Due diligence

Do people not test drive vehicles any more before they buy? I see a lot of threads complaining about something or other with the 4Runner, so I'm starting to wonder. Too slow, brakes suck, headlights are inadequate, blah blah blah. Enjoy it for what it is...a ten year old design on a very capable, great looking, body on frame truck. Yeah, Toyota is probably making bank on an older design that hasn't been significantly updated. Who cares? The truck is pretty damn good out of the box. And I imagine Toyota will continue to sell a lot of them. I kinda want Toyota to make money so they can continue to support my truck! Did you know that you can still go to the dealer for some FJ-40 parts? Toyota still supports 40's (some parts, not all) and they haven't been on the lot since 1985 or so. I suppose some people just want to bit..., errr, complain about something. </mini-rant>

I test drove mine twice before we talked numbers. Once in the day, and a second time after dinner (my wife was a ridealong on that one). My wife is kinda short, and I wanted to make sure she could climb in easily (easier than the FJ according to her). The sales drone was good about it. He just threw me the keys and said have at it and don't break anything. I mashed the go pedal, mashed the brakes, took turns too fast, and even found a couple of foot or so tall rocks to climb. Messed around with the interior controls, crawled underneath it, sat in all five seats. Opened the hood and hatch. Drove in traffic, drove a little on the highway. ETC. Basically, I wanted to beat it up to see if it would meet my needs. It did, and does. But at least I had good info when the negotiations started. I'm starting to think that some people just look at them from 100 feet away and then start to haggle. Ohhh, I like that Voodoo Blue color on the Pro - I want it!

 

Some people do the typical dealership loop type test drive. I'd also say most people have determined what they're going to buy (especially when it's a new vehicle, not used) before they even make it onto the lot. These are a want item, not a need, and it fills that emotional desire.

The dealer I went to let me bring it home for the day. Is it the perfect vehicle? No. But the list of compromises I had to make was small and the few items I wasn't thrilled with were easily addressed.

 

Nope knew what I wanted called my friend/saleman ahead of time and asked him how much.

Did paperwork and out the door in less than an hour.

Still don't bitch. Its just the whiners that got nothing better to do.

 

I drove the exact model of my desire twice but I have to say test driving in the USA sucks.
In all test drives I ever make over here that slimy sales guy want to go with me and in 50% of the cases they wanna direct me to there little route! I mean that would be ok but I he got upset as I sad: “thanks for the first impression but I will buy with somebody else after I got a real test drive”

I had cars over the whole weekend or at least for 2h without some dealership nanny with me to test drive it properly, that’s the way it works in germany. There is that old saying that we use: don’t buy a cat in the bag!

I had a ‘19 ORP as a rental for almost two weeks before I bought my ‘20 so I know the car already and the test drive was more to see if I like the improvements on the ‘20.
That was unplanned since I never thought about a Toyota before and now I can say I was really lucky getting into that rental.
Next time I will do that intentionally!

 

If you think it's bad over here, go check out the 3rd gen section of Tacomaworld. There's even numerous threads of guys saying they got sick of their Tacoma for one reason or another an bought a 4runner

I was a little guilty of this myself, as I didn't really take a Tacoma on a long test drive before I bought mine. I partly bought it just because I always wanted one. I have no regrets, as the Tacoma got me on Tacomaworld, where I met some great people. Also, being an off-road package, inspired me to go hit some trails, which has become one of my favorite things to do! Either way, the little things that bothered me about it reminded me how nice my previous 4runner was.

Even though I had pretty much decided that I was going back to a 4runner, I did a lot of research and several test drives. I couldn't be happier with my purchase.

 

Just a guess....but the people who gripe must have bought a 4Runner based on looks and popularity and are probably new to the world of SUVs. I wanted one for years before I bought one (couldn't afford one for a long time) because of the legendary durability and the fact that they're about the last true mid size SUV. The dealer I always work with throws us the keys and says "be back before we close", so I got to drive in the city, as well as up and down the interstate.
As for the gripes...I still don't know what the complaints are about the brakes...mine work just like any other vehicle. The headlights...well, they light the path, dont know what else they're supposed to do. The 4Runner is a bit sluggish on the highway, but I drove Blazers and Trailblazers for decades before moving up, and the Runner accelerates at least as well as either of the Chevy platforms. It handles smooth as silk in most driving conditions, darn near fun around town. And it's damn good looking too.

 

you got it man, everything is just fine, nothing really to whining about! Some of the big whiners should take it more manly: you buy it - you own it

 

I don’t see an issue with acknowledging your vehicles shortcomings. I love my vehicle as much as anyone but I’m not an ignorant fan boy that thinks it’s perfect.

 

You don’t have to be and be ensured it isn’t perfect.
The deal is that a mass produced thing has to fit the majority good enough.
Just take a look at your driver seat, that has to suit the 100pound girl and the guy with over 300...
But not only that it needs to be easy and cheap to produce, it needs to be competitive and follow all safety and environmental regulations. with that in mind I’m pretty happy with my 4runner, I mean sure there is something here and there that I would like to change and lucky I’m free to do so.

The question is what’s wrong with the brakes? I’m able to stop the vehicle and since I’m not going 150 on the autobahn I’m not in need of some improvement, same with the headlights - up to today I was able to stay on the road even without streetlights that guide me.
I think it’s all whining on a high level

 

Toyota has a rental program (not all dealers) rent for a day or a week. If you don't like it, you pay standard rental costs. buy a runner within 30 days, the rental is free.
I rented, drove it all around, even pulled the trailer around to see how it towed. Sold me on one!

 

I know it's not perfect, and even I can list a few changes I'd like to see...FJ Cruiser style side visors for one! Man, I miss those. But the threads which prompted this are more along the lines of "I just picked up my 2020 4Runner and man, it's slow." Didn't you realize on the test drive that it's slower than you want? It reminds me of the people that move next to an airport then bitch about the airplane noise. The 4Runner is probably 90% of what I'd put on paper for what I want in my truck. And I knew about the other 10% before I signed the papers, and can live with that.

 

That's cool - I didn't know that was available!

 

As with anything, the more you use it, the more you learn about it. For some, maybe they learn they don’t like it as much as they thought they did on the test drive. A test drive or two isn’t enough time to decide how well or how poor something will perform in your every day life. And then there is even the thought that maybe you don’t like something about it but you can live with it however, once you use it day in and day out you decide you really just can’t stand it.
But to answer your question, I think most people do tend to test drive before buying. But again, a test drive or three isn’t enough to decide if it fits you perfectly. Hell, I don’t think driving one for a week is enough time to decide if it fits you well. Unrealistic expectation IMO. It took my wife about two months of every day driving to decide that she didn’t like the 4Runner as much as she thought she did.

 

Her next vehicle will probably be a F150 with the turbo if I had to guess. And I highly doubt she waits three years like she usually does before trading off the T4R. I bet it’ll be less than a year.

 

I didn't test drive mine at all. I wanted to be a cool overlander so I just bought it. Now that I have it I realize that I am still not cool. Oh well, still love my Runner.