switching from a 4runner to a full size?

[billiebob]

If they offer the rear locker and tow package on a lower trim I'd be interested

Yep, this is whats always missing today. if you want the performance options you must buy the leather. Was once a time you could buy a Corvette and get a credit for the radio delete, AC was an option, there was even a credit for the heater/defroster delete..... and an optional extra cost off road exhaust...... and you could get ANY engine in ANY Corvette.

I really don't even look at new vehicles anymore since there is no option for a clutch.

 

[Betarocker]

The 6R140 in my truck has clutches. Most automatic transmissions have them too.

 

[Tex68w]

Any of the half-tons out there will get it done but I’d seriously consider a 3/4-ton with a gas engine as well. Nothing is perfect, everything is a compromise in one way or another so keep in mind what matters most and go from there. The ideal vehicle doesn’t exist and multiple are really needed in order to cover every scenario and situation but I still keep searching lol.

 

[billiebob]

The 6R140 in my truck has clutches. Most automatic transmissions have them too.

 

[Zuber]

Larger tires and rougher tread effects mileage mostly below 50 mph. Above that, it's aerodynamics.

 

[tacollie]

We owned two 4Runners and four Tacomas and then decided to switch to a full size. We started with a Tundra and then went up to the f250 to carry our slide in camper better. The full size is hands down significantly more comfortable. Our Tundra without the camper got the same as our midsize vehicles of 14 to 16 MPGs. With the camper it got 12 just like our f250 on 35s. Full size trucks are more comfy and better for eating up highway miles. If you're considering a slide in get a 3/4 ton. Both Ford and Ram 3/4 can clear 35s with no lift or cutting. We don't regret moving up in size and can't think of a reason for us to step back down.

 

[GeorgeHayduke]

We have both a diesel Ram 2500 and a 4runner and spend a lot of time in a small western CO mountain town that sounds very similar to yours. On our dirt road and local trailheads, I see the same three types of vehicles over and over: Ram HD trucks, 4runners, and Subaru Forresters.

If you're considering a slide-in camper, go 3/4 ton at a minimum, 1 ton would be even better, but don't waste your time with a 1/2 ton. If you're going to carry sleds, check out a sled deck so you can can bring your buddy's sled and not have to mess with trailers or fill up the parking lots with extra vehicles. Both a sled deck and a slide in camper put weight up high and will benefit from similar suspension setups. An 8' bed would be ideal for a sled deck or slide-in camper but a 6.5' bed can be made to work.

As far as the truck vs 4runner, I like having both. Obviously the truck does great w/ campers and sleds, but it's also nice for hauling firewood, gravel, construction materials, trash etc. Things that are inherent to rural living. The large cab is great for families (but maybe not necessary from what you describe), 35's fit on the stock suspension and a turbocharged diesel is unphased by high elevation. However, short drives (<30 minutes) in the winter are pretty much the worst possible diesel use case as you won't be getting any heat in the cab and it's tough on the emissions systems.

The 4runner is easer to maneuver in town and on the jeep trails in the summer, handles better in the snow vs an empty truck bed, and the cargo area is heated. The heated cargo area is great for dogs, ski boots, etc whereas on the truck lots of stuff goes in the bed and gets cold. A topper on the bed keeps the snow off things, but then you're juggling taking it off whenever you want to run a camper or sleds. I don't worry about if I end up in a snowbank with the 4runner and someone has to pull me out, but I do worry about it with the truck because of the extra weight. I think the 4runner on 32s has the same if not better approach/breakover/departure angles as the truck on 35s.

What if you keep the 4runner and buy a beater plow truck? It can push snow around, get your sleds up to the pass, and haul firewood but you'd still have the 4runner for longer trips and summertime.

 

[Riversdad]

Yes.

I went from a 1/2 ton crew cab 5.5 bed to a GX460 and will be moving to another full size in the future. I'd like a Tremor with the 7.3, but I don't think it will fit in the garage. F150 Tremor with the torsen front, new Tundra, Raptor, and Silverado ZR2 are all options I'll take a look at. All will probably have better gas mileage than the GX.

It won't fit in the garage. I park mine in my outside garage with a seven foot door and I had to dig two trenches about a foot deep for the tires to drop into so I won't hit the garage door frame. Only saving grace is I'm in the woods so my driveway is dirt or else it would be sitting outside.

 

[Littlehouse]

It won't fit in the garage. I park mine in my outside garage with a seven foot door and I had to dig two trenches about a foot deep for the tires to drop into so I won't hit the garage door frame. Only saving grace is I'm in the woods so my driveway is dirt or else it would be sitting outside.

I like the ingenuity.

If I was staying in So. Cal, sitting outside would be no issue, but in N. Texas I hear they have weather and I'm not going to have my truck beat to hell with hail and stuff. Next house I'll think ahead and not only add garages to the plan, like I did this time, but make them deeper as well. Live and learn.

