2021 SR vs SR5 (First Truck Purchase advise)

Short story:
Day one, driving home from work passing the Toyota dealer I saw a Blazing Blue in the front line -- "cool color" I thought.
Next day -- "that is a sharp looking truck".
Third day -- "I'll have a look".

I was blown away, all this nice stuff -- AC, cruise, electric windows, electric mirrors, CD player, cloth seats -- wow! It was an SR5...
I was so out of touch with the modern trucks, my old Ranger has a cassette player...

No, I didn't buy that truck, I found this forum and started reading. Probably read every word on the Toyota website pertaining to the Tacoma 5 times over. Drove my (good and long suffering) wife nuts driving through every Toyota dealer within a 100 mile radius. Took almost a year to figure out just what I wanted and find the perfect truck for me. (And to talk my cheap self into spending the money...)

Figure out what YOU want/need the truck to do then test drive several and buy the one you like -- or the one that can be the one you like with the fewest mods.

 

OP this forum is full of peeps that post "how do I make my SR into a TRD?" type threads.

Skip the hassle and get what YOU need/ want. I wanted push button start and a sunroof, and bad enough that I sold my 2nd gen with 4600 miles on it to do so. Others here sneer at those options and wouldn't be caught dead with them.

Decide what makes YOU happy and act accordingly.

 

34,5 otd sr5 dcsb. Sept of 20

 

Prices seem to vary quite a bit depending where the truck is purchased, and what it actually comes with. You be extremely lucky to find an sr5 v6 for that cost with that trim here. You'd be looking around 36k, and that isn't an otd price. I ordered basically the same package, but in an access cab with the tonneau cover plus some other options that boosted the cost another 1.5k higher.
Most SR's i looked at were pretty sparse compared to any sr5's on the lot, and were 4 bangers. I did see a couple SR's that were more in the league of an sr5, but the msrp was around 34k.

 

Just picked up a 2021 SR DCLB (Canada). It had all the features I need. I'll add foglight and upgrade the wheels later.

Figure out what you want and go from there. I found the '21 SR had a lot more features than I expected and not much difference from SR5

 

Assembly Required

 

Times have changed apparently. The 2nd gen SRs I had were super stripped down. The intermittent wiper stalk was like a $10 part.

 

I bought a 2021 SR 2 months ago because it had everything I wanted minus the steel wheels. I own an auto repair shop and have tire equipment & TPMS tools. I bought Toyota wheels at a discount since I have an account with all the dealers. I like the clean look without fender flairs or decals. I do not care about bigger tires or lifts.

I added WeatherTech mud flaps and Lund nerf bars.

For me the SR was a good value and works for me. Everyone is different.

 

I just picked up a sr v6 4x4 for 29 before tax. I was debating between SR or SR5. Dealership was willing to let me have the sr5 double cab v6 for the same price as the SR but it was 4x2. I really wanted 4x4 so i stuck with the SR. no regret so far. They wouldn't come down below 35 on the 4x4 v6 so i passed. I figured the money I saved with the SR, I can add it to my truck and make it to my liking.

 

@sbebenelli
@Penny12321

Welcome to TacomaWorld and congratulations on the new trucks!
Fair warning: This forum is the most expensive free thing you will ever find when the mod bug bites you.

 

I just bought a 2021 SR 4x4 double cab I had a Chevy access cab and it was the hardest truck to sell access cabs aren’t preferred anymore. But I wanted 4 doors this time.

But I compared the SR5 and SR. I couldn’t justify spending 38,000 for SR5 and a SR was only 33,800-500 for Toyota rebate. I knew from the start I was going to replace rims and tires and possibly do a leveling kit. I did my research the SR has no fog lights, a different grill, alloy rims smaller tires 245/75r16, no side badges, no mud flaps or fender flares, steering wheel is different material, no chrome around any dash features I believe the screen is the same size because I work with a guy with a TRD and I don’t notice his screen being bigger. And the key is a regular key with the basic key fob.

I put new Pro grill, leveling kit, rims and tires and I’m still under what I would have paid for a SR5. You can put aftermarket fog lights for $200 which is my next mod. But Tacoma’s have many different styles and every model has different features.

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld! Nice clean ride

Sounds like you already got bit by the mod bug =

 

Truck looks good and welcome

 

Problem is its still just an sr whenever you sell it or trade it in. Adding more options at a later time only makes it more valuable to you. Been through this on trades, or personal sales in the past. I've found no one is willing to pay anymore than what the truck originally came like.

 

The sr is such a well equipped base model. I really see no reason for the SR5 if you’re going to spend that much get the sport or off-road in my opinion.

I’d say get the SR. So many features are included with the base models with the Tacoma, if I had to do it again I would get the SR. I like the push button but otherwise I’d land in the SR just fine.

i wouldn’t miss the power seats, but I know that’s a sticking point with some people. I would miss the power sliding rear window, that is nice but I would happily give up the power slider and the power seats for 6 grand price difference.

 

I never look to sell or trade any vehicle when I buy. All of the vehicles I’ve bought, I mod it to my liking and enjoy it. When I do sell them, I still sell it for what the market is offering. No looking to get back what I put in it. It’s just fun for me to be able to mod it from base up.

 

The newer SR models with SX pkg is the best value out there in Tacomas imho. As someone else posted it has a lot of the features that used to be upgrades or SR5 features now come standard on the SR. You can add fog lights - 50 bucks, the rims are already cool so only real upgrade needed there is to go up to 265s from the 245s that come standard, I did mine right away and got a nice swapout credit on the 245s. Doesn't even have to be done till you wear out the 245s if you want. I put in the lighted visors for my wife, that cost 100 bucks. We went access cab because we have a mid size SUV for hauling people and wanted the truck to look and perform like a truck, not a SUV with the cargo space opened up, and the 6 foot bed has come in handy many a time already. All that being said, I agree the SR5 price you were quoted is high and you have to decide what features are important to you. Best of luck whatever you decide.

 

I priced an sr that was on another dealers lot. It had a few things i wanted, but fell short on others, plus it came with these black fender flares and black front bumper assembly....thought it looked rather unfinished. I opted for the sr5...it had fully painted quicksand fender flares and front bumper assembly with a power sliding back window, and chrome rear bumper with the tonneau cover, plus the fog lights. It had a power drivers seat and 8'' led screen not to mention other interior features that sr didn't come with. For a little over 3k more it was a no brainer for me to order an sr5.

 

I'd recommend going on the toyota website and doing a build and price on both the SR and SR5. When I did the build and price on an SR SX 4x4 V6 access cab with options, it came within $1500 of what my SR5 stickered for with the same options and the added things that come standard on the SR5 trim.

 

If you can get the equivalent engine/powertrain in the SR5 for 1500 and you like the chrome etc. All things being equal (meaning that you have a decent price to begin with on the SR) that seems like a good deal.