Will I kick myself???

W

Woodsie8

New member
I am very close to buying a 1999 sr5. Had my heart set on limited, use to multimode and e-locker. This sr5 is pristine and the emotions took over and I really like it. Will I be disappointed? I need to have something that will serve me in the pouring rain, go to the ski resorts, and ice. I need some feedback from the sr5 owners.....
thx
 
Register to hide this ad
I love my '99 SR5 and wouldn't trade it for a limited. A locker is nice to have but unless you do a lot of actual off roading, it's unnecessary.
 
well i have an SR5, and i love it. ive never regretted it. the multimode would be nicer for normal daily driving in snow and ice. but its not like the SR5 and its standard transfer case would not work or will not be suited. you will just have to manually shift into 4wd when things get slick. there you can get the Elocker in others, its not a limited only option. personally if the 99 checks out good and is clean and low miles, and a good price id say go for it. they seam to sell pretty well here in the portland metro area and it can be feast or famine with good ones here.

so it comes down to if the only thing you are missing with the SR5 is the multimode then id go ahead and buy the SR5, but if you are compromising on other things as well, like color(interior and exterior) and other options like moon roof ect. then id hold out. but if you are only missing the multimode to me it would not be a big enough hold up.

just my .02
 
The locker won't be any benefit at all on pavement. Get your SR5 if you like it that much, put TrueTrac LSDs in front and back, and drive on any vaguely roadlike thing you want, in any weather you want.
 
Realistically, all you need is a good set of tires and your ready to hit the trails. The locker would be nice but you could always buy an aftermarket one later on down the road.
 
That is what I was looking for.......

It is a automatic, not a 5 speed..... I kind of wish it was a speed, but as much as I drive in the city, auto's are nice
 
Being that I now live is a ski resort town and work at the mountain, i am thankful every day that I have multimode. We are expecting 2 feet tomorrow so the roads will be really bad for a few days, im not worried about a thing :D

Hold out for the multi mode, you'll be glad you did.
 
The multimode isn't important enough to pass a up a good SR5 IMO. And like The Kid said, you can still find the rear elocker in SR5s too (not just Limiteds). If you aren't going to be wheeling it hard or driving in deep snow a lot, the elocker isn't going to make a huge difference anyways. And if you decide you want a locker later, you can always go aftermarket like I did (with ARBs).

I personally wouldn't spend money on an LSD for a wheeler. Lockers work a lot better on the rocks, but to each their own. Personally, I would only go the LSD route if it was a prerunner/baja style truck for cornering fast on loose surfaces. In the rocks, where you'll be lifting tires off the ground, the LSDs aren't worth the $$ IMO.

One advantage of the standard SR5 t-case (non-multimode, aka "J-shifter") is the 4wd shifting is manual (not a push-button) so there is just that much less to go wrong. There are a few days out of the year when the roads have patchy snow/ice where multimode would come in handy, but in those situations, I just shift between 2hi and 4hi as necessary. It's not a big deal.
 
Last edited:
i dont think she(the OP) is going to be off roading it, so as stated the Elocker or any locker should not be a deal breaker, infact for you, i think the ideal/best thing you could get would be the multimode and then put in some truetracs like stated by KidVermicious... but also the multimode should not be a must-have. sure they are nice, but a regular transfer case will work just fine. i take mine up to hood all the time and all throughout the cascades in the winter and never have a worry. a good set of tires and 4wd our rigs are pretty capable specially with the way oregon is so pro-active about plowing the roads the moment a snow flake is seen.
 
They are moving and need to sell, before mid Jan.

The owner called, lowered the price. Sounds like many more bites now. I am wondering if I put in TrueTrec's, maybe I should do it......... I tend to wait too long deciding and then it is gone.........
 
brian2sun said:
The multimode isn't important enough to pass a up a good SR5 IMO. And like The Kid said, you can still find the rear elocker in SR5s too (not just Limiteds). If you aren't going to be wheeling it hard or driving in deep snow a lot, the elocker isn't going to make a huge difference anyways. And if you decide you want a locker later, you can always go aftermarket like I did (with ARBs).

I personally wouldn't spend money on an LSD for a wheeler. Lockers work a lot better on the rocks, but to each their own. Personally, I would only go the LSD route if it was a prerunner/baja style truck for cornering fast on loose surfaces. In the rocks, where you'll be lifting tires off the ground, the LSDs aren't worth the $$ IMO.

One advantage of the standard SR5 t-case (non-multimode, aka "J-shifter") is the 4wd shifting is manual (not a push-button) so there is just that much less to go wrong. There are a few days out of the year when the roads have patchy snow/ice where multimode would come in handy, but in those situations, I just shift between 2hi and 4hi as necessary. It's not a big deal.
Click to expand...

agree 100% ... even when I lived in the midwest, generally the roads are either fresh snow/snowing and you are in 4hi the whole time, or they have been plowed and you are in 2wd.

I am a bit biased though as I purposely counted out the Limited models so I wouldn't have the multimode.
 
I live in CO and drive an SR5. While I agree that multimode would be nice, here's a few things to consider:

1. SR5 may not be MM but it is "shift on the fly" which means that at any speed below 60, you can put it into 4wd by simply reaching down and pulling the lever. You can also shift back to 2wd just as easily.

2. SR5 means you have the simpler HVAC controls. Do a quick message search and see how many limited owners have HVAC controls that crapped the bed and then look at their shock when they see that the dealer wants ~$1,000 for a replacement.

3. If you really, really want leather seats, you can always get leather seat covers from a company like GT covers. Good fitting covers in your choice of colors/styles.

4. Off-road the MM transfer case offers no advantages over the conventional 4wd of the SR5. And if you really need a selectable locker, for about $1k you can install an ARB air locker. If you are handy with tools you can probably install an aftermarket Toyota E-locker for less.
 
SR5 wins my vote.

I hope you don't let something like seat material get in your way... stuff that you can easily add to your exact liking later on. I wouldn't base my decision on a used car solely on it's current equipment.

Think of it as an opportunity to upgrade to exactly what you want...

PS: I converted my 4Runner to 4WD, and I chose the standard J-shifter transfer case over the multimode. I haven't looked back on my choice. I'd probably have gone insane trying to wire a MM t-case, anyway.
 
I'd say get what you want. I have a limited with a locker because that's exactly what I wanted. That said, I love it on pavement; off-road I don't really like it "electronically" deciding how quickly it would like to follow my instructions to engage 4WD.

It's minimal but as stated if it's in great shape and can buy it at a price you are comfortable with then I don't see how you can go wrong.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

Total: 218 (members: 1, guests: 217)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,306
Messages
3,554,045
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top