 

[UglyViking]

I'm currently in a 19 CCSB ram 2500 cummins. I'm a huge fan of the truck overall. I'm also in the northeast, and while I can't comment on what "tight trails" mean for you guys out west, I can tell you that "tight trails" in new england seem to be the vast majority of what we have. Outside of some potential for pinstriping I've not had any issues.

As others have commented, the decision on the cap seems to be the biggest thing. It is possible to take it on/off but it's a bit of a pain in the ass if you don't have a hoist or some way to store it. If you can keep the cap on year round, except for removing it and replacing it with a sled deck for the winter it's an awesome option. The camper is a similar situation, just depends on if you have space to store and how often you're pulling it on/off.

The coils in the 2500 platform ride awesome, allow a ton of flex and with airbags can carry a lot of weight, far more than any SD truck.

If it were me, I'd skip the 1500 size and go with the 2500. Ram and Ford both have solid axle options, Ram seems to have better aftermarket support for the offroad side of things from what I see and seems to be the more consistently picked option between the two from the overland crowd.

Obviously turning radius will never be as good as a smaller SUV, the wheelbase is just too long but you get benefits obviously.

If I had "unlimited" funds and storage space I'd probably be looking at a 2 door wrangler and my current truck, possibly in a 3500 long bed for the added payload and sled deck space. That gives you the best of everything. Assuming I can only have 1 (and at this point with the travel trailer, fishing boat, motorcycle and project car I'm limited to only the 1 or my wife will murder me) I'd pick my ram every day.

 

[nomad_games]

thanks. sounds like most folks suggest the 2500/250. I'm unfortunately limited to one vehicle myself. i'll prob get the crew cab for my dog(s). having a camper in the back means I'll be doing a hitch or other rack for the bikes again, but it is what it is. i'm having a hard time deciding to get rid of my 4runner, as I bought it new intending to keep it for 15-20 years, and i do love it. but the benefits of a truck are hard to argue with now that my lifestyle has changed and i'm trying to stay in one spot and just travel every once in a while. plus I really do want a sled. The sled prob wont happen until next year, so I have some time to think about it. except that my 4runner is worth a lot of money right now with Toyota's manufacturing shortage.

 

[UglyViking]

thanks. sounds like most folks suggest the 2500/250. I'm unfortunately limited to one vehicle myself. i'll prob get the crew cab for my dog(s). having a camper in the back means I'll be doing a hitch or other rack for the bikes again, but it is what it is. i'm having a hard time deciding to get rid of my 4runner, as I bought it new intending to keep it for 15-20 years, and i do love it. but the benefits of a truck are hard to argue with now that my lifestyle has changed and i'm trying to stay in one spot and just travel every once in a while. plus I really do want a sled. The sled prob wont happen until next year, so I have some time to think about it. except that my 4runner is worth a lot of money right now with Toyota's manufacturing shortage.

I almost bought a 4runner before I picked up my Ram. Love those things.

Anyway, one item to note. Toyota isn't the only manufacture with a shortage right now, and 4runners seem to hold their value better than a lot of vehicles from what I've seen on the used market previously. If I were you, I'd go to test drive and sit down to do numbers (but don't sign), then take those numbers and compare them to what sorts of discounts were being posted for the specific truck you're looking at back in 2019 and early/mid 2020 before the chip shortage. There is a good chance that the additional discounts you're missing out on from Ford/Ram outweigh the increased value of your 4runner. Last I heard guys were still getting offers at or above what they paid, often times at MSRP, for their Cummins trade that are 2-3 years old at this point, and considering they probably received 10k+ discount, it's a huge increase. Where as your 4runner may have maintained it's 4k value or something, Ram has taken away much of the discount and the market has taken the rest.

I don't know any of this for sure, but it's important to not just look at what they are giving you in trade (or what you can make selling yourself) but also what discounts you aren't getting. If you have the time do a little digging and see what you can dig up, you may have more time than you thought.

 

[SailRedemption]

thanks. sounds like most folks suggest the 2500/250. I'm unfortunately limited to one vehicle myself. i'll prob get the crew cab for my dog(s). having a camper in the back means I'll be doing a hitch or other rack for the bikes again, but it is what it is. i'm having a hard time deciding to get rid of my 4runner, as I bought it new intending to keep it for 15-20 years, and i do love it. but the benefits of a truck are hard to argue with now that my lifestyle has changed and i'm trying to stay in one spot and just travel every once in a while. plus I really do want a sled. The sled prob wont happen until next year, so I have some time to think about it. except that my 4runner is worth a lot of money right now with Toyota's manufacturing shortage.

Have you thought about getting a bigger SUV like the Sequoia, Expedition, or Armada? Doesn't Toyota have a off-road package for the Sequoia? And the other two would have AWD/4wd at least. You could have pretty much everything you love about your 4runner and have more carrying and towing capacity. If you sled relatively near your home, you could get a small utility trailer. The problem right now is that 3/4 and 1 ton trucks are outrageous in price compared to the rest of the already inflated vehicle prices(if you can find the one you want) Even the gassers are high.

