Please Help: New 4R Trail Purchsing Advice . . . Thanks . . .

[CommonRookie]

I just went through this same decision but ultimately i realized that i can get 99% of what i wanted in the SR5 with some minor mods and save a ton of money. I got a tricked out SR5 4x4 with premium everything for 33k. I already ditched the running boards, am planning to level it, and my new grill kit is in the mail. I, like you, loved the look of the trail but in my opinion it's mostly the cosmetic hood scoop and the stance. Like others have said You can get you're ride to stand up like a trial edition with a simple bilstein install. Add some good tires and you'll still be many thousands less than the trail. The skid plates and rails are mediocre at best and you can get better ones aftermarket anyway. I'm happy with my SR5 and glad I'm getting to customize it with the money i saved.

 

[Madiusmax]

Hey Madiusmax (and everyone else) . . . thank you very much for your reply! (Sorry for the delayed response been away).

That is really quite amazing . . . great job negotiating! I am in NJ/NY but would happily make the trip if I could get that price. Now armed with your help and what is possible, I will try to work with the dealers here . . . but if I get nowhere, perhaps (if you don't mind) I could contact the dealerships you worked with and just see what they are willing to do (however, if you'd rather I not, I won't).

As far as the KDSS and NAV, it does sound like the way to go given the performance benefit and factoring in the extended period of time we will keep the 4R.

On the board, like probably many of you, I read about Toyota's Bill Fay at the NY Auto Show and his statement that ". . . something (is) coming real soon on 4Runner."
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/138490-confirmed-2014-4runner-get-changes.html

Does make me curious what and when that is. As much as I really hate to do it, has me wondering if I should wait to find if this "something" is significant enough to wait for. I imagine "real soon" would mean 2014 . . . and would hope within the next few months something would leak out. I know the 2014 Grand Cherokees have been out for a little while now . . . do the new model year 4Rs always come out in the fall? Hmmm, tough call.

Again, thanks so much!

By all means feel free to contact them. I would have gone a long distance if the price is right. I don't have any loyalty to any of the dealerships around here so not much relationship to recommend. I can just say I was well informed with what I wanted and what I thought I could get it for and any salesperson would do as far as making the transaction.

 

[Questtt3]

I just went through this same decision but ultimately i realized that i can get 99% of what i wanted in the SR5 with some minor mods and save a ton of money. I got a tricked out SR5 4x4 with premium everything for 33k. . . . I'm happy with my SR5 and glad I'm getting to customize it with the money i saved.

CommonRookie--sounds like you got a great deal too. "Premium everything for 33k" . . . that sounds pretty impressive, especially at that price. It does make me think . . . it's just I have heard so many good things about the KDSS for both on and off-road . . . I'd really like to fine a dealer that has one with KDSS to try. Thanks.

By all means feel free to contact them. I would have gone a long distance if the price is right. I don't have any loyalty to any of the dealerships around here so not much relationship to recommend. I can just say I was well informed with what I wanted and what I thought I could get it for and any salesperson would do as far as making the transaction.

Thanks Madiusmax . . . I really appreciate your help and the opportunity to reach out to the dealerships you named. At the very least, it might give me a little leverage with the local dealers when they are claiming a number in that vicinity is simply "impossible" and that no one would ever go that low. If need be, I would definitely travel down to NC. At the very least, it would make for a nice trip as I really like NC!

It was kind of funny, I was at a dealership back in December . . . at the time I was close to buying a FJ (before I discovered how the backseat with the small, non-opening windows and limited space issues made it less than ideal for our 2 kids on our long distance trips). I had originally been quoted a price on the FJ of $31,990 by the internet guy (after a little negotiating). When I went in to see it, the internet guy was busy with another customer and he had me work with another salesman. He was a nice guy, but after the test drive his numbers were of course considerably higher. I told him what I had been quoted, and in a nice way, he claimed that was impossible. He was rather surprised when I pulled out the quote page I had specifically requested in my previous negotiation. He acted very surprised at the considerably lower number. Bottom line, it is clear that with car salesman, the "impossible" is not always truly impossible. (Of course, this second salesman tried to later tell me when I asked for a specific color they did not have, that it had to be a car they had on the lot bkz "getting a car from another dealer added expense"--this in contradiction to what I had been told earlier . . . eeeeno).

So again, thank you very much Madiusmax for your help, I really appreciate it!