91Toyota

DON'T GET A MINIVAN!!! They are junk!

Why not just buy a 4runner and extend it so it will have 6 doors?

91Toyota

I also suggest getting an early 90's Suburban. The one my family had got 18mpg.

The Ruckus

a couple you may not have considered (at least, I didn't see them listed):
Chrysler Pacifica - yes, its a Chrysler- but you can get it in AWD and can seat 6. My sister in law has one, and from the few times riding in it, it's quite comfortable (though I am admittedly a less-than-gargantuan individual). Don't know about their reliability, just know the SIL uses it to haul her, the husband, and two kids regularly for 6+ hour rides. Food for thought, at least.

Also, have you looked at the Volkswagen Eurovan? I had never seen one before, but the other day one popped up on a lot near my house. 2002, GLS trim. Looks kind of... different?... from the outside; it seats 7, has sliding doors. Again, not a knowledgeable person regarding them, just something you may not have even thought to consider. Then again, maybe you've thought of and ruled out both already

taikowaza

TC4RNR thank you for the warning about the Priuses. My Dad says the exact same thing about the Prius batteries costing so much to replace. In the long run the jump to hybrid does not seem to be justified by logic at least. You are especially right about people not being able to work on them. I think my wife likes the IDEA of the hybrid and the appearance. People seem to think you are a better person if you drive one as well. I will definitely keep the Corolla idea in mind and will run it past. Thank you for this. 91toyota- I agree with you about minivans in general and also nieuwendyk-25 seems to feel this way too, but I can't ever see myself owning a minivan. No matter how much I try to convince myself how cool they are, good ratings, gas mileage, I still think they make me depressed thinking about owning one. So I would rather get worse gas mileage and drive a vehicle I really enjoy owning. That took me a long time to get around to saying but it feels good! Yesterday I spent some time looking at vehicles far beyond my price range after I got done investigating the Sequoia, these are the land cruisers and Lexus 8 seater vehicles. I do not know much about these but I was thinking if I was considering a Sequoia I should at least consider a LC or one of the Lexus twins. I expect I should do a lot of reading on this but I will start by asking nieuwendyk-25, before you bought your Sequoia did you consider a LC or Lexus? I ask this because on the Tundra Forums there was a post debating between these but it did not go deep into discussion. This may be beyond the scope of this thread but in retrospect are you happy you went with a Sequoia rather than a Land Cruiser or Lexus (I think it's the LX470). By the way I want to thank 91toyota and also TheRuckus for suggesting the suburban, pacifica and Eurovan as well. I have added these to the growing list of possibilities. Things have changed a bit, before we were considering the van for my wife, now it has evolved a bit into a potential Toyota people-mover for me, and a smaller fuel-eco vehicle for her, for running around town. If it does work out that way, I might go the sequoia/land cruiser/lx for myself and something toyota/honda for her, that gets great mileage. Before I forget, is there anything anticipated emerging this year 2010 that might change everything, IE a BIG people-mover hybrid, in this case it might be smarter to wait for the 2010 year. Otherwise I will get a used model, 2005 sequoia seems to be the sweet spot, for the land cruisers and Lexus LX I do not yet know. 2005 Sequoias are very expensive in the Seattle area, I can only imagine that land cruisers and LX series will be selling for small pots of gold with gems and rubies thrown in. by the way, i have to make up my mind before August as we will be moving then. I have to decide what I will do...pay for a mover, tow a trailer, drive a u-haul and tow a vehicle, or drive a U-haul while my wife drives the 4runner with 2 kids. We would prefer to be in the same vehicle. I do not trust my 3vze to tow a heavy trailer over the rockies. This is the situation, I was thinking a V8 sequoia could tow a large trailer easily. I am glad to have YT help in planning this endeavor vehicle-wise. I hate driving U-hauls just for some more info, they are gutless and dangerous IM(not so)HO

91Toyota

You would make an excellent book writer!

TC4RNR

How far are you gonna move? In this past Dec. I moved 2100 miles, let me tell you, AVOID Towing at all causes, try not haul heavy load on your own vehicle. I started selling my stuff in Oct. on craigslist, then shipped majority of my crap via trucking company, 3 pallets totally of 2200lbs. costed me $1100, around 50 cents per pound. Let me tell you , I wish I had all my stuff shipped, instead, I hauled 500lbs of "Important" cargo in the 4Runner, check my sig for my rig. The rear coil springs compressed 4 and half inches. there were few close calls which I wish the load was lighter so I could stop a little quicker. My transmission quit few days after I arrived here, that repair bill was $1500, and it's still not running right, matter of fact I just dropped it off at the shop this morning to have it re-checked out.

what ever you do, don't rush it, we have been looking for a bigger vehicle for couple months and she's not even pregnant yet. There will always be better deals out there, do your homework. In our case, we are strictly looking for used V8 4Runner, because I steered her to like it and I know some day, it's gonna be mine.

