The mileage is pretty bad on the 4.7 V8, but it’s pretty nice to have when hauling or with a heavy load.Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinevibes
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The mileage is pretty bad on the 4.7 V8, but it’s pretty nice to have when hauling or with a heavy load.Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinevibes
My understanding of the 4.7 V8 is that what you spend in gas, you save in maintenance. Reliable AF from what I've read.
Can you imagine how much air time that thing has seen?Quote:
Originally Posted by uglymoney
There aren't any visible chips or cracks in the plastic front bumper, so I'd imagine I could.Quote:
Originally Posted by huckbucket
If that was located in a more rednecky location I'd guess it had been abused a bit.
Aftermarket generic higher flow muffler, I’m getting close to 14mpg. Was getting 11-12 mpg before....Quote:
Originally Posted by doebedoe
Oof. That's the kind of mileage I get in my truck with 3000 lbs of camper in the bed.Quote:
Originally Posted by bodywhomper
Yeah I’ve heard the same. And for our assumed mileage the 15 vs 20mpg hwy isn’t a deal breaker.Quote:
Originally Posted by doebedoe
That hertz rig is a good deal. Lots of I-70 miles that aren’t too concerning too me
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You could buy a brand new 4Runner in that trim level for ~$5k more than that one with 30,000 "it's a rental, why be gentle?" miles on it.
Also, as someone with a 5th gen 4Runner, it's too small a vehicle if you have kids. It's the perfect sized SUV for a couple, but they are far less spacious inside than the bloated body would have you believe. The back seat is cramped for anyone with legs, the headroom isn't great and the looong rear bumper both eats cargo space and makes what trunk area you do have a pain to fully utilize without getting your pants dirty.
With the lockers and off road package it is more like 40k plus tax for a new 4R. SR5 for 5k more that rental sure but then you don't have all the gadgets that make the 4R worth the compromise of having in the first place.
Also I think they are roomy as all hell for a vehicle that can tackle jeep trails with ease. With a box there is no family of 4 trip they can't tackle...as long as you can afford the stupid gas mileage penalty.
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You can get a TRD Off-Road for $37K or so if you don't want KDSS, and I don't believe the Hertz one has it. That's the TRD Off-Road, which was formerly the "Trail," that isn't a TRD Pro.
Okay probably fair. Back when I was pricing a Trail (now TRD) the one I needed was always just over 40k when I shopped it but I did want the disconnecting sway bar for all that cash...
Anyway 30k on a 4R odometer is nothing...even for a rental.
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To be fair, the cruiser hasn’t been on a open highway w/o being loaded down for a long time (maybe twice in the 5 years that I’ve owned it).Quote:
Originally Posted by toast2266
I've got a GX and an Outback right now. Compared to a 4Runner, the GX is the same length. It's just taller with more interior headroom. And you can just remove the third row jump seats if you're not using them.Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinevibes
We've got a 2004, which is nice because we have it without the NAV upgrade and some people report problems with the secondary air intake on the later VVT version of the engine.
I wish we had shopped around a bit more and found one with KDSS without the NAV upgrade. We are keeping it stock height, so KDSS would be nice to have.
The gas mileage sucks but it hauls kids and gear around without complaint. It wheels up and down pretty much anything without any fuss, even in stock form. We got it for pretty much the use case you have.
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Good stuff. Yeah I was looking at some earlier gen GX460s before they added the ridiculous grill. No 460s have removable 3rd row, just folding down “into the floor.”Quote:
Originally Posted by Sirshredalot
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Good good good, I like this. I think it would still be a nice space upgrade from our Outback/Alltrack reality, but I’m sure it won’t feel like that much.Quote:
Originally Posted by glademaster
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Our situation is slightly different. 3 kids, 9,9, and 11. Need to haul them, gear, cats, etc. to Mammoth every week.
For us the best compromise has been the VW Atlas. The thing is huge on the inside, way more passenger and cargo room than just about any 3 row SUV. With 2nd row captains chairs the twins are separated, 11yr old lives happily in the 3rd row which is big enough for an adult, especially with leg room in the middle of the 2nd row b/c of captains chairs. The driver assist has been awesome for our long road trips. The adaptive cruise works great all the way to complete stop. Atlas was had for mid 30's out the door. The other more pricey marginally nicer option is the Kia Telluride. Because they are more popular and newer hey are going for mid-40's it seemed like.
Compromises are the rather meh engine, meh gas mileage, and a bit of an austere interior, but it works for us.
The LC/GX,Tahoe, etc. all suck if you need to use the 3rd row. The 3rd row sits way close to the ground making it super uncomfortable. There is also zero luggage space behind the 3rd row. If you don't need the 3rd row, then you have tons of options.
2 adults. 3 kids. 3 50+ pound dogs.
Go.
ETA: I think the rare-ish occasions that we all need to go somewhere together, taking two fairly economical vehicles is the best answer.
Full size vanQuote:
Originally Posted by Mustonen
It must be families like yours that explains large SUVs I see with 2 large rocket boxes on top. Dogs really fuck up the storage in vehicles.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mustonen
Full size-van. You go down south in UT where the polygamists roam, and they all have them. Kinda similar but too many dogs is much better than too many wives.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trail Hawk
Buddy of mine has a Nissan NV. It looks kind of comically big, but for your situation it might actually make sense. It seems like it bridges the gap between a minivan and a full size 15 passenger van.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mustonen
You guys aren’t giving me anything I can sell to my girlfriend. She’s resistant to replacing her cute little SUV with a minivan or full size van. She seems to think that since all the kids and 2 of the dogs are mine I’m the one who should have to drive a GD van.
As if....
You could probably pick up a small box trailer for $3k or so. Keep the cute SUV, throw the kids and dogs in the trailer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mustonen
I drove a 2010 Outback before I bought my 4Runner, (and a Nissan Xterra before that, for the "#activelifestyle" trifecta; I just need a Taco and an Element for BINGO :rolleyes:) so I'm familiar with both vehicles. The cargo area in the OB is a couple/few inches longer than the 4R when you have the seats folded down, that difference is negligible with the backseats up. The biggest difference in cargo volume is the height of the cargo areas. The trunk is a lot taller in the 4R. The backseat of the OB is a lot more spacious than the backseat of the 4R. The wheelbases of the two vehicles are within an inch of each other IIRC.Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinevibes
One other thing to bear in mind is that your OB will feel like a sports car compared to the 4R. At the end of the day, it is a 25 year old design for a BOF vehicle with a high center of gravity, wallow-y stock suspension, 5 speed auto gearbox that is geared a smidge too tall, and the aerodynamics of a brick.
The OB was definitely more comfortable for long road trips, I did multiple 1000+ mile straight drives in that car, whereas after about 500-600 miles driving the 4R, I'm beat. It's noisier, gets pushed around my winds more, doesn't track quite as well (no putting it in cruise control and driving with a couple fingers on the wheel), and the seats aren't as comfortable(for me, everyone's back and ass are different).
However, a 4Runner is rather unique in that it's about 80% as comfortable as the OB on long trips, and about 80% as capable as a Jeep if you happen to be road tripping somewhere to do some off-roading/remote camping/whatever. Short of the LC/Range Rover class, there's no other vehicle better suited to say, driving from the PNW to Ouray, then spending a week wheeling down there before driving home.
Gas mileage is a weak point, I average about 18 mpg and that's driving around with just my 155 pound ass in the car.
If you're buying a new(ish) 4Runner, get a TRD Off-Road/Trail with KDSS, or get the Limited. KDSS improves the handling and stability significantly on the highway and in corners, while also allowing for increased articulation off-road at speed <12mph. It's a proven system and works well. Or splurge and get a Limited for the full-time 4wd courtesy of the Torsen center differential, which is just a downright awesome piece of automotive engineering.
Crew cab pickup. Get A real insulated dog box from a company like Mountain Top Custom Kennel or Ainley.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mustonen
What about a sportsmobile 4wd van?
The 100-series land cruiser has a nicer back seat than the outback or 4Runner.
Marginally nicer. The LC is yet another vehicle that isn't as spacious inside as one would think from the size and shape of the exterior. I know they have a cult following, but I think it's a little foolish to use a 15+ year old vehicle as a family road trip rig. Just my $0.02.Quote:
Originally Posted by bodywhomper
Idk about the 200-series, but the few additional inches in width on the 100-series in the rear seat area is noticeable compared to the 4Runner. Just me $0.02 :PQuote:
Originally Posted by glademaster
BUMP
What did you go with, Toast?
We're in a somewhat similar situation. Husband, wife, two kids (11 and 14), and a (future) medium-sized boxer dog. We'd like to replace my wife's Forester with something a tad bigger. We live at about 7,600' in Tahoe, where getting off our street after a winter storm can be challenging before the plows come. We'd also use the car 6-12x a year for moderate off-roading--i.e., not rock crawling, but just getting to certain trailheads with rough approaches. We don't particularly need a 3rd row, but cargo room for road trips would be nice. It must be AWD/4WD and have at least 8" of clearance. It need not be a full-on off-roader like the 4Runner, but we'd prefer that it have above-average soft-roading ability. Budget is about $40k or less, and while open to used, we'd prefer new.
Oh, and with the microchip issue affecting supply, it's a total seller's market, and many dealers are asking for several thousand more than MSRP on many models, like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade.
Highlander: We went in with this as the frontrunner, but were totally underwhelmed when we test drove it. This is mostly subjective, but we didn't like the console or the styling, and the driving felt bland. For better or worse, we just didn't like it.
Passport (EX-L): This might be our favorite. It's got a ton of space and a ton of features. And the V6 is surprisingly zippy and responsive (many report 0-60 in 5.7 secs). It also seems to fit the above-average soft-roading ability that we're looking for. If there's a downside, the styling inside and out is pretty utilitarian.
