I’m starting to see them everywhere

I’m starting to see 4 Runners everywhere. Had to park in front of this beauty. Is it rude to park close to other 4 Runners

 

Reticular Activation.

 

Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon

 

If one of those is yours, then I see one more.

 

So true.

 

Not at all, it is, after all, how new 4Runners are created!

 

Mine is the pro parked at the front

 

haha this is so bad it’s funny

 

Not to be confused with Rectumer Insertion

 

Oh, here in Southern California 70% of all cars stopped at any particular traffic light is likely to be a Toyota. No kidding, three white 4Runners (3rd and 5th generation) all in a row at a Carlsbad, California traffic light.

It is common for me to get events like, while in the Costco parking lot, somebody with a red 2000 will slow down and say "great choice, I've got 367,000 miles on this one." I've had people notice the radar, the surround cameras, they'll see that I painted my hitch cap. Now if only there were more women 4Runner drivers in the neighborhood... Uhem...

It is a religion, it is a lifestyle and it is a special club.

 

My 5 year old started a new game out of the blue of trying to say twinsies every time she sees a 4runner. She says she gets a point if she beets me to saying it and she gets extra points if she tricks me into saying 4runner. She also says shes at 1 zillion and 24 and I'm at 14.

 

My kids are in their twenties now, the spirit of games like that lives in their hearts to this day. Although, admittedly, it is now ooo-ing and ahh-ing whenever we see the Mazda Metallic Soul Red.

The most rewarding part will be when the grandkids get the same games. Counting down to speed bumps was another one 3, 2, 1 Bump! Bump!

 

In my neck of the woods I can’t drive 10 miles without seeing half a dozen 4Runners. It’s like someone is selling them door to door. To the [OP] point.

 

... like when selling things on Craigslist weeks ago, I put a bunch of dorm stuff up and a 1997 and 2000 both showed up as the parents got their kids 4Runners to go off to school with.

Reliability, perceived safety, cargo room. Yeah.

 

Out here you'll see about 5-7 4Runners every outing.

90% driven by soccer moms, with the same nerf bars and roof rack. Can't forget the black TRD wheels.

*sometimes* they've got the ladder in the back

Been like that out here for some years

 

Saw 7 on the way home from the Chiropractor (about 2 miles) last week.

We biologists call it "Prey Search Image". Ever been deer hunting? After the second or third day you start seeing them everywhere. It's because you subconsciously learn to pick out clues (The yellow of an elk's rump, for instance).

Also, here in the PNW, 4Runners and Subarus are growing in popularity. I recently posted an article on the decline of Jeep popularity. They just don't (1) hold up and (2) handle well on snow or ice.

 

Too bad Subaru made a shit vehicle pretty consistently until 2018 now they're only infrequently problematic.

 

They seem to be pretty highly regarded in the snow of eastern Washington along the Cascades. A seemingly decent family car.

 

The AWD system is tops. Their CVT still gets way too many complaints from serious types and and they didn't redesign the heads until 2018. The CEO went on an apology tour for their repeated failures back in late 2019/early 2020.

I owned a 2011 Outback that had both a very serious CVT problem that the NHTSA addressed after my complaint and the head gaskets blew at 89k. 5,000 mile oil changes, I kept that engine clean and monitored fluids like a hawk. I only hit >4,000 RPM once (4,400 RPM on a really short freeway on-ramp in Los Angeles) and the only reason I found out I had a head gasket leak was I had paid for a new timing belt before giving the car to my kid to go to school in Oregon. They knew the car had known issues with head gaskets, yet they did the work and got their $900 then told me I had the leak after they put the car back together. Because they did not have an actual temperature gauge, I went out and bought a digital one that I hooked up to the OBD port. If the car had an actual gauge, I would have known about this head gasket issue much earlier.

Subaru offered me a 2020 model, something I had been driving as a loaner car for a week and hated, for half off. Basically, a $15,000 Subaru Outback. I foolishly rejected their offer because I could have bought it and it easily flipped the car for a great profit. My emotions got the better of me.

I do believe the offer was made to me because my transmission problems were heavily documented and reported to the NHTSA. It involved backing up on a steep driveway with my children in front of the car. The transmission crapped out and stalled the car and I lunged forward towards my kids. Very serious although no injuries occurred.

I bought all my kids RAV4s.

 

You didn't exactly leave the guy behind you any room to get out.

 

He got out without issue. The photos vantage point doesn’t really paint a clear picture.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cv5h_ozJZow/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

Soon we'll be waving to each other. Haha

 

somebody starts a thread on that periodically...been a while though. 4Runners have always been a dime a dozen around here. I was just happy to finally be in the club

 

I literally can't leave our subdivision without seeing at least three other 4runners. Oregon is absolutely filled with them (not complaining). It was nothing like this when we had our fourth gen.

 

I wave to other 4Runners about half of the time. Moreso if they're clearly modified. I get a wave back about 2/3 of the time. It's usually those elitist PRO drivers who don't wave back.

 

I drive past 3 4Runners on the way to the freeway most mornings. They're definitely all over the place. We had 3 4Runners, a LC, and I think 12 Tacos involved in this weekend's shenanigans.

 

14 model years of 5th gen.

 

Within 2 miles of my house there are two other MGM ORPs. Only noticeable differences between mine and the others is one has the SEMAs on it and no MTM. The other is exactly like mine but with predator steps and chrome lug nuts. Mine has sliders and black foglights. All of us have black roof rails and badging and heritage grills. There are 3 other MGMs within that same radius. Two Limiteds and a prefacelift SR5. Only have to go 5 miles out and back for most needs. See at least one 4R on the road every trip no matter the time of day. Its not uncommon(maybe once a week) to have 4Rs(all 5th gens) three abreast at a stoplight with at least one or more a few back behind one of those. Usually see at least 2 4th gens and a 3rd gen during trips out also. Think thats a lot? You wouldn't believe how many Tundras there are here. Tacomas? Those are more common than Fords & Chevys. Combined. Ford dealers advertise that they are the Truck of the South. Bullshit. This is Tacoma country.

Will say that Pro colors are rare here. Only ever seen 1 LunaRock. Zero Army Greens. Zero Solar Octane. Zero Calvary or VooDoo blue. Zero Cement. Saw an out of State Quicksand once. Lime Rush have seen a few, but some were ORPs. Barcelona is also not common here.

Have seen two 40ths regularly. A black one and a white one.