New 2007 4runner

[Robinhood4x4]

I guess I'll make it official. Yesterday the wife and I picked up a new 2007 4runner since the 0% financing was too good to pass up and they're trying to get rid of the 2007's. I hate car shopping. The last time we bought new we had a bad experience with Dublin Toyota in California. I hate sleaze ball car salesmen. So this time I negotiated over email between 5 or 6 dealers. This worked out great and the transaction went really smooth. This technique really showed me who was straight forward and who seemed like a typical car salesman. For example, one dealer kept evading my questions and insisted I come in to talk.

We ended up going with Earnhart Toyota in Mesa Az. The car salesman was J. Price and he was very straight forward with us.

Anyway, we ended up getting a SR5, V6, 4wd, white exterior, tan interior, with tow package, roof rack, side curtain airbags, 17" wheels, tonneau cover, and front window tint. It doesn't have the luxuries that my parents limited has, but it's light years ahead of anything else we own.

No mods planned right now, but eventually I'll add at least rock sliders, 110V outlets, OBA (gotta make use of all that real estate in the engine compartment), and maybe a slight spacer lift.

Sorry, no pics right now. It's dark outside. You can see interior pics in my other thread.

[Bob98SR5]

you pimp!!! :)

[Robinhood4x4]

I'm just aspiring to be more like you Bob. :D












Except for the gay part. :flipoff:

[Robinhood4x4]

Oh, another thing I just remembered. When we went into the finance office, the guy tried to sell us the extended warranty butI had no intention of getting anything else. He went over the various plans and I just shot them down. The 5 year warranty started out over $2000. Within about 30 seconds of me continuously saying no, it went down to $500!

I still didn't get it. :D

[Marc P]

Sounds like a sweet rig. I am thinking about a slightly used one to replace my wife's leased Explorer. With 2 kids and stuff, we need all the room we can get.

After working as a service advisor for the past 6 years, I highly recommend an extended warranty. I have seen them pay for themselves time and time again. I know its a Toyota, but just like having health insurance it gives piece of mind. There are just too may expensive moving parts and electronics.

[Robinhood4x4]

That's why we got the 4runner...two small dogs and the potential for kids. We'll need the room too.

Maybe we'll opt for the warranty next time. My dad got the warranty on his old chevy S10 and the warranty company ended up going out of business. When we needed the warranty, we were SOL. I suppose it would have helped with the 3.0 headgasket on my 93 4runner though.

[slosurfer]

Congrats! Let's see, you needed something with power so you can long travel it for your newly acquired desert. :D Can't wait to see pics. Will this mainly be the wife's dd? Also, does this mean that you will be coming to Pismo?

I hope that extended warranty doesn't bite you in the arse. $500 bucks would have paid for itself even with something minor. Also, when they have tsb's like the tacoma rear springs being too soft, if you are out of your warranty, they won't fix it for free. I didn't know this but many with the '05 tacomas and out of warranty are finding that out right now. :(

[Good Times]

cool!!!

[Robinhood4x4]

Will this mainly be the wife's dd? Also, does this mean that you will be coming to Pismo?


Yeah, I guess it will be mostly the wife's dd and I'll get the corolla to commute. The miata will be up for sale soon.

No pismo this year. I have a training class the friday before and a training class all the week after so no time.

[Bob98SR5]

miata: and youre calling me gay? :gay: :D

how much are you selling it for?

[Robinhood4x4]

I'm thinking $4000, but I haven't done much research into it yet.

[MTL_4runner]

Also, when they have tsb's like the tacoma rear springs being too soft, if you are out of your warranty, they won't fix it for free. I didn't know this but many with the '05 tacomas and out of warranty are finding that out right now. :(


Wow, I didn't know that either.....thanks for the heads up on that (I've been looking at Tacomas myself).


I said this before but congrats on the new vehicle Steve and :pics: :laugh:

[MTL_4runner]

Steve, I'm finally finding myself looking at a new 4th gen and wondered how you're liking the 07 you bought. I'd also be curious what kind of MPG you're getting this time of year. Also any chance you might let us know what it went out the door for as well so I can compare what I'm seeing up here for prices. I'm seeing more and more used US vehicles up here now.