CX-9 (Touring): The interior is very nice and it drives incredibly well for a CUV. It feels like a luxury car. It's also pretty smart looking. But, while it actually has pretty good ground clearance (8.8"), it sounds like a below-average CUV off-road. (The front fairing kills the approach angle and looks precarious.) It also seems to have pretty mediocre cargo space.
Grand Cherokee (Laredo X): I like the looks and the simple, but high-quality feeling of the interior. The V6, while its on-paper numbers aren't special, is responsive at any speed. And while it doesn't have the off-road bells and whistles of the more expensive models, it's seems more capable than other CUVs. The downsides are it's limited cargo space and reputation for poor reliability.
Ascent: We plan to check it out, but the reviews seem mediocre.
Atlas: Ditto.
Telluride & Palisade: The reviews are spectacular, but they are hard to find and selling for well-above MSRP, and thus outside our budget.
You have a husband and a wife?
Passport or Pilot would be my pick.
AKB, we got an Ascent last fall. Competition was basically the same as yours.
I voted AWD Sienna because I love minivans. Wife wanted the Ascent. Highlander was surprisingly underwhelming.
Three-rows is great for hauling many humans. Fold-down back for more cargo - you know the drill.
What's your other car/truck/van/moto? That should play a role in what you get.
Also, the Lithia Reno Subaru dealership sucked balls. Certainly the worst buying experience I've ever had - kind of amazing when you're spending $40k+ to be treated so poorly. So yeah, fuck that place.
Come on by and drive it sometime.
Love my Grand Cherokee V6 ltd.
Will probably replace it in three years with a CPO off lease of the very last current models before they go to third row seating.
I'd recommend getting the quadra trac option if you can. Amazing the difference it makes in snow mode.
Spent a lot of time in them in bad weather, long road trips and on FS roads which convinced me to buy my current one.
Thanks, bud. I am curious about the Ascent. Did you try the Passport? Was the 3rd row the deciding factor?Quote:
Originally Posted by meter-man
My daily driver is a 2017 CR-V, which is utilitarian but pretty ideal for my daily Tahoe-to-Reno-and-back commute. The turbo, MPG, features, and space are nifty all things considered. But I've pushed it to the brink of its off-roading and deep-snow fording abilities and find myself wanting just a little more. It's the missus's call ultimately, but it'd be nice to have to have something that would afford a little more access to certain trailheads. And for family road trips, it'd be nice to have a little more space. If I could, I'd try to talk her into a 4Runner, but she wouldn't want it and 4Runners are stupid expensive these days.
Totally agree about Lithia Subaru. And, for that matter, Reno dealerships in general. I didn't get great service from Reno Honda's service department on my CR-V. And when I was shopping, they refused to budge on their pricing at all, which was $3,000 more than in the Sacramento area for similarly equipped CR-Vs.
Edit: I too like minivans, but I'd want one with AWD and more than the usual ground clearance. Also, we generally haul our skis inside, so have a split-bench rear seat rather than captains chairs seems preferable.
Honda Pilot
Acura MDX
As far as I can make out, while the two are closely related, the Pilot's only real advantage over the Passport is the third-row seating, which we don't really need. But it' ground clearance is almost an inch lower, and it somehow has less cargo space (perhaps because of the space taken by the third row) despite being 6" longer.Quote:
Originally Posted by bodywhomper
MDX looks nice but it out of our price range. And I'm annoyed that Acura discontinued the Integra, which was a great car. :D
The idea of leasing a GC (I've never leased a car before) has occurred to me. The Trailhawk looks sweet, but it's sadly out of my price range.Quote:
Originally Posted by PNWbrit
My aunt got an explorer a few months ago and has great things to say bout it.
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If I were you and you liked the GC the most, I'd get a 1 year used that just came off a 1 year lease. They have less than 15000 miles, are under 40000 for even the trail hawk edition and some even come with a CPO warranty which gives you 2 years on the original warranty and whatever else they would add on. Even if it isn't CPO you can use the money you saved getting one used and I'd definitely recommend an extended warranty, my history with Jeep isn't great but I have friends that have never had any issues.
I ain’t got much: https://www.motortrend.com/features-...ns-comparison/Quote:
Originally Posted by AKbruin
I haven’t looked closely between the different models, but Acura/Honda have two different AWD systems. It may be worth understanding which models have which system. A friend had complained to me about driving the 9 speed Honda’s in hilly mountain terrain, stating that it’s always hunting for the right gear.
Question for some, how do you pack for long camping trips with mid/large dog with CUV/SUC? Dog in the 2nd row with the kids or dog in the back with the gear? With my 3 kids and a 75-80 lb lab/hound, the dog is on an elevated platform in the back, camping gear in the back next to and under the dog platform, a long skinny roof box and on the roof rack. That’s in a 1999 land cruiser.