My Toyota Story..

[Obi..]

How come you love your Toyota so much? Tell us your story.

[4runnerchevy]

:rofl: I havn't written 1000 words, at one time, since high school. 20+ years have passed, I have forgotton how to write.

[CJM]

Okay..

I got my grandfathers old 91 F150/250, Basically it was a custom ordered 150 with HD suspension and everything else besides a V8. Very nice truck but it had alot of miles and I got into an accident and sold it. The headlights didnt wanna work half the time after that and no one could figure it out.

Then I got my grandmas 93 camry xle V6. Top of the line, everything besides leather and it had the engine that competed with the pre 93 supra. I really liked that car, but at 160k the trans didnt like to shift out of 2nd to well unless you let it easily do it, the front and rear struts were shot and it was old and burned a quart of oil every 2 weeks. It served me really well and man with the right all season tires it really flew in anything but snow and ice.

Then I looked for a longtime for a toyota truck, I already knew how reliable and well built they were but it took forever to find one. Saw an ad in the paper for a T100 and went there that night and put a deposit down. Went back a week later and bought it.

The t100 is mint, in many ways but the suspension is worn out and I have this annoying vibration that I think I narrowed down to the cab mounts being worn out. It also had a bad axle shaft (they are known for it btw!) and the front calipers were shot, then the remans were done too. So I threw on some new new shocks, brakes all the way around, new calipers, and some other stuff. If I cannot fix my stinking vibration at speed I have had enough and im saving for a 04+ tundra.

[paddlenbike]

My story will be a short one, but my 4Runner is the only vehicle that I feel will take me to the remote places I want to go reliably, and yet can still be driven daily and across the country in a reasonably high level of comfort. I am not ashamed to have it valet parked nor do I ever feel embarassed driving it. I know of no other vehicle that will do all this and still get 20 mpg.

I've had other vehicles that I've loved, but none of them support my active lifestyle like the 4Runner.

[waskillywabbit]

I got a whole website about it. :D

http://www.wabfab.org/projects/projects.htm

:guitar:

[4runnerchevy]

Ok, I'll sum it up.

I lived and worked at a ski resort, in Lake Tahoe, the base elevation was 7800 feet. I needed a reliable winter rig, as well as a rig that could get me to my favorite climbing spots. I got my 1986, stock and used, from a dealersip. I quickly got 31's and made my best attempt welding sliders. Its pretty much history after that. I just needed to get further into the wild, so the truck grew.

After I got married, I retired the 4runner's DD life, and got other vehicles for us to drive. Since then I have just been building, and tinkering with the little runner. Now she's a streetable, and very capable offroad rig. Its more of just a hobby now, although the passion for wheeling is still there. I have always been a firm believer, that its not what your driving ! Its all about getting there !

There is alot more to the story, but I don't want to bore myself with details.

[gilby4runner]

(1997-1998)For a graduation present i received an 86 4x4 that was a farm truck. A local body shop charged me 800 to "fix" the rust and paint it. It was my first 4x4. I drove it to hell and back. The fondest memories i have from that time in my life involve that truck. Riding backroads, finding new trails, camping at the creek. The frame finally gave out and the leaf spring perch caved in. She was traded for a 55 chevy....
2005- After driving a Wrangler for a number of years i was ready for something much better. While driving past a car lot one day "Sporticus" caught my eye. From there is history. I found a few Toyota forums and thanks to you guys i have spent a ton of money on the runner and i am constantly looking for something else to do to it. That and another 2nd gen truck or 1st gen runner to relive my youth.

[reign16]

nothing just about take care good of my toyota that's all man!!!



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[X-Tool Pimp]

my love story....... well its a love hate relationship, it feels like I spend more time working on my truck than I do with the family :hillbill:

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc245/tonytoolpimp/bee/DSC02113.jpg

and its good to know I can sleep here when the wife is mad :thumbup:
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc245/tonytoolpimp/misc%20pictures/P1010031.jpg

[YotaFun]

Back in 2002 is when I received my learns permit.
My first car was a 1995 Olds Cutlass Supreme SL.
Loved that car, loved all GM at the time, was a hard core GM fan.
At the time step dad was looking for a suv or truck to buy to help with moving into our house and do house work.
He had a Pontiac Grand Am and was looking at other GM's but didn't really like anything, then he mentioned to me that he was going to get a Toyota, and I remember my initial reaction was "Eww a Toyota, but there so blah."
So that spring we went to the stealer, and first we looked at the tundra quad cab, he liked it but the bed wasn't big enough on the quad cab, so then he went to look at the Sports Edition 4Runner, and figured the cost of that plus the trail we bought would equal or be a little less then the tundra.
He test drove it, bought it, liked it.
I still wasn't convinced, it was shiny and all and had its features but I still was "meh its a Toyota"
Well a week later step dad went on a business trip and left us the 4Runner.
Me itching to drive more, I begged mom if I could drive use around when we went to do our errands, she was reluctant at first but then finally gave in.
She said to me "I am going to get the mail, bring the 4Runner up to the end."
So I get it, situate myself and put the key in, turn it and let the dash lights come to life, let the little warning ding ding away, and after the thrid ding, turn the key and hear the engine come to life.
I got goosebumps.
Then I put my seat belt on, adjusted the seat and mirrors, realized that, "Wow this is bigger then my car."
Then I put my foot on the brake and put the truck into gear.
Mind you the Olds's trans was starting to slip in first so you had to give it gas to get it to go, I didn't compensate for that in the 4Runner.
So I released the brake and went to apply the gas as I would in the Olds, and then the 4Runner proceeded to burn out, well at least chirp a good amount before teh traction control kicked in.
More goosebumps formed along with the hugest grin on my face.
My mom was like "get out of the truck your not driving"
But I convinced her to let me continue our excursion and after driving the 4Runner around that day, i was hooked and just had to have one.

3 years later, early October, a rain storm and telephone pole took the Olds's life.
That November, while searching eBay, I came across a certain 4Runner.
After the place bid button was hit, the rest is history, and now my Tess is sitting in the driveway, lifted, locked, and ready to take me places that I could only dream about before.

Sorry for the long story but thats just how it happen.

[Good Times]

As an avid lover for the outdoors, driving my honda accord can only take me so far. Talk about a pita especially when the weather sucks donkey nuts. A good example not to take your honda on the trails... Talk to Bruce (BruceTS) when he drove partially over a Honda Civic in Big Bear! Not only this I had this vision to be able to go anywhere. (why no clue but I have yet to do this! road trip? :thumbup:)

Anyway the nerd in me resulted in an exhaustive research finding the most applicable vehicle for my needs. To this day I'm not sure how I ended up with the 4th gen 4runner considering it was the first year release which is known for it's production flaws but go figure. Hell if I really did the "proper" research it should have been the FZJ80 or something similar. My brain back then must have really been fubar! :loser:

Obviously I saw the potential in the 4th gens that I just couldn't leave it stock. Sadly I have this really bad personality where I just can't keep things stock. Of course ya'll can relate! :flipoff: unfortunately I'm just one of those crazy guys that just goes a bit too far. :tapedshut:

So now I have a really bastardized pos that actually runs (once in a while). :rofl: Someone really needs to pull me away from it or else there won't be much left! :chair: