Are there a bunch of Mods that don't really provide value? NOT cash value!

Maybe substitute truck with practical utility vehicle? Either way, conceptually, you are arguing the same point.

 

Lifted Pre Runners come to mind.

 

As stated above, define value. Soft topper helps me camp and keeps my work tools protected from the elements. Tail gate extender one again for work. The mid travel is for trail comfort (and why replace stock work out parts with stock when you can get higher quality parts for the same price). Wheels are subject to the owners taste. Exhaust and intake is worthless. Stereo is subject to taste again. Grills? Taste again.

Depends on what your truck is for. (As stated, I'm sending a pattern here lol). I dont think anyone spending money is ever thinking "this is stupid but I want it just to have it ". We all justify what we do one way or another.

Edit for the lifted prerunner thing. Gotta keep in mind that not everyone needs 4x4. Lifting a prerunner with pucks/spacers and lift coils? Yea that's kinda pointless. Uca, spindles, shocks etc if your blasting through the desert is justified if you enjoy doing that. I dont need 4x4. Never gotten stuck enough to need it. But then again I dont like crawling through rocks. I like hitting trails with the wife at 50mph and driving home without ripping my diff apart. But that again depends on where you live and what you enjoy doing with your truck.

 

Depends on your definition of mod... I don’t think a brake controller is a “waste of money” when it is a requirement for towing certain trailers, with certain weights, in certain states...

 

I have a Subaru Forester (which is pretty much a car) that has a 3500lb tow rating (Edit: Ooops, 1500lb tow rating! My bad). It with a cheap $700 trailer from Lowes sitting in my back yard will do most tasks anyone could ask of it.

We buy a truck because it suits our needs better, it can be a luxury though.

 

So I have to hook up the trailer (or even hitch carrier) every time I want to take the recycling or trash off? Noone wants that stinky stuff in their SUV. I did that for years and mumbled curses every time I needed to do a task that required dirty items that I couldn't put in my 4runner. If I didn't have that need, you bet I would be in a 4runner instead of a Tacoma.


But you're right, a lot of homeowners live in town with curbside pickup and their only need for cargo is the occasional Lowes trip.

 

lol good one!

 

I believe one should also define the value of a dollar to themselves... for me, I see a total waste of $$$ spent on certain mods, others have more money than they need to live their life as they want, therefore $$$ value is less to them. It’s all relative to how you wish to live your life, not just the interest in your truck.

 

100% agree

 

Our '17 forester is only 1500lbs. Yours older?

 

Sometimes it's fun to adopt the bean counter mentality as a personal reality check against myself.

I bought a pop up camper, because I apparently can't be smart with my money despite what I say on the internet.
Last year I spent 22 nights in that camper, averaging 12-15 hours use per night after deducting travel time before/after the weekend. Divide that by 1/5th of the camper's five year depreciation (an estimated crap ton), and I find out that I'm paying between 3 and 5 dollars an hour to sip my coffee and watch the sun come up through the trees. I've spent more for less memorable experiences.

So the next time you get grief over how much you're spending on mods, calculate it in dollars per hour enjoyed and whether that's more expensive than say, a mani-pedi at the spa.

 

I am a bean counter by trade...I do the same math for my RTT. I reach the same conclusions. And the convenience makes me get out more, further lowering my cost/night.

 

towing with a Tacoma... ha good joke

 

How about we stick to talking Taco Mods and the philosophy of those mods?

2016, but I was wrong.... 1500 it is. Still, plenty for a dinky trailer with 1000 lbs of stuff on it.


Anyways, looking at some of the responses, when I say value.... I mean you get something out of it, ease of use, convenience, storage, offroad capability, even looks nicer.

 

When I first got my Tacoma I was all gungho about modding it, since that's what I've done with every previous car I've owned. After thinking about it more I decided to slow down because it's capable out of the box, stupid reliable as is, and is always going to be a slow truck. I put all of my budget towards mods into my racecar, which sadly has 50k invested in mods and on a good day is only worth 20k. It's hard to justify that type of investment as I get older.

 

Value, in my mind, can be defined as perceived (i.e. mostly cosmetic) vs actual (i.e. mostly functional). When considering the context of these two, the level of ROI becomes more defined. The most important thing under both viewpoints is to be honest with yourself and your intentions. Meaning, are you doing this mod to make the truck look good, or are you doing it with the intent of regular use?

For example, I recently purchased a Diamondback SE cover (no affiliation) at $1,649.00; a large expense in my book, and probably most other's as well. Why? This is something that has proven reliability against all conditions and will probably outlive the life of the vehicle, as it's diamondplate aluminum coated in a line-x material; this saves me from purchasing a secondary cover down the road due to wear. It's something I use regularly, it provides security for my gear from people/the elements, and provides enhanced functionality to the vehicle. There is some perceived value in this too, as I think it does look damn good.

On the other end of the spectrum, you have those who choose to spend $2k, $3k, and up just on wheels (I'm thinking Fuel and/or low profile wheels). In this case, there is essentially no actual value provided, especially on vehicles designed for utility and designed for use off of pavement. In fact, wheels such as these increase wear and decrease reliability, in most cases. However, the perceived value is the look and "stance" which, for someone's vehicle, may be important to him in being a reflection of his personality and style.

Bottom line here is to be honest with yourself about what category you place your mods under and what your intent is for your vehicle.

 

If its something I bought or did that makes me enjoy the truck more then it's not a waste of money.

I'm not spending your money and I didn't buy it to perserve for the next owner; resale be damned.

 

oh did I rub you the wrong way lmao! I can guarantee my 4.0 tows better than your 3rd gen.

 

Function over fashion

 

Let's see this guarantee? The people want to know...Bumper to Bumper 2nd vs 3rd gen .