4th gen 4runner vs 2nd gen Tacoma

[hoptroll]

Oh man, that's a true disaster! I realize that I would lose the messy cargo area, but for my day to day (and even trips), I could make it work just fine with bins and whatnot. I like to be clean and what bothered me about camping with my shell was the moisture and dust that got in the back. I could have fixed it but did not feel it was worth my time for the age of my shell and truck. For the big, messy jobs and hauling lumber, I have the F250. The 4runner would give me many more options for carrying people, which I don't have now. The availability and price of the 4runners is quite attractive. If I could, I would buy a tacoma, but used prices are right there with new prices and I just can't afford to do that right now.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[java]

Clutch,

The long stuff goes on the roof! And yeah I did have one bag on concrete rip at one point. That was a mess.....

 

[p nut]

So, from reading all of the comments, the real answer to whether you should get a 4Runner or Tacoma is, "yes."

 

[Clutch]

So, from reading all of the comments, the real answer to whether you should get a 4Runner or Tacoma is, "yes."

Winner!

 

[Clutch]

Clutch,

The long stuff goes on the roof! And yeah I did have one bag on concrete rip at one point. That was a mess.....

Then you have to put it up there, and tie it down...yadda yadda ya....pickup just toss it in the bed and forgitaboutit...

In my old '85 4Runner had a gallon of gas spill over...took a while for the smell to go away. That was bad... ha! I even took the the top off and roll bar out...lined it with a tarp and hauled topsoil with it once...that is when I decided I really needed another truck. Had a F250 before the 4Runner.


Having both a truck and suv is nice. I couldn't have an SUV as a stand alone vehicle though.

Oh man, that's a true disaster!

I had something similar happen in my Taco, was hauling about 25 gallons of used oil to the recycler...thought to myself, I don't need to tie them in...I'll drive slow...well someone pulled out in front of me...you can guess what happened next. Thank goodness that wasn't in the Trooper...it took awhile and a bunch of degreaser...I got the Taco's bed clean again.

heck...if you have a F250. An SUV is a nice addition.

My biggest complaint with the extra cab Taco is that you can't haul people with it, we are going to add a 3rd vehicle, something that you can do both with, 99.9% sure it is going to be a fullsize pick-up What particular one...not sure yet.

 

[p nut]

I had to pick up some sheet rock in my LC one time. Strapped a couple of 8' long 2x4's on the Yak roof bars for support and hoisted the sheet rock up there. That was a chore doing it by myself. When I had the Tacoma, it was pretty simple sliding it in, strapping it down. I'll be taking a trailer next time.

 

[hoptroll]

So, from reading all of the comments, the real answer to whether you should get a 4Runner or Tacoma is, "yes."

This is the ultimate point to make! You all answered my questions very thoroughly, thank you all. Made me realize that if I didn't have a "ranch truck" it wouldn't work at all. But having something that rides nicer and has good seating and cargo options will be nice to have for my commute and longer trips. Most of my trips to this point have involved a majority of highway driving anyway. Thanks again! This confirmed that this is a good call for me!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Clutch]

I had to pick up some sheet rock in my LC one time. Strapped a couple of 8' long 2x4's on the Yak roof bars for support and hoisted the sheet rock up there. That was a chore doing it by myself. When I had the Tacoma, it was pretty simple sliding it in, strapping it down. I'll be taking a trailer next time.

That sounds like something I would do, when I had my 4Runner...it always seemed like I was trying to see how much crap I can get on the roof (sounds familiar, like most of the expo rigs on here )...maybe I am getting older, I don't like the hassle of having to climb up there anymore. Even have a hitch mount for the mountain bikes now. I have a little 5X8' trailer I use mainly for the dirt bikes...it sure makes hauling plywood, sheet rock... moving furniture even easier than the truck bed.

 

[Martinjmpr]

I have a little 5X8' trailer I use mainly for the dirt bikes...it sure makes hauling plywood, sheet rock... moving furniture even easier than the truck bed.

+1. I love my little "hundred dollar" trailer. It's especially nice for hauling a motorcycle. So much easier to load than a pickup. Even a 2wd pickup sits high enough off the road that I'd feel uneasy trying to load/unload a motorcycle by myself but with that little 5 x 8 ramp gate trailer sitting so low to the ground, loading even a heavy motorcycle is easy. Ditto for furniture.

 

[hoptroll]

So I have been doing more research and reading a lot about blown head gaskets on the 4th gen. Any comments or experience?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Finlay]

So I have been doing more research and reading a lot about blown head gaskets on the 4th gen. Any comments or experience?

The 4th Gen has the same V6 (3GR-FE) that is in the FJ, Tacoma and Camry among others. It is widely regarded as highly reliable. The V8 (2UZ-FE) is also considered reliable (the UZ series is also used as an airplane engine).

That being said, feces occurs. They've sold millions of those engines.

 

[surlydiesel]

I've only read about them on the 4runners. I have not seen a big issue on the trucks, no idea why it would be a different issue. That is why I would go V8 with the 4th gen 4runner. Oh and it has AWD for the Wife and it's a 5spd transmission and it will tow nicely. No need to figure out when to put the truck in 4X4. I don't see it as a significant issue but I tend to buy vehicles with 100k on them due to finances, so I'd rather get a "no question asked" bullet proof motor. Then again, there's no telling what happened to any vehicle in 100k...

-jorge

 

[java]

IMO the head gaskets are very rare in the 4th gens. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

One advantage the part time 4WD has is if you break a CV you can still move. full time doesn't have that option.

 

[p nut]

IMO the head gaskets are very rare in the 4th gens. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

One advantage the part time 4WD has is if you break a CV you can still move. full time doesn't have that option.

Only if you have manual hubs, right? You still need to remove the axle or flange with ADD. Same with FT 4WD. Not too hard to do, though.

 

[deadbeat son]

So I have been doing more research and reading a lot about blown head gaskets on the 4th gen. Any comments or experience?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

According to other posts here, the head gasket was redesigned in 2006:

There was a head gasket issue on the 2004-2005 4.0 (4runner and Taco), but it was resolved with a redesigned gasket in 2006


Sent via fat thumb