gofastdan
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #1
Some background information:
I'm coming from a 2016 Canyon 4x4 SLT LB, which was a great truck. I would have kept that truck for another 10 years but I've got plans which seemed to make a new truck now a good idea (at least to my somewhat twisted logic). When purchasing a new vehicle a six foot bed was a non-negotiable for me, which really left the Tacoma as the only current option (sorry Nissan, but you're just not in the game).
My "build" is designed for everyday utility with light off-roading, think logging and forest service roads. I'm primarily a hiker and backpacker but trailheads can be pretty remote. I have a wedge camper being built that I should be able to pick up in the next couple of weeks and the point of the camper is to be able to take my time getting to trailheads and enjoy the trip. An example would be taking two or three days to go from Seattle to the Wallowa mountains in NE Oregon, backpack in the mountains for three or four days and then a couple of days back home.
I put a deposit down on a dealer allocation in Feb of '24. The truck had a couple of production delays but was finally delivered to the dealer on April 17th and I picked it up on the 18th.
I purchased from Lake City Toyota in Seattle through the Costco Auto Buying Program and paid ~$2,800 off of MSRP. This is the third or fourth time I've used the Costco program and highly recommend it. I'll also say that the salesman I worked with, George, was fantastic. He consistently communicated with me every time he had a status update.
This particular truck has the upgrade package with the only other options being the sunroof and mud guards (and I guess the 6' bed if you count that as an option). I really wanted the premium package but that was really only for the MTM camera system. During the couple of months we waited for the truck to be built we constantly scoured the PNW for a TRD OR premium and never could find one. Just as I got my truck the dealer got an allocation for one but the build date wasn't until July and I didn't care to wait that long....
Mods to date:
-Cali Raised LED Ditch Lights (wired into the Aux 3 switch)
-GoRhino Dominator D6 Running Boards
-Lasfit Switchback Bulbs (Front Turn Signals)
-Method 705 Wheels, Titanium 17x8.5 +35
-BFGoodrich KO3, 285/70 R17
-Opt7 Rear End Light Strip
-Front Window Tint - 30% (24% is the legal limit in WA)
-Wescott Designs Level Kit - 2.5" front, .75" rear
-Black out front Toyota emblem - Plastidip
-Radar Detector Wiring
-A few software changes using an OBDLink LX and the Carista App (Android). Turn off seatbelt warning, fake engine noise, change bump to turn from three flashes to four, etc...
Issues to date:
-Some scratches and scuffs from transit. I did my own paint correction rