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Buying a 2021 Tundra....

Discussion in 'General Tundra Discussion' started by jonnyfrank, Nov 16, 2020.

  1. Nov 16, 2020 at 7:01 PM
    #1
    jonnyfrank

    jonnyfrank [OP] New Member

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    ....and trying to figure out which model to get. I live in North Texas and this will be my first pick up truck. I have test driven all of the trucks and have concluded that I want the Tundra for a variety of reasons including I love the way to drives. Anyway, while I like the idea of going off road a lot I am not sure I will be hitting the trails every weekend or anything like that. My initial thought was that I "needed" the TRD Pro so I could do anything, but as I have read and research I am thinking it might be a good idea to get a (4WD) Limited, Platinum, or 1794 and slowly modify it to my liking. I have to admit that I drove a 1794 the other day (test drive) and that interior is fancy pants.

    All this said, I am looking for feedback from the group with thoughts and ideas. Should I just get the Limited and work up from there or jump in and get the TRD Pro and move on...or should I get the Platinum or 1794 for the interior plushness and turn it into an outdoors vehicle kind of like Kevin Costner did with his?
     
    Bigboitundra and YardBird like this.
  2. Nov 16, 2020 at 7:25 PM
    #2
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder Smooth in the Cruise

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    Food crumbs and dog fur
    The general consensus seems to be you're better off building up the truck you want than buying the Pro if you plan to do lots of mods. I for one love my Pro, but might have gone a different route if I had big plans.

    There are a couple of features like folding outside mirrors and reverse sensors that I wish I had. So check out the list of features at the back of the brochure and figure out which ones you cannot live without. That might point you to one of the trim levels and then you can build from there.

    Good luck!
     
    Bigboitundra and worktruckwhite like this.
  3. Nov 16, 2020 at 7:34 PM
    #3
    Jim LE 1301

    Jim LE 1301 Camaro Lover, SSEM # 11,TTC#179

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    Jim
    Hudson Valley, New York
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    Welcome from NY.

    If you don't buy the PRO, I would look into the TRD Sport. The Sport has no chrome, if you buy the others I'm sure you will eventually remove the chrome and add the sway bars. If you get the Sport you just have to add the leather seats down the road and maybe a lift or just Bilstein 5100 shocks in the front to level the truck like the PRO.
    Good luck with your decision and let us know what you decide.
     
    Bigboitundra and InsaneAuto86 like this.
  4. Nov 16, 2020 at 11:41 PM
    #4
    YardBird

    YardBird Native San Diegan

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  5. Nov 17, 2020 at 12:08 AM
    #5
    OnespeedTRD

    OnespeedTRD New Member

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    Don
    San Diego
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    2020 Tundra Limited TRD Off-Road
    275/70r18 Cooper AT3 XLT on SCS Ray 10s, Eibach Coilovers, DD 12" Exhaust, AJT Blackout Kit, Truxedo Pro X15, paint match/chrome delete.
    The PRO looks awesome right off the lot, and other than wheels/tires and steps you don't really need to do anything to it cosmetically, it just looks right and a lot of non-PRO owners go for that looks when swapping things out. But... you don't gain much in the way of performance, if anything, over a TRD Off-Road. Suspension on the PRO is OK, but a Bilstein 6112/5160 setup is every bit as capable and a fraction of the cost. My Limited TRD OR was right at $44K, and I've put a couple grand worth of little things here and there and I'm still $15K +/- under what a PRO would have set me back, and I still would have put another several thousand into it anyways.
    If the PRO came with a boost in power (like an S/C!) or something dramatically different than the TRD OR, then I would have considered it because I love the way they look and it is the pinnacle of the Tundra world. I just think its a little overpriced for what you actually get in terms of actual performance.

    The Sport suggestion is actually good advice if you hate chrome and drive primarily on the road. A lot of us do a complete chrome delete/color match and add a rear sway bar, so you could save some time and $ right there. But if the interior is more important, then I think the Limited is the sweet spot... leather, lots of options, decently priced compared to the PRO or 1794. You could do a lot of customization and still have money to spare compared to the top-tier versions.

    Since you're buying a 2021, they have a Trail Edition and a Nightshade Edition that might be worth a look too. Not exactly sure what they're all about, but 2021 is the first year, so they're at least something different.
     
  6. Nov 17, 2020 at 5:20 AM
    #6
    glowblue

    glowblue From time to time

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    You could what some of us do and buy the lowest grade SR and turn it into what you want. I built my “Poor Mans Pro” for a fraction of the cost.

    Welcome aboard and good luck!
    E87709E2-5706-47F2-855E-B681D6C7E8F9.jpg
     
    Black Wolf and TelemarkTumalo like this.
  7. Nov 17, 2020 at 6:19 AM
    #7
    Eaganite

    Eaganite New Member

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    I completely agree with this, although I love the Platinum interior. But in the end the 2020 Limiter TRD OR gave me what I wanted at a price I could live with. Although it's been since March, and I know things have changed since then I paid $43,300 for my Limited.
     
  8. Nov 21, 2020 at 4:47 PM
    #8
    RainMan_PNW

    RainMan_PNW SSEM #82 RGBA #4 “That Guy” Vendor

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    Check the build link in my signature.
    Welcome from the wet side of WA

    You never mentioned your budget...

