Toyota 4Runner?

[VMaxhp]

Has anyone had experience using a 4Runner as a tow vehicle? 5000lb capacity.. enough for an 18-21' with trailer. Forgive me for being un-American but I do like Toyotas and have had great experiences with my Rav4 (3500lb) and the Solara I used to own.

 

[JB]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

#3 daughter used a 4Runner to tow her '97 Boston Whaler Outrage 17. No troubles. That truck had 260K miles when she traded it.

Don't feel "un-American". Many thousands of Americans have jobs building Toyota trucks.

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

Hey VMax...what part of Colorado do you reside?

We have a 1999 4Runner, Limited, that is rated to tow 5,000#. We have a 1 1/2" leveler kit with one size larger tire. When we go camping (every other weekend in the summer), I tow our camper with my 2007 Tacoma and she tows the boat...does a great job, as she usually has no issues in maintaining speed and/or stopping (our boat/trailer has no brakes and weighs, guessing, 2,000# total?). It's with the 3.4L V6. The Tacoma's 4.0L V6 is rated to tow 6,500# and our camper out the door comes in around 6,100#.

I agree on Toyota, as her 4Runner is at 160K and has no issues...and other than maintenance, has not cost us much over the years!

I think your 4Runner will tow an 18-21' fine, assuming your within your tow capacity!?

 

[robert graham]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

My son and my employer both use 4Runners to tow their boats with, and both have a lot good to say about these SUV's. In fact, my employer just traded his '08 for a new '11...so he loves 'em!

 

[drrpm]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

A 4runner seems like a good choice. They have a reputation for durability. I haven't towed with the 4runner, but my Tacoma is a similar vehicle and tows a 20 footer easily.

 

[jkust]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

It has a truck body correct? You will be just fine however there are some brands of boats that are heavy and I wouldn't want only a 5k capacity if you do the math not just the gross trailer weight. For example my 18 footer is 4000lbs on the trailer while the 21 foot version of my 18 footer plus your truck passengers, gear, etc and the 5k is a little on the low end. My only beef with some of the foreign brands is they do not depreciate as much as I want them to. Some like Jaguar, Infinity and Range Rover on the other hand depreciate unfairly fast. If I have say a pot of $25,000 and American Truck A has everything or even more than Foreign Truck B has but cost $5,000 less in the used market, I'm going to buy the American truck and save the $5k. My oldest current American vehicle has cost $1000 in total expenses including preventative maintainance but excluding wear items such as tires and brakes in 150,000 miles and nearly 13 years of hard use. That is $6.41 per month over 13 years ignoring the bumper to bumper warranty period. That has repeated itself over and over with every American vehicle I've ever owned. My worst ever car was the time I dipped my toe in and bought a Toyota car to bail a family member out of their loan. Holy expensive to fix. My experience is that my American cars have allowed me to add more money to my net worth given their lower purchase cost and nearly non-existant maintainance costs.

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

I can speak from direct experience. Own a 2008 Toyota 4Runner Limited 4WD with the 4.0L V6. Tow a 17 1/2 ft Lund Fisherman with 115hp 4-stroke outboard. Trailer with boat approx. 2800#.

Bought it new in November, 2007. Absolutely love it. Tows beautifully! No sway. Lots of power, even with just the V6. (Note: starting w/2010 models, you can no longer get a V8). Ours has factory nav w/backup camera, so hooking up trailer is a snap.

Regarding un-American, yes, the 4Runner is 100% Japanese, parts and assembly. There's a premium to pay as the value of US$ has fallen dramatically to the Yen since we bought ours. New ones severely decontented. I'd advise finding a good 4th generation model (2003-2009) and avoid all 5th gens. Try to find one with complete set of mtce records. 4Runner owners, like me, are often fanatical about keeping the maintenance up to date.

No, ours is not for sale. When I'm too old for it (almost 64 yrs old), it will go to my son. This 4Runner will stay in the family.

 

[642mx]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

My only beef with some of the foreign brands is they do not depreciate as much as I want them to.

Those of us who buy them new are kinda glad they don't. That's one reason I own a Toyota... resale value!

My experience is that my American cars have allowed me to add more money to my net worth given their lower purchase cost and nearly non-existant maintainance costs.

