So...do I go TRD Pro, 1794 or new SR5

Pick what you want. I love my sr5 crewmax and I am only one most of the time. Color cannot be changed easily. If you’re not going to be swapping out this one you can always modify all your other needs

 

So got to check out a used 1794 today.

It actually wasn't horrible - my biggest concern was the interior and all that brown.

Aside from the 1794 emblazoned floor mats (easily replaced of course) the only other area that got me was the chrome bezel on the lower left of the steering column. Not sure how hard it would be to replace - but I doubt too bad.

Funny - for all the haters of the interior, I didn't dislike it. Felt nicer than the SR5 I tested last week which surprised me a little. I mean really - it shouldn't feel like a different vehicle but it did.

Ask was 49 500 for 2020 with 8k miles. Not sure how that compares to a 2021 1794 - obviously its better than sticker on a 2021...but I doubt anyone's paying sticker for these.

Almost didn't even mind the chrome bumpers on this one (usually hate them- prefer body color or black on a truck) but the side steps were horrendous on this one (some off brand weird looking set) again easy fix though.

 

My vote is always get what you want and can afford. For those that downplay the suspension of the Pro and say it’s “barely” better are drinking something. Go faster than 25 over a bump in each and you’ll see. No comparison! I live the exhaust, wheels and the skid plate. Many think those aren’t worth it but I do. I’m done modifying vehicles other than better tires. No vehicle ever drives the same and some do drive better at first. But for me I want off the lot how I like it and the Pro was it for me. I have 4 friends with other trims and I love them all. They each have their benefits and pros and cons. But I do think the suspension is really good on the Pro and was on my Pro 4R. I just like OE too though. Other than tires I plan to change nothing on mine. Get which you like the most and want to pay for and enjoy!

 

My condolences on the passing of your mom.
Why not have your cake and eat it too?
I would take the life insurance money and invest it so it's making you money and get the truck anyway. Best of both worlds!

 

I bought a 2017 Double Cab SR5 5.7L with 18,000 miles just recently

I bought it because it doesn't have the Toyota Safety Sense, it has a trans cooler, and has the big gas tank. The Internet said 2017 is the best year to get.

Added
TRD Exhaust
TRD PRO Grill
Toyota Running Boeards
Toyota hard tonneau
Leer truck cap for camping
Weather Tech floor Mats

Looking for TRD PRO BBS 18" Wheels

 

"The internet said..." probably my favorite line in this thread so far. So what would you say if I told you the internet now says by a Ram

As always - take the internet for what it is - a tool. A great way to research data, compile opinions and facts and then make your own choices...not that poster didn't do just that....just that sometimes people think its Zoltan the fortune teller - you put in your quarter and it delivers a card telling you what to do.

Why not invest and buy a truck - who says I havent. Thing is - "investments" in things like stocks are never guaranteed. Even buying solid blue chips can turn negative...yes over 5 years the risk are reduced (as are the chances you will experience a large gain expressed as a % BTW - but most seem to leave that side of the picture out when pointing to long term market performance). Bond rates are absolute crap right now and not getting better (at least short terms - not wanting to lock up funds 10-30 years or hope that these rates continue that long. I've put plenty away for the long term.

Wouldn't buy a truck before first having a roof over my head (in my name), a retirement plan funded and enough in the bank to take care of something unexpected. I get alot of people (young and old) want to grab what they want and is within reach - and #1 and 2 on my list are tougher and the 3rd sometimes takes a hit to fund big ticket purchases...but trust me you gotta have these 3 locked up or you will regret it. Its a combination of luck and planning - but most people can obtain these 3 and their wants (assuming everything is in line with your income potential) - sometimes it involves trade offs..but they are worth it.

 

Fully agreed. I love the TRD Fox kit. Since that is basically the only functional difference in a Pro vs an SR5 (same engine, trans, rear end, rear springs, 4wd modes, stock tires, ATRAC, no locker, etc...) and since I really don’t like the hood scoop and some of the other Pro features, I was happy to save the $15k Pro price premium and spend $3k putting that suspension on my truck.

The way I see it, I’m $12k ahead to build my truck the way I want. I’m also not trying to turn it into a cheaper Pro. And preservation of resale value through my mods is fairly low on my list of considerations.

I totally get buying the best trim for what you want in a truck off the lot. For me, Toyota does not make that truck.

 

Yep great points! If it’s just about suspension then yes I think one is wasting their Money on a Pro unless they trade in/sell every couple of years. Then the Pro is a good purchase. But all hold their value pretty well. But yes I agree with you. For me I wanted the wheels, skid and exhaust too and had I not gotten the Pro I wanted a Platinum. Again...all those maybe aren’t worth the premium but each should buy what they want. I’m just personally done modifying vehicles. I had jeeps for years up until two years ago and when I left them I said no more modifying!

 

And awesome job getting a tundra for $40 if it was new! Those dont exist around here. I never see one less than $44-46 out the door so paying msrp on a Pro didn’t seem bad to me.

 

Ok - doing some math.

Today's question - should I lease ?

