What have you done to your 5th Gen 4Runner today?

Had a new windshield put in. First plus hundred mile drive on Saturday Phoenix to Flagstaff, I always steer clear of big rigs for the one reason that sent me to the glass shop, stones. Didn't hear anything hit it, once there on a forest service road about 3 miles in, stopped to hike a bit and there it is a 9 inch crack starting from the drivers side top. Road had some washboards in it so my guess is body/frame flex cracked it.The Safelite installer said he has seen a lot of 4Runner's coming in with cracked windshields, makes me think Toyota lowered the quality of the glass by leaps and bounds. Not even one thousand miles on the truck. Thankfully insurance covered the whole thing. Price was 209.00 billed to insurance.

 

I just lifted mine! Still deciding on rims
Toytec suspension
285/70 cooper st maxx

 

Very nice!! Great stance.

 

Overlay emblems

 

Loaded it up for a camping trip

 

Leveled the stance a bit...

 

Ecotechne Roof Rack is on!! Whoop whoop.

 

went downtown

 

New shoes are on, not the best picture but whatever. Tint to the front windows and decals on the back panel windows next Friday

 

Picked up some new water toys and headed to the lake.....

 

Took the trailer out to see how the airbags helped with the rear droop.

 

Which air bags did you get?

Typed like a child from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

Firestone Ride-Rite Coil-Rite Rear Air Helper Spring Kit - 4135

 

Well I picked up my truck again for the shop and I'm about at my wits end. Going on 7 weeks between 2 different shops (have had it for about a week since May 3) and I still can't get it done right. At this point I'm ready to sell it and wash my hands of the thing.

New issues with truck:
- Dent on inside upper left of lift gate
- 3-4 scratch/dent/nicks on lift gate inside top
- Chip in body paint by right hinge
- Scratches on body next to left hinge
- Garnish upper clip will not clip to gate
- Paint is peeling/chipping/coming off around garnish clip square hole
- Backup camera weather strip foam is gone and it is bolted straight to the lift gate...plastic nut inserts appear gone.
- Spoiler/gate creaks pretty good opening and closing the lift gate. Sounds like plastic rubbing metal.

Minor issue:
- Noticeable paint lines/masking around both hinges on lift gate
- Still rough white over spray on back edges/lip of lift gate.
- Ding/crush mark in edge of driver door behind the protective film

I know I'm extremely picky about stuff like this (and pretty much everything) but this is getting ridiculous. I'm growing to hate the truck and how it's disrupting my life.

 

That's total BS You need to get with your insurance company a freak the F out. Tell them get it right or they need to total it, raise hell, don't hold back. Refuse anything other than perfection.

 

Thanks. I forgot that the gate seems to swing not quite right compared to new. I think the hinge mounts might be tweaked. When closed the up gap between the gate and body is bigger than the new ones, but once open the gap is smaller than new ones. Something isn't right. And both hinges are new. I had them replaced when on this last attempt I saw that the holes were wallowed out. I've considered a whole new shell, but at this point that's all out of pocket and I have my doubts that it'd be assembled issue free.

I can't understand how this is so hard. The first shop utterly butchered things. The second is better and genuinely wants to make it right, but two tries and still issues. I mean come on.

I'm sorry I even filed a claim at this point. Wish I'd just left it and replaced the hinges myself. I think the claim has been closed so I'm not sure what I can do.

 

Every insurance company I've ever heard of will warranty the repairs for life. File as many claims as it takes until it's perfect. It's a new truck that is now seriously devalued because of half assed body work. That's completely unacceptable.

 

Yeah it's warrantied for life. The shop already wants it back for the chip in the paint we caught when I picked it up. Found the rest when I got home. I'll have to look into what my options are. I hate the idea of filing more claims on this thing, but I may have to. The wife has reached a point where she just wants it gone and get something else (and honestly even though I like the truck, I'm getting there too).

 

Sell it to CarMax, take the money and buy another one. I know if mine was totaled, i'd buy another one, I love it. Honestly the only thing it doesn't have that I wish it did have is a V8 option.

 

I hear ya. We almost went to CarMax last night but I wasn't in the mood. Tomorrow morning I'll see what they'd give me. Although KBB value based on what I owe, I'm betting I'd pocket $4k at most. Probably not enough to put down for another 4Runner if I wanted to go that route. We'll see.

 

Installed Airlift 1000 airbags..

 

Here's the dent and the garnish clip that won't clip in and is damaging the paint. The last PIC is of a new 4Runner back up camera on the dealers lot. Mine is missing that white plastic piece, has a different bolt and washer and is tight. While I asked for it to be tightened up, it looks like they may have just used a. It on the back side and removed the factory plastic snap in nuts. I won't know until I open it up.

 

I put my ARB snorkel on finally.

 

I swear I can feel more power with this new cap

 

Nice. You are loaded for bear. You might need a roof rack (to bring that bear home).

 

2 MPG gain with those TRD caps. lol

 

Went by Carmax and took the truck to a third shop yesterday. Smaller mom and pop type with good reviews and one that refuses to be a preferred insurance shop so they aren't tied to doing the insurance company's bidding. The owner looked it over and said to make it right we needed to start from square 1. He wants to get new hinges, liftgate, window glass, garnish and emblems, clips etc... pretty much everything. Said we will test fit it together and get the liftgate swing and gap issues dealt with and he suspected there was internal tweaking of the current gate and possibly roof. So far I'm liking everything I'm hearing.

I've contacted the insurance and and taking it to their inspector tomorrow to show all the issues and why I'm not happy. From there I can go to any shop I want with the estimate which probably won't cover everything. Hopefully the tear down will vindicate me and what I'm seeing and most of it will be covered.

This is a smaller speciality shop that works on high end Corvettes on down and the owner is pretty no nonsense so I'm hopeful. Now I just gotta decide if I want to go thru more fix and repair on this truck or cut my losses and get something else.