Ended up with 2WD

[mav4runner]

Hi everyone, I just bought my 4runner two days ago. Before I bought it, I read a lot of good suggestions from this forum. I do appreciate all 4runnerers' information here. So long story short, my heart was for 4WD as I did want to occasionally to do some off-road things, but not often (I don't know, I haven't tried yet). It's obvious that *better having it but not using it", so I went to the dealership in the afternoon, and was very dissapointed that there are very few choices regarding the color and options that I wanted. I am in Texas, almost no snowing every year. Then my wife and I thought about for a while, and also the salesman showed us the 4runner inventory in the whole texas and very surpirsed to me was that almost 70% are 2wd SR5, and he also said 2wd was sold more frequently than 4wd. I guess it is really related to the location/weather of the places where you live. So we thought about it for a while and we really liked the color and options of one of the SR5 with 2wd. It's been 4 hours since we were in the dealerships. So finally we bought it.
When I came back to this forum, again, my feeling was Oh, no, really? did I make a stupid choice? Everybody here needs 4wd, why did I pick the 2wd?? man, feeling bad all the day....... Is there anyone bought the 2WD in Texas, or south area? Please share your thoughts to make me not feel so bad, damn it!

 

[RedSled]

Buyers remorse.............i am not in Texas, but i have been driving a 2002 sport 2 wheel drive for about 8 years. I have driven on the beach,in the desert,in the mountains,and i'm fine. 4 wheel drive would be better,but if you take care your good to go. You will be fine, congrates on the new rig.

 

[Rorck]

I've gone through this before and have bough tacoma prerunners twice. Not because the dealer sold me on 2wheel drive but because I couldn't find the color/style I wanted. Long story short my last prerunner I had for 4 month and decided i really wanted 4wd so I made the jump and won't go back to 2wd ever. The resale value isn't great on 2wd and even when you try to sale them on Craig's the first question is always "is it 4wd". Being 2wd usually turns potential buyers away in my neck of the woods. I know it prob doesn't help you but I'm just giving my honest opinion.

 

[Randyman...]

Indeed - 2WD's seem overly popular in Southern Texas.

I stuck out for a 4x4 (special ordered / waited 2 months for it back in 2012), but I honestly don't use 4x4 much at all. I'm in Southern TX where we don't see much snow (shocked when we do), and any trailing I do is very light and no hardcore mudding as of yet (my old '87 T4R was a different story! That thing would get caked in mud).

A 2WD might have made more sense WRT MPG (a Highlander might have made more sense on that front, but I'm not a fan of them), but my last 2 Toyotas were BOF 4x4's, and I prefer the piece of mind knowing my truck can basically take me anywhere I'd need to go - For Pleasure or to avoid an Apocalypse - Whatever the day has in store

I wouldn't fret it. Enjoy your MPG savings, and enjoy not having any chance of front diff/CV/transfer case issues down the road

 

[1engineer]

I have 12" of snow right now in my driveway. I was pulled out of the mud last month by a log skidder while visiting a job site. I ride mountain bikes and some trail heads are only accessable with 4wd. I tell you this because these are some of the reasons I have a 4wd 4runner. If you don't do anything that requires 4wd then you are fine with what you have.

 

[Marcocopuffs]

Don't feel bad. This isn't a 4x4 forum it's a 2runner I mean 4runner forum

 

[wfo9]

Well, you made a smart choice if you don't plan to ever go off-road or travel in snow/ice regions.

The 2wd is lighter, less to go wrong, gets better mpg, drives and tows a little better...

If you want 4wd in Texas, you pretty much need to look for a trail edition. They sell very few sr5 4x4s in the south.

95% of the people who buy 4 runners, never take them off-road. However, 2wd models are pretty much worthless up north. As the 4 runner ages, 4wd becomes a very desirable feature for resale. The reason is that people are often looking for used ranch/trail trucks... They are also looking for winter beaters.

