Baja Tacoma, convert or trade?

Heres my story.

I bought a 2008 ($21k 18k miles) tacoma 4cyl AC 4x4 5spd and drove it untill 2012, i loved the truck but it wasn't what i wanted.
- not enough power
- not enough MPG (to offset the drag-ass)

I thought i wanted a double cab, v6, auto, trd offroad. So i bought a 2012 DC V6 Auto Trd offroad. ($28K 2700 MILES) traded 2008 ($14k 78k miles lots broken and bullet holes included)
- I hated the short bed.
- I missed the manual.

In the shopping process I looked at a
- 2012 DC Baja 6spd $36k
- 2012 AC Baja auto $36k

i passed on both because i thought the price was too high and i wanted the DC Auto, which i got with TRD offroad package for $28500)

I drove the 2012 for 5 months and couldnt stand it
-got up to 23.5 MPG on a trip

I took it to the next state over wanting a 2013 Baja, Toyota said it was not going to be an option so i got the next closest thing to what i wanted
- traded the 2012 ($27900 18k miles)
bought a brand new Super White 2013 Acess cab v6 6spd trd offroad truck ($31190) and drove it home
- Toyota platinum 125k warranty
- lifetime powertrain warranty

I love the truck, and its exactly what i want as my daily driver/work truck minus the Baja package... so here i am, Toyota now says they can get me the baja, and i probably take a loss. OR i have emailed a few of the TRD parts suppliers (dealers who sell online at discount) and asked about ordering the suspension parts to upgrade my truck. I am waiting for answers still.

I have already
-installed trd short shifter
- sold stock wheels and put new 265/75r16 tires on FJ trail team type wheels
-installed my rigid E series 30"
-plasti dipped the truck
- added 2 leafs out back, spacers in the front (lift and load purpose)
- installed Belltronics RX75 plus ultimate
- added cheapo 8 inch bazooka tube with built in amp
- installed and removed LED bed lights
- modded the switches in the center dash to re-arrange them and put 2 custom switches in
- installed trd airfilter
- put 6900 miles on it.

 

Is there much of a difference between the Baja and the TRD OR?

 

What do you love so much about the Baja?

You've already wasted enough money trading in so many times so just upgrade your current truck with parts that are better than the Baja.

 

Jesus.

 

Found this on my BAJA search, might be worth a plane ticket and drive home:

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=08640&endYear=2014&keywordPhrases=baja&modelCode1=TACOMA&sortBy=derivedpriceASC&showcaseOwnerId=553796&startYear=1981&makeCode1=TOYOTA&searchRadius=0&maxPrice=34000&mmt=%5BTOYOTA%5BTACOMA%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&minPrice=1&listingId=344812862&listingIndex=6&Log=0

 

i lost less than 1k on values in trading the 2012 but i put well over 10k miles on it, and i made out great on the 2008. The pluss was i got a better warranty and interest rate too. And i only had to pay a small amount on tax (the difference in purchase price of 2012-2013 so 8.4%(31190-28500)

I am leaning towards the upgrading if i can get the parts, and im not prepared to be massively upside down on trading a 13-13

hopefully i will get good news from the parts guy?

 

I think that for the money that you already put into this truck, it wouldn't be worth it. You're already going to take a dive on the mods you already did on this truck. You're also going to take a hit on the depreciated value of the vehicle. Instead of getting another vehicle, why don't you just change the shocks. Now you will have the truck you've always wanted, minus losing a crap load of money and all you had to do was the shocks.

 

No for the money, and intended purpose they are great! But it doesnt mean that im against any of the other better things either.

I am waiting to hear back on the real #'s on the new Baja (AC 6spd vynal flooring) vs #'s for what they will give me on the 2013 offroad. Im not going to waste too much money if i am "upside" down in the deal too much it wont happen, but the dealer i am working with, that i bought the 2013 from was by FAR the best dealer experience ive ever had so im a little hopefull they can settle on a good deal.

I am waiting for the TRD parts people to respond, the price/availability of the components may be higher or lower than expected im guessing 1000-2500 nice wide range.

The third/forth options i havent mentioned is finding a friendly toyota parts guy if the official channels dont pan out who will order me "replacement" parts for "my" baja. and walking down the street and paying my nieghbor a few beers or something to have him order "replacement" parts for his. But the guy may or may not be friendly, he had a rock warrior tundra that never left the driveway before that.. who knows.

