NYlexus

Sup peeps,

Its that time of the month again ...I want to get an SUV....I bought the 06 GS as you would say on an "impulse". Love the car but we really need more room and i gotta stop borrowing my buddy's truck to bring stuff from Home depot

The SUV selection for us is very broad BUT we are really digging the FJ.

I like its in your face design and the price isnt bad too. What so you guys think? Pros and cons. I would even consider other suggestions.

Appreciate it.

Nextourer

Ottawa, Ontario - Transport Canada has issued its latest recalls, which may affect some Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Toyota and Nissan vehicles.

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
Vehicles affected: 1,435
On certain vehicles, the tire's inner bead may have been damaged during assembly. This may result in a sidewall bulge, and/or air may leak from the damaged bead. Dealers will replace the tires.

That's for Canada... dunno about the US.

Anyway, moving along. I'd say a RAV4 seem to have more cargo space with the seats down if you're using the SUV for hauling stuff. Take the V6 and you should be okay since it's more efficient and more powerful than the FJ and more spacious too.

But if you have to have the FJ, then go for it. I do like the styling of the FJ and you'll probably like the fact that the door opens to the "correct" side which makes loading easier. The floor has a slight elevation change so it's not quite flat. It's also priced quite well as you've noted. If it matters to you, it has a manual while the RAV4 doesn't.

STIG

DId you test drove the FJ?

I did and i must say I was very impressed. But if you are looking for a daily praticle SUV, stay away.

I think it might actually have smaller room inside than your 3GS. Blind spot everywhere.

FJ is one of those cars that's really cool to own but not really great for everyday driving.

r4z0r3ck

i find the fj cruiser for appealing even though it looks like something from a cartoon or a toy car. everytime i see one on the road it becomes a head turner. i told my uncle to get one but he decided on the H3... it agitated me.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

FJ doesn't look big enough to me in person to be a real SUV to haul big stuff.

Honda Pilot, Ford Explorer (I have one), Lexus RX, all good size, IMHO.

If I was on a tighter budget, I'd consider an Element. The Scion Xb is a large box, but too ugly for me. Granted the Element is no beauty but at least they now offer it without the gray plastic fenders.

BiGLeX 400

I love the look of the FJ and if I could just blow money for the hell of it I would buy one.

On a more practical side I would get a used 4runner or a new RAV4 with the V6.

pbm317

I just got a Ridgeline about a month ago and I love it. It's looks might not be for everyone, but the same could be said about the FJ Cruiser. I love the space the Ridgeline has inside and the versatile bed/in-bed trunk. The drive is smooth, and the power is nice. Mileage has also been good so far. I don't know if you need something that big (it's fairly long). But I think it should definitely be on your list. I got my RTL w/Nav for under 30K before tt&l

NYlexus

Thanks for some great responses guys.

Here is the issue. I think my post was misleading as i really dont want a HAULER but a nice mid size SUV under 30K with definately some room in the back for groceries and trips to IKEA and Home Depot Some of the suggested SUV's were either too small or just dont do it for me e.g. Pilot, Element and the teen racer Scion. I run away from domestic brand. They may be nice but just not from me. I am trying to stay away from flat bed trucks. FJ has alot of personality but i think I really need to see it from the inside "Live" in person. Now 4runner is definately something i would consider.

ShadyJC

iTrader: (2)

I love the look of the FJ but have never looked at once closely or driven it. Current 4Runner design is going on 4-5 years, right?

Mazda CX-7.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

imagine barely 200 ft lbs of torque lugging a 5000 lb vehicle around, must be a slug and get abyssmal mileage

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I didn't look at one when I was shopping recently cuz there wasn't a dealer nearby, but I like the Subaru Tribeca.

As has been said, the FJ is more "off road toy" than practical urban vehicle.

bizzy928

If you paint the Tribeca pink... It looks like a pig

In all seriousness, I sat in one at the dealership and the fit and finish is very nice.

*wishlist*

if it's between the fjcruiser and 4runner, i say the 4runner. kinda like an fj cruiser with a bit more civility and room. not to knock on the fj cruiser, which i also like, but it isn't so plasticy on the dash and doors, it has carpets, power rear window on the liftgate (if you like that sorta thing), option for a v8, option for a 3rd row of seats (tiny though). we have an 04 v6 sport 4x4 and love ours. to me, the interior feels more luxurious than some of the other SUVs out. 45k on the odo and i have fun doing it all... off-road, towing, i put a bunch of home depot junk in it or on top of it. with all that, there still aren't any of those annoying rattles that some of the other brands that shall remain nameless get after only a few thousand miles. no problems and still running like we drove off the lot yesterday. really the only 2 negatives i can say which isn't really a negative is that the design is a few years old now (since 03). however, in 06 toyota did one of those mid-generation facelifts for a more updated look. in my opinion, it made the sr5 and limited look a lot nicer now. the other negative, the sticker price is more expensive than the fjc.

whoa, i typed a lot more than i thought i would so i'll just stop there. if you have some questions regarding my truck, jsut ask. .. there's a lot suvs, i just gave my opinion about the 4runner.

so in short. i vote 4runner.

positive = reliablity
negative = price compared with fjc.


click on my sig for some pics. 4runner is on page 4. good night.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

4Runner is VERY nice. I looked closely at one but felt it was getting a bit old, cost a bit too much with a now old V8, and it was hard to find with nav.

spwolf

well, do you need an truck or lots of space? If you are not going to go on some serious off-road, then crossover is much better option than truck - rav4, rx350 or other brands vehicles. They handle better, have more space, get better mileage and are faster than SUV's like 4-Runner.

Hower FJ is totally cool, so thats a bit different. I would get that thing on its coolness factor alone.