4runner TRD Pro

[1engineer]

Considering the thread I believe he's just talking about warranties which are a type of insurance. I don't get the feeling he meant drop your home/health and collision coverage for a savings acct. Could be wrong but that doesn't seem like a lucid jump in logic. :biggrin2:

You are probably right lol. So under his premise then when he reaches under his seat for a minute to grab an errant 8 track tape that inadvertently slid under there (Molly Hatchet - Flirtin' With Disaster I believe) and hits the guy on a bicycle who is paralyzed for life - Savings ain't going to cut it no way no how. The word sanctimonious comes to mind lol.

 

[drewm]

You are probably right lol. So under his premise then when he reaches under his seat for a minute to grab an errant 8 track tape that inadvertently slid under there (Molly Hatchet - Flirtin' With Disaster I believe) and hits the guy on a bicycle who is paralyzed for life - Savings ain't going to cut it no way no how. The word sanctimonious comes to mind lol.

Actually your savings will have to cut it in that situation. Insurance doesn't have an infinite payout. Check out your car insurance limits sometime. Unless you have an umbrella policy up around $2M or so, it cuts off right around $100-250k. The rest is out of your pocket when his lawyer sues you.

If anything I was just agreeing with the quote I quoted, showing how stupid it looks to overpay for a slightly higher end bilstein "with warranty" when significantly better options exist, which is pretty much what this entire thread is about.

 

[STX4Runner]

The way it (insurance) was explained to me once makes perfect sense. Insurance, which is what a warranty is, is to protect you from catastrophic loss; ie: house, car, life, medical bills. It's not to protect you from minor expenses. This is why I never buy extended warranties on things like TVs, computers, iPods etc. A $600 computer breaking is not going to sink you financially, so buying the $50 1 year extended warranty is pointless. Likewise with the TRD Pro suspension. Having a factory warranty on what are just Bilsteins for an extra $5,000 is kinda silly to me. But, to each their own. If you really like the TRD Pro, go for it.

 

[THEROK]

There's something to be said or valued for a factory backed setup that no aftermarket or forum user cobbled up rig can match.

You get zero or less back for your aftermarket mods. The used market will likely be friendlier depreciation wise on a trd pro ceteris paribus.

I'm glad to see Toyota creating and selling. Why some are against it or casting aspersions on it.... Not sure other than insecure. Just don't buy it.

 

[KidVermicious]

Agreed.

I'm pretty sure if you asked Radflo/King/Icon/Fox they would totally warranty their suspension for 5 years for double the price. Just like Toyota is doing.

Eventually you realize that warranties and insurance exist because people can't be trusted to have their own emergency savings. 76% of the US population has less than $800 in savings, which is quite sad. If you took the money that you would spend toward warranty/insurance and put it in a savings account, using it for things that the warranty/insurance would normally cover, you'd be much richer in the end.

The way it (insurance) was explained to me once makes perfect sense. Insurance, which is what a warranty is, is to protect you from catastrophic loss; ie: house, car, life, medical bills. It's not to protect you from minor expenses. This is why I never buy extended warranties on things like TVs, computers, iPods etc. A $600 computer breaking is not going to sink you financially, so buying the $50 1 year extended warranty is pointless. Likewise with the TRD Pro suspension. Having a factory warranty on what are just Bilsteins for an extra $5,000 is kinda silly to me. But, to each their own. If you really like the TRD Pro, go for it.

It's a little off topic, but these two gentlemen are exactly on point.

Insurance and warranties should be purchased to protect you (or others) in the event of a loss that you cannot abide. If your spouse would be unable to cover the household bills in the event you died, then by all means carry life insurance. If you don't have enough savings/borrowing ability to cover the likely costs of a major medical issue, you should have health insurance. If you can't afford to replace your house if it burns down, carry home insurance.

On the flip side, paying extra for a warranty on a consumable like a 4Runner is financial folly on several levels. First, the manufacturer (Toyota) is not going to offer a warranty program that costs them money, just like a casino in Vegas is not going to offer a game that offers odds favorable to the players. Second, if you can't afford to replace the vehicle or it's components, you've got no business buying it in the first place.

I will guarantee anybody in this thread that if you took all the money you've spent over the years on unnecessary insurance and warranties and put it in a bank account instead, and then removed from that bank account all the money those warranties and insurance policies paid out, you would have a positive balance in that account right now. Insurance is a losing gamble in the long run, and should only be entered into if you MUST have that protection. Any other time is a waste of money.

 

[Cypher]

Check out what I saw at the Overland Expo here in AZ. It is even better in person that I had expected. The rear end needs a bit more lift in my opinion but all in all, I was very impressed.

 

[Maz]

The undercarriage engine protection (drawing a blank on the real name...skid plate?) with the big TRD logo is very cool. Anyone know if that part can be purchased separately, and if so how much it might be?

Thanks in advance for any info.

P.S. I knew Terra Grapplers were the best match up on the 4 Runner....;^)

 

[sandcrawler]

all the bolt-on parts should be available à la carte after the Pro is released this fall, but so far no one has a part # or price for the aluminum front skid.

