TRD Pro buying tips?

Hi all,

Anyone have any tips and experience they want to share for buying a TRD pro? I'm thinking of purchasing a 2022 model or 2023(depending on the release) at the end of the year. I've looked around and I see that the trims are available all around the country but the mark up are sometimes really high, as much as 10k. I've been told to go to a reputable dealer and put a deposit down but I'm not entirely sure how that works

 

Go buy a lottery ticket. Do this for two reasons:

1) You may have better luck winning the lotto than you do finding the TRD Pro that you want, for the price you want to pay.
2) You'll need a cash windfall to afford one. Almost all dealers have $10k, $15k or $30k "price adjustments".

 

You will save a lot of money by buying a TRD Off Road then adding (superior) suspension components of your choice. The TRD Pro stuff is good, but there are better options. Plus, you'll end up with a better truck with better suspension for less money since you won't be paying the outrageous premium just for the TRD Pro.

 

it's exactly that, a written agreement between you and the sales person or manager with a reasonable deposit, like $1k to get your name on the list of people wanting to buy TRD Pros. If they are reputable and honest, they will honor MSRP and also honor first come first serve principle on that list.

Then, every 2 weeks the dealership can peek into their allocation, if there is a TRD Pro on that allocation, they can contact the people on the list telling them their truck is coming. If the person refuses, then the dealership calls the next person on the list.

Some people might back out on the list so the wait time varies. My local dealership receives about 1 TRD Pro every 1 or 2 months. There are about 15 people on that list so, if you start this now, you might get it at the end of the year

 

Don’t buy a TRD Pro, you can buy an Offroad with all the same mechanical features and you can build it the way you want it. You can build an Offroad while making it better than a pro for a cheaper price.

 

Nobody's getting what they want when ordering. Especially now that Tacoma production has been stopped for a while.

I'd suggest to think real hard about what items the Pro has that TRD Off Road doesn't?
Leather? The factory fake leather on a Tacoma looks like absolute shit. Sorry, but it does. Buy Clazzios for $650 and have better interior.
Lift: Around $600 for a Bilstein 5100 lift that's better than what the Pro has.
Sunroof? Get a TRD OR Premium if you must have. I have never thought a 4x4 with a twisting flexing body has ever been a great environment for a sunroof.

The list can go on...

What else you looking for out of curiosity?

 

Pro tip: take Astroglide

 

2023 will be a different truck. Likely turbo and/or hybrid

 

Most industry insiders say 24/25 release for new Tacoma

 

interesting. EV? The owner of OVtune mentioned something about 2023 being turbo likely, with a possible twin turbo 4cyl option. I’m curious, because I doubt the 3rd Gen will make it to 2023, but I could very well be wrong

 

Link?

 

its an awful time to buy honestly. Dealers will say they are giving you a deal, but their markup is still very high. If you can, I would wait it out. The value on my 2017 insane. Great truck for sure and a great purchase, but it really depends on your current needs. Hope this helps.

 

Don't.

 

it was at least a year ago and the thread has since been removed. He was having issues with people so now he is not on here anymore. Sorry

 

Not always the case. Cousin got a 22 Pro for $400 over sticker in PA.

 

To be honest, if OP can get a TRD Pro at MSRP, he's getting a good deal. Even before the shortage, TRD Pros weren't discounted at all.
But I agree, everything else is so much more expensive

 

Or buy an SR 4x4 for $33k and build a regeared/locked monster for $10k. <$45k total investment and you’ll have yourself something far, far more capable than a TRD Pro.

I only offer up the alternative due the price gouging others have mentioned.

 

In before somebody advises you to buy a Ridgeline.

 

This is exactly why I bought a 4x4 SR5

 

Hey OP, as someone who has been through this recently (~8 months or so ago) I thought I may be able to help.

I was able to get my 2021 trd pro last summer for MSRP. I was able to get everything I wanted minus my first pick on color which was a lunar rock. White or MGM was my second pick, black being a no go for me. That was the only thing I had to settle on, I got my manual, I got the extras I wanted.

I basically just called a bunch of dealers around my area, and some from the surrounding states. A majority of them will tell you they can't help or do anything. Just keep calling.... I ended up calling a dealer super way off in Montana because I saw them list a trd pro on their site. Maybe it was luck... but out of the 10 dealers I called, 2 of them were willing to help me find out what dealers near me were going to get what I wanted soon.

Essentially the dealers use a site that spells out their allocations months ahead of time. I'm talking trucks that are not even built months in advanced. So the dealer in Montana that helped me out told me that there were three trd pro with manuals in white that were allocated in neighboring states to me. The most important part being that they can tell you if it is already reserved or not. They can also tell you exactly what options and extras will be on the truck including the MSRP.

I ended up calling one of the dealers that had one being built fairly soon and was able to ask my sales person to look up and see if they had any trd pros coming or scheduled to be built soon and heading their way. At first they told me no, because they just looked at what they had in the lot and what was being delivered soon. If you make it this far, make sure you press them to check future builds scheduled for them. They will have to check with their manager or new car manager to check allocated builds.

Once they confirm that, they will most likely ask for a deposite to hold it for you until it arrives, mine was $500 which then went to the truck when I bought it. At this point, I then asked the sales guy to see if he could take off the crap ton of extras they were putting on the truck (bed mat, bed organizer, predator steps, etc) and keep the things I wanted.

It's also very important to mention, as part of the deposit... at least the dealer I was working with... the deposit also locked in an agreed upon price. Which was exactly at MSRP. No Mark ups, no crap.

I believe this is the most important way to get past the markups, you need to get this thing essentially straight from the factory before it makes its way to the lots. Most dealers know that if they can essentially sell a truck before it is even built yet, they can immediately ask for the next allotment. It's a win win for both parties. You get the non mark up price, and the dealer gets to ask for another trd pro or vehicle as soon as possible.

This dealer would consider a vehicle sold with this deposit whether it would happen or not to get their inventory higher.

Let me know if you need more info! I love the truck, it's stupid capable off road, looks amazing, and rides like a dream.

Edit: I would also throw in that it is probably not the best idea to just put in an "order" at a dealer for one. Most times dealers say that, but it's not an order... it's waiting for an allocation from the factory to be confirmed to them. You could wait months... if you can do it the way I spelled out above you can skip a lot of the uncertainty.