Upgrading to 2020 CM from 2017 DC - any reason not to?

Current:
2017 SR5 Double cab
103K miles
rear bearing issue
otherwise decent condition
extras: OEM stainless running boards, tonno, bed liner, undercoating

Possible:
2020 SR5 Crew Max
39K miles
vg condition
extras: TRD wheels, tonno, bed liner, some black out badges

Main reason for upgrade is more back seat room for kiddos. Also do not like new Tundras and want to get a '20 or '21 before they are as old as my current truck.

Everyone knows prices are crazy, but so are trade ins. The $39K price tag is $6K + more than I paid for my '17 new. Out the door price is $22K (they are giving me $19K for my truck). It is missing a few bigger things I want, but can get afterwards (undercoat, running boards) and minor things too (CD player - yes, I am old) but has small things I like compass.

Wish it was a '21 with a bit lower miles, but with how hard what I want is to find (no console - full bench seat) and how quickly they go when they come in, feel like I need to move on it.

Any insight or reason for or against pulling the trigger??

 

Is a bigger back seat and shorter bed worth 22k to you? That’s about the only difference after a few weeks of buying something else feel good wears off. You’ll have annoying TSS beeping unless you like that stuff as well I suppose.

 

From your thread title, I was going to say it would be a very bad financial move. The rear bearing issue can be fixed. Unless you really need that extra room, it is still a bad financial move. You might do better by selling yours private party. I'm the type that drives vehicles for 10+ years unless someone hits me and totals the vehicle. $22k in new cost, and possibly debt, is not a good move at all.

 

No way I’d make that trade for only a bigger cab. If it was more more like $2k difference then ya I’d be willing to but not for $22k. Spend the $2700 and fix the bearings and reevaluate in 6mo. This is nothing but a panic buy.

 

that and 3 year newer 60K= less miles - yeah, maybe? $15-18K would be better, but... Some of my thinking is that may truck isn't going to get more valuable and the '20-'21 are not going to get any less used than now.

What is TSS beep?

 

Hard pass. If you are needing the interior space, do you even need a truck? You don't really say any uses that need a truck. Drop the '17 and pick up a Rav, save a bunch on gas, more comfortable, and better space for the kiddos.
The '20 doesn't have the trans cooler if you tow, you will want to add one if you go forward with the purchase.

 

yes, I need the truck.
good to know on the trans cooler - is that needed for minor towing (I tow and ATV primarily - not a camper or heavier payload)

 

I’m gonna say no it’s not but this forum will tell you yes it is.

 

Then probably not needed. Depends on distance and terrain, if you have lots of climbs it would be worth monitoring temps to see if you notice high transmission temps.

 

$2K? maybe if I had 2019 or 2020 to trade (with way less miles). not really a panic buy, actually have been thinking about it for quite some time (should have ordered one back in 2020 or '21 before the change to new body style - really wish I had done that).

 

Love my 2014 DC, raised 2 kids in a 2005 Double cab.
Granted the back seat was a tad bigger than the 2014, but not by much.

It sure is nice not having a vehicle payment for the last 4 years...

 

I personally would take a hard pass on getting the same generation and NOT because there is anything wrong with it.

I hate buying used trucks because the vast majority have poorly driven and poorly maintained.

22k for my kids to have more leg room is not financially sound for me. My kids love to ride in my double cab and we (wife included) just “deal” with it when it’s a little packed to be truthful. As a family vehicle my truck is awesome but not perfect. However we have all accepted the negatives…such as the smaller cab.

On a separate note (and I don’t know your reasoning OP)…

But don’t believe all the 3rd gen hate. I drove a Ram 1500 today and with be driving a brand F150 for a few weeks. The interior plastic is all ridiculously cheap in ALL new vehicles. I liked the new Tundra interior much better. The F150 is very car like and very easy to handle. The rear end felt real jittery even compared to my Tundra without the rear sway bar.

 

With one of the most reliable vehicles you can buy I’d heavily weigh a vehicle I know the history and maintenance of against one with a little lower unknown treatment miles on. Just a thought. All vehicles have some issues eventually but I’ve had plenty of 350-450k old Toyotas with nothing but wear items. 60k and 3 years to a Tundra is like 14 days and 91 miles to some cars ha.

TSS is Toyota Safety Sense. Some like having the lane assist and backup and cruise and whatever else on their truck. Some hate it. I only look for 2016-2017 Tundra because they were the last years before the incessant beeping and first years of larger fuel tank.

I hear you on the fact that your truck isn’t going to go up in value and the newer one isn’t going to get less wear and tear. Just not sure if 3 years and 60k is a big enough leap for 22k, especially if financing and paying interest. And even more so if going from no car payment to having one, none or which is my business in your case, just thoughts worth considering mayhaps.

The real only major difference I see will be a larger cab (and smaller bed). Not much else would weigh too heavily.
No trans cooler may not matter for light duty. The safety features may be a plus (or con if you’re like me). Few less miles but also unknown vs. known maintenance and treatment.

No one can tell ya what to do! But unless I 22k (+interest and payments for longer) needed a larger cab, I wouldn’t be able to justify it, personally. You may really want it! Enjoy either way great trucks!

 

It's been said, but unless you're doing it for the interior space... I wouldn't do it.

IMO you're trading a vehicle that has been only driven and maintained by YOU... any used vehicle you purchase will come w/a plethora of unknowns (how was it driven, was it broke in properly, was maintenance done on schedule w/appropriate fluids, etc...).

Financially speaking, you are essentially paying $22k for 60k miles of use (mileage reduction between your current rig and the newer one)... AND the truck isn't really set up the way you want; you're spending $22k and still settling

 

If you tow per the owner's manual, the trans cooler is not needed. In spite of requests for people to post about failed trannies for the models without the cooler, there have been exactly ZERO. And several owners of '19-'21's tow all the time. The Toyota engineers seem to have been correct.

 

No tranny cooler on the 2020. So that's another grand you would have to spend.

 

I agree with it being a financially unwise move.

However I'd like to chime in on the TSS hate. All the beeping can be turned off with the press of a single button on the dash, and TSS includes radar cruise control, an absolutely terrific feature. Not sure why TSS gets all this hate. I specifically looked long and hard to find a 2018, so I could get TSS and a tranny cooler.

 

Sorry, not to hijack this thread. There is no Transmission Cooler on the 2020+ Tundras? I thought they were all there same since the redesign in 2014. There is a secondary cooler at the bottom in the front near the open air dam below the grille. Looks the same as my 2015 Tundra. I appreciate any help.

 

No standalone transmission cooler on 2019+ models. They went to an integrated cooler that is really more designed to warm up the transmission fluid quicker (using engine coolant), than it is to prevent excessive transmission fluid heating.

 

I did not realize that. Thanks for letting me know. I guess once genuinecoolingsystems is back in stock, it'll be on the list. Appreciate the information.

 

The 2019's are now five years old. Any tranny failures? I haven't heard of any, and lots of folks use their trucks to tow.

 

If it's want you want and you can afford it go for it. Buying used is always a gamble and 22k is lots of money for an small upgrade to me. Then again I'm a guy that looks at the price of new trucks and knows I'll never buy another new one. The last new truck I bought was in 1993, LOL.

Yep, lane assist is the only thing that caused lots of annoying beeping occasionally on mine. I turned it off on the 2nd or 3nd day of ownership.

Radar cruise... More of a con than a pro in my opinion. Even turned down to minimum sensitivity it kicks too soon and not a fan of how it re-engages when clear.

Lack of a trans cooler on '19+ models is overblown IMHO unless perhaps hauling a lot of weight in tough terrain. My truck is equipped with the OEM tow option and brake controller and the previous owner towed a heavy trailer quite often and had airbags installed in the rear to level the truck when towing. No trans cooler and no issues.

 

I'm not an expert, but that seems about a 8k-10k difference to me, not 22k. That's just me, and if you want it bad enough, you'll justify it to yourself!

My background:
Kids are grown, it's me and my wife. Back seat area is for groceries, occasional passengers, and our two 60 lb. dogs.

I love my 2020. One button to turn off TSS, yes. I rarely use cruise, and not a fan of the radar cruise...if I use it, I wind up, "Why am I doing 50?" to discover the car/truck in front slowed down, and the radar smoothly eased off the gas.

Trans cooler, yeah, I was aggravated to find it wasn't a full blown trans cooler, but didn't do anything about it. Towed a 16' travel trailer for camping, including a run from NC, to Ohio, to Utah, then back to NC. No issues, and I'm now at 90k on the truck.

Also, I went from a Frontier plus cab to a full cab Tundra. Extra room is awesome! But, reason I changed was it was a stick, and I've got a bone disease in my left wrist that made it painful to drive...needed an automatic.

It's advice, worth what you paid for it! Good luck with the decision, either way!

 

my wife's Sienna has the annoying "cruise control" that slows you down (HATE IT). That can be turned off in the Sienna, hope it can be in the newer Tundra.

 

If it was made in the two years after March of 2020 i wouldnt buy it.

 

A couple things... They are ripping you off on your trade, you should be more in the 25K range in my opinion, at least!

I think you are making excuses in your mind to justify getting a newer truck. I have a double cab and there is plenty fo room for kids, car seats included, and even my adult friends/family sit in the back and fit fine. I would keep your current truck, have it repaired, and carry on paying it off or driving a paid off vehicle if you no longer have a loan, why start payments all over again for a vehicle that is only 3 years younger?! Also hoping you don't want to front bench seat to put kids in, please don't.

As someone else pointed out, you are taking chances buying a used vehicle... Keep the one you know the history of, assuming you bought your '17 new.

It's a personal choice I guess, I get to a degree where you are coming from, as I am no interested in the redesign currently either and hope to keep my Tundra going for a long time with proper care and maintenance, and I will likely buy a cheap Corolla or something else to offset the milage on it as it gets towards the 80K range once I have the cash for it. I wouldn't do this trade, it's not worth the difference in price and they are truly ripping you off with your trade in my opinion!

-T

 

I’d push the dealer for more trade value. ,

 

Trade value too low. Renegotiate.

 

I paid 39K on a brand new old 2021 SR5 CM with 108 miles on it. There are better deals out there for sure. If you're serious about upgrading, sale your existing Tundra privately and maximize the return and find you a buy deal all over US not just your area. Trust me you will get the best of both worlds if you go this route. Best is to have cash available to make the purchase when you find something good and then take your time to sale when the price is right.

 

I don't even have kids and I chose to upgrade to a crew max.

I use the bed often, but being 5'9" I can't reach over the side to get stuff up near the cab. I only used the rear 4' of my regular cab 4 door, so a crew max made perfect sense.

I'm not afraid to admit I just wanted a crew max and I wanted a 21 with the 5.7.

I'll most likely keep the '08 as it runs perfect.