Erkelbot
New member
Hi all,
I know most of this has been said already, but I thought it might be a good idea to aggregate it all into one thread and share it for folks thinking about a new T4R. Nothing here is novel really, so please bear that in mind...
Preamble: About 2 months ago I got the bug to buy a new T4R. I've had 2 in the past, so I had a good idea of what I was getting into. Still, despite having had a couple (3rd Gen SR5 Sport, and 4th Gen Sport Edition), there are some differences with the new T4Rs. To help prospective buyers, I thought I would share my experience. Other facts relevant to this write up are that I live in Minnesota, I like windy walks on the beach, and I could be considered somewhat tall standing 6'3.
After looking around and reading up on the different lines, I zeroed in on the Trail Edition for a few reasons:
Other than those facts, all of the models seemed the same. Now came what I thought would be the tougher part -- finding a TE premium that wasn't pre-loaded to the gills with features I didn't want. Sure, I could have ordered the exact one I wanted but that would take time. And, since I was trading in the Audi, it would fetch a better price in MN BEFORE winter...
So, I began searching and talking with a dealer in my area. Sure enough, I found just such a truck. The dealer had a TEP coming in that was free of all of those pre-packaged add-ons. It only had wheel locks and KDSS -- not even floor mats (I was going WT anyway)! This was good news for me, but I had to temper my excitement and negotiate my face off to get what I wanted. First off, I should say that this dealer sort of "got it" which made negotiations somewhat easier. They realized new car sales was a volume game for them for most of their cars, but I don't think they realized just how desirable this TEP setup was in MN. Advantage BUYER. So I chose to play that card hard in the negotiation on the new truck. It was a couple grueling days, but we eventually got to where we needed to be... In the end, I was able to get them down to $38K on the new truck, and got the price I felt was fair on the Audi. To boot, I got the dealer to throw in WTs in the new T4R too. Slick. Life was good...
Since getting the truck (I'm 1 month out now), I've had the pleasure of dealing with just about everything but off-roading (I'm working on this). I've driven in fresh snow, ice, rain, and dry conditions. Here are my initial impressions, as well as a few things I learned more about since getting the truck:
All in all, I absolutely love my/the T4R and I hope that anyone considering one really dig deep to know what they are getting into and how to best assess their needs. Having said everything above, I would argue anyone who sees snow probably wants to put and extra $1K (that's a generous amount for 4) aside for new rubber (IMO a must-have). Frankly, I think it's (almost) criminal sending people along on these tires in a PT 4WD system where it snows. Seriously, they're that bad...
The things I've done on my truck since new are: Cooper AT3s (265s), Headlamp Swap, LEDs, and WeatherTechs. Aftermarket Remote Starter and Kicker Hideaway subwoofer to be added this weekend.
Love me this truck...
I know most of this has been said already, but I thought it might be a good idea to aggregate it all into one thread and share it for folks thinking about a new T4R. Nothing here is novel really, so please bear that in mind...
Preamble: About 2 months ago I got the bug to buy a new T4R. I've had 2 in the past, so I had a good idea of what I was getting into. Still, despite having had a couple (3rd Gen SR5 Sport, and 4th Gen Sport Edition), there are some differences with the new T4Rs. To help prospective buyers, I thought I would share my experience. Other facts relevant to this write up are that I live in Minnesota, I like windy walks on the beach, and I could be considered somewhat tall standing 6'3.
After looking around and reading up on the different lines, I zeroed in on the Trail Edition for a few reasons:
- I like to hunt migratory birds in the fall, which often times brings me down old logging roads to get to where I need to go.
- I really liked the height of the ride. Coming from an Audi, I felt as though I was sitting on the ground. That's not a bad thing in the summer, but in the colder months it wasn't my cup of tea. It also wasn't that great of a feeling if you were ever sore.
- Entrance and departure angles, as well as the ability to put in bigger tires and lift if I ever wanted one
- KDSS. In my previous T4R, I had XREAS which made city driving much more enjoyable. KDSS was supposed to help with this as well, from what I was reading.
- I liked the aesthetics of the Trail vs. the Limited. The LEs have all kinds of chrome and ground effects. The front bumper alone pushed me away from it
- The availability of many of the upgrade features I wanted, as well as the sunroof.
- Flexibility on negotiating a good price for a new one. The TRDs are awesome, but good luck getting a single cent knocked off in Minnesnowta. Plus, I felt as though I could get a TRD -- sans badges -- for less and have it tuned exactly how I wanted. Simply slap on some new tires, a solid skid plate, and a modest lift and you're there for the most part.
Other than those facts, all of the models seemed the same. Now came what I thought would be the tougher part -- finding a TE premium that wasn't pre-loaded to the gills with features I didn't want. Sure, I could have ordered the exact one I wanted but that would take time. And, since I was trading in the Audi, it would fetch a better price in MN BEFORE winter...
So, I began searching and talking with a dealer in my area. Sure enough, I found just such a truck. The dealer had a TEP coming in that was free of all of those pre-packaged add-ons. It only had wheel locks and KDSS -- not even floor mats (I was going WT anyway)! This was good news for me, but I had to temper my excitement and negotiate my face off to get what I wanted. First off, I should say that this dealer sort of "got it" which made negotiations somewhat easier. They realized new car sales was a volume game for them for most of their cars, but I don't think they realized just how desirable this TEP setup was in MN. Advantage BUYER. So I chose to play that card hard in the negotiation on the new truck. It was a couple grueling days, but we eventually got to where we needed to be... In the end, I was able to get them down to $38K on the new truck, and got the price I felt was fair on the Audi. To boot, I got the dealer to throw in WTs in the new T4R too. Slick. Life was good...
Since getting the truck (I'm 1 month out now), I've had the pleasure of dealing with just about everything but off-roading (I'm working on this). I've driven in fresh snow, ice, rain, and dry conditions. Here are my initial impressions, as well as a few things I learned more about since getting the truck:
- The truck does well in 4WD, and not so amazing in 2WD. The tires that come stock on the truck are completely worthless in winter weather. I immediately knew I needed to upgrade to a better AT tire.
- This directly ties to my previous comment, as tires are all the more important when you operate in 2WD. All T4Rs, except the Limiteds, come with part-time 4WD and not full-time 4WD. This is different from years past. While this came as no surprise to me, I did re-realize the benefits of the full-time system shortly after buying my Trail when there was snow on the ground. I can absolutely see how some people may may want FT, and not having to manage their driving habits to suit conditions as tightly as with a PT system. THIS IS IMPORTANT: If you're considering a T4R, really do your homework and know what system best suits your needs. The two systems are fundamentally very different in both their usage, and how it will affect your truck in the long haul if misused. Interestingly enough, most dealers won't tell unsuspecting consumers about the fundamental differences (or simply don't know). I talked to one sales rep here that didn't know what engine came in the T4R. Needless to say, we didn't talk long... Caveat Emptor.
- KDSS is amazing, and really shines on dry pavement (I'm sure it will off-road too). I've had XREAS on my 07, and it was great too, but I think the KDSS does an even better job for city driving.
- I read a TON on the lack of headroom in the premium models that come with a sunroof. I found this to be untrue. I have 1.5"-2" of headroom in my TEP with the seat lowered. There's plenty of headroom, so tall guys need not worry so much.
- The premium stereo is absolutely worth it, and the hands-free does a good job with sound quality during calls. In fact, I'd argue it does better than my 2012 Audi did. It also streams Pandora like a champ, and boasts solid sound quality through Bluetooth 3+.
- The rear seat recline really is a nice feature for passengers, with those nice, tall headrests.
- Seat heaters are outstanding, and will warm you up in :60 seconds or less. This is a good thing in my neck of the woods.
- The headlights leave something to be desired and are a bit dim. That, however, can be fixed with $50 and some elbow grease. Swap the bulbs for H9s and 9011s. I had done this before on a Subaru, and the difference in light output is decent for $50 in bulbs.
- I miss the sunglasses holder that was replaced with Crawl Control. I'm still trying to figure out a good placement.
All in all, I absolutely love my/the T4R and I hope that anyone considering one really dig deep to know what they are getting into and how to best assess their needs. Having said everything above, I would argue anyone who sees snow probably wants to put and extra $1K (that's a generous amount for 4) aside for new rubber (IMO a must-have). Frankly, I think it's (almost) criminal sending people along on these tires in a PT 4WD system where it snows. Seriously, they're that bad...
The things I've done on my truck since new are: Cooper AT3s (265s), Headlamp Swap, LEDs, and WeatherTechs. Aftermarket Remote Starter and Kicker Hideaway subwoofer to be added this weekend.
Love me this truck...
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