Vehicle dilemma: trade or stay??

Hello all,
I am in a dilemma on what to have as a mode of transportation. I am fortunate to have a 2009 2.7 4cyl access cab SR5 preRunner. I am about to go to college and my dad gave me a choice: a) keep the current tacoma and have it for as long as it lasts. b) Sell it after I make A's and B's in my first semester of college and use that money +1000 , a total of about 18,000 dollars to buy a new/used car/truck. Here is a picture of my current Tacoma



I want to get a 4x4 Tacoma but if I were to do that I would most likely lose the SR5 package and I would be limited to an access cab or reg cab. The Tacoma needs to be 09 or newer (saftey standards) and less than 30,000 miles (warranty).

So my question is should I trade for 4wd and lose the SR5 or keep it and get a leveling kit and maybe a locker sometime down the road and other mods that hurt resale value. Or I can sell it and buy a new car for better mpg. I do ride a dirtbike so I would prefer a truck.
Thanks

 

Keep the one you have. She's in great shape. Being a 4-cyl you'll get good (economical) gas numbers which will save bucks.

Don't mod it for now - squirrel away all the money you can and buy a Gen3 in a couple of years or so.

As always, just my 2 cents.... Good luck at school!

 

That thing's beautiful, you'd regret selling that the instant you did it.

 

X2

 

Concentrate on school and don't worry about a different vehicle until after you graduate.

Your dad screwed up and should have stipulated a vehicle change after you graduate.

 

Agreed. Be glad you have a 3 yr old truck instead of a 10 yr old car like I did, and don't worry about a new vehicle until you have a diploma and job that leverages it. Your truck looks good and will last a long while.

 

Where are you located & where are you going to school? In other words, will you or won't you need 4wd?

 

Keep the truck you have now. Its A GREAT looking truck. As said above, the 4 cylinder is economical. Get school behind you, then treat yourself to a new vehicle.

 

Keep it. Only problem with it is all your dorm buddies are gonna want you to carry the kegs.....

 

Thank you for all the replies, I will most likely be going to school the snowy states, but I could just get sand bags to put in the bed. 4x4 would be for recreational activity if I stayed in the south. So far the only problem I have only had with it was a squeaky clutch but got that fixed for free.

 

I would keep it man. My tacoma in my daily driver, I am a sophomore in college. Honestly being from Colorado and going to school in Massachusetts I dont use 4x4 as much as you would think despite wintery conditions, back home when I was in High School (I am from the town where Colorado State is), tons of the college students drove pre-runners that were from California and did just fine.

My truck is a 2007 4x4 off-road and has served me well, I plan on keeping it well after I graduate from college to save money but also because when I get out of college I want to be able to spend my money on a house, other cars, etc. To me a truck is a utility vehicle and I will keep it as long as it runs and serves its purpose.

Besides your truck is immaculate I dont know why you would get rid of it. Maybe get a locker and some better tires, and you should be able to takle offroading and winter snow and ice for the most part.

 

Keep it. 4wd is one of those things you can add to it yourself(What im going to do) may as well just keep the truck since it's free(mine was too) and just store money, you basically have free money.

Good Job on getting into college!

 

Keep it, that truck looks awesome. I wish I had something like that when I went to college. Save your money and get good grades, there will be plenty of time for a nice ride later on.

 

^ Exactly

 

As long as the truck is reliable why get another vehicle? You might want the 4x4 now but after you graduate you really don't knwo where you will wind up.

 

Keep it and buy a $1000 dollar four wheeler. If u were gonna upgrade, sell it don't trade it in, unless u like if butt hole being in pain, a dealer will rape u on trade in value, they always do especially with it being almost 4 years old when u trade it. Great lookin truck? Just curious why it would have to have 30k or less if u got a.new one, did u forget that its a Toyota?

 

What a dilemma.

Lot's of college students have no vehicle.

 

For the warranty (TSB leaf spring). Yes my mom had a Sienna mini van that served our family for 100,000+ miles. Thank you for the complements on the truck (if y'all haven't clayed your truck yet- I highly recommend doing it $18 for a Meguiar's clay kit).

 

Y'awl are not following the right path,,, with A he gets nothing, not much of a "choice". Papa is offering $1K for a semester of good grades for a trade-in. OP, you need to get Papa to agree to $1K for a semester of good grades that you can apply to either; a trade-in; or to some agreed upon mods, like a locker and/or tire upgrade. I would assume that he just doesn't want to give you $1K without some restrictions on what it buys. I know I would be thinking that way.

 

what tow hitch is that?