Just a thought and I didn't see anyone mention it. Good luck, that's a tough decision.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Tex68w]

thanks. sounds like most folks suggest the 2500/250. I'm unfortunately limited to one vehicle myself. i'll prob get the crew cab for my dog(s). having a camper in the back means I'll be doing a hitch or other rack for the bikes again, but it is what it is. i'm having a hard time deciding to get rid of my 4runner, as I bought it new intending to keep it for 15-20 years, and i do love it. but the benefits of a truck are hard to argue with now that my lifestyle has changed and i'm trying to stay in one spot and just travel every once in a while. plus I really do want a sled. The sled prob wont happen until next year, so I have some time to think about it. except that my 4runner is worth a lot of money right now with Toyota's manufacturing shortage.

We had three 4Runners and two GX's so I get the appeal, they are hard to beat in a lot of ways. For starters you will miss its size when on the trails, they are simply perfect for the trail. Secondly, you will miss the roll down rear window, especially since you have dogs, hands down the best feature of the platform IMHO. What you'll never get out of the platform is more room, more comfort or more power, so if those are things you're in need of then it's best to unload it now for something more usable.

I almost bought a 4runner before I picked up my Ram. Love those things.

Anyway, one item to note. Toyota isn't the only manufacture with a shortage right now, and 4runners seem to hold their value better than a lot of vehicles from what I've seen on the used market previously. If I were you, I'd go to test drive and sit down to do numbers (but don't sign), then take those numbers and compare them to what sorts of discounts were being posted for the specific truck you're looking at back in 2019 and early/mid 2020 before the chip shortage. There is a good chance that the additional discounts you're missing out on from Ford/Ram outweigh the increased value of your 4runner. Last I heard guys were still getting offers at or above what they paid, often times at MSRP, for their Cummins trade that are 2-3 years old at this point, and considering they probably received 10k+ discount, it's a huge increase. Where as your 4runner may have maintained it's 4k value or something, Ram has taken away much of the discount and the market has taken the rest.

I don't know any of this for sure, but it's important to not just look at what they are giving you in trade (or what you can make selling yourself) but also what discounts you aren't getting. If you have the time do a little digging and see what you can dig up, you may have more time than you thought.

I put 30K+ miles on our 2018 TRD Pro 4Runner along with a lot of pin striping and a few dings in under two years and I still got within $1500 of what I paid for it and as you guessed I paid very close to sticker since it was a TRD Pro. This was back in 2019, I can only imagine how much better I would have done in this current market.

On every Super Duty that I have purchased (four) I have received no less than $8K off of sticker and even as much as $12,200 on another, the discounts used to be deep. On my most recent RAM 3500 purchase I got $4K off and I was happy to get that as there were many who were paying sticker if not over for the same product. Right now, book on my less than one year old truck is above sticker and a local dealer already offered me a few thousand above that should I want to sell. It's absolute madness out there at the moment so while you make out well on the sale of your used vehicle, you all but lose it on the purchase of something new.

Even things like the Land Cruiser are ludicrous at the moment. The standard on a new 200 Series Land Cruiser here in Texas was $7-8K off sticker all day long and these were listed discounts, you didn't have to ask for it. We got ours for $8K off sticker back in late 2020 right as they were announcing the end of the Cruiser here in the states. That truck now has over 20K miles on it and it's book value is currently higher than it's original sticker price and the dealer has already offered me $91K for it. Sure, I could sell it and make out with quite a handsome profit but I'll never be able to replace it with anything close for the same money that I originally paid for it and discounts on anything else wouldn't come close to that kind of discount either.

I do believe that things will cool off at some point in the next year or so but I am not sure that we will ever see discounts like we used to on the domestics but I hope that I am wrong. I also think that we are on the brink of a new era in vehicle tech and design and it's possible that as soon as a few short years from now we could see a major shift in values associated with and general loss in interest in these older vehicles by a large portion of society.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

I put 30K+ miles on our 2018 TRD Pro 4Runner along with a lot of pin striping and a few dings in under two years and I still got within $1500 of what I paid for it .

Would that $1500 figure include the $$ you spent on mods?

I do believe that things will cool off at some point in the next year or so but I am not sure that we will ever see discounts like we used to on the domestics but I hope that I am wrong. I also think that we are on the brink of a new era in vehicle tech and design and it's possible that as soon as a few short years from now we could see a major shift in values associated with and general loss in interest in these older vehicles by a large portion of society.

I believe there are still a bunch of built 2021 models waiting on chips so they can be shipped. Once the 2021model year vehicles start arriving on lots along with the 2022 models, I think we'll be seeing discounts again. I recall year ago being in the industry...maybe around 2008? Where it was thought there'd be no more 0% financing rates or factory rebates. It's cyclical.