 

[ssmathis]

Check out what I saw at the Overland Expo here in AZ. It is even better in person that I had expected. The rear end needs a bit more lift in my opinion but all in all, I was very impressed.

That's definitely not a KDSS front suspension based on the sway bar mount.

 

[TOY2G]

WOW, no KDSS, I wonder if it will be an option.

 

[wfo9]

This says no KDSS on the pro.
2015 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro: First Drive Review - AutoTrader.com

 

[py2o3434]

This says no KDSS on the pro.
2015 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro: First Drive Review - AutoTrader.com

I dont know how I feel about the PRO now

 

[harkco]

Oh man - I second that. I will be shocked if it is not even an option.

I dont know how I feel about the PRO now

 

[st8rocks]

17x7 wheels, no KDSS... c'mon Toyota

 

[sandcrawler]

that can't be right. a whole mess of the pictures of the Pro are a KDSS model.

 

[shufly09]

I dont know how I feel about the PRO now

I agree. Just give the rims and I'll be set!

 

[Cypher]

That's definitely not a KDSS front suspension based on the sway bar mount.

WOW, no KDSS, I wonder if it will be an option.

According to the guys who had borrowed it from Toyota for the week (MotusWorld), KDSS will come standard on the TRD Pro production models. Not sure why this pre-production one doesn't have it. As we all know, this is all he said she said stuff from everyone other than Toyota themselves. I would suspect that it will at a minimum be an option.

that can't be right. a whole mess of the pictures of the Pro are a KDSS model.

This is true. There are at least a few of the pre-production models that have been confirmed to have KDSS. In fact the one that was at SEMA indeed had KDSS.


I did forgot to mention the interior with all the black leather and accent stitching looks amazing as well.

 

[gm350reratliff]

This is true. There are at least a few of the pre-production models that have been confirmed to have KDSS. In fact the one that was at SEMA indeed had KDSS.

I don't recall seeing a TRD PRO anything at SEMA. Although, there was a 4runner, Taco, and a Trail Teams Ultimate edition FJ there, I don't recall seeing anything TRD pro.

On that note, while at SEMA, I was talking with one of the Bilstein reps about the new BTS line of shocks and springs. He mentioned they worked with Toyota on the devolopment and that they would be an option on the Taco, 4Runner, and Tundra first. Then Bilstein would expand the BTS line to other vehicles. I didn't put much stock into the option thing he mentioned until the TRD pro was announced. Its funny a Bilstein rep mentioned a "offroad option" but the Toyota reps didn't say anything. IIRC, the TT FJ that was at SEMA had the same shocks and springs we are seeing on the TRD pro.

 

[harkco]

I second that. I was at SEMA this year as well. There was no TRD Pro there - unless I totally missed it. They did have some butchered 2014 4Runner there - but it was not a TRD Pro.

I don't recall seeing a TRD PRO anything at SEMA. Although, there was a 4runner, Taco, and a Trail Teams Ultimate edition FJ there, I don't recall seeing anything TRD pro.

On that note, while at SEMA, I was talking with one of the Bilstein reps about the new BTS line of shocks and springs. He mentioned they worked with Toyota on the devolopment and that they would be an option on the Taco, 4Runner, and Tundra first. Then Bilstein would expand the BTS line to other vehicles. I didn't put much stock into the option thing he mentioned until the TRD pro was announced. Its funny a Bilstein rep mentioned a "offroad option" but the Toyota reps didn't say anything. IIRC, the TT FJ that was at SEMA had the same shocks and springs we are seeing on the TRD pro.

 

[Cypher]

I don't recall seeing a TRD PRO anything at SEMA. Although, there was a 4runner, Taco, and a Trail Teams Ultimate edition FJ there, I don't recall seeing anything TRD pro.

On that note, while at SEMA, I was talking with one of the Bilstein reps about the new BTS line of shocks and springs. He mentioned they worked with Toyota on the devolopment and that they would be an option on the Taco, 4Runner, and Tundra first. Then Bilstein would expand the BTS line to other vehicles. I didn't put much stock into the option thing he mentioned until the TRD pro was announced. Its funny a Bilstein rep mentioned a "offroad option" but the Toyota reps didn't say anything. IIRC, the TT FJ that was at SEMA had the same shocks and springs we are seeing on the TRD pro.

I second that. I was at SEMA this year as well. There was no TRD Pro there - unless I totally missed it. They did have some butchered 2014 4Runner there - but it was not a TRD Pro.

HA! Very sorry about that...

I was getting my conversations mixed up as I was also posting about the FJ Cruiser Ultimate Trail Teams Edition on one of the FJ forums at about the same time. The TRD Pro was definitely not at SEMA. It was at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show.

Check out this article here on Car and Driver with a great pic of the TRD Pro 4R. Look closely and you can see the obvious KDSS sway bar junk.

Three Reasons Ford?s SVT Division Just Got Put on Notice: Toyota TRD Pro Series Off-Road Packages for Tundra, Tacoma, 4Runner ¬? News ? Car and Driver | Car and Driver Blog