The dieimma of purchasing a new Toyota

[bkg]

Depends...can't really put a price on piece of mind, a vehicle is less likely to break down when it is new. Used vehicles are kinda a crap shoot, just because they are a Toyota, doesn't mean they were taken care off.

With Ford's deep discounts....dang hard not to look at a F150 over a Tacoma...sub $30K in my area.

http://www.corwinfordnampa.com/new/...a0a0002001c7a81555740b7.htm?searchDepth=2:164

also depends on what DD means to a person... I'm in sales - so DD means highly likely I'll have customers in my vehicle. While some found the snorkel, lift, Softtopper on my last 04 Tacoma amusing and worthy of a great ice-breaker, others found it immature and hard to take seriously. I'd much rather pick up a customer in my wife's 4Runner than any Tacoma - rear seat room alone is reason enough.

 

[Clutch]

also depends on what DD means to a person... I'm in sales - so DD means highly likely I'll have customers in my vehicle. While some found the snorkel, lift, Softtopper on my last 04 Tacoma amusing and worthy of a great ice-breaker, others found it immature and hard to take seriously. I'd much rather pick up a customer in my wife's 4Runner than any Tacoma - rear seat room alone is reason enough.

OP was looking for a non-DD, to haul guns, fishing gear, and animal carcasses. Pretty most people would turn their noses up at a bloody head of an Elk even if it was in a blinged out 4Runner. :elkgrin:

Me personally, I buy vehicles to suit my needs, not anyone else's...don't really give a ******** what people think of my vehicles or myself for that matter. :ylsmoke: I make it a point not to be a taxi for other people. Love my extra-cab Tacoma for that...

"Hey man, I can't fit back there!"

"Well...too bad for you!"

 

[bkg]

OP was looking for a non-DD, to haul guns, fishing gear, and animal carcasses. Pretty most people would turn their noses up at a bloody head of an Elk even if it was in a blinged out 4Runner. :elkgrin:

Me personally, I buy vehicles to suit my needs, not anyone else's...don't really give a ******** what people think of my vehicles or myself for that matter. :ylsmoke: I make it a point not to be a taxi for other people. Love my extra-cab Tacoma for that...

"Hey man, I can't fit back there!"

"Well...too bad for you!"

crap... got owned by multi-tasking again. /kicks dirt

 

[Clutch]

crap... got owned by multi-tasking again. /kicks dirt

Ha ha! Are you posting while driving again? Don't make me throw my beer at you.

 

[benji5280]

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.

 

[bkg]

Went through similar comparisons before buying our 4Runner. Ended up with an SR5 Premium to get the leather-like seating with heat... Found one w/o third row seating, which took some effort.

Toyota was not willing to deal on Trail or TRD Pro, and truecar.com showed Trd Pro going fo over invoice. We got a good deal on the sr5 premium. Add $1100 for toytec suspension, $900 for tires, $1000 for an ARB and you are just, if not more capable than a Pro and have $ left in your pocket.


I admit, though, that I do like the look of the trail....

 

[Clutch]

I would start with the base 4Runner, and build it exactly how you want it, you can build a better performing suspension with aftermarket.

The TRD Pro's are for guys who want something turn key.

For how quickly tech is ever evolving, doesn't make sense to have it built into the vehicle...when in a couple years it will be out of date.

Honestly, I don't think you need aftermarket suspension for the most part. A stock Toyota will go many a place. Your vehicle needs are similar to mine...I would toss on a set of decent all terrain tires and just go use the vehicle. Then you can tell if you need to beef it up or not. Yeah, we read all these build threads on these forums, most of these guys could get by with a lot less. For an example, lifts and larger tires, gives you marginal clearance gains...believe most of these builds are for upholding an image than anything.

As you said, stealth is good. I don't put any stickers of my hobbies on my vehicles. I try to keep them as low key as possible. Next truck will have a hidden winch, I don't care for the attention my ARB receives.

 

[Dalko43]

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.

People really give hunters grief out where you live? Anyways, a 4runner is doable for hunting, but you're really going to have to deliberately plan out your storage solutions. That back cargo area is not as big as you think. When you start packing in any kind of long rifle or shotgun, and then start adding in a dog, camping gear, harvested animals, ect., you'll lose space very quickly (I know from experience)....granted my long rifle is fairly long and my dog is fairly big. If you are going the 4runner route, you'll probably have to look into a storage rack.

