Slapping on yuppie accessories do not a build make, so this not a build thread. But, I like to keep track of stuff so here we go.
Originally, I bought a CPO 2012 Tacoma TRD-OR with 6MT close to 6 years ago. The previous owner had it for about a month and put on about 1700 miles. Picked it up for $31K and put close to 70,000 trouble-free miles on Phoebe, as I named her. The only thing that I really changed was adding the +1 KO2s, which were worth every penny.
My lady and I knew we wanted to start having kids last year, so I began thinking of how I could comfortably take kid(s) plus our two pit bulls on trips. We briefly considered putting a hard shell on the Tacoma and putting the dogs back there, but we were concerned about their accident safety and lack of cooling on hot southern California days. We also thought about replacing her Prius with a larger car, even a minivan, and keeping the truck. But that would mean family trips would have to stay on paved roads. Since I was using the bed more and more for camp gear and less for "trucky" stuff and motos, I began considering a 4Runner as a minivan on a truck frame.
Th truck sold in January to a private owner for $24K, he came down from Fresno to get her. Stick 2nd gens are kind of a rare duck, so I was able to get great resale. 77% of original value in fact! Hope she is still loved and taken on adventures.
As far as 4Runners go, I had been on the lookout for the past two months- I wanted a used Trail Premium with KDSS and a plain cargo area (no sliding rear tray). I was looking everywhere on private listings, craigslist, classifieds, etc. Most dealers and private parties wanted above $40K for their used(!) trucks, which is just a hair under what new ones cost.
I didn't really care to get a new Off-Road version. Other than the name change, the ONLY updates to the truck for 2017-2018 include C-pillar emblems, TRD stitching on the headrests, and faux carbon fiber overlay on the center console. No thanks, not worth the price premium.
Finally, after riding my motorcycle for a few weeks, I found exactly what I was looking for in February. 2016 Trail Premium. 15K miles on the clock. Toyota CPO warranty. KDSS and plain rear cargo. Previous owner had installed weathertech floor liners and the EXACT tires I wanted (275/70R17 BFG KO2s). And the price was $36K, which is just above trade-in value. The problem was that the truck was in Portland OR!
It ended up not being a problem at all. The dealer took off $200 for my Southwest flight and that was the lowest they could go on the price. Flew up early on a Saturday, dealer picked me up from PDX in the truck so I could test drive it back to the dealership. Paperwork was signed in less than an hour. Spent some time exploring the Japanese Garden and eating BBQ. Crashed at my sister-in-law's (conveniently located in nearby Beaverton). Woke up at 4AM on Sunday to drive home on the scenic route (Willamette, Crater Lake, Modoc, Susanville, Reno, Bridgeport, Mammoth, Lone Pine, Mojave, home). Fantastic trip.
Not my first choice in color but it is growing on me. All in all, I'm happy. The 4Runner certainly is a lot more plush and crammed with electronic goodies, though I really enjoyed my Tacoma because of its analog simplicity. The lady appreciates the auto transmission, she always got flustered driving stick in the Tacoma. I'll miss the 3 pedals though!
Decided on Rhea for her name. Like her sister Phoebe, she is a Greek Titaness and "mother of the gods". She gave birth to Zeus and, like her sister, also has a moon of Saturn named after her.
Linear Mode
