Hey all, I'm facing a tough one. My wife and I have a 2nd child on the way and my wife is wanting more room. I found a great buy on a Suburban (yeah I know)...I'm getting a horrible offer for my Runner..$7000...It's a 97 Limited, in great shape with almost 90k on it. Should I tell them to blow it out their ass? I did already but if I can work them up to $8k, I might take it. The Burban is a 2002 with 49k miles and I got them down to $17,500..it's nice, loaded like a Burban. It's just such a damn boat. The Runner has personality, the Burb has none! Seeking advice ASAP!

Put a 3rd row seat in your Runner and forget about the Burban. Your wife will think you are a genius and everybody will be happy. Jason

I have a 97 SR5 and 2 kids, and I think the 4runner has plenty of room for a family of 4. (and I am a woman) there is still plenty of room in the back for a stroller, groceries, etc. Now if I had more than 2 kids I think it would be cramped but dont see any problem with 2 kids in the back seat.Gina > >

Now, what kind of answers did you think you were going to get asking a bunch of 4Runner fanatics?? Here's my take on it. Yeah ... 'Runners aren't that big inside, but they last twice as long. I figure a '97 'Runner should last about as long as a '02 Suburban, and the 'Runner is already paid for. If you need the room, you need the room, but you'll pay more for maintenance and for gas. Les

4Runner may not be as big as a burban - or for large adults in the back seats - but for 2 adults and 2 kids - I think it is the perfect SUV size plus you have the largest cargo area of any similarly sized SUV - I can't see where you need the extra room in the Burban. My dad prefers his Burban but it is because of his own personal space - not because of the passengers... he likes feeling as if he is driving in his living room... I prefer my 4Runner for just about every reason I can think of - size, style, value, dependablity (94 with 245K and no problems ever with the engine/tranny), fit/form/function/, fuel mileage (albeit for an SUV) .. I could go on and on but I guess I am missing what extra value the Burban brings - how large are these kids that they need extra room in the backseat?

Trading your 4Runner in on a domestic is something, I believe, that you'll regret. You've become accustomed to Toyota's incredible reliability and sturdy utility. Toyotas become ubiquitous, i.e...You know that they're always going to be there for you, no matter the condition. With a domestic, such as a "Burban", you'll find that it will feel loose over time and will be plagued with numerous problems that will test your sanity. Because of employee pricing, the domestic dealers have a surplus of used vehicles on their lot and are giving less for trades. They, as well as their typical domestic clientele, don't truly know the value of a 4Runner, or any other Toyota. They maintain the mentality that domestics are disposable vehicles with a typical service life of 4 years. If they see a vehicle nearing 100K on the odometer, they panic because they think that the vehicle is near the end of its useful life (which is true with most domestics). They don't realize that a 4Runner with 300,000 miles and has been well maintained is nearly as tight as the day it was new and has many more miles left. If you really do need more room, it might be worth it to check out the Sequoia. It's an incredibly roomy vehicle with the typical Toyota flavor and reliability. It has personality like it's baby brother, the 4Runner. You'll get more for your trade at a Toyota dealership, as the clientele and dealership personnel know the true value of your vehicle. If you don't need an SUV, you might consider the Sienna. It's the best van made, period. There isn't another van that even comes close in ride, quality, comfort, and utility that is inherent to the Sienna. In addition, you'll get 26mpg. If you need the traction of an SUV, you could get a Sienna AWD for $27,000 and get a $1200 rebate. These vans have a lexus like ride and are more comfortable than most cars. They too carry on a bit of the Toyota flavor, although not quite as much as the iconic 'Runner. Besides, the larger glass area will easily accomodate the soccer sticker. I'm sort of in the same quandry concerning my wife's 2001 Highlander edition 4Runner. It's an incredible vehicle that has been stalwartly reliable. We love this vehicle, but my wife is now commuting 100 miles round trip/day. With gas at $2.60/gal, it's getting very expensive to drive (we all know that 'runners aren't too thrifty). I've been talking to her about trading it in on a Camry, which is a fantastic vehicle, but lacks the charm of a 'runner. I don't think I can pry her out of that 'runner, as she truly loves it. My kids are in high school, so we don't need a van. Otherwise, I'd definitely look into a Sienna. If we get the Camry, we'd save $330/month. That's pretty enticing, but it's a coin toss as to whether it would be worth it to sever the emotional attachment to the 'runner. I have a new 4X4 quad cab Tundra, so between our two vehicles, several sheiks can pay for their palatial estates from their monthly take from us. Good luck on your quest. Whatever you do, stay with a Toyota product. If you go with anything else, you'll regret it. The domestics are promoting price, Toyota promotes value. Erick Faust O'Brien Toyota/Scion Indianapolis, IN

That is why I love this little group. I was looking for re-assurance and boy did I get it. There was really a slim ass chance I would trade my Runner for a damn Burban. That's like pawning Penelope Cruz for Katie Holmes...hmmm. Anyway, thanks for all the answers I knew I was going to get. I love my Runner like nothing else, except for the humans that live in my house. I like my dogs, too..and pizza. Other than that, I like my ride. The only thing I wish for is a more supple ride. Someone told me I might need to replace my shocks and stuff; it rides as if you're on a wooden roller coaster on these crappy Oklahoma roads. I've read on another Runner site about going light-weight shocks or whatever on the front, but not the back. Any suggestions from the in-house technician-whom-seemed-like-a-car-salesman earlier. (probably not proper use of the hyphen, huh?) I might just build that 3rd row...I could get me a shopping cart, burn the bars off, just use the basket....maybe not. Jason & Sarah Kucera Success Team International www.kucera.usana.com "True Health, True Wealth"

I'm not sure your analogy (Cruz vs. Holmes) is applicable to a 4-Runner : Suburban comparison. Either woman would be insulted ;) To be honest, I agree with the group, you are out of your mind to even think about swapping a 4-Runner for a Suburban (for that matter, I might give you 7,500 for your 4-Runner ;)). If your wife gets really fussy about it. Hand her $2K and tell her to hush. lol

my wife and i just got a sequoia a year ago - we have 2 kids (1) 17 yr old 6ft3in. (1) 12 yr old we looked at the highlander the 4 runner the sienna and the sequoia for us and the kids any of them would have been fine but when you add in the 2 dogs it narrowed it down to the sienna or the sequoia and that was the only reason we didnt get a 4 runner - without the dogs there was plenty of room Jason

That's one additional issue for us too, having two dogs to haul around. But we just made a 9 hour trip home with 3 dogs, a cat, and a 2 year old and did pretty well. Roof racks work great. No one worry though, I told the dealer they could take their 7 grand for my Runner and stick it in their a-holes! 7 grand! WTF?! I almost cried thinking about getting rid of her. What a moron I've been. I should be slapped three times! I apologize to all of the 4Runner Nation. My wife's fault all the way! I will never be weak again! Jason & Sarah Kucera Success Team International www.kucera.usana.com "True Health, True Wealth"

Jason, Don't be *too* hard on Sarah. :)