Getting opinions plz

[TrdinOhio]

I purchased a new 2016 TRD off road Tacoma double cab in early April.
I've had SEVERAL issues but what kills me most is the horrible driveline vibration at speeds of 15-25mph. Toyota is aware of the issue and supposedly is working on a solution but they currently classify it as " characteristic of the vehicle ".
The 2nd gen owners are all too familiar with this issue and there's a strong possibility Toyota will not actually address it. I have 700 miles on the truck.
As far as arbitration or lemon law each state is different and I've already spoken with my lawyer and it will be a long expensive process to get Toyota to take the vehicle back. Probably a fight I'm not willing to do.
ANYWAYS
My dealer is willing to take the vehicle back. Of course I'm going to take a hit but They are offering me a 2016 new 4Runner trail edition. No KDSS. My payment remains the same but I add 6 months to my loan. My truck was 36,785.00 and from what I can tell the trail they are offering is close to the same price. I am losing some features I love like a truck bed, heated seats, jbl audio, blind spot monitor, sunroof and slightly worse mpg.
It seems kind of basic compared to my fully loaded Tacoma.
On the flip side the TE4runner is supposed to be issue free.
And they are willing to pull some strings to get me running boards which are supposedly not currently available.
I realize this is a matter of opinion but I'm getting as many as possible. Do you guys think this is a fair deal?
Lastly let's be honest the Tacoma is great but not a great on the highway. It's bouncy and tracks road crown. I'm ok with that as I bought a off road focused vehicle. HOWEVER I'd be very happy if the trail 4Runner was more highway friendly ( no KDSS ). Truthfully I'm a weekend warrior. I spend about 90% on the street and only 10% trail.

I'm not a 4Runner owner and have always had tacos, I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and insights but please be gentle on me during this frustrating time. I'm super scared to make the wrong decision. I can answer any questions as well.
Thanks guys- seriously

 

[Titanpat57]

It sounds fair...do it..

Keep in mind it's a SUV...not a truck

 

[Ohio_Steve]

It sounds like a Trail Premium might have the features you want (heated seats, sunroof, etc.) but would be added cost. See if your dealer has one to look at, or can get one for you.

Where abouts in Ohio? I'm west of Cleveland, and just got my first 4Runner at Toyota of Bedford, SE of Cleveland last Thursday.

Good luck!

 

[Jhalko]

I'd take that deal, but then I don't need a truck bed.

 

[Cymon]

Just as an FYI the KDSS is what improves the road manners on the Trail Edition. I would see if they would let you "test drive" it for a weekend, leaving your current Taco at the dealership. See if it fits your lifestyle for at least one full weekend and drives the way you want before switching.

 

[philsey]

.... My truck was 36,785.00 and from what I can tell the trail they are offering is close to the same price.

This is kind of an interesting statement. Doesn't the TE have a Monroney sticker so that you can make a $ to $ comparison?

 

[TrdinOhio]

They don't have the vehicle and will have to ship it in from a different dealer so I can't look at the white sheet until I say " do it"
Honestly I've been dealing with the GM directly and he has been very transparent so far.

Second if somebody could please explain what's exactly meant by " road manners " when talking about KDSS. If I don't get the KDSS would this thing suck on the highway?

Thanks

 

[Saker]

They don't have the vehicle and will have to ship it in from a different dealer so I can't look at the white sheet until I say " do it"......

Thanks

Ok, not being negative here, but....if they can get a vin from the "different dealer", then they can give you the pricing, over the phone or by email...they can send you a copy of the invoice.

Also, since you are having these issues, it is nice they will take it back, but you need them to come up to a trail premium if at all possible, with the same deal of extending your note for 6 months.
You do realize they are not going to lose any more than you allow them to lose on this deal, which is none!

Ultimately, you have to feel comfortable with your decision.

 

[GzTEP]

Take the deal and don't look back

 

[TrdinOhio]

im leaning towards taking the deal but again
What is meant by KDSS improving road " manners "? Would this thing be a boat on th highway without it?
Is KDSS make or break for this vehicle?

This deal is the product of a month worth of work dealing with Toyota and the dealer. I think it's the best deal I'm gonna get I'm just trying to be sure it's a decent compromise. Pretty much building one with the exact options I want is out because Toyota is months out on a build.

 

[Mistaken]

Look up some YouTube videos on KDSS and see if it's a must have for you. Some want it and some don't. I don't have it on mine and I don't feel as if something is missing.

 

[renau001]

Trail without KDSS should drive just like an SR5, so if you can't test drive a Trail or KDSS, test drive an SR5 and just make sure you're happy without. If you're coming from Tacomas I can't imagine you'll be unhappy with a standard trail from a driving perspective. I drove only SR5s before I got mine. I also was planning on getting a Tacoma first. I liked the base SR5 enough to order my Trail over the Tacoma.

 

[Salvo]

I came from a second gen Taco, SR5 double cab 4wd. I don't know anything about the new Tacos, but my 14 base Trail is far better on and off-road. I don't have kdss and I think my 4R is head and shoulders above my old Taco on the road. For my needs, I'd take that deal. Just my opinion.

