difficulty finding the 4Runner I want

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Glenn_Law

New member
Hi all. I'm new here, and I'm about to pull the trigger on a new 4Runner Ltd 4wd.

I'm having a hard time finding the color and options that I want. My Toyota dealer says that because there is no snow and there are no mountains here in Houston, they don't order many 4wd 4Runners (but they have plenty of 2Runners in stock). Is it normal for availability to be limited? Do most people end up special ordering the truck they want?

Thanks,
Glenn
 
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I traveled to get the exact one I wanted for the price I wanted. You can order if you want to wait. My dealer couldn't get me the one I wanted for the price I wanted to pay--so I traveled 1300 miles to Boston! This is somewhat of an extreme case. There are a lot of dealer in TX. You should be able to find one. What are the exact specs you are wanting? We can help you find your new ride.
 
They want to sell the ones on the lot of course.

Here's what you have to do. Build the one you want, mats, cross bars and other accessories can be added at the port or dealer.

Limited, 4x4, colors, nav, 3rd row or not, these are the important ones. Then find a dealer you like in Houston and price it out and get an estimate on a arrival time. They have ones coming in on boats and can pick them for sale before they arrive. This is what I had to do.
 
My dealer wanted the sale so bad, they offered to go pic up mine from 2 state's away. The only drawback was when took deliver of it there was 530 miles on it. The plus side is I may have the only Trail in Kansas City, heck maybe the entire state of Missouri. :)
 
I had to track down a Shoreline Blue TE on Toyota's Build it site. Found one about a 100 miles away. Gave the info to my dealer (who told me before that Blue wasn't available in my region) and told them that I would buy it from them or I would drive a 100 miles and get it from the dealer that had it. I agreed to pay $100 more than the deal we had reached on a silver one they currently had since they would have to send someone to go get it. Had it two days later.
 
My dealer didn't have any 4WD ones either. I told him what I wanted. He found one on the ship coming from Japan. I had it about a week later. I think the dealer is stiffing you so that you'll buy something off the lot, even though you don't want it.
 
Took my dealership in San Diego 4 1/2 months to get my specific vehicle (color, 3rd row). Build it on the website, submit it and follow up with the dealers. I talked to mine every week and it was well worth the wait to get what I wanted for the price I wanted.
 
Glenn_Law said:
Hi all. I'm new here, and I'm about to pull the trigger on a new 4Runner Ltd 4wd.

I'm having a hard time finding the color and options that I want. My Toyota dealer says that because there is no snow and there are no mountains here in Houston, they don't order many 4wd 4Runners (but they have plenty of 2Runners in stock). Is it normal for availability to be limited? Do most people end up special ordering the truck they want?

Thanks,
Glenn
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Tell your dealer that if they want to sell you a 4Runner, you want (add list of items here) and if they can't get it, you will go to (insert competing dealer here) and have them get it for you.

As others have mentioned, they want to sell you what they have on the lot because it's easier for them. But they can get a 4R in whatever configuration Toyota offers.
 
What he said.... I wanted a black LMTD with tan interior.. nav and sliding tray.. took about 6 weeks to make it off the boat. I've only bought one vahicle off the lot to date.. and that was because it was what I wanted; the other 3 were all ordered.

Okki
 
I'm in the process of locating a Silver Trail Edition with KDSS and Nav. The dealers in Mississippi are completely unwilling to work with me to find one or sell below sticker price. So I finally found a guy in Atlanta, Georgia who is willing to do the extra work to locate one, and they are pricing $1050 below invoice. Very nice...
It's 500 miles away, but when isn't a road trip in a new 4Runner a GREAT thing =) Just keep looking until you find someone who is willing to help find the vehicle you want. They are out there..
 
Thank you all for the feedback. My local dealer is telling me to wait and see what's on the next boat, and said that they can redirect the vehicle that I want (provided it's on the boat). They will sell it to me for $200 over invoice. According to Edmunds, this is a fair price. I don't know what kind of dealer incentives Toyota has, but I do know they will make more than $200 on me.

What I'm looking for: Blizzard Pearl, beige interior, nav, moonroof, third row seat.

I don't mind doing a road trip, but it will make my trade-in more difficult. I've contacted dealers in other states and they, too, could not locate what I want (there is one in Ohio, but that's too far away).

I expect to keep this truck for a long time, so I am willing to be patient and get what I really want.
 
Whose your dealer?? I'm in Indy, but I drove down to Cincy and got mine from Beechmont Toyota. They were very good about figuring out the incentives for me and gave me a good deal on my Volvo. Dave (Save with Dave! *LOL*) was my sales guy.

Okki
 
I'm also in the same situation. 4WD in Houston is hard for dealers to fathom :p.

So I "ordered" mine for a few hundred over invoice. After emailing dealers around the area, and once travel was considered, this was the best deal.

Which dealer are you going through, if you don't mind?
 
@Okki - the one that I found with the options I want is in Akron, Ohio. It would be a 1300 mile drive. I'm not that desparate (yet).

@Trailhawk - I'd rather not say until I can close the deal. I'll certainly give them a shout out if they come through for me, and I'll blast them if they don't.
 
Glenn_Law said:
@Okki - the one that I found with the options I want is in Akron, Ohio. It would be a 1300 mile drive. I'm not that desparate (yet).

@Trailhawk - I'd rather not say until I can close the deal. I'll certainly give them a shout out if they come through for me, and I'll blast them if they don't.
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Not sure if this is an option for you, but find out what a dealer would charge to have it shipped.

I did this back in 2002 and they charged me $500 from GA to TX.

Overall the price was still right, so I agreed.
 
My Dealer here in Rapid City South Dakota has had only 8 5th gen 4Runner's at their dealer since they released the new body style. I was lucky enough to get the only Trail Edition they got in. It was on the lot for a total of 24hrs before it was mine lol my salesman actually called me and said they got one and he knew I would buy it lol. The funny part was my old 04 SR5 sat on the lot for a mere 3 days before it was gone lol. Slim pickins up here with 4Runners lol. I have been searching night and day for a white or Grey 1st Gen lol. Good luck on your search I hope you get what you want
 
I live about 40 minutes from what they claim is the largest Toyota dealer in the world and they did not have the version I wanted.

TE with Sat nav was not offered in SoCal market and I did not feel like ordering one so got it without and will add aftermarket soon.
 
We live in Texas, too. Your problem is Gulf States Toyota. They control about 5 states. We wanted a shoreline blue limited with all the options, 4WD. We got online and ordered just what we wanted from Denver, which is part of the Mountain States Toyota group. Get heated seats while you're at it!! It was $600 to ship it, and the total price, even after shipping, was less than the best price our local dealer gave for similar vehicle in a color I did not want.
 
bluet4r said:
We live in Texas, too. Your problem is Gulf States Toyota. They control about 5 states. We wanted a shoreline blue limited with all the options, 4WD. We got online and ordered just what we wanted from Denver, which is part of the Mountain States Toyota group. Get heated seats while you're at it!! It was $600 to ship it, and the total price, even after shipping, was less than the best price our local dealer gave for similar vehicle in a color I did not want.
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It came out less? That's great. I know you're right about Gulf States Toyota. It is bizarre that they have such an aversion to 4WD. A friend of mine had the same problem when he wanted a 4x4 Sequoia last year.

The dealer here is offering $200 over invoice. They want me to put down a $500 deposit and said it will take 6-8 weeks to get what I want. Do you think a Mountain States dealer would make a deal for less than invoice?

Thanks,
Glenn
 
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