Since 1987 I've wanted this! Getting my first 4Runner!!!

Hey!

username peelxite, first name Lee, (go by leep).

The preacher at our church had a white 4Runner in the 80's...even back then, everyone knew that the 4Runner was the thing to buy if you could swing it.

After a disastrous year, where I lost a ton, I didn't lose equity in my house. I and my (now ex) are liquidating on Monday and I am ON THE MARKET!

I'm cashing out, upgrading my horse, and going on an open road walkabout...probably drive for at least a year. Desert and mountains for sure.

If you care to, tell me what surprised you, or you learned but didn't expect AFTER you'd taken possession of your truck.

Thanks yo!

***so excited!

 

Welcome to the forum from Wisconsin!

 

Welcome

 

Welcome!

I didn’t expect how much I would enjoy the great outdoors again. My days of backpacking are behind me, but the 4Runner has opened up the back-country again through overlanding.

Nothing like getting out there where nobody else is…

 

Welcome! I bought my 4runner a few years ago. Been wanting one for a while, bought it, and no regrets.

What surprised me was how smooth the stock ride was. I assumed a body on frame suv would not feel this refined.

It surprised me how much I’ve enjoyed tending to it. I always liked the idea of wrenching, but the 4runner makes doing maintainance and installing mods a real pleasure (for the most part). It’s not for everybody, but in my case it became part of the hobby.

The other surprise is that I have a daily driver that has actually become a hobby to a level I didn’t expect at this point in life. It’s been a blast meeting local members for wheeling trips exploring national forests, camping. I’m slowly becoming corrupted with increasing amounts of rock crawling.

Another surprise…pinstripes DO buff out! Even ones that look pretty bad!

These are not perfect vehicles, but they just about are. You’ll probably find it’s the perfect form factor for your intended use.

 

Indeed! However, I learned painful young, with my Pathfinder...4WD doesn't stop you getting stuck...gets you stuck in worse places bwahahahaha...so long as you got beer and smokes...someone'll likely find you eventually.

Glad you got to get back to that outdoors self in a new way. Yeah, for me it's a mix of that and also that I've been going on road trips since before I could walk. As an adult, I drove from the Twin Cities to visit my parents every spring in Harlingen TX. 24 hr drive. That solitude forces you to think, examine, and discover. Nothing like it.

 

+++
This was super helpful. Perspective fresh enough to recall what it was like to notice something new. I love it. I want a smooth ride, sure. glad it's there...but I like beating on things a little (probably be more careful than I used to be. Rolled my Pathfinder before deer opener...9 pointer took the sting out of it the next morning tho!

 

East or west? I guess it doesn't much matter since I'm gonna be heading due south in a couple weeks...but yeah. rock on!

 

South. Jefferson county. You in WI?

Where you headed?

 

interesting. I'm in the cities. I had found a 4R in Racine, and another in Kenosha that fit...before I really thought about the sunroof. don't think either of them have it.

I might even buy down in OKC, or Texas, depending...gotta research it.

my first destination after touching base with family is Death Valley, but I'm likely to stop a lot of place throulgout the SW and then up the coast in the next 3-`12 or so months...maybe longer

 

Nice! I grew up in Milwaukee suburbs.

Texas is pretty cool. Good bass fishing and BBQ.

Sounds like you're planning a pretty awesome trip! Retired?

 

No, well, no. I've been having a biblical year...like book of Job stuff.

2/21/2023: Wrongfully terminated (won my unemployment appeal with my state govt. though...the arbiter not only agreed the employer who term'd me was WAYYYY off, she kinda (using professional language) shamed them...let them have it...that employer happened to be the very same state government, just a different department smh.

3/4/2023: kid brother, 15 yrs my jr (who I basically raised, our dad kinda lives with the beer cans)...taught him to hunt, fish, blah blah...he shot himself dead.

4/2/2023: my wife of 9 1/2 yrs walks out...four days before we bury my brother. she's shacked up with a welfare fraudster now...left me because I was wrongfully termd and didn't have a job supposedly. Now she get this guy, no work since 2019...DUI that involed smashing four cars...the one that stopped him was a squad...she bought him a car, paid his fines...yeah no. (it's actually so over the top, it helped me get past her...now I'm like whoooo she cray cray)

So, yeah...oh, and my parents said that I could call the Salvation army if I needed shelter after selling the house, because they need their funds to buy a bigger condo (1. I didn't as for help or input...2. uhhhh, so when you sell a house...they give you money...Imma have over 70k in the bank...but my step mom tipped her hand about whether the'd have been there for me if I did need them.

I'm going on walkabout, not sure what I'm lookin for, or where. just leaving this place behind and gonna ride free for a bit.

no sympathy needed, like I said, she's such a dumbass...I'm over her. 9 yrs... sure, that's not great, but coulda been 18-20, and I coulda found about who she really is while I was on my deathbed. She won't let me say goodbye to one of my two dogs...that's the only thing that kinda crushes me...when I think about it.

 

Wow! I'm sorry to hear all of that! It sounds like taking a little time to get away from everything is exactly what you need. I hope you find a vehicle soon so you can start your journey.

Enjoy the experience! And, if you like, post pictures and stories from the road here.

 

ya know, it’s all ok…except the dog thing. Been on the road since before I could walk. I’m super excited. I’m planning on doing some sort of travel log…but I gotta find an angle. I hate doing the same thing others are doing, without putting my stamp on it.
Yeah, I’m FREE! I’m 50, but I put 10 yrs in with county government, so I got a base pension plus SSA. Thanks for your help! See ya down the road a ways.

 

Excellent post. I was a Jeep guy all of my life until recently, I just kept seeing the 4Runner and kinda fell in love with it. Fate intervened— my Jeep got totaled and the insurance paid off some things so I could swing a new car payment, the first stop was the Toyota dealership and long story short I bought the 4Runner that I test drove, it had 1 mile on it and 4 days later I drove it home. The 4Runner found me, I didn’t find it. I’m obsessed with camping/fishing so this vehicle is the Queen Bee of camping rigs.

 

You know man, not getting like newsy or poilitcal...it's just so much bad s**t happens to so many people every day...it can make it hard to get out of bed.
your experience, and ESPECIALLY how you value and gush about it.
guess I'm just sayin...I didn't know how bad I needed to just hear that some dude got a win...that's it, just a win. Crap happened to you, but it turned around, and you're livin the dream. Nice post man...ride on

 

My condolences for your losses. All the best to you on your journey.

If you choose a 4runner as your steed, I’d suggest don’t buy it sight unseen. Unless you’re buying new, it’s very easy to get one with a frame that is completely corroded. Especially here in the midwest.

This and other forums have honestly been a huge part of the value of a 4runner in my opinion. So much knowledge out there on maintaining, fixing, mods, etc. If in doubt about one you’re considering, or have questions about this or that regarding the health of the vehicle, post a question, you’ll likely get some good input that could save you headaches down the line.

 

Spot on advice, for sure. I'm not buying without seeing it. I'll be sure to inspect the undercarriage. I'm so glad you posted that. The Pilot I have now, I didn't join the forum until after I bought it. I guess the entire back bumper rusts off that. I'm going to try to get one up here, but it shouldn't be more than like 3-4 yrs old. Enough time for damage to happen, but maybe not. Otherwise, if I can't find what I am looking for...apparently my stepbrother knows people in Oklahoma

Thanks!

 

Welcome from Arizona!

 

Well, what surprised me the most was the smooth quiet ride for a grade A off road vehicle. Welcome to the forum!

 

Welcome from the center of the bourbon universe. Enjoy your freedom.