Richjrosa

I used to have a 2005 Honda Pilot and I'll say they aren't as big as the sequoias but they are very nice and they get around 23 - 25 mpg. I loved mine it had the dvd leather and all that. I will say the third row seating is more for the chillins. The reliability and the resale value on it was amazing. It was 4wd too. No SAS but you never know with some skills and a torch???

taikowaza

Hey thanks 91Toyota for the compliment! TC4RNR your post was also very important to me to see today. I have seriously been considering renting a u-haul trailer and putting the 'important' cargo in there and in the 4runner like you did on your relocation (was that from So-Cal to Indy?) Did you drive your 94 runner that you sold, or your 99 runner on that trip? Would you have trusted your 3vze on that trip or were you glad to have the 5vzfe? (need I ask, I kind of know the answer already). My 3vze is the main reason that I have been considering a switch before the big move.
I am going to be doing a similar move to yours (1500miles). I have been avoiding considering shipping companies because of the (I thought) huge cost involved and have only considered towing or Uhauling so far.
Judging from your post though, $1100 for 2200 pounds on 3 pallets sounds pretty good, but I am not sure how much I can fit on a pallet. This is some major food for thought. In fact my whole initial plan has been destroyed, which is a very good thing. What moving company did you use?

Just some more things on my mind...it would be better to swap in a 5vzfe than to buy a new vehicle right now.
If I cannot find anyone to swap an engine in, I had been considering a heavier flywheel to help get up the mountains. Barring that I may sell/part-out the runner and go with a Sequoia or bigger, but I would prefer to take my time as you suggest TC4RNR. I am glad that I have 3.5 months remaining before the move to plan and glad I started this post before I made any big decisions like booking the Uhaul, selling my runner or buying a new truck. I may do these things but I will wait until I have the best plan first.

TC4RNR

on the moving part, it's kinda off-topic, send me a pm.
I sold the 94 in April of 08. IMHO, unless you have the skill and time, 3.4 swap is the least favorable thing you could do to your 91. Why I buy a 99 then sell the 94? I paid $7500 for the 99 3.4, sold the modified 94 for $4000. for $3500, I could have the 3.4 swap, but
a.) I don't have the skill, neither the time,
b.) with buying a 3rd gen, i know it runs before I paid for it
c.) I don't have to worry about what if the 3.4 doesn't run after the swap, then I don't have a ride, can't sell the 94, still paid for the 3.4 motor, maybe can get some of the labor back.
d.) 3rd gen is just more comfy.
e.) 3.4 is designed to be on 3rd gen, not 2nd.

taikowaza

TC4RNR you are right that the moving details are off-topic, thanks for the invite to PM you, I will take you up on that.
I like your philosophy re: the swap. I am at the same place, I have to make a change of some sort very soon and I also lack the skill and time to do a swap. If I were able to find a 99 highlander w/e-locker in a manual, I would snap it up and get my wife the mini-van she always wanted. I like your list showing how you justified the purchase of your 3rd gen and sale of your 2nd gen, rather than swapping the 3.4 right before your trip. Letter (C) is particularly critical, because I have seen on other threads in the swap section that there are sometimes issues after a swap. My biggest nightmare is breaking down in the middle of nowhere on the way out. I was looking at the specs on your 99 TC4RNR- you have your 99 set up NICE. I like your choices a lot, you can tell they were thought through.
I may end up doing what you did- using a moving company, selling my 2nd gen, and getting a 3rd gen. That would be a nice situation, after that, get my wife the Odyssey once we arrive. We'll see what happens. One way or another, we need a powerful vehicle for our trip. I apologize for my rambling, I've been staring at a screen for too long!

nieuwendyk-25

I didn't consider the LC when we bought the Sequoia for two reasons...Cost and the fact that the LC's seem to have become more of a Cadillac than an off-road vehicle (I am speaking of the later models). Actually they are not quite as big behind the third row and not quite as wide either.

Since we bought our Sequoia, my Dad bought a 2006 LC and I really do not enjoy driving it. The ride is too cushy and it feels very tippy...leans into curves and doesn't seem to keep the wheels on the ground. Also, my Dad drove our Sequoia and said he was very disappointed that his LC didn't have near the power that the Sequoia had. So I guess I definitely have had a good comparison between the two as I have spent a lot of time driving both, on and off road (my Dad always asks me to drive if we go somewhere in his car). Of course that is just my opinion. I will say that my 4Runner feels like a sports car after driving those bigger SUV's.

So yes, I am very happy with the Sequoia over the LC and the money I saved doesn't follow me around like on the Geico commercial.

As far as towing, I have towed a few moderate loads with the Sequoia (nothing hardcore yet) and it has been effortless at handling, power and braking....most of my towing has been in the mountains with the vehicle loaded with kids, gear and the rocket box. If you do get a Sequoia, get rid of the stock tires first...they won't last long anyway as they are car tires.

