OldSkool

Me and my Friend were having a debate about which one is better off road. Now i realize that the Jeep has somewhat of a more powerful engine but what about 4 wheel drive? Can anyone show me any Stats or Comparisons i cant seem to find anything.. Or any personal Experience's with the two. He has a 99 jeep .. Im getting a 99 4runner .. Which out of the two is a better vechile?

Cebby

I have one of each, however not both 99's I have a 93 4R and 00 JGC. As far as the 3rd Gen vs. JGC, I think the 3G would be better off road. With the Toy, you get more ground clearance and option of rear factory locker. The 4R is a body on frame design where the JGC is a unibody construction. There are a few things I like more about the JGC, mainly creature comforts, smoother on pavement ride and the short wheelbase (manuverable). I got the I6 engine in the JGC mainly for gas mileage, but also to build the motor into a stroker down the road. As far as stock power and seat of the pants testing, I think if both have the 6, they are similar. I've driven both of the models you've described recently, but only on-road. The V8 JGC is a powerhouse, but also very thirsty (and noisy).

rpeAMP

I've actually driven a newer Jeep Grand Cherokee offroading a few times. My friend (who has the Jeep) and I trade trucks for a few hours sometimes when we're offroad to get the feel of each other's trucks. I can't show you any statistics or hard facts, but I enjoy driving my 4Runner more than his Cherokee. I don't take the 2000 offroad because it's my dad's, but in my 92, I feel more in control than I did with his Cherokee. I don't know, maybe it was just because the Cherokee wasn't mine, but I enjoyed the 4Runner alot more. My 92 has a very simple, yet effective 4WD system coupled with a powerful 5-spd. transmission. I feel totally in control when navigating through puddles and ruts of mud or bouncing over rocks. Don't get me wrong, the Jeep is a capable rig as well, I just prefer the responsiveness and "feel" of my 4Runner. Just my two cents...

HBoss

It's the 2003 models, but it's close. Here's somewhat of a statistical breakdown for you:

Link

OldSkool

Yea i saw that the other day.. The 4runner and jeep are pretty close it seems.. I personally like the 4runners better but you know how it is when two people like what there defending theres not really gonna be a winner without stats or facts

91Runner

Your friend will find out that the 4Runner is better when he has a few break downs either on road or on the trail, and your 4Runner keeps on running strong Sorry but I have a thing against Jeeps. I mean yes they are highly modifiable, and are good offroaders, but their reliability absolutely sucks. I used to drive a '94 Wrangler and my uncle drives a '98 or '99 Cherokee and my Jeep would break down (leaving it undrivable, and costing $200 to repair) almost like clockwork every 2 weeks, and my uncle's Jeep has slightly better reliabilty, but it still breaks down way too often. My '91 4Runner on the other hand has only broken down on me maybe 3 times in the year and a half that I've owned it. And it's all been fairly minor things, with only one major thing happening (power steering gear box started leaking and had to be replaced, and I had a leak in my radiator) but other than that I've maintained it well, changing the oil regularly, checking fluids regularly, etc... and it's treated me great

So in my extremely biased opinion the 4Runner is a lot better than a Jeep GC Because your friend will be begging you for a ride when his Jeep breaks down.

-Braden

data

Yup, Jeeps are unreliable. Like in the above post, yes they are highly modifialbe, but you don't need something that's gonna break down on the trail every time you go out. The only thing that the Yota's don't have that the jeeps have is that solid front axle.

I'd go toyota all the way

tomus1000

Jeepers Creepers!

rpeAMP

BTW- Jeeps (Chryslers in general) are known for electrical problems that are mysteries even to the dealer. My girlfriend has a 97 Grand Cherokee and sometimes when she starts the car, nothing electrical except the radio turns on (no speedometer, tachometer, etc.). I have tried EVERYTHING to get it to work, however what gets me is that it is temperamental. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. There's obviously a short somewhere but I can't seem to find it and neither can the dealer. Very similar thing happened to my mom's Town & Country. After seeing both of these occurances, it's enough to make me never want to buy a Chrysler.

az4x4runner

My mom has a Chrysler van and it seems to have some electrical problems the dealer hasn't been able to fix, some of the lights in the guage cluster will come on randomly, and sometimes the gas gauge wont come on when she starts it.

But as for the Jeep thing, I only know one person who owns one, and it's a 94 Cherokee, maybe he just got lucky but it's never broken down since he got it (only about 1/2 a year ago I think, maybe a little more), and he's off on a trail every free second he has, lol, I still prefer the 4Runners though.
-Bryan

rpeAMP

I should have clarified about the Jeep...it's mainly (in my experience) the newer Jeeps that have this problem. My parents owned an older (92-94) Jeep and loved it until they traded it for a 4Runner in 99.

