[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by speeder

We've owned every generation of 4-runner from first to present in my family and I have a '98. I don't dispute what anyone has said so far but I'll offer my .02. What 4-runners, (and Toyota trucks in general), have going for them over the others is a toughness that goes beyond simply avoiding repairs, IMO. You get the daily satisfaction of owning something that is just better. Again, IMO.

You will pay more for this privilege. You will get some or most of it back in resale or just plain use out of it if you keep it 'till it croaks. (Generally forever). It's like a Stihl chainsaw or a John Deere tractor, (both of which we own), you get what you pay for and life is too short to own crap. That said, it may or may not be the most enjoyable DD for you and the toughness may not ever be used or appreciated. My major complaint w/ new 4-runners is that they have gotten so far away from their original, lightweight/swiss army knife beginnings. The new ones are nice, just a different animal. My '98 is a 4-cylinder/5-speed base model which is my favorite configuration. We've also owned a few "Limited" ones w/ 3 cows worth of leather in them.

Very well said. We bought a 2003 V6 4wd Sport new. Drove it for 65k with absolutely zero issues and sold it because we needed a 3rd row seat. Sold it to Paul (Seahawk) who is over 100k without any problems. When we sold it there was no noticeable wear, everything worked perfectly, and it drove like new. Awesome SUV.

Originally Posted by kaisen

There's a nicely equipped 2008 Ford Explorer XLT 4x4 in Detroit with 24K miles that would be about $17,500.

Is a 4Runner worth it?

Without a doubt. That Explorer will be worth nothing in 5 years. Our 4Runner sold for a damn good price after 4 years and 65k. We test drove an Escape and Explorer prior to the 4Runner, the Fords weren't even in the picture after looking at the Toyota. Materials, build quality, and the driving experience were all obviously superior, even to my non-car savvy wife. She thought the Fords looked "cheap" in comparison.