IMHO, the Tacoma is the obvious choice for a hunting rig...better storage in the back, less worry about getting the interior dirty/smelly, slightly better towing ratings if you do decide to get some sort of trailer.

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.

I think the real question that needs to be answered first is: what do you want to be able to do with this vehicle?

You say that you want a hunting rig. I still contend that a full-sized or 3/4 ton diesel will better serve you for that kind of use...but you don't want those vehicles, so I'll drop it there. If all you want is to be able to drive down some remote and rugged roads to get to your hunting start point, a base SR5 or trail 4runner, or a similarly equipped Tacoma, will be more than enough IMHO. Most of the hunters I come across have fairly basic pickup's with 4wd and maybe a locking rear diff....you really don't need too much extra equipment to get down most of those country roads.

The 4runner TRD Pro is definitely not necessary nor does it really give you any real advantage over the other trims...it's got a slightly lifted and retuned suspension with some appearance items....that's about it...same engine, same drivetrain, same frame, same locking rear diff as the trail edition...not worth the extra money over a regular trail, but that's subjective.

If you are considering adding bumpers, bigger tires, a fully-reworked suspension, ect., then I'd assume you're looking for more than just a hunting rig. Again, buying used makes more sense, but if you do intend to buy new, a SR5 or trail should be all that you need for a good starting platform.

 

[Clutch]

People really give hunters grief out where you live? Anyways, a 4runner is doable for hunting, but you're really going to have to deliberately plan out your storage solutions. That back cargo area is not as big as you think. When you start packing in any kind of long rifle or shotgun, and then start adding in a dog, camping gear, harvested animals, ect., you'll lose space very quickly (I know from experience)....granted my long rifle is fairly long and my dog is fairly big. If you are going the 4runner route, you'll probably have to look into a storage rack.>snip<

>snip<You say that you want a hunting rig. I still contend that a full-sized or 3/4 ton diesel will better serve you for that kind of use...but you don't want those vehicles, so I'll drop it there.

Even in a fullsize truck, it can get tight. Couldn't imagine trying to do it a 4Runner. Especially when you can get a 1/2-3/4 ton for the same price....wouldn't even have to touch the suspension.

 

[benji5280]

I have to admit a new 2015 Ford F 150 with the twin turbo for south of $30K does cause one pause. Lot of truck for the money.

 

[benji5280]

and a f 250 with a v8 oil burner, for just over 30K is really something. Now my head is exploding.

 

[benji5280]

In Colorado, people are generally tolerant of others and I have never had an issue with anyone about hunting. Really more concerned about some bad guy helping himself to my stuff. That does happen, even in Colorado.

 

[Clutch]

I have to admit a new 2015 Ford F 150 with the twin turbo for south of $30K does cause one pause. Lot of truck for the money.

It is making this long time Toyota fan boy, question his next truck purchase. I keep on going back in forth in my head, now that Ford has some deep discounts...

Quite a few nice features on the F150, for gear hauling, I really like that flat floor under the rear passenger seats...both Super Cab and Super Crew. In the Super Cab the rear legroom is the same if not a touch bigger than the Tacoma Double Cab. Fully opening suicide door too. And look at the rear leg room on the Super Crew.

Doesn't hurt to go down to the dealer and take a look see. Ford lets you build the truck more a la carte than Toyota.

Some decent suspension available too, this one is equipped with Icon, IIRC.

 

[Clutch]

In Colorado, people are generally tolerant of others and I have never had an issue with anyone about hunting. Really more concerned about some bad guy helping himself to my stuff. That does happen, even in Colorado.

Here in Idaho....think the hunters out number the non-hunters by a long shot. Though I don't like to advertise what is in the truck....why toss stickers on a vehicle alerting everyone you have thousands of dollars with of equipment inside. Like my vehicles very plain jane and near stock looking if I can.

 

[cruiserdude80]

Any more, I think a crew cab Tacoma is the most practical solution for the what 4x4 do I buy dilemma. It has the passenger capacity of a 4Runner or JK 4 door, 2 different size pickup beds that can be used to haul gear or fertilizer home from Lowes, you can throw a topper on it and have a quasi SUV. I would say that the level of aftermarket support rivals that of Jeep. I currently own a Wrangler and a Land Cruiser and at some point I may downsize my vehicle ownership. I enjoy them both, but when I make my next 4x4 purchase, it will be between the Wrangler 4 door and the Tacoma crew cab short bed, with the Tacoma having a slight edge to me.