 

[DesertFish]

I was in the same boat as you, except the 2016 Tacoma TRDOR I test drove back in October had the vibe so bad I ended up checking the forums before I pulled the trigger. Sure enough plenty of people were also experiencing the vibration. I gave it 6 months for Toyota to fix it, and when they didn't I decided to test drive a 2016 4R Trail w/ KDSS, and fell in love. A few things that really helped push me towards the 2016 4R were;

1. height adjustable seats, I would take manually adjusted seats but the Tacoma doesn't even offer that :/

2. as you sated in your OP, the 4R is proven reliability/relatively issue free. While not only is the vibration an issue, but ujoints coming from the factory with no grease, transmissions coming from the factory low entire quarts of ATF, plus the unkown of the new drivetrain (while Toyota has been using the engine for a while, combined with the 6 speed in a truck is new).

3. built in Japan vs build in Mexico/Texas, this one is pretty self explanatory, but just do a quick search on Japnese/US built Toyotas and even with identical model you can tell the difference depending on where it was built.

4. while the bed would have been very nice, it wasn't worth compromising on all of the previous points.

As far as KDSS being worth it or not, I would recommend test driving one with it. For me it made me laugh during the test drive because I was surprised at how little body roll there was for such a tall truck, like shockingly little... like black magic little. Add in the improved articulation off road, and I think it makes for a sweet deal. All in all, as someone who was in a similar situation I think its decent trade. In the end, is peace of mind worth the extra few payments, and loss of a bed? I'd say yes. Either way, lets hope Toyota fixes the issues with the Tacoma sooner rather than later.

 

[Saker]

im leaning towards taking the deal but again
What is meant by KDSS improving road " manners "? Would this thing be a boat on th highway without it?
Is KDSS make or break for this vehicle?

This deal is the product of a month worth of work dealing with Toyota and the dealer. I think it's the best deal I'm gonna get I'm just trying to be sure it's a decent compromise. Pretty much building one with the exact options I want is out because Toyota is months out on a build.

I don't have KDSS on my SR5P, they are none to be had here in the gulf states region.
If a KDSS equipped one is available, test drive one with and without if at all possible to see what you prefer.

I understand you have been working a month on this deal.
What would it hurt to ask?
More than likely the answer is nothing, if you never ask, you will never know. Period!

If you like your deal without asking, go for it.

Hope it all works out!

 

[MidwestOverlanders]

We just bought a 2016 TRD Pro, also our first 4Runner. Ours doesn't had KDSS as an option, and I can't tell you whether I'd miss it or not. I've never experienced it so I'm completely fine without it.

 

[Aquabear]

Having had a lemon for my previous truck before my 2016 Trail Premium I now have, RUN don't walk effin run and take the deal!!!! I dealt with all the crap you could fill D.C. with, take the deal while you have it. The 4R has a proven track record, the Tacoma (redesign) is new to the market. I'm overjoyed not having deal with BS problems, repairs, dealers, blah blah blah GET THE 4R and DON'T LOOK BACK!!!!
KDSS is nice but 4R's are great either way[emoji1417][emoji1417][emoji12]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[96r50]

im leaning towards taking the deal but again
What is meant by KDSS improving road " manners "? Would this thing be a boat on th highway without it?
Is KDSS make or break for this vehicle?

In simple terms, KDSS allows Toyota to put a really stiff sway bar on to reduce body roll without compromising the off road abilities of the suspension. While driving on the road KDSS only comes into play when cornering, changing lanes quickly, or doing anything else that sways the truck from side to side. It does nothing for you when you're driving in a straight line. At slow speeds it allows one front and one rear sway bar mounting point to articulate so the thicker sway bar doesn't impede wheel travel and articulation when off road.

As someone else already mentioned, see if you can drive an SR5 (I'm assuming they don't have any Trails on the lot) as it's the same suspension as a non-KDSS Trail. KDSS or not, the coil spring 4 link rear suspension in the 4Runner is a big step up in comfort over the leafs in the Tacoma. The front end is essentially (exactly?) the same.

 

[Mello03]

I was in a position similar to yours. Bought a '16 TRD OR and had multiple issues with it. Cliff notes are that I traded it in on a Trail Premium w/KDSS and couldn't be happier. I miss the push button start and BSM but that's it. Camera is good enough and I don't need rear cross traffic. There is an obvious difference in the quality. My taco was built in Mexico, and usually tacos from Mexico are excellent but.......No way I was giving up a sunroof so I went with a premium. I'm actually getting better MPGs with my 4Runner than my truck and the power train is so much better. That damned 6 speed in the truck was atrocious. Take it on an extended test drive (overnight if possible), put some miles on it, and make sure you're happy before pulling the trigger.

 

[jkrueger2020]

I'm picking up the SR5 I ordered tomorrow. KDSS sounds great, but I wanted 3rd row seats which eliminated that from consideration. 4Runners were great in previous generations without KDSS, so the way I figure it, if I could live without it before, I can do so now. I plan to upgrade my suspension down the road anyway, so I really don't care.