Cebby

I've actually had little problems with Chrysler products over the years. My 2000 JGC is my third Chysler product. I had a short lived Dodge Shadow (my fault, not the car), a Dodge Dakota, and now the JGC. I had the Dakota 4x4 for 4 years without 1 problem. My only replacement was a driver side mirror someone clipped when it sat in front of my house. No electrical problems, no mechanical problems. I hope the Jeep is as reliable.

INsr5runner

I have a 2000 sr5, and one of my friends has a 3"Rancho lift on his 95 GC. He had to lift it 3 " to get to the same tires 265/70r16's I had on STOCK. granted he does have a V8, but we can do much of the same obstacles, especially with my front sway bar disconnected... I give him crap for owning a runner first(he rolled it) and switching to a Jeep, but it's still a sweet ride. SOLID FRONT AXLES in jeeps do rule though...:pat:

My gf has a 2000 wrangler that is a piece! the tranny sucks! I know those are built stout, but hers isn't! I don't know anyone with problems in their runner.....maybe because they are tuffer???

egalsim

As far as off roading goes, a JGC will have the edge over the 2nd, 3rd generation 4runners due to the fact that it has solid axles front and rear. This lends to better articulation, especially when doing rock crawling. The older 1984 4runners would be the best out of all generations of 4runners for off roading, because it too has solid axles front and rear. A 1984 4 runner with either a Toyota 3.4L V6 or Chevy 4.3L V6 engine swap would be ideal for off road conditions, as well as have enough power for freeway speeds.

mudbone

Well boys,

I don't have a 4Runner, but I do have an XtraCab Hilux and a 1999 Jeep WJ (Grand Cherokee for the uninitiated). Here's my take on the two...

I bought the Hilux new in 1994. I've spent about .17 cents on repairs ever since. OK, so I exagerated a little. Still the Toyota has been as reliable as a piece of flint. It's not as cushy as the Jeep and it's a little on the rev-y side with the 22RE, but it is tough.

I bought the WJ in 2000 with 35K on the odometer. It's a Laredo "F" package (meaning it's nearly a Limited). It's spent every Christmas since I bought it in the shop -- rear end problems. It nearly spent this one there two, except the dealer cried uncle and sprung for a new axle assembly. I think they've finally got it

I live in rural VA, on a farm, and commute about 45 miles each way to work (civil engineer). I drive off-road fairly frequently, but rarely "full-bore". I really do *like* my Jeep, but it has been less than trouble free. Allthough the troubles have been isolated to the rear axle.

The truck always feels a bit squirelly off-road. I have open diffs at each end, so I guess a Tru-Trac would help. I have BFG ATs on it but they are not extra large ones -- 235-15s, I think. The Jeep always feels very stable off-road. I goes where I point it and comes back. The only issue I've had is, you'd better remember to engage 4WD before you *need* it, or else the auto hubs will not lock -- dumb! I have had no trouble with the unibody on the WJ. It is very tight and the ride is sure-footed.

I just put Bilstiens on the Toyota and the have helped the ride a bunch! I need low-profile bump stops as my truck hits them coming down my driveway a 35MPH. BTW, my driveway is gravel, 1.2 miles long:eek:

That's my short take. For frame of reference, I've driven trucks a long time and had two GMs with lockers at both ends. I know a little about getting through muck and mire. If anyone would like to hear more, I'm glad to post.

Rick

Skydigger

'85 is the best. You get a SFA and EFI.

Robinhood150

The better vehicle is the 4runner for all the reasons already mentioned. But the best off road capability (ignoring reliability concerns) belongs to the GC.

Comparing completely stock vehicles with open diffs front and back, the GC has a slight edge because of the better articulation. My friend's GC always climbs the obstacles that I have trouble with.

If you put a rear locker on the 4runner, like on the 3rd gens, then the 4runner will have the edge. But then again, if you put a locker on the GC, then it will have the edge once again. I believe Matt Hinkley said in an earlier post, the shortfall of the GC is that it only has a dana 30 front axle, a little weak.

Of course, you really only care about all this if you do hardcore rockcrawling, and I mean hardcore. The second you swap in a solid axle into the 4runner, then it has the edge because of the reliability.

If you want to talk about speed, then the 4runner will be better because of the ifs.

Steve

OldSkool

Thanks for everyones opinion... I still think i like the 4runners better but its now im not as biased on which one is better. Thanks again