thanks for the feedback gents, let me re trench a little bit. First, let’s skip the idea of the pull behind camper thing. The long suffering girlfriend got wind of that idea and put the brakes on it. She is under the impression that the cooking for me, and cleaning up after me, is some kind of a burden that we don't need to take on the road. I know that is messed up but I am going to defer to her on that deal. I just love Airstreams and have always wanted one. I agree that a full sized v8 behemoth is the way to go with a trailer like this.
As far as the hunting and fishing part, yes, that is the mission for this thing. I don’t really truck around fully intact large animals. If I am lucky enough to get one, by the time you get them to the truck they are mostly disassembled, if you follow. The deer in Colorado don't really hang out in a corn field that you can drive up to them to recover. It's usually a long walk and this kind of hunting is a once a year deal if you're lucky and draw.
The birds are small and they go in bags and then the cooler. The faster you cool down game meat the better it is regardless of what kind of game. The fish, I let them go and they get larger and larger in my mind.
I feel like if someone knows that I have been hunting, by the looks of my rig, I’m doing it wrong. I like a low profile on the hunting. Some folks don’t get it and I’m not going to have a conversation about it. Simple as that.
I don’t want a half ton or a full size pickup truck. They are getting real good and you can buy them cheap,,,,kind of.
I am leaning towards the 4runner for a few reasons. Seat or driving possession, security, build quality. Tacoma is still very much on the radar.
Here is the real question that I kind of wanted to ask.
I’m going to buy new for a number of reasons. Let's say in my market you are paying list price. That is very nearly true, you don't see a ton of discounting on the front range.
Toyota (correct me if I’m wrong) is telling us that the 4runner TRD Pro is their top of the line, most capable off road unit. It lists at $41,550. the bottom of the line is the SR5 at a list of $33,510.00 the Trail, comes in at the mid point at $36,415.
Let's assume that I will be putting a winch on any rig I buy, but not housed in a huge ARB bumper or similar. Larger tires but not gigantic and some extra lighting. Lastly, the whole thing is loaded up with the max GVW that it is rated to carry, nothing more but right up to the max.
Now, wait for it, here is the question. There is a delta between the TRD Pro and the SR5 of about $8,040.
There is a delta between the TRD Pro and the Trail of about $5,135.
I am trying to figure out what a guy does, buy the TRD Pro for all the money, install a winch and light weight bumper and some lighting and hope its good. It very well might be.
OR
Buy an SR5 and you have some $8,040 to spend on custom suspension that is proven, a winch and bumper and a lighting package. You could get the suspension tuned in to exact weight of vehicle,(remember the 275 lb. trail bike on the back) size of tires, lift and whatever else you desire and still have tons of money for lockers if you wanted to go that way, seat heaters, leather, maybe a year's worth of gas.
Same goes for the Trail, trim level but to a lesser extent. You only have $5,135 to spend as the delta.
The tires, winch and bumper are a constant so they really don't fit into the equation as you're doing it on any unit you buy.
Some of the cost delta is wrapped up in entertainment and technology add on’s so it's not necessarily a true apples and apples comparison. Let's pretend that all I am really in love with is Satellite Radio. Almost every thing else you can get in the aftermarket, is on your smartphone, or if it comes with the truck you just have it and live with it.
So, what say you, buy base SR5 and improve, or go all in and get the TRD Pro and don't touch it much. Can you do what I want to do with out touching the TRD Pro much?
One could ask the same question on the Tacoma,
That is whats on my mind with this decision.