abunich

Considering a lomited 03 in black. Is the V8 option worth it? Used mostly in town as an everyday car.

MTL_4runner

IMHO......um.......YES!

romus

I have a 2003 V6 4runner and I really like my truck. The only issue I had with my 2003 V6 4runner was a squeaking belt but Toyota techs fixed that problem. Truck purrs now yahooo The V6 has plenty of power also the ride is quit, Gas mileage is good for a V6. If your not going to use it to pull anything I would buy the V6. That’s my 2 cents

abunich

As I understand it, more weight and fewer Hp. I am thinking it is slower with more pulling power (for boats,trailers, etc.).

amorphous

as I read it, the v8 had LESS hp's than the v6 (it was something like 5-10 maybe)

i guess it's a torque thing.

~aaron

HBoss

Yes, in my opinion.

HP is overated, it's all about torque baby. Unless you drive near redline on a regular basis.

I've driven the 4.7L V8 in the 2003 4Runner. The V8 plus transmission is silky smooth and the power is distributed nicely throughout the RPMs. As far as I know, mileage barely changes between the 6 & 8 cyl. I'd go with 8 in that case.

romus

The only thing I didn’t like about the V8 was that it was in all wheel drive. I think Toyota should have given the V8 the option if you wanted to be in all wheel drive or not, like the V6 4runner. I would wait until they come out with the 2004 because then you will see what changes they have made on the 2004s. Plus they will be trying to get rid of the 2003 4runner and you might get a better deal.

M1911

I'm with HBoss. I'm looking at the V8s. Lots of torque off the line. Hit the gas and the truck moves RIGHT NOW.

Also, several people here have described problems with valve noise from the V6.

uberdog

I had the same to decision to make (as anyone buying the 2003 did) and I went with the V8 for one *extremely* important reason: It's a proven engine.

Read the post on this board regarding the new V6 in the '03 Runners and you will see what I mean. Even though Toyota has a great reputation for quality, buying into a brand new engine design in the first year is extremely risky.

As for power between the two: Anyone who has driven both will tell you that in everyday driving there is very little "seat of the pants" difference between the two. The V8 will be a better choice for full loads and towing due to the fact that it has more torque and is less stressed.

My last opinion is merely my opinion but... I would not want an all aluminum in a truck which is what the V6 is.

Slib77

I drove both before making my decision. The V6 is nice but I ended up with the V8. The 5 speed tranny is really smooth, and the torque is what it's all about. 5-10 HP is not that much of a difference. Intake and exhaust can make that up. I hear they are going to put the 5 speed in the V6 for 2004. That might give it the same drivetrain as the V8 when it comes to just having AWD and 4-LO.

FirstToy

Aw no love for the V6.
Well thanks for taking the shine off my new ride

FWIW, my truck runs smooth with no problems and I love the power & torque on and off road so far.

edit: Oh, one reason I like more HP is for the freeway (don't forget it's got more HP and also a few pounds lighter). The V6 still has the beef down low and I don't tow so I thought I gotta go with the V6.

Hey, I'm coming from a 170hp engine so the 4R is like some kinda monster

impulsebrklyn

v6 I love mine not one complaint, and its got plenty of get go. I was worth saving the money to me. Plus i like the option of selecting 2wd and 4wd also when i was looking for a black limited the v8s all had extra options i did not want. Like nav, upgraded stereo, wireless head phones etc.

Chris

Slib77

Much love for the V6. I just prefer V8's.
Either way, your making a good decision.

romus

Some of the 2003 V8 4runners have some issues also like the drive line vibration when driving over 70 mph.

uberdog

The vibration issue on the early production (2002 for 2003 model year) Runners was not an engine or driveline issue, it was due to the wheels and tires.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but the i-Force V8 is one of the best V8's currently in production by any auto manufacturer. The V6 may turn out to be equally great, but it takes about 5 years for any component to prove itself in the real world.

No doubt we are all paying a little for buying a new truck in the first year of production. The good news is that it's Toyota. Do a search for Piston Slap in Google and see what you come up with from GM and others...

SLC Punk

V8 and supercharge it. You will never have power issues after that!!

Seriously, how much towing are you planning on doing? If you aren't going to tow anything, then get the V6.

HBoss

Agreed. Nothing wrong w/a V6.

If the 4.7L V8 was available for my 97 Runner I would have chose that over the 3.4L V6. I like V8s & lots of torque though..

EDGE

WTHell man, when I was looking to get my 4Runner their was one freakin Black Ltd V8 which they sold an no others, so I ended up with a Loaded Silver LTD with NAV for less and still they have no Blacks

When I bought mine they only had V8's and I had no intention on getting a V6, plus the actual price difference at the time I bought was like 1700 bucks for a LTD V8 verse a LTD V6.

The driveline vibration seems more Lexus GX owners have that problem then Toy guys

Sac State

Yes, there is a 5-10hp difference between the V6 & V8. What is 10hp? You could recoup that loss by just dropping in a K&N filter. I traded a '02 Sport for the '03 Sport V8. The V8 is instantly responsive and pulls hard throughtout the rev limits. I didn't test drive the V6, coming from a stocker 183hp 3.4, the V8 is all I knew I wanted. The test drive solidified my decision. Overall, I am getting 19.2-22.3 mpg in mixed driving on 89 octane, so mileage is not an issue. Like noted before, the V6 is a new engine, some people are having a nightmare(MISH) with the new engine, some people love it and have had no issues(impulsebrooklyn). I personally have not had one item wrong or that needed to be corrected by the dealer. The truck is tight, fast and drives like a good 'ol American sedan. Get the V8, or you'll always say, "Wish I had a V8!". I like the full-time 4x4 drivetrain, exactly what is in the LC, so you know the set-up is bulletproof. The torque is awesome.

romus

Test-drive both trucks on the highway get them running over 75 miles an hour for a few miles. Then decide which one you like. The V6 4runner that I have runs smooth & quiet and has plenty of power. Good luck