Right now I'm looking at 4 of them:

04 SR5 4x4 4.0L 35k mi, glactic gray, 16" rims, tow package for $22,995 CDN
04 SR5 4x4 4.7L 25k mi, silver, 17" rims, tow package for $22,500 CDN
05 SR5 4x4 4.0L 31k mi, silver, 17" rims, tow package for $24,995 CDN
07 SR5 4x4 4.0L, 23k mi, silver, 17" rims, but no tow package for $27,995 CDN

I've been leaning towards the 04 because I already have new tires (both snows and summers) on my 3rd gen which I can just swap right over on the 16" rims and I won't be out a million dollars buying new sets of tires (you need to have winter tires up here.....even if you have 4WD). I also think the V6 has plenty of pep for what I'm doing with it and the MPG seems slightly better than the V8 (which is a plus with gas prices sure to go up). I wasn't sure how much of a benefit a 5spd tranny (in the 05+ models) is over a 4spd tranny (in the 03-04 models) so I would hope someone might be able to comment on that as well.

[RunnerUp]

i just picked up an 07 sport with the v8 and 4wd and can tell you the v8 is A LOT smoother than the v6. plus since it came home with me i have heard of people having difficulty passing with the v6, i dont know if its because they dont know how to drive, but the v8 just has what seems to be gobs more power (and i havent even floored it yet)you want the tow package because it has a couple more goodies than just a hitch, but you can always add them later.

by the way robinhood, congrats on picking up an 07, im sure its so much more comfortable than your 93. i know that even my 02 cant match it in ride comfort and all around bling factor.

[Robinhood4x4]

Sorry Jamie, I completely missed your post on Jan 19th.

I'm pretty satisfied with the power of the V6. I can pass pretty much anything I want but of course the grass is always greener on the other side. The V8 surely would have been more fun, but I'd also be kicking myself for the gas it uses.

[MTL_4runner]

No worries Steve.

I test drove a few V6's and 1-2 V8's and yes, there's more power in the V8 but the V6 still seems quite capable so I am surprised to hear about passing issues (although the 03-04's only have 4spd trannys and 05+ got the 5spd so maybe that was the difference). I'm holding off on getting a new runner since we're expecting a baby girl soon, but I always have my eyes out for any deals that might pop up. It seems like the price of these bigger SUVs is definately going down.....at least in Canada......although it's equally shocking how cheap new vehicles are down in the US. There are so many models getting redesigned now and gas prices are going nowhere but up so I think holding off for a little while might still be the best idea.

[slosurfer]

Does the 4runner have the same 4.0 that the tacomas have? If so, I'm surprised to hear about passing issues also. I wonder what they are trying to pass? :headscratch:

[Good Times]

the 05+ 4runner, 07+ FJ and the 05+ Taco share the same 4.0L V6 and the 5 speed auto tranny. the only diff was the 03-04 4runner v6 had the 4 speed tranny.

[slosurfer]

^^That makes sense, I keep forgetting that the newer 4runners came out 2 years before the newer tacomas.

[arjan]

I thought that the 4.0L needed the higher octane gas? Because then you would have to compare the V6 (better milage, more expensive fuel) against the V8 (less milage, cheaper fuel)

I am starting a new job the 1st and will be looking for a vehicle. I'll get a gas card, so a V8 seems appealing to me.

My main concern like Jamie is that the prices are coming down, and I think they will be for a while. Since our dollar is at par with the US dollar, our market is being flooded by used US vehicles.

[slosurfer]

I thought that the 4.0L needed the higher octane gas? Because then you would have to compare the V6 (better milage, more expensive fuel) against the V8 (less milage, cheaper fuel)

I am starting a new job the 1st and will be looking for a vehicle. I'll get a gas card, so a V8 seems appealing to me.

My main concern like Jamie is that the prices are coming down, and I think they will be for a while. Since our dollar is at par with the US dollar, our market is being flooded by used US vehicles.


The 4.0 does not need the higher octane fuel.

[Robinhood4x4]

I put the cheap stuff in all the time. Now that I have a scan gauge, maybe I'll start doing some experimenting with different gases.

By the way, if I try real hard, I can get 23+ mpg city. That's better than the freeway mileage which is about 21-22.

[TDiddy]

Steve, you can always purchase an extended warranty after the fact, and it doesn't need to be from the same dealer either. When we got the Sequoia, we bought the warranty through Molle Toyota in Kansas City. It was entirely through email and phone. You can definitely shop around for that stuff, but we found Molle to be the best price.