TC4RNR

I know that first hand, my former boss leased an 04 Lexus 470 top of the line everything, tax write-off for him anyway. He lives 2 miles from the office so he has lots of left over mileage from the extended 15k mile per year contract. We drove that thing all over the places attending trade shows from Oregon to Arizona, 4 times a year in Vegas. let me put in this way, a V6 Sienna would smoke the V8 Lc. Lexus spent too much time and effort making it a "car".

nieuwendyk-25

Exactly...it's SAD!

I wish my Dad would have kept his '02 or better yet his '98 4Runner....

taikowaza

We are going to test-drive an 06 Sequoia limited on Saturday, along with an 09 Pilot touring. I'll report my findings here. Thanks a lot guys for all your help. I like the older design of the Sequoias, the 05-07 models. They are very pricey here in Seattle at over $30K for the used ones. Looking forward to posting my impressions of these vehicles, will be the first time I have driven either of them. nieuwendyk-25, are you happy with your SR5 or would you prefer a limited in hindsight?

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

Don't test drive 'em for too long, we have beer to drink!

taikowaza

HAA!! You are most right Deathcougar!! For those who don't know, Deathcougar and I will be attending the Pacific Northwest's premier beer festival this Saturday as Yotatech representatives. We will toast all YT members as we talk about 4runners and enjoy the best microbrews. Luckily, Deathcougar will be driving so I can enjoy to my heart's content! It just goes to show how far the YT moderators are willing to go for the well-being of YT.

Here are the brewers whose we will be sampling, please let me know if any of you have particular preferences and I will focus on those areas and toast you!

Alaskan Brewing
Allagash
Alpine Brewing Co.
Anderson Valley Brewing Co.
Ayinger Brewery
Baron Brewing
Belhaven
Big Al Brewing
Big E Ales
Blue Moon Brewing Co.
Boundary Bay Brewery
BridgePort Brewing Co.
Deschutes Brewery
Diamond Knot Brewing Co.
Dos Equis
Eel River
Fish Brewing Co.
Flyers Restaurant and Brewery
Full Sail Brewing
Fullers
Georgetown Brewing Co.
Grand Teton Brewing Co.
Hale's Ales
Heineken
Iron Horse Brewery
Kona Brewing Co.
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
LangCreek Brewery
Laughing Dog Brewing
Lazy Boy Brewing Co.
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Leinenkugel
Lindemans Brewery
Mac & Jacks BrewingCo.
Mendocino Brewing Co.
New Belgium Brewing
Ninkasi Brewing Co.
North Coast Brewing Co.
Ommegang
Oskar Blues
Peroni
Pike Brewing Co.
Pinkus Brewery
Pyramid Breweries
Red Hook Ale Brewery
Rogue
Samuel Smith
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Co.
Stone Brewing Co.
Strongbow Cider
Tilberg
Trade Route Brewing Co.
Trumer Pils
Victory Brewing Co.
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co.
Woodchuck Cider
Wyder's Cider
Youngs

nieuwendyk-25

Love the SR-5...really had no interest in a Limited...mine has the Leather Seats with the aquacell...very comfortable...I did like the 2nd row captains seats but that wouldn't have worked for us. We also have the Sunroof, DVD, rear A/C (think they all have this), extra airbags in the rear, full tint, 4WD. About the only thing we don't have is the seat heaters which we definitely don't need in Texas, and a wood grained dash. I kinda wanted the 16 in wheels because the 17's just make tires expensive but the package we have came with 17's. They made a cool looking sport model SR-5 that had nerf bars instead of running boards, but you could not get one in Texas with a sunroof...stupid Toyota packages

The SR-5 is more sporty to me...I feel the same way about my 4Runner. On the 4Runner I really liked the black leather steering wheel instead of the color coded one... Just more sporty looking...Lots of things on the SR-5 4Runner I like better than the limited I won't mention.

Only two complaints on my SR-5 Sequoia package. At gulf states Toyota (our POI) they did not offer a Leather wrapped steering wheel and our steering wheel does not have the radio controls. The other complaint is my fault...I don't like the look of the rear fin on the Sequoia so I made sure we got one without....but it really helps keep the rear window cleaner I hear. Also, I kinda wish we had gotten the in dash navigation...I have a really nice Magellan that I can put in it whenever so I have no need...I just think it is cool. The portable one though...I can put it in any vehicle...even a rental.

Cool thing about the '05-07 Sequoias...the SR-5 and Limited look almost exactly alike on the outside...I see them all the time and you can't tell unless you read the badge.

Valencia Valenc

I love toyota alphard,, nice for my family.
deep space that could fill several purposes when we traveled a long way.
info new Toyota alphard