Tacoma Or 4Runner

[YotaFun]

My first car was a olds, 4 door family hauler.
And that is exactly what I did with it, hauled family and friends.
I was the designated DD and the guy everyone could trust.

When I wrecked the car, I had been considering a small sports car or OMG dare I say it, a Jeep.

But when I looked at the accident and how I hit and compared it to a small car or Jeep, I could be dead...

So then I needed a replacement.
I wanted something reliable, and since I was still the go to guy for rides, I needed something that could haul everyone.

My budget was only 10K.
So I looked at what I could get in that range (back in 2005).
I looked for a taco first, only cause at the time I could find more aftermarket for it then the 4Runner.
The double cab taco while nice, was not in my price range, actually 4K more then my range.

So I thought, why not the 4Runner.
I loved stepdad's, heck it was his 4Runner that made me fall in love with Toyota in the first place.
Mom tired to get me into a Sequoia or Nissan Pathfinder.
While the Sequoia had a nice beefy V8, it was just to big and not something I could also see on the trails, and the Nissan Pathfinder I couldn't Imagine Lifted and Locked on 33s.

So I got my 4Runner.
And I don't have one regret.
Everyday I get in it and fall in love with it all over again.

The closed in cargo area is great, I keep my tools in there for emergencies and I can keep all my camping gear and cooler back there while I hit the trails with the seats still folded up!

Friends love it, the only thing they don't like is now they have to literally climb in it because of the lift, but other then that they feel just as safe.

We have a utility trailer that we use for the big moving that we use.
The 4Runner has no issues hauling it.

And I always utilizes the folding down back seat.
Not just to haul stuff to goodwill for mom, but I am a young college kid ;-)

So yeah there is my long reason lol!

[ToyFamily]

I had a std. cab 00 tacoma as my DD and there was no place to put anything in bad weather, even lay the seat back. I took over the ex-wifes 4runner as my DD and it has been nice, I just took it to Big Bend, seats layed down, gear on one side slept on the other...no camp break down . The only negative is having to haul something dirty/greasy...which is why I still have an 85 pick up which is the real trail rig (on taco/diamond axles w/37's) and work horse if needed.....so I guess my opinion doesn't count

Nick