Anybody regret not buying a 4X4?

just got mine about a month ago and i regret it kind of.......i dont need 4x4 persaa, and i know i would just get into trouble i.e. brake more stuff than i would w/o 4x4, but i really do hate, thinking i really want to go over "there" and having to doubt if i can make it there and back

 

i dont know where over "there" is in hampton.. but some of the nastiest mudding ive ever done is out in chesapeake where i grew up. that swamp mud is no joke!

 

I ended up trading my PreRunner for a 4X4. I had a 4X4 F-150 in the past, but decided I didn't use it enough in the place I used to live so I traded it for the PreRunner. Now, I live in Boondocks Central with 20 times more unmaintained dirt roads then there are paved roads. While the 4X2 wasn't entirely useless, it was a limiting factor. Back to a 4X4 for me!

 

"there" is just a reference for all of SE virginia and NE n. carolina, i dont think ive ever been wheeling out in chesapeake, might have to get some buddys and see what we cant go find out there

 

I regret it sometimes but honestly it wouldn't have been out of necessity, and probably not worth the extra $ for the payments and insurance. The truck does fine in the 2 or 3 snows we get each year and by now I've gotten pretty good as far as judging what I can or can't do off road. I'll take flak from all the 4x4 guys for saying this but the Prerunners are still pretty damn capable off road. I've been offroading with my friends and after seeing the stuff I had done they just assumed I had 4wd

 

Traded my 2011 Black Prerunner after only 5 months....ended up getting a good deal and lower APR on a 2011 4x4 Double Cab Sport in Timberland Mica......never going back to 4x2

 

I never really considered the 4x2, even though I rarely use the front diff. Still sure am glad I have it when I do need it. My buddy has a prerunner and can't even back out of a slight incline with even the tiniest bit of mud or grass. That's not piece of mind.

 

No because I bought one.

 

Wrong! Well, your right on one point, that prerunners are used to pre run a course. But not all "prerunners" are 2wd. And, many 2wd pre runner trucks could enter the race. The fact is the top racers or the "true racers" who have won Baja for many years ran and won in 2wd vehicles, until the Trophy trucks started rumbling. If I was rock crawling, I am going 4x4 all the way. But if off road racing is your style, I would feel comfortable running with a locked rear 2wd Prerunner Tacoma vs a 4x4 Tacoma on race day anytime.

 

I did regret not buying a 4x4 once (4X2 Chevy Silverado WT). Then i rectified the situation and bought the Taco

 

To answer the OP's post, I have had a truck since I was 16. Mostly 4x4's. But life has changed, and my last truck was a 4x4 diesel and I rarely used the 4x4 in 9 years. Mostly for someone else. As mentioned earlier, I said to myself, what do I need in a truck, and 4x4 was not a need. So I skipped it. Have not needed 4x4 in 3 years of owning this truck. Used the auto LSD and I was impressed overall compared to what I expected in how it works. The only time I wish I had 4x4 is when I am on the forums!

 

Most driving (for most of us) is in 2WD. If all you do is go to work or school and don't live in snow country... and don't go outdoors for fun or recreation-off highway, then 2WD will be all you need.

However, if you do live in snow country or far from pavement or do outdoor recreation/ off roading... then 4WD allows you to have some confidence that you won't need your buddies to pull you out (with their 4WDs)!

Levels of Traction (the higher the level, the more freedom you have to go safely, where you want):

1) 2WD, open differential
2) 2WD, limited slip differential (TRAC/AUTO LSD)
3) 2WD, locking differential (Off Road TRD)

4) 4WD, open differentials
5) 4WD, limited slip differentials (TRAC)
6) 4WD, locking rear differential (Off Road TRD)
7) 4WD, front and rear locking differentials, or A-TRAC ('09+ Off Road TRD)

Explained terms:

Open differential(s): Power goes to one tire per axle that will spin the easiest if the other has more traction... you stop moving and you see one tire spinning in 2WD and two tires spinning in 4WD (one in front and one in back).

Limited slip differential(s): Power transfers away from the spinning tire and to the traction tire (but not fully)... you just might get through!

Locking differential(s): Power is split 50/50 between both tires on an axle. One tire cannot slip and take away power from the other. The benefit is MAXIMUM traction.

A problem with lockers is that they hinder steering ability on hard surfaces/ rocks by not allowing tires to rotate at different rates, as needed when steering.

A-TRAC (Active Traction Control): Instead of locking a gear to force both tires on an axle to turn the same rate, A-TRAC uses spin sensors and the brakes to match tire rotation across the axle... giving the same power to all 4 tires and not allowing any to spin away. A major benefit over lockers is that the A-TRAC has no effect on steering ability on tight trails.

 

No, happy with my PreRunner.

 

Nope. Have an 88 K5 on 4"'s of lift with 37" Swampers. When I want to play the Taco stays home.

 

I had a 2005 pre-runner, now I have a 2011 4X4 and love it...I don`t use the 4 wheel drive often, but when I need it, it is there., and it works very well...The only problem is it gets about 2 miles a galon less mileage then the pre-runner did, hopefully the 2011 will get better gas mileage when I put more miles on it. Right now I have 15,000 miles on it, and on the highway in 2 wheel drive i can`t get over 20.75 miles pre gallon...

 

I've been able to do everything I've wanted to in my 5 lug without an issue. Yes, 4WD would be nice for winter, but so far I haven't gotten stuck. I enjoy pulling down excellent MPG's while still being able to haul 1,000+ lbs.

 

I work on a farm in Pennsylvania where most of the vehicles are two wheel drive so I've learned to how get around with 2wd pretty well. Although it is nice to have the 4wd on my truck, even though I have to lock the stupid hubs

 

i live in FL and dont mud.

When picking out my truck at the stealer they said almost every guy goes with a 4x4 taco or tundra as we're in a rednecky area and people want the 4-by. She said that most of the time when the service techs are going through the front diff's they are almost never engaged and have never look used.

 

You act like manual hubs are a bad thing....

 

Well, you might get mud in the cab if you got to go out to lock the hubs!