to 4x4 or not...

Thanks for the insight, I very much appreciate the perspective. Would I be happy? hell yes... Does that mean I should do anything? Nope...

 

Why a Torsen instead of a Detroit or air locker?

 

If you can afford it get what you want. Life’s too short man and if you feel like that now chances are you’ll continue to feel like that. Get the truck that makes you happy and pay it off. If you never use it oh well. Atleast you got what you want and will be truly happy.

 

Reliable and cost effective

 

do you feel that the Torsen is more reliable than the Detroit Truetrac?

 

Possibly, a friend had a Detroit and liked it and I had a torsen in a car and it took a beating. Raced with it.

 

FOMO indeed but totally preventable. Never, and I mean never again buy a truck without 4WD!

 

I like the idea of it always being active and always functioning... No applying the breaks to get it to kick in... no switches to flip... It is something to consider for sure... Thanks for the input.

 

Never again... Being cheap

 

You don’t need 4wd until you are consistently getting your 2wd stuck.

 

Hello and Happy New Year! A couple things;

1. The 4WD would have to be used every month, in the right conditions to do so for it’s long term reliability. Not too difficult but more effort, none the less.
2. I haven’t been under a 2WD Tacoma but I’d imagine oil changes, front suspension mods and adjustments and other items at the front of the vehicle would be easier to work on than the 4WD. The 2WD is less effort and less expensive to maintain.
3. 2WD would have better fuel mileage.
4. 2WD would be cheaper to insure.
5. There are quite a few people who go off road with the 2WD, I’d second a previous commenter’s suggestion to consider a locker and maybe a winch and some AT tires….if you use the winch, then increase the consideration of the 4WD.

When I first moved into my home of the past 11+ years, my FWD car got stuck in the snow twice just getting to my parking spot. Then we got stuck in a hotel parking lot and had to be picked up for work. I’d rather have a 2WD for all of the reasons mentioned above but the snow, the frustration. That was my last 2WD, I lived in Florida for almost 11 years previously, I’ve had at least 10 cars by then and only one was 4 or all wheel drive and that was by accident. Now I’m back in the northeast and apparently need 4 or AWD.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

If you can afford it, i would go for the 4WD. I live in upstate NY. Bought a 22 TRD Sport manual because of my desire to get a stick. It actually gets lower EPA ratings than the AT. Inventories seem to be increasing & you should get a decent trade on your 21. Good luck!

 

Wet grass is the worst.

The one and only place in over 10 years where my 2WD bogged down was here. A simple air-down got me unbogged. I was about to grab the shovel and firewood next.



And a few of many roads where I thought for sure that I was about to bone myself and yet it never even threatened to break traction (somehow the only places I remember the camera are at the least interesting sections of trail)








She does alright, I'd say.

 

Honestly, 2WD can get you a ton of places. People seriously overthink what they need 4WD for. Spend the money on some traction boards, a shovel, and offroad tires, and you can probably go anywhere you want anyway.

Once you get stuck half a dozen times and are going out every month or more, cool, save up for 4x4. I spent most of my youth in 2WD Toyota gardener specials, and we went everywhere. Knowing when to turn around is your best-learned skill. You're not going to rock crawl or go mudding, but who cares. You can get to half the trailheads in 2WD with good tires and a right foot. Debt is dumb. Once you are living the lifestyle and max out your vehicle consistently, then you should consider what to buy differently when saving for the next one.

 

I'm not sure I'd trade right now just to get a 4x4. But you know your finances better than I do. If you can easily afford it, do it. But there comes a time when you will need to get another truck. I see no downside to buying a 4X4 over a 4X2. Yes they cost more, but will always be worth more when you sell or trade. It's pretty much a wash long term.

Real world fuel mileage is within a fraction of 1 mpg all things being equal. The guys who get terrible fuel mileage are the ones who modify their trucks. Especially those with oversize tires. And that applies to guys with 4X2's who go with bigger tires to try to offset not having 4X4.

If you're using it right, you'll not be in 4X4 enough miles to ever wear out anything. I've been driving 4X4's for close to 50 years and the only parts failure I've seen was due to operator error. The only extra maintenance is changing the oil in the front diff and transfer case every 100,000 miles.

Other than the recommended few miles of 4X4 each month to keep things lubricated I rarely NEED 4X4. But when I need it, I need it bad.

 

I regretted getting my 22 RWD Sport, when I should have just waited for a 4x4. I tried to convince myself it was all I wanted. 10 months later, I traded in and upgraded to an OR 4x4. I’m happy I did, no regrets.
Just do it.

 

Nothing wrong with what you got, but down the road, come trade-in or re-sell the value of the 4WD will show up, as will a V6 in it.

 

Or buy this and keep your truck !

 

Buy a stripper SR 4x4 double. Just do it, you will not be sorry. Better resale and you'll enjoy having a V-6.