I wasnt talking about leasing. Leasing is way down right now with all the %0. People just get tired of vehicles or want something new after 5 years...thats all I was saying. You are going to have payments regardless of buying or leasing - unless you ave 30k to drop on the spot. No point in leasing anything for 5 years...you'd pay off the car by then for just a little more a month.

Hit up ebay...there are always some late year 3rd gens poping up on there. You can probably find a LandCruiser too for the price of a new Navigator. Now those are TIGHT. Big and spacious...great features/package. Not too hard to get into. How old/tall are your folks? My mom always had the worse time getting into my 4Runner. I see the 4Runner as more of a 20-late 40's (age) vehicle. The ride can be a little rough and it only seats 4 adults comfortably. Check out the LandCruiser...

 

There is a SIGNIFICANT difference in interior room between the 3rd and 4th generation. Don't buy a 3rd generation until you have driven the V8 4th generation. If you keep this thing as long as you say, your comfort driving 200K miles is paramount.

I couldn't feel my legs, feet and toes after driving more than 40 minutes in my '02 Sport. The cabin is too narrow and with two people I feel like I am squeezed into a tin can. The seats are positioned too low to the floor for comfortable long term driving. No lumbar and lateral support in the '02 Sport seats.

The 4th generation has been completely redesigned, with space and driving comfort paramount. My V8 4th generation drives like my old Cobra and handles like an American sedan.

These two vehicles are the best that I have ever owned. Best vehicle I ever owned is my '03 Runner, second best vehicle that I have ever owned was my '02 Runner. I have owned over 16 new cars, trucks and SUV's in my driving career. The worst vehicles were a Chevy Silverado and Jeep Strangler.

 

Not saying that there is not gonna be any car payment, of course there are when we get the truck, we're more than aware of that.

All I was saying, was that some people live paying car payment their entire lifes, but that's another story........

As I said previously, our interest does not reflect the CRUISER's.

 

Last time I was at the Toyota store they had a 3yo off-lease Land Cruiser on the lot. 41K miles and asking $31K for it. It was near perfect.

I got out of there before I was tempted...

 

Just thought I'd throw in my $.02...

It seems to me that you and your folks should go test drive the Lexus SUV's before you make your final decision. If you were considering the amount of $$$ for a Navigator, then you should also consider at least looking at the RX/GX/LX models...No one had mentioned them yet...

Cheers,

 

Yeah, but you never said why? You'll consider a Sequoia, but not a Cruiser?? Its a Lexus w/o the name and pricetage...why wouldnt you? Roomy, comfort, smooth ride, lots of amenities...its one of the oldest vehicles still being produced. Just seems like you are in 2 different worlds comparing a Navigator and a 3rd gen or even a 4th gen 4Runner. Navigator is built for luxury and comfort ride. 4Runners, while the 4th gens are definitely leaning towards the comfort/luxury side, they are still "sporty. Navigators are all about being classy.

 

True indeed.

I know what you mean.

I have the same problem with my 2ND GEN PICK-UP.


Well, my parents would be willing to pay the tag price for the NAVIGATORS. That doesn't necessarily mean they're going for that set price. I'm sure if they can find something they like for cheaper, they'd prefer that.

The thing is that, my dad has since liked the look of the NAVIGATORS.

LEXUS's?? Hmmm, I don't know.........

I'll relay that to him though, see what he says.

We don't like they way they look, it's as simple as that.

That alone rules out the entire fact that we would never consider owning one.

I know, comparing a NAVIGATOR to a RUNNER is like comparing MICKEY D's to LOBSTER or something....

You're missing the point now.

Basically, they're going to purchase something they like wether it's class, sporty or whatever.

 

Thats fine, I just didnt understand why you nixed it. You just said you werent considering it. Dont like the looks - NIX it. I hated my dad's old caddy merely because it looked fugly. It was very nice, roomy, ect. But looked terrible.

I mentioned the rest because it seems like you dont know what you want. Sporty, lux, etc.? Usually you pick a car that fits your need for it...tote around people -> luxury. Drive daily, camp, ect. -> sporty. Travel -> economy. Maybe Im too practicle and cant buy a vehicle just because I like it. Id be driving a 69 Mustang if that were the case.

What is the point?? You wanted to know which to get Nav vs. Runner?? I said it depends on what its going to be used for because they are built for different purposes. Just seems logical that you would buy the one that fit your purpose better. But if its totally on looks...then "To each their own", only you hold the answer.

 

You might have them take look at a Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV or a GMC Yukon Denali/Denali XL. Both of these trucks, IMO, are way better looking than a Navigator.

If I had the $$ though, I'd go with the GX470.

 

Oooo, I like the sound of that mod...

Think they would sue me if I did it?

 

I like the ESCALADES, personally.

When I asked my dad, what about the ESCALADE? He simply said, I like the NAVI's better.

 

Aren't the Escalade and Navigator basically the same vehicle with a different front end?

 

My 3rd gen has both lumbar and lateral.


Just don't expect to adjust the front seats back very far if you fold the rear seats down. talk about leg cramps up front!

Also, don't expect the passengers sitting in back to be very comfortable in the 4th gen. they "significantly" redesigned for alot less comfort back there in my opinion, that's an opinion base on actually owning both and driving both long enough to realize that my 3rd gen is way more comfortable. One thing that my wife has a problem with, my 3rd gen carries significantly less groceries than her 4th gen.

Plus the 3rd gen is WAY more moddable.

 

theres your reason right there why you see Fords everywhere...how many F150's do ya think you would see driving around Japan ?
its America and alot of people want to buy American...absolutely nothing wrong with that...realistically i think the gap between import and domestic vehicle quality has closed quite a bit in the last 5-10 yrs...but it is still quite a ways from being equal...IMHO

 

also, there are alot of small towns here where you can ONLY GET fords..lots of farmers and such....one of my friends fathers owns a ford dealership in the middle of nowhere and his only customers are hicks and farmers and that's all they can buy...they dont want to drive out to a big city and get a different truck...so he pretty much monopolizes that town...but the gap has closed a bit...we'll see how it goes in another 5 years..

 

What happened that it tanked at 30k

 

Maybe a 3rd vs. 4th gen thread should have it's own website or something so people can finish saying how crappy the 4th gen is and get it out of their system.

 

 

No, the Navigator is a up level Ford Expedition while the Escalade is an up level GMC Yukon/Chevrolet Tahoe.

Why are you asking 4Runner vs. Navigator on this board? You know that the majority of people on here think Toyotas are the greatest thing since sliced bread so its really an unfair fight. Besides, it doesn't seem that you even have a say in what your parents get from your posts, your dad is going to get what he wants to matter what anybody on here thinks. Now, unless you are the actual person who goes to the dealership and specs the truck out for delivery, everyone here has no bearing on the decision of what to get and what options to check.

 

I don't need to get anything out of my system. I wasn't saying the 4th gen is crappy, why would I own one then?!! I was merely stating what I have noticed between mine and my wife's and the differences. my preference is my preference buddy. I am one of the few here that can offer good solid comparisons between the two for these reasons, not just because I road in one for 40 miles and, oh then it's crap. The 3rd and 4th gen battle has had it's own threads here many times. but that is a different topic altogether, not at all what I was trying to spit out in my post above.