    The Limited is probably the best bang/buck option out there if you want all the things that Toyota offers. But that also depends on how much you want the things Toyota offers versus doing all of it yourself like @glowblue did. ALL crewmax models come with power-down rear window (and I think all DC's have the power slide rear window). They all have the same 5.7L V8 and 6-speed transmission. Really the only thing you CAN'T upgrade (reasonably anyway) is to make a 2WD into a 4WD...
    You can get Katskinz or other leather to reupholster the seats (and add seat heaters at the same time - even ones in the rear which isn't an option on the Limited). You can pull out the factory head unit/audio and install one hell of a custom sound system (way better than the JBL will ever be). You can get any number of dual exhausts (Dirty Deeds is pretty popular with this crowd). You can get any number of full suspension upgrades from the previously mentioned Bilsteins with adjustable level to full replacements with UCAs, bypass reservoirs, new springs, upgraded leaf packs, you name it. Plenty of brands offer different wheel options with tons of offsets. You can buy or have painted any color the front grill trim and hood bulge and bumper caps. It all comes down to how much you want to make it totally custom and how much time you want to spend to save the money.

    I'm of similar thought line as @Green Thunder - I won't be modifying the suspension or exhaust heavily, and while I'll have it out on old logging roads and lost forest service roads, I won't be taking it on the Rubicon trail or overlanding the Cascade mountains with it. I ALMOST went Limited and then started the process of changing it out, but ultimately for I was willing to pay a little more for the Pro as much for the special color as for the fact that off the lot I didn't have to do anything major to it in terms of upgrading the features that I really wanted (and there was a little bit of that "exclusive club" feeling and some measure of additional resale value). The sonar and BSM option on the Limited is something I thought would be nice, but it's also something I've never had before and even in my wife's car I really never notice the BSM. Some good convex mirrors takes care of BSM (as well as driving without my head up my ass), and I'll add a front camera to act as my "sonar" in the front (the rear gives me plenty of "sonar" in the back).
     
    Green Thunder likes this.
  9. Nov 21, 2020 at 5:54 PM
    #9
    degs

    degs New Member

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    I bought an SR5 with leather and the big gas tank... then swapped out grill, wheels etc. Made a "TRD Faux"
     
  10. Nov 22, 2020 at 11:15 AM
    #10
    Terndrerrr

    Terndrerrr guzzling dealer repellent

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    I bought an SR5 TRD Off Road. Big gas tank, 4x4, dual climate. I would have preferred 6 seat belts with a column shifter, but then I couldn’t get the big gas tank.

    I already upgraded the suspension to the TRD Pro Fox set. Tires are next. And I may do katzkin later on when my fabric seats start showing their age.
     
  11. Nov 22, 2020 at 12:49 PM
    #11
    TelemarkTumalo

    TelemarkTumalo New Member

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    Driver side grab handle Door sill protectors Falken WildPeak 295/70 R18 X-Pel clear front paint protection 20% front window tint Go Rhino RB20 side steps - Bedliner finish Lock'er Down 1/2 console safe Toyota bed cargo divider Toyota auto tail gate lock
  12. Nov 22, 2020 at 5:52 PM
    #12
    68 RS/SS

    68 RS/SS New Member

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    I have a limited dc and if I could do it over again I’d buy a trd sport dc and add leather
     
  13. Nov 22, 2020 at 6:37 PM
    #13
    TundraBike&SkiGuy

    TundraBike&SkiGuy So I got that goin' for me

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    Good that you are doing your research. I drove a 2004 Tundra Limited for 13 years and knew that I wanted another Limited when I got my 2020. Mainly just for the leather. I wish I would have researched all the trim options a little more. My 04 had everything color matched and that is the one thing I miss and want to do. I also knew that I wanted the Crew Max even though kids are grown and I don't have a lot of passengers. The hand full of times I have passengers the extra space is appreciated. It's also nice for my dog and hauling cargo, which is often. I live in NW MN and 4x4 is a must. Not only do I use it for work, I need it just to get up my driveway. I don't go out mudding but having it for forest roads and light trail is useful as well as reassuring.
    If I spent more time I might have come away with something other than the Limited. I was pressured by my wife to upgrade in June and there really wasn't a lot of options outside of the Platinum and 1794. My dealer had like 8 or more of those but had to have a Limited transferred from another dealer. I agree, the interior on those is fancy pants. It didn't click with me and I couldn't move beyond it.
    Take your time and get what you want!

    Things I miss about my 04 in order- 6.5 ft bed, color matched trim, rear under seat storage, spring loaded change holder in the console.

    Things I love about my 20 in order-it's 16 yrs newer, LED lights, technology.

    Things that are same-gas mileage:rofl::rofl:
     
  14. Nov 27, 2020 at 12:15 PM
    #14
    lonedrake

    lonedrake New Member

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    I bought TRD sport. I need the longer bed and I like the double cab better than the crew cab. But, we are all different and have different needs and tastes. I put some pro wheels on and put a lift in. Probably close to the same price as a pro...but it the way I like it.B43523E6-BA64-45A6-AC7B-8FC346B2933C.jpg
     
  15. Nov 27, 2020 at 1:28 PM
    #15
    4WDWalrus

    4WDWalrus New Member

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    Welcome!

    In my opinion, just get the PRO. If not really serious into off-roading, no point of spending the time and money to modify, which may effect the warranty, reliability, and add aftermarket issues.

    After spending all that money to modify, it would still not be a Pro nor have the resale value.

    BTW, they offer the PRO in double cab as well.
     
    baron likes this.

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