 

very true. I am sure it does, repaired by Toyota to the tune of some $7300

good point! i hadn't considered that factor.

 

it makes more sense to upgrade your suspension than to buy/sell/trade trucks.

I'm not sure what is taking so long with your parts guy, but if you call the right dealer you can have the entire Baja suspension on your doorstep next week for $1550 plus shipping.

(or you can buy my slightly used Baja suspension and LR UCA's for a little less than that....putting it back to stock and selling it )

 

i couldnt get the link to work for me, i know of one in ohio for sale and one close to me in missouri

the depreciated value is going to be the kicker. all of the other mods can easily come with/off.

And chances are its going to be a much larger chunk of change than i will be willing to accept as a loss and i will continue trying to go after finding the parts and installing them. But untill i get the official numbers im not counting it out, they suprised me on the 2008 i fully expected to let it go for 11k and have to fight for that and they offered 14k problems and all. AND they let the 2012 go for 28500. That was probably a fluke deal however.

 

I actually only put in requests yesterday and this morning on parts, did not even check the local dealer because i dont like dealing with them. So im not waiting any odd time sorry if i said that in some misleading way.

What dealers are you reffering to? i seem to get the shotty parts places here, i drove to the next state over for a good sales dept. And they are researching prices and availability etc for a truck so i didn't want to double dip the dealer and give them to many things to look at.

do you by any chance have this whole mess on a thread? i tried searching on here maybe my internet skills need a GURU

$1550 doenst sound to bad, thats less than i was imagining, at that price theres almost zero chance that a dealer could make a good enough deal to trade trucks.

 

call Rich Schaefer at Toyota of Morristown in NJ, he has sold quite a few of them by now.

do a search for "Because Baja!", there is a lot of info there

 

This. Have you added up the amount of money you've wasted jumping from truck to truck so much?

 

the only difference between the OR and the baja is
better shocks and stiffer springs..
TRD catback exhaust
Homelink? built into the rear view mirror
BFG all terrains on TRD wheels
different stickers..

how much of that do you actually want

 

And Baja of all things is not going to be beneficial in wasting more money on. It is a nice setup but trading in your current Tacoma to get the package is nuts. Go with just buying the suspension separate.

OP, just enjoy your current truck. Or if you are one of those hardheaded people who just goes vehicle to vehicle in less than a year then our opinions won't matter anyway.

 

Seriously bro, I don't see why your question is even worth the effort posting a thread about...

Just buy the Baja suspension kit and be done with it... Your truck will be BETTER than a stock Baja just by doing that aside from the fact it will be A LOT cheaper than trading what would be your 3rd truck in 2 years....

Unless you have and like spending/burning money for no reason, then by all means do whatever you want!

 

less than 1k this time would be much more im sure

 

thank you

thanks, i read most of it. i dont know how i missed it.

the shocks and front springs, rims and tires too but i got ones i like just as much now

I made the thread because i thought it was going to be a harder decision, untill the thread mentioned above and that kit i could not find any information on doing it, so my question there was answered.

I also just recieved a reply from TRDparts4u and right around the same price as mentioned earlier.

$1500 price range is good for me, some may or may not like it but its my money.

The trading in deal is completely out of the normal for me. I had a 2000 mr2 spyder and 2003 trd edition corolla both i sold this year, both paid off and sat around so they went away. The 2008 i traded specificaly because it was busted as hell and i did not want to sell it to an individual who may or may not be screwed in the long run. So i traded it in. The 2012 i traded because it was simply not what i wanted, and i was comfortable losing less than $1000 for over 10k in a brand new truck. I also got a better warranty, and lower interest rate on the 2013, and i got a refund on unused warranty from the 2012 that i only payed a fraction of the dealer payed the rest so if i could find the paperwork and add it all up i bet i spent/lost less than $500

The loss i would have here is i like the Access cab, and AC trucks especially with manual trans resale values are not as good as DC trucks.

I was guessing anywhere from 1k-2500 for the Baja parts, but "feeling" like they would end up on the higher end of that scale. So considering a trade deal where i would lose say 3k but now have those parts both listed as an option for future value, and covered under warranty may have been worth the "hit" however for $1500 ill just buy it outright and not take a hit on my credit score due to another inquiry and or new/closed accounts

I know i mentioned future value, i plan to keep the truck indefinately, but i like the CYA "cover your ass" aproach to some things. mainly money and investments. But money is not as important as happyness

 

contact this guy and see if he is willing to ship

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/pts/3954290441.html