Step back from the pipe slowly... its frying your brain!...lol. Just kidding with you, but after owning both domestics and foreign brands, I can say that it will cost me more to own (for example) a Chevrolet than a Toyota. I might be the only one, but every domestic I've owned need more repairs, more parts, more of my time, and they've been worth less when I try to trade them.

 

[642mx]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

Has anyone had experience using a 4Runner as a tow vehicle? 5000lb capacity.. enough for an 18-21' with trailer. Forgive me for being un-American but I do like Toyotas and have had great experiences with my Rav4 (3500lb) and the Solara I used to own.

4Runners make great tow vehicles. I see lots of them at the boat ramps with more than a 20 foot boat behind them. A friend used to tow a 21 foot bowrider with a 5 year old 4Runner, he said it did fine. I think it had almost 200K on it as well.

 

[jkust]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

Those of us who buy them new are kinda glad they don't. That's one reason I own a Toyota... resale value!



Step back from the pipe slowly... its frying your brain!...lol. Just kidding with you, but after owning both domestics and foreign brands, I can say that it will cost me more to own (for example) a Chevrolet than a Toyota. I might be the only one, but every domestic I've owned need more repairs, more parts, more of my time, and they've been worth less when I try to trade them.

Ha Ha, I know there are two sides to the resale value coin. I love a great, high content vehicle with a good depreciation clip that I can pick up from the first owner right after the bumper to bumper warranty expires. My current daily driver depreciated $32,800 in four years time. A lot of SUV for the money from an original owner that must just feel ripped off. They could have almost taken a limo every time they went somewhere for how much $ they lost on the sale. Meanwhile I get way more car that I'd ever spring for.

Like I said, i've only owned one troublesome foreign car to take over my sister's loan when she got in financial trouble and so I realize that one bad apple doesn't tell the story. However every single american car I've owned excluding the 1970's early 1980's beaters I had in highschool have literally been trouble free even in difficult MN. I must be the luckyist American car owner ever. No exaggeration, no BS, weld the hood shut and never look back and count the extra money in my networth.

 

[642mx]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

Ha Ha, I know there are two sides to the resale value coin. I love a great, high content vehicle with a good depreciation clip that I can pick up from the first owner right after the bumper to bumper warranty expires. My current daily driver depreciated $32,800 in four years time. A lot of SUV for the money from an original owner that must just feel ripped off. They could have almost taken a limo every time they went somewhere for how much $ they lost on the sale. Meanwhile I get way more car that I'd ever spring for.

I do see your point... if your buying second (or third) hand, getting one cheap would be nice. Especially if your going to keep it and drive the wheels off of it. If I had a car that depreciated that $30K+, I would be ill. Must have been an Escalade? My boss picked up a used one with 80K miles on it for next to nothing...

I've been trading every couple of years for awhile now (I just get bored with them) and I've been pretty fortunate... I haven't felt like I've taken a huge hit, but I realize that nobody drives for free.... the dealership probably is laughing as I pull away, but I always feel like I got a good deal.

Like I said, i've only owned one troublesome foreign car to take over my sister's loan when she got in financial trouble and so I realize that one bad apple doesn't tell the story. However every single american car I've owned excluding the 1970's early 1980's beaters I had in highschool have literally been trouble free even in difficult MN. I must be the luckyist American car owner ever. No exaggeration, no BS, weld the hood shut and never look back and count the extra money in my networth.

I think they (domestics) are getting better... My buddies Denali was making a believer out of me until it hit 90K miles, then it started a downhill slide. I did own a new Lexus IS250 that was a complete lemon... I ended up trading it for a Ford! I'm not looking forward to knowing the resale value of the Ford, but its been a great vehicle. They all make good and bad ones I'm sure.... I just happen to have the opposite experience that you've had... which is cool, that's what makes the world turn.

 

[jkust]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

Must have been an Escalade? QUOTE]

Not an Escalade but an insanely overpriced GM product. Still can't believe the deal I got, low miles, one owner, never had a single rear seat passenger, zero wear and tear anywhere whatsoever inside even in the cargo area, and a lot of warranty left with a 5.3 liter v8, G86 rear end, 3.73, AWD, Navigation, rear dvd never used, and every single option available.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Toyota 4Runner?

Hey VMax...what part of Colorado do you reside?

He is in the North Douglas County area