4th gen 4runner vs 100-series cruiser?

ppdd

New member
I've got 3 kids (2, 6 and 9). We're serious rock climbers and put in a lot of miles with a load of tent camping and climbing gear. At some point upgrading to a small camper, so towing will matter soon enough. We're not out there looking to see how far we can go without getting stuck, but definitely need something that travels well and does OK well off the beaten path. Lots of time on forrest service roads in the UP of Michigan, what passes for roads in Kentucky's Red River Gorge, probably a big climbing trip out to SD/CO/WY/UT next summer, etc.

A recently purchased '01 LX470 w/ 94K on it is turning out to be a huge mistake. Everything was great until I noticed the sway bar mount was weirdly rusty. Hit it with a hammer and it popped off entirely. Dropped the under tray and found a line of mildly bubbled paint where the plastic under tray sat, right under that sway mount. After an hour with a wire wheel, I'd uncovered a completely perforated frame rail. The weld on the bottom is rotted out along 18 inches. It looks like the A/C discharge somehow got into the frame and rotted it from the inside. 20 years in Michigan and I've never seen anything like it. Let alone on a $80,000 vehicle. :(

Assuming Lexus doesn't offer me some sort of happy outcome, I'm going to have it welded up and sell it, with full disclosure that there's just no way to guarantee the car is safe. Personally, I'm just not willing to haul my kids around in it for the next 5-10 years knowing it might fold in half in an accident. I'd already put new tires and a ton of maintenance into it, so it means losing several thousand bucks. This all has me seriously considering 4runners.

Anyone had both? How is the 4runner's livability for a family of five? Can that rear seat handle 3 (pretty skinny) kids on a 12 hour day? Enough cargo space with the 3rd row removed and roof storage? How's it compare in terms of general comfort level over a lonnnnng day of driving?
What sort of investment does it take to get it to the off-road capability of a relatively stock 100-series?

Any input before I go out test driving trucks would be great. Thanks!
 
Last edited:

Ryanmb21

Expedition Leader
I love my 4Runner but it get tight on space with my only two small boys.

The land cruiser would be better for a family of five, I would think. I don't think the frame rust you have experienced is an indictment of land cruisers, rather the care it received.
 

p nut

butter
How was the size of the LX470? For me, it was getting too tight with 2 kids and all of the stuff we needed to bring for any outing over 2 days. Trailer was an option, but I didn't want to hassle with that. 4Runner would be even worse, space wise.

My answer was a full-sized truck. Plenty of cargo space, lots of room for the kids, and very versatile set up. Look at 05-06 Tundra's or later model Crewmax. I live out in the West and they can handle the trails just fine. Too many think you need a sky high lift and armor out the wazoo to get around, but even a stock truck does great. I ended up with a new Ford F150, but Tundra was a close second choice.
 

lathamb

Observer
I have an 07 4Runner. It is considerably smaller inside than the 100, and I don't have the third row. We have two small kids and a dog, and when we all go for a trip, the trailer goes with us. I can't see getting a third kid back there, especially with one or more car seats.

Other than that, the 4Runner is the best all around vehicle I've owned so far, coming from pickups and a 80 series LC.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
189,659
Messages
2,919,442
Members
232,632
Latest member
Timboruski
Top