all time 4WD.

As for the gas mileage: ranging between 15.5mixed and 18.5 h/w. The 15.5 is because i kind of have a lead foot.

Oh yeah, I run it with only regular unleaded. The website says premium but the manual says 87 octane and to use 91 or better for better performance.

Also, I reccommend the V8 over the V6 for the reliability issues that have come up. Also, the V6 is louder because the engine is having to work harder to drive the same weight. Also, the V8 has 320 ftlbs of torque which is a huge advantage in the towing department.

All in all, go for the 4wd Runner over the competition. Which 4runner you get is up to you. I reccommend the V8, though.

[Brian R.]

The number of complaints in the short-term in an unproven engine cannot usually be used to predict long-term reliability. There is no relationship between complaining owners of a new vehicle and long-term engine reliability unless there are engine failures (which there are not). If CR cannot figure that out and insert an appropriate disclaimer, they better stop putting out short-term reports.

I think the increased engine noise in the V6 comes from the timing chains, not from needing to work harder. There is very little difference between the performance of the two vehicles.

[weasie]

I have a 2003 4runner V6 which was made in June last year. I have
no problems with it and I have 20,000K's on it. The engine is very
quiet. I took a friend out for a drive (he has a Mazda Tribute) and he
going to turn the engine on and I said it was. He couldn't believe
it. I have no idea what the Consumer Report is talking about. I think
that they won't stick there neck out on anything new. They did give
the engine a full red circle.

I have had 2 other 4runners before. A 1986 sr5 4X4 pickup and a
1990 SR5. The 1990 I just traded in for my 2003 and was very happy with it and the service I got from Toyota. The headgasket
(normal for the 1990-95) went but then the whole engine had to be
rebuilt which Toyota paid for after 6 years of driving.

Good Luck

[4Runner03]

Originally Posted by Brian R.

I think the increased engine noise in the V6 comes from the timing chains, not from needing to work harder. There is very little difference between the performance of the two vehicles.

You have a better idea than i do when it comes to specific performance issues. Isn't it true that the engine Is working harder to to give the same performance as the bigger engine? Whether that would create more noise, i'm not sure.

[Brian R.]

What would really determine the engine noise under normal conditions (not full throttle) is the throttle setting necessary for obtaining the wheel torque desired. The seat-of-the-pants feel (wheel torque) for power/acceleration is the engine torque at any particular speed coupled with the final drive ratio (transmission + rear end).

If you compare the torque curves of the two engines (assuming a similar final drive ratio), I doubt you will find significant differences anywhere along the curve (1000 - 2500 rpm) that would cause a noticeable difference in engine sound. Any difference in torque between these two engines at normal speeds is probably negated by the difference in weight between the V6 and V8 vehicles (4300 vs 4500 lbs).

The displacement difference between these two engines is not that important since they are both truck engines and designed to give alot of low-end torque for towing and lugging.

The old saying that "there is no replacement for displacement" is talking about the potential for getting maximum horsepower out of an engine when you are comparing a 5 vs a 7 liter engine. This is not very important for these truck engines with very similar displacements (~15%).

JMHO

[VTISC007]

I have an '88 4Runner V6, I could only wish it was one of those new V8's. I also have an '04 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD 4X4 6.0L V8 with 4.10 gears plenty-o-torque. I could tow a boat uphill and barely know it's there.

My brother owns an '04 4Runner V8 sport edition, he loves it and I'm thouroughly impressed.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, VEE EIGHT!