New PRO - Desert Air Intake or No?

Hey all,

I am picking up my 2019 TRD Pro next week. However, it has the Desert Air Intake as one of the options. After reading some threads regarding it, I am not sure I want it. Here are the reasons:

- Looks are concerning
- I live in a high desert area, but it also tends to snow here quite a bit (ingesting snow)
- I cannot remove it easily as they drill a hole into the front panel

Would you contact the dealer and see if it can be removed from the price of the truck and left off (Installed either at port or dealer - not sure which), or is it really worth it? We do have a lot of dust out here, but worried about the looks and ingesting snow in the winter. Thanks.

 

I would not want that thing hanging off my truck, but its not my truck...

 

Pretty sure if you're picking it up next week they already cut that fender for the intake from factory. Can't imagine them making the dealership do it on all pros. Did you in fact choose that option or not? That should have came up on the order...

 

I did not choose the option. This vehicle had already been produced. I guess it is going to depend on when the hole gets drilled into the side of it.

 

Solid NO to that ugly thing bud. If it's an option they would cut it in at the dealership. Cutting a fender is really not that hard, they wouldn't "cut the intake from the factory" as this is an option available to any 3rd gen owner with no taste and lots of money.

 

I have asked the dealer if they can skip the intake if they are the ones to install it. Hoping they can avoid putting it on. If not, I guess I am stuck with it.

 

From what I understand all white TRDPRO tacomas come with the snorkel. On the black and voodoo blue it's an option.

So if you picked a white one you had no choice

 

It is indeed White. It was the only PRO color I was interested in. That seems odd they would tie it as a standard option on the White only though.

 

Just did some additional research. That's no longer the case. I know for a fact it used to be because I "built" one and the intake was a requirement on white at the time (3 months ago). I'd be willing to bet people threw a fit (for good reason) and they got rid of that requirement.

Oh and it wasnt a standard option. It was a you had no choice and you had to pay for it hahaha toyota was pulling a federal government card.

 

When you are building on the website it only allows what is available at that time in your area.

 

Post up a want to trade:
Your snorkel+cut fender for a OEM white fender plus cash. I bet there are a ton of PRO BRO guys that would jump on it.
You get the pro without the snorkel like you wanted, and a little extra cash win win

 

You beat me to it. So OP follow @mesojdm advice and simply PayPal him the money you get on top. In return he’ll send you out some mirror turn signals, coin holder, bad ass 3rd brake light, etc. Lol

 

The snorkel isn't as bad when you live somewhere it may be useful. When you're here in the mid-west and your idea of Off-Roading is jumping the curb between Walmart and Casey's? There's a lifted Jeep (of course) around here w/snorkel, never even seen it dirty.

 

Not a 3rd Gen, not a Pro, but I do use my truck like a truck. Between the occasional mud puddle and hurricane, I'm thankful I opted to cut a hole in my fender. Does it make sense for hanging out at Buffalo Wild Wings or chilling at JCPenney? Only for the EAF points. Does it work better than having the air intake in the passenger side wheel well? Abso-freaking-lutely.
78453403-2G5A3082 by Lee, on Flickr

 

You couldn't pay me to have that stupid thing on my truck. Of all the things Toyota could have added to the Pro, I'll never get how they landed on that snorkel.

 

Agreed
I know a snorkel is supposed to be high up etc but i don't get why they made it so it sits above the roof line.

I wonder how sealed it is as well. Could really make a big difference for water although they advertise it for dust only.
I know the Air flo one is like a plastic thing that looks like those cheap eavestrough flex pipes .And they recommend you seal it with plumbers putty. Vs my ARB has a rubber adaptor and hoses clamps to seal.

Wonder if they made the Ram head removable so you can run a pre filter or is it fixed to it.
Oh and it looks like fucking ET

 

I thought I read somewhere that there are holes in the A-pillar too. Can't swap that, if true.

 

I am not sure as I haven’t seen one in person. But I can’t see Toyota drilling holes in the a pillar... st least I wouldn’t want that.

 

Putting it above the roof line is a very curious choice since I'm not aware of any others that do it. Clearly it's mostly for looks since it doesn't come with a factory diff breather relocate. But I'll give them credit it is more functional than the hood scoop half the people on this board insist on having.

 

You're correct. See 14 to 18 seconds in the video below. Only attachment is at the top in the roof rack track.

https://youtu.be/XGLhxBfWNv8