New Ford Bronco aimed at the Jeep Gladiator

[Borderland]

22 years and 215,000 miles. It recently hauled me, two Brits, luggage, and a bunch of guns from our Virginia office to a coworker's place in WV in 93deg temps and Friday NoVA/DC rush hour traffic.

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You were saying?

Chris

Hauling the British around is unpatriotic.

97 was a good year for those 4runners. I had one that left with a divorce. My ex promptly sold it to someone who lives nearby. I see it from time to time. It had 80K on it when it left. Still in good shape and a daily driver. I live on a small island so I see a lot of the same vehicles and same people. Those look like stock wheels.

[donlapalma]

I'm starting to see Jeep Gladiators on the roads here in Phoenix. They are as hideous in real life as they were in photos.

[rob_s]

Well, Chevy is recycling the blazer name, so why not?
https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-chevy-...-bi-1834142769

[fixer]

IIRC, I had a '96. Bulletproof. Loved that thing. I regret selling it.
Best feature: Electric roll-down rear window. I think they still have it.

Yes...5th gens have it still on every trim level.

[fixer]

22 years and 215,000 miles. It recently hauled me, two Brits, luggage, and a bunch of guns from our Virginia office to a coworker's place in WV in 93deg temps and Friday NoVA/DC rush hour traffic.


Chris

You guys should check out this thread on T4R.org:

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...t-mileage.html

There is an astounding number of people who have over 300k and a mind-blowing number who have over 400, 500, 600k on 4 runners.

The thread was started in 2008. The had to prune it with folks posting only 200k miles.

[mtnbkr]

Hauling the British around is unpatriotic.

97 was a good year for those 4runners. I had one that left with a divorce. My ex promptly sold it to someone who lives nearby. I see it from time to time. It had 80K on it when it left. Still in good shape and a daily driver. I live on a small island so I see a lot of the same vehicles and same people. Those look like stock wheels.

Even if it was to expose them to a weekend of American Culture (BBQ, Booze, Guns, and West "By God" Virginia)? I mean, one of them was completely anti-gun and scared of them, but I not only got him shooting my suppressed 22lr pistol, I coached him into multiple hits in a row in trap shooting, and had him shooting full auto guns before I dropped them off at the airport that Sunday. The other had done this trip before and wasn't anti-gun at all. However, he's already making a list of guns he wants should he move to the US. My mission was completely patriotic!

As for the 4Runner, I agree the 97 was probably one of the better years for the 3rd Gens. Any bugs from the first year were worked out, but they hadn't yet started tarting them up with wheel flares, covered bumpers, and the like. They're just good, solid, trucks. I just put new tires, new springs, and new shocks on mine. It should be good for another decade (which will be about 30k miles at the rate I drive it these days).

Chris

[LittleLebowski]

Well, Chevy is recycling the blazer name, so why not?
https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-chevy-...-bi-1834142769

Not surprised about GM fucking that up.

[mtnbkr]

IIRC, I had a '96. Bulletproof. Loved that thing. I regret selling it.
Best feature: Electric roll-down rear window. I think they still have it.

I need to fix my rear window, it has become unglued from the mechanism. However, with the sunroof, if you open all of the windows and the sunroof, it feels like a convertible. It was great for driving on the beach at OBX.

Chris

[mtnbkr]

You guys should check out this thread on T4R.org:

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...t-mileage.html

There is an astounding number of people who have over 300k and a mind-blowing number who have over 400, 500, 600k on 4 runners.

The thread was started in 2008. The had to prune it with folks posting only 200k miles.

I stopped participating in Toyota forums years ago, before most 4Runners were getting into the 300k+ range. It was always more of a circle-jerk regarding the brand (Toyota didn't put a light in the engine compartment because you never need to work on it at night because they're so reliable). Also, it was either people trying to turn their 4x4 into street racers or folks going in the other extreme and turning them into non-street-legal rock crawlers. At the time, overlanding, closer to my use case, wasn't a thing.

It is impressive though. I'm still shocked when I see 300k or more posted on a board somewhere. Around here it isn't uncommon to see a used 3rd Gen with 200k going for a premium price because they are potentially only halfway through their useful life. The biggest threat is frame rust, not mechanical failure. I spend a lot of time cleaning and painting surface rust and tapping around the frame to make sure it's solid on mine.

Chris

[fixer]

Not surprised about GM fucking that up.

Yeah that meme wrote itself practically. I was really disappointed too.