Full-Circle Moments Don't Happen Often, BUT I’m Glad When They Do

May 14, 2024

Toyota Life Recap

If you either know me or have kept up with my blog for some time, you will be well aware that my favorite vehicle is the fourth generation of the Toyota 4Runner (4th Gen) specifically with the 4.7L V8 and 4-wheel drive. I have loved the 4th Gen since I was a little kid when my father had one that he bought new in 2007.

I purchased my first Toyota SUV in 2018, which was a 2004 Lexus GX470. The Lexus GX470 was built on the 4Runner chassis (technically the 4Runner was built on the Land Cruiser Prado 120 chassis), giving it the same 4.7L and 4-wheel drive system in a nicer package than the 4Runner counterpart. I wrote another post regarding My Introduction to Overlanding here where I explored the purchase and history with my GX470. Generally speaking, GX470's are in better condition as well because the original owners were families not looking to destroy an off-road capable vehicle but safely get their kids to soccer practice. Below is a picture of my GX470 the day that I bought it and a few other pictures from my road-trip out west with it:

:

I grew to love my Lexus GX. I put 50K miles on it in 3 years driving it from Atlanta to Los Angeles (and back) and to the Florida Keys. Eventually I ended up lifting it, making it the first car that I ever modified. 

Yes, I even had the Georgia GXOR (GX Off-Road) vanity license plate made...

After 3 years of ownership, I felt that I had done everything that I had done everything that I wanted to with the platform leading me to sell in 2021. I wanted to go larger into the 200-Series platform with my 2011 Lexus LX570 (LX).

Revelation of Bigger Isn't Always Better

I wrote about this in my last post, but I'll quickly summarize here. After having had the LX for 3 years, I grew to hate the LX due to its immense size and lack of character/charm that is found in some of the smaller Toyota products.

I decided to replace the LX with a temporary 4th Gen 4Runner to hold me over while I tried to identify a more permanent solution. That hold-over 4Runner was a base SR5 with the 4.0L V6, 2-wheel drive and 297,000 miles (basically none of the criteria of my perfect 4th Gen). Given the miles, it was impeccable!

I figured since it was going to be my daily driver, I decided to do some service to make it ready for the task including:

• Front brake rotors/pads
• Radiator and hoses
• Water Pump
• Thermostat
• Oil change

I even went ahead and installed a new Atoto headunit from Amazon as I can't live without Apple Carplay.

With exception to the driver's seat that was missing half of its foam material causing back pain similar to when I broke my L-4 vertebrate, I drove the 4Runner for about 2.5 months looking out for the ideal candidate. I decided on a 4th Gen 4Runner because it felt like the right car. My criteria was a:

• 2006-2009
• V8
• 4-wheel drive
• Shadow Mica color
• Sunroof
• No Rust
• Ideally under 200,000 miles

If I found the ideal candidate, it would look like this:

The Unexpected Ending to a Nationwide Search

I searched for about 3 months trying to find my ideal 4Runner. What I came to find was that while I love these cars, most of them have been destroyed (salt or 16-year olds) or cost $16,000-22,000 for a clean example. I ended up broadening my search to any/all 4th Gens with a V8 and 4-wheel drive. 

After a lot of searching, I found what I believed to be an ideal candidate; a 2005 Toyota 4Runner with 240,000 miles in Nautical Blue about 5 hours from my home. The owner was a claimed General Motors Master Technician who stated he poured his heart and soul into this 4Runner. I was told there was no rust and that it was perfect with excellent modifications (Doug Thorley Header, Magna-Flow Cat-Back exhaust, 3" Ironman Lift, etc.). Here were the pictures of it that I was provided:

My father and sister were kind enough to drive me down to South Georgia to go look at this vehicle. I was more excited than 16-year old purchasing their first car; this was my forever 4Runner! We arrived first and the vehicle owner arrived a few minutes later. Upon its initial arrival, I felt the car looked up to the standard I expected (paint and sound of the exhaust). Once I started poking around I realized that I could not have been more wrong...

I started to inspect the vehicle and I know these cars like the back of my hand. Here were my findings from the inspection before I even drove the car:

• The spare tire was in the trunk because the "underside was a bit crispy" in the words of the seller prompting the use of my creeper where I was quite literally poking holes in the frame... 
• Seller had claimed the vehicle had no rust
• Power steering leaking to the point of basically pouring out and causing a constant drip... 
• No mention of this prior inspection
• The previous owner of the vehicle (or so I'm told) had literally painted the interior of the vehicle black around the driver seat and center console. This looked bad anyways, but then you say the paint droplets because of how terrible of a job they had done
• Seller did not disclose this information
• Dash was ruined with a cover over it (please note this is a common issue). I wouldn't have an issue if I hadn't been told by the seller that the dash was in good shape (I had asked in advance)
• Seller did not disclose this information
• Valve cover leaking
• Rear-main seal leaking
• Ruined CV axles

Sadly, I couldn't take any pictures during my inspection (pre-occupied), but here are a couple of examples of what I was dealing with.

At this point I already knew I wasn't buy this over-priced piece of ****, but I had never driven a 4.7L with a header on it. My initial review (and please remember that there was also a cat-back system) is that it was WAY too loud and made the ride absolutely miserable. After my test drive, I thought about low-balling the seller (thinking like $5,000), but frankly I had no interest in the vehicle. This was hands' down the most disappointing vehicle that I had ever looked at. I told the guy I was no longer interested in the vehicle and went home.

This experience was so negative that my love for the 4th Gen 4Runner actually diminished as a result. I no longer wanted a 4th Gen 4Runner... This experience further illustrated 2 things:

1. Never trust anyone on the internet! EVER!
• This individual was a mechanic and lied to my face. If malpractice could be applied to a mechanic, he'd be completely screwed!
2. Always thoroughly inspect EVERY vehicle. If you cannot or are not equipped to do so, hire someone that can.

Returning to My Roots

Remember what I said at the beginning of this post; the 4Runner had a twin here in the United States named the Lexus GX470. I had a GX from 2018 to 2021 and I sold it because I thought I wanted something larger, so I bought the LX. After 3 years of ownership with the LX, I learned to hate it due to its immense size and it not being what I wanted it to be. Then I bought a 4Runner only to discover how basic they are and have the finding of how many terrible examples there are out there... It took me 6 years to realize that I had done it right the first time... 

I updated my search parameters for a Lexus GX470 and within a week I found the right one... I found my new (to me) 2005 Lexus GX470 Sport Edition with 190,000 miles that had already been tastefully modified for less money than the terrible 4Runner was. It has 0 rust. Most importantly, it has the Toyota 4.7L V8 and the 4Runner's 4-wheel drive system. To the first round of many pictures to come:

And the most ironic part of the entire thing? I'm right where I started 6 years ago with a Lexus GX470 and an NC Miata. Definitely a full-circle moment...

So what's the next step? A timing belt and water pump job because like most great prior owners that modify a vehicle, the guy prioritized mods over everything else! It's like I'm right back to where I started and I couldn't be happier about it (throwback to the LX Maintenace)!

Oh, and I definitely have to find the GXOR license plate...