 

[dawudih]

I had a 2wd 4Runner in 2004; best car I've ever owned. I lived in Dallas, and now Houston. I took it to Santa Fe, NM several times & as long as I stayed out of mud & snow, that beast would climb anything a reasonable person would try. They're great trucks wether 2 or 4wd. I recently picked up a 15 Trail model only because my brother just bought a Jeep & I figured we'd go play once in a while.

 

[Swarty]

That's a fine choice

When I came back to this forum, again, my feeling was Oh, no, really? did I make a stupid choice? Everybody here needs 4wd, why did I pick the 2wd?? man, feeling bad all the day....... Is there anyone bought the 2WD in Texas, or south area? Please share your thoughts to make me not feel so bad, damn it!

Dude don't beat yourself up. When I lived in Texas I had the 2wd. Very little non private land and mild weather leave very little reason to have a 4wd. Hell most of the used ones only went into gear every other year. Enjoy your truck!

 

[MSinDC]

Wouldn't worry about it at all. While another poster is definitely right about the resale being higher for 4WD, I sold my 2WD '01 4Runner with 210k miles in DC in half a day on craigslist (got $2500 more than any dealer's best offer).

The 4Runner is a very strong brand and you just got a fine truck. Be happy and enjoy your new ride. Congrats!

 

[Orc]

You do a lot in 2wd. You don't need 4x4 unless the snow is pretty deep or you run into mud or actual wheeling with large rocks and other obsitcles. A 2wd can handle 6 inches of fresh power, all the fire roads and back roads you can find, especially in the dry south.

 

[Taco04]

Fewer moving parts usually means fewer problems in the long run as well. I wouldn't loose sleep over it.

 

[alico268]

Ever since I got a 2wd SUV, I never get stuck any longer:biggrin2:

Truly though, if it was something that you were dead set on, you probably wouldn't have let the salesman talk you into his inventory.

 

[Mooney]

Take it back, you have 72 hours. Salesman BS'd you, there's hundreds of 4x4 4runners in Texas. He just wanted to sell what was best for him!

 

[ggunn9]

I'm in Shreveport, LA 20 mins from Marshall, TX. I bought my 2013 2wd SR5 from the Marshall, TX Toyota dealer. This is my second 4runner. I had a 2004 SR5 also a 2wd drive.

It does not snow here nor do I off-road. I don't need a 4wd. I addiction is motorcycle roadracing/trackdays. You can keep your off-roading.

 

[Volley]

2wd is very popular in TX so I don't think resale would be an issue if you end up selling it there. You'll be fine. Drive it, love it, enjoy it! . And for the record I've seen plenty of 2wds off roading. Just know your limits

 

[mav4runner]

Take it back, you have 72 hours. Salesman BS'd you, there's hundreds of 4x4 4runners in Texas. He just wanted to sell what was best for him!

really? can i return it within 72 hours? is it the law? i never heard that...

 

[Volley]

really? can i return it within 72 hours? is it the law? i never heard that...

Some states have this. Called a cooling off period. Check your paperwork.

 

[wfo9]

really? can i return it within 72 hours? is it the law? i never heard that...

I think that is a bit of a myth. Don't think it applies in Texas. However, most dealers will work with you within 24hrs. You might not get the best deal in town, but they usually can still sell it as new... If it is bothering you, go get a trail.

 

[mav4runner]

Thanks a lot, everyone, I need to calm down

Need to calm down a bit now. the 2wd is really bothering me today. I don't how much I will do off-road, but at least for weather concern, there is no need to have 4wd for sure here in Texas. Let me calm down a bit, really need to think about it tonight. I really like 4runner. Today I called my friend in Austin who has a 2014 Trail Edition, and he told me he hasn't used the 4wd function since he bought it last spring, where he already put around 25k miles on it with a lot of traveling. So for all 4wd owners, especially in Texas, how often do you use 4wd? I really need your suggestions here, as I seriously considering back to dealer to upgrade it to a 4wd. However if most people with 2wd are just doing fine (no frequent off-road), I will stay with what I have now. Again, thank you every one for your valuable inputs!