Numbers fall out like this - 47k truck

Lease for $625 a month amd 0 down - to get a similar payment O would have to finance over 7 years @ 4.5%.

At the end of year 3 - I can buy for 34k - in that time I would have paid 22,500 in payments (total investment would be 56,500) - conversely if I financed it all for 72 months at 4.5% - I could payoff the loan at around 28k.

So I'm "overpaying" 6k for the "opt-out" leasing gives me.

2 important take aways to me are first - resale of current Tundras MAY take a hit depending on what 2022/23 brings us with the refresh. It could be a home run (think Ram and the recent refresh) - it could be a huge yawn (think Chevy and their refresh) or something in the middle...no one knows. Its likely they will retain value better than the big 3 - but will Toyota start incentives on the 2022/23 to sell units when the first adopter rush dies down and they have a ton of product on lots sitting (remember - as is often pointed out - Toyota sells a fraction of the units that the Big 3 sell...that works when you are selling a longer/established vehicle - but engineering tech and refreshes cost $$ and they may trade a lower cost per unit sold on fixed cost for less profit per unit).

Second - less importantly, its not unrealistic to expect a concession from a dealer if I were to turn in the unit - $$ off new, accessory cash or whatever - because I always have the option of selling to anyone for more than my acquisition cost and pocketing the difference.

That 6k cost also keeps a ton of cash in my pocket that I planned on paying cash up front. Now is it unrealistic to expect to yield 6k after taxes on 47k invested - probably....but not impossible over 3 years. I would be willing to use half that as a more reasonable number though..and tax savings of writing the lease off for my business is a possible added bonus.

 

Man, as someone prone to overanalysis, I am thoroughly impressed with your work.

 

Just my opinion I would not lease a Toyota. I love how Toyota has allowed me to move up with barely anything out of my pocket. I should also mention from a 4runner pro to another 4runner pro and now tundra pro.

 

Totally agree with this!!! Do not lease especially for $6k loss. If you think there’s a chance you’ll want to keep it then buy it now. Trust me you won’t lose your tail. I just traded in a 2020 Pro 4Runner for mine and I was out literally a grand total of $1500 for owning it for 9 months. Less than $200 a month. This is a truck that will always hold value and everyone I know wants this engine. Ask Ford how the V6 engine is going. It’s not bad. Decent engine. It’s not this 5.7 v8. Not even close.

 

I agree with Jeff, I’m trading my AG 2020 Pro in for tundra Pro. The value is crazy on these trucks. Also him and I have been chatting about this for quite a while!!

 

Also I think most you would lose would be $1-2k after owning it for couple years anyways. Which is way better than the $6k. If you’re going to pay that much per month to lease I’d pay that to own it.

 

You definitely have it together, that's great. And I hear you on the markets, I have a few bucks in the stocks but it's more for fun than a real investment, I prefer real estate myself.

 

Ok - I understand the thought process on lease.

The takeaway though is the 6k "loss" only occurs when

A. I buy out the truck and keep it - assuming I take the full 3 years to do it

B. Assumes I take the price of truck and make 0 off of it.

I highly doubt I would wait 3 years to decide if I was keeping the truck - 18 moths seems much more likely. Gives me chance to see 2022s and decide if they are going to surpass what I have...don't have the sheet in front of me to determine exact early buyout - but for simplicity sake - let's call it 3k at 18 months.

The only possible way I would take the whole 36 months is I play a stock I like - make a mint and have to keep it 1 year for tax purposes. Then its more of a trade off - lose 6k to avoid losing more in higher taxes (short vs long term capital gains).

This market is nuts - and getting nuttier by the day. I let go of my RIOT today - hopefully not a mistake. Actually got out of the name before - then I nibbled back when it got back into the 30s. Turned part of my initial profits into more profits...should have this truck paid for on my own by June if this keeps up...great market for traders with the wild swings. Buy on an off day sell on an upswing - just hope you aren't holding when the crash comes.

 

Yes I agree with your thoughts. If you’re wondering about the 2022 it should be on the lot in the fall right? What I’m hearing so maybe waiting until Fall and see because there will be 2021 left too Im sure. Also my thoughts on lease (and just my opinion and nothing more) is if you don’t buy it you’ve thrown away a lot of money you paid per month to basically rent it. Just not a fan myself of that but if that works for you I understand. Just something to think about it.

 

Not sure if everyone saw this part on your leasing question.... But yeah, if you can write off 100% of the lease cost with your business vs. having to depreciate the truck over a period of time (not sure if that is still necessary with some of the new tax laws...), then leasing could be a better option. Your accountant should be able to run the numbers and know for sure. Also may want to check out the leasehackr site for some more information and ways to optimize a vehicle lease.

 

Great catch. I did not. How much would tax savings be? And still did I read a lease of $600/month earlier? That’s a lot so those tax savings better be a lot.

 

So after all of this I reached a decision (of sorts).

I'm going with what I wanted to start with - a TRD Pro

Telling dealer find me a DC in Black or Lunar Rock - giving them a deposit.

If they can't pull a DC - I will "accept" a CM provided it has nothing pricey added...Will pay sticker on the CM and nothing more (within reason - I mean a 200 option won't break the deal - but no 6k "special wheel package or must buy the paint/wheel/interior protection plan. At our marked uo prices.

Of course no guarantees they get an allotment or are able to strike a deal for someone elses...but did some homework - found a dealer back home that seems to have close to what I want on order and should be able to swing a deal down here to make it happen.

Alot of legwork - but I've wanted one for 5 years...its time I pull the trigger. Yes - I am probably "overpaying" for a pro vs upgrading a SR5 - but you are always going to overpay for new...simple fact of it is 99.8% of modern production cars will depreciate from day 1 and will probably never see a value equal to their original sticker in our lifetime.

Overpaying is only a monetary measure - you cannot measure happiness in financial terms. Pics when I finally get it of course.

 

You won’t regret it! Others may agree and others will disagree but I think a Pro is worth it if you get it at msrp. For sure do not overpay. A lot of the people who try to talk ones out of Pro are the ones who add the exhaust and skid plate and spend $4-5k on a suspension. I for one like the fox suspension. Awesome riding suspension and no it’s not the best but it’s really strong. Don’t let anyone tell you it is not much better than stock suspensions on other trims. Can’t wait to see it. Congrats!!!

 

If you can afford it, get the truck that you really want. I bought my Platinum crewmax with all the options I wanted. I looked casually for 1 year and hard for 6 months. Almost flew out to Detroit from PA but the dealer would not take a deposit over the phone.
It was back in 2018 that i purchased my 2015 Platinum Crewmax with 21k miles for $37,700. I thought I got a fair deal since new would have been $10-12k more and that was out of my price range.

In my older age(36 now), I am realizing that making compromises all my life always left me with varying degrees of buyers remorse.

At the time, Platinum was the way to go in my eyes. It had to be White with black leather interior. Heated and cooled seats with dual zone climate needed due to wife. PRO didn’t offer this at the time. Also the platinum had the color matched bumpers already and chrome delete was in my future regardless.

After a few purchases and super easy to install mods, the truck was the way I wanted.
PRO grill $300
White mirror caps $90
Black door handles $80
TRD Pro Fox takeoffs $1500
TRD Pro BBS takeoffs and 34” Toyo AT3 $2000
CB shackles to add some rake $350

Now my problem is my wife’s car has smart entry, push button start and Apple CarPlay which is making me jealous.

 

Yes - I agree you can "build" a Pro out of a SR5 for example- but for whatever reason - come resale time buyers want that stupid Pro stamped in the bedside. Its probably the only "feature" on the pro i could live without.

Leather seats are ok - not a make or break...and yes the suspension can be bought...but doing all this takes time, involves dumping more cash into a new truck and just makes more sense to get it up front.

Its likely I get what I want at a fair price (sticker) - its just having flexibility to wait if needed - understanding they just can't order and get one overnight and it may take some old fashion horse trading between dealers...at the same time I just need to be able to say yes when a deal falls into place.

 

Totally agree with the Pro resale. If I had plans to sell truck in 5 years or less, Pro makes sense. Whereas I’m planning on keeping 10 plus years, the added resale vs initial upfront cost didn’t add up to me.

 

Ok - guess I still have 1 decision left...DC or CM

If I'm reading it right - if I go DC - aside from the legroom, I lose the sunroof and a couple of speakers as well as the retractable rear window - just a power slider on the DC.

I'm 98% certain in my pick - saving 5k on a DC - and putting a bit of that into a radio upgrade (whats it matter losing 2 speakers when your going to beef up the system anyway) - the sunroof i was on the fence to begin with - roll down rear is nice, and I've rather have a 6.5 bed than an extra cab space - so comes down to 5k for a window...not worth it to me.

Anything I'm missing here?

 

Nope. Sounds like you know what you want. Comes down to if you want a bigger bed or more cab space.

 

I got a 1794 because I like saddle leather and the Fed make money printer go BRRRRR which makes the stonks pay for trucks in cap gainz realllll fast.

 

I would have gone DC if my wife and I weren't planning to have 2 kids within about 2 years of each other. I haven't wished for more space with my 5.5ft box yet but I don't see any downside to having the bigger bed. I may also be biased because I put a canopy on my truck so I don't get the full effect of rolling the rear window down.

So far the only long thing I've put in my truck is eavestrough, which would also fit through the DC window. My father in law has another brand of truck with a fixed rear window and after about 10 years, his only issue is not being able to clean the outside of the windows on the back of the truck and front of the canopy.

 

Most of my trucks have been DC, besides the extra back seat space of a CrewMax, flip the seats up and it gives a LOT of usable space to move or store items out of the weather. It's not just a perk for people moving. That said, I still found the DC way more useful although less attractive (personal opinion) in every truck I've owned. I think I had strapped down almost 30 full sized trash bags of leaves in my 2018 Silverado DC full sized bed. Add in the cost savings and a DC is a great choice. From what I've found, they are less desirable if you decide to re sell though. If you aren't thinking about that and don't have kids / pets, it's a no brainer.