SOLVED! Post 2853 Leaking Injectors, Dealer Techs Rock! Extended Cranking after Engine Swap 3.4L 5vz

You asshole Keakar. Only you can get away with this shit.

 

Depends on how your thinking. If you are really concerned about not having a logging road capable vehicle if the Tacoma should slip out of remission then I think the used 4Runner, if it's in good shape, is the way to go. I wouldn't buy a used Tacoma of that age from a dealer because they are worth way too much for what they are. If you can find one, or similar 4Runner, that's in good shape that's really the cheapest option for you to keep a backup to the Tacoma.

If you really are looking for a commuter car though I'd have to go with the Corolla. As much as I like the hybrids the Corolla is more car and that matters at the end of the day. If you needed that hatchback then the Prius C would win out, but there's a reason why the only things I countered @keakar with had to do with looking at other cars in the class. To be perfectly honest, other than it's high asking price, I can't say there is anything wrong with a Corolla.

 

Sterdog - It's like Jen is in a barrel full of polished rocks, rolling down a hill and she has pick the prettiest one.

 

Seems like that Runner or a Corolla is the way to go. Just hung up from trying to convince Eric of that.

Before that, I was on the phone with the blue HRV people negotiating about the price. Wait, what am I working on next????????

 

To be honest that HRV is nice, but do you need a commuter car or something that will make you feel safer in snow?

 

I vote for the 4Runner, before anymore heads explode.

 

Not really the snow thing - we barely ever see snow in Portland, which is kinda sad. But I do think the HRV would be a slightly less crappy commute in the dark drizzly rain compared to a Civ/Corolla type car. As for snow, we used to be snowboarding addicts and would go every chance we got. So the Taco did a whole lotta trips over Mt Hood and down to Mt Bachelor. Some of those drives were some serious white knuckle time. Eric really enjoyed my helpful commentary at those times. OMG SLOW DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG WE'RE GONNA DIE!!!!!! So we bought studded Bighorns, which we've barely used, because.......

.......then we kinda got old and lazy, plus snowboarding is expensive, especially over there. So we stopped going much. But I think we'd probably get back into it again one of these days, so it would be nice to have a reliable car/truck/SUV that can handle snow/ice well. I honestly don't know if I'd take the Taco over that pass in a blizzard nowadays. That would be a very bad place to be stranded. But I'd still take it into the remote areas in the summertime, because we're generally pretty well prepared, so as long as it's not freezing cold we'd be fine. So, I suppose the Runner or the HRV would be the ticket if having a snow worthy vehicle beyond the Taco is important to us. But the Runner is a much lower price tag, and I'd imagine can handle more than the HRV can as far as rough roads.

Wonder if those Bighorns would work on the 4Runner?

 

Of course.

 

yeah, im special!!!

 

4Runner over HRV for that purpose.

Actually, snow tires over everything for that purpose. This goes back to what I said about the Civic. Put this sort of research into your rubber! Bad tires or bad stock tires can absolutely ruin a drive. Look for better all season tires, which usually cost more money, as well as some true snow tires if you want a car that's safe. AWD/4WD means nothing if the tires can't get grip on the road.

 

I agree completely!! We always went for good quality all seasons for the Civ and BFG's for the Taco, with the studded Bighorns in the winter (if we knew we'd be going snowboarding at least). I was just contemplating some cheap shitty tires as a temporary band aid to keep the Civ going a couple more months....but at least now I don't have to make that decision!!

 

Wow. My screen says 15 guests are viewing. I wonder if the car salesman are reading the thread??? I did mention to one that I was a TW addict.........hmmmm......

 

Or maybe it's everybody's Prius debate. Seems like that is a hotly contested topic everywhere.

 

Insurance rep just called and asked if we'd made up our minds yet.

Didn't realize how much I am torturing everyone!!

I told him the latest, and he voted for the 4Runner too. Gotta see what Eric thinks next I guess. I am still concerned about whether it can do all that the Taco can just as well though. Can it really handle terrible boulder pot hole roads as well as a Tacoma?

 

Off topic but have you ever considered siping your tires instead of studs? Now a days I always sipe my tires, I feel it really enhances your traction. Most people down here that drive in packed snow ice for 5 months straight all just have siped tires. Its a lot cheaper than studs too and u can not worry about getting a damn ticket in the spring when you've conveniently not removed them yet. Once I even siped em plus still had em studded. I didn't feel like I noticed a diff studs vrs siping. I also have a set of bighorns but I feel like they are very hard comoaired to my bfg's so I use the bighorns on my DD taco or on my built rig in the summer.

The siping really frees up the lugs if that makes since? They are able to really move and contour to the surface they are on. I get the full sipe too, all the way across. I tell em "sipe the shit outta them things" and they do to. Looks like a tweaker took a razor blade to em, lol

Even when you run your hand over the siped tires u can feel all the extra traction it gives you. They are also very very good in super wet situations! Which is most of your winter season driving. It helps cut through the water superbly!!!!!! Thats where it really shines! Cutts down the hydroplane massively!!

 

Not to disagree, seriously it's nothing personal , with you but siping stopped up here in Canada long ago. Your description was correct, siping increases the "bite" of the tire by allowing the blocks to flex more and it sucks the water up into the sipe allowing for better ice to tire contact. However, if a tire was not designed for the extra sipes, it tends to wear out the tire by siping. So it's better to buy a winter tire than just sipe a tire.

I agree though that studs are unnecessary. Actually, while studded technology is the same as it was 40 years ago, tire design and materials have come a long way. A very aggressive snow tire will often stop as fast as a studded tire on snowy ice, which is the most common ice out there.

If you want really good offroad performance in a snow tire, try these:

http://www.nokiantires.com/all-weather-tires/nokian-rotiiva-at-plus/

Or if you want something closer to a M/T, try these:

http://www.toyotires.ca/tire/pattern/open-country-ct

Or if you stick mostly to gravel or pavement this tire will last the longest:

http://www.nokiantires.com/all-weather-tires/nokian-wrg3-suv/

All of those tires are snowflake rated and can be used as an all weather, notice that's different from all season, tire.

 

Its the exact same suspension under the runner as it is your Tacoma. Just has coils in the rear instead of leaf springs, thus the better ride k mentioned.

 

I'd say that is true because the lugs can move more creating more friction thus causing wear. But the friction is the whole point to gain tons more traction. I'm talking using a mud tire to sipe as well not just any old tire. As for the true winter tires, they are great but they are so so soft! Creating fast wear as well. You wouldn't wanna run them in the summer, so now your back to taking tires off in the spring.

Jen next time u guys go to mt bachelor take a minute to look at how many of those rigs will have siped tires. I bet it'll be half the parking lot.

 

Look into the Toyo CT tires I listed. They can be run all year no problem and will out perform a siped mud tire on ice. Actually I'm running the CT on my Ram 2500. Amazing tire for what it is. Material science has come a long way and softer rubber can be made to last longer using technology and different polymers.

Same with the nokians I listed, but they are more from mixed driving or road driving.

 

why not? a 4runner is just a taco with a hard top and 4 doors