Joined
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90 Posts
Hi, new blood here. This is a great site, I'm glad I found it, I think. Not sure I'm glad about what I did a few days ago now that I have spent a few hours reading, but maybe someone can help here.
I recently traded in my '95 4Runner for a '01 Sequoia. I bought the 4Runner with 72k miles, and 55k miles later and just over 6 years of ownership, my total repairs performed (not including tires) was less than $250. Ball joints, anti-lock sensor, and 1 muffler. I needed something stronger to pull my 3200# boat, so the 3.slow had to go. Driving 200 miles each way, twice a month to the lake, with the 3.0 screaming at 5600 rpm up every hill, and slurping a gallon every 6 minutes will doing it, I knew a V8 was an inevitable purchase. After driving several Sequoias, I found a mint '01 with 71k miles and hardly a scratch on it. Interior was showroom perfect. Eight seats, we had to have it.
Not that I didnt research Sequoias. Consumer reports, various opinion sites, you name it. Great reviews, reliable, so much room. So I got it, felt good about it, and now I am here. Sweet Henrietta what did I just do? I found this site, and in an hour's reading I learned that I can expect:
1. The back window, which works fine now, wont tomorrow, or some day after that.
2. The door handle, which works fine now, wont tomorrow, or some day after that.
3. My exhaust manifold(s) are going to crack, requiring replacement either with new stock pieces, or at least $500 aftermarket headers.
4. If I dare tow my boat in overdrive, I can say goodbye to the 4th gear planetary, as well as the rest of the transmission that will be eaten along with it. Seems like this is even happening to people who dont tow anything, for that matter. Hello $3000 new transmission.
5. The a/c compressor, if it hasnt already been replaced, is a potential grenade ready to go off. Hello new $1500 compressor.
6. Eventually, my VSC, ABS, and VSC lights are going to inform me of my new $2500 computer, if the $0.29 worth of brake fluid doesnt turn the lights off first.
7. My front brakes, if the previous owner didnt have the TSB performed, are going to ratttle my teeth and wear out every 15k miles, give or take. Hello, new $500 calipers (if I do them myself).
This is the kind of stuff I expect to read about an Explorer or Mountaineer, a Durango, an Envoy....but not a Toyota! What happened to Toyota quality? I thought I was getting a good truck, now I really dont know. I think I want my rusty, slow, but unbelieveably reliable '95 back in my driveway. Are these problems as rampant as they seem to be (at least on this forum)? Did I just buy a piece of junk? I'm not 1 payment into this and I'm thinking of jumping ship. Are Sequoias reliable? Or just relatively reliable, in a field of wretched, even more miserable SUV's?
I recently traded in my '95 4Runner for a '01 Sequoia. I bought the 4Runner with 72k miles, and 55k miles later and just over 6 years of ownership, my total repairs performed (not including tires) was less than $250. Ball joints, anti-lock sensor, and 1 muffler. I needed something stronger to pull my 3200# boat, so the 3.slow had to go. Driving 200 miles each way, twice a month to the lake, with the 3.0 screaming at 5600 rpm up every hill, and slurping a gallon every 6 minutes will doing it, I knew a V8 was an inevitable purchase. After driving several Sequoias, I found a mint '01 with 71k miles and hardly a scratch on it. Interior was showroom perfect. Eight seats, we had to have it.
Not that I didnt research Sequoias. Consumer reports, various opinion sites, you name it. Great reviews, reliable, so much room. So I got it, felt good about it, and now I am here. Sweet Henrietta what did I just do? I found this site, and in an hour's reading I learned that I can expect:
1. The back window, which works fine now, wont tomorrow, or some day after that.
2. The door handle, which works fine now, wont tomorrow, or some day after that.
3. My exhaust manifold(s) are going to crack, requiring replacement either with new stock pieces, or at least $500 aftermarket headers.
4. If I dare tow my boat in overdrive, I can say goodbye to the 4th gear planetary, as well as the rest of the transmission that will be eaten along with it. Seems like this is even happening to people who dont tow anything, for that matter. Hello $3000 new transmission.
5. The a/c compressor, if it hasnt already been replaced, is a potential grenade ready to go off. Hello new $1500 compressor.
6. Eventually, my VSC, ABS, and VSC lights are going to inform me of my new $2500 computer, if the $0.29 worth of brake fluid doesnt turn the lights off first.
7. My front brakes, if the previous owner didnt have the TSB performed, are going to ratttle my teeth and wear out every 15k miles, give or take. Hello, new $500 calipers (if I do them myself).
This is the kind of stuff I expect to read about an Explorer or Mountaineer, a Durango, an Envoy....but not a Toyota! What happened to Toyota quality? I thought I was getting a good truck, now I really dont know. I think I want my rusty, slow, but unbelieveably reliable '95 back in my driveway. Are these problems as rampant as they seem to be (at least on this forum)? Did I just buy a piece of junk? I'm not 1 payment into this and I'm thinking of jumping ship. Are Sequoias reliable? Or just relatively reliable, in a field of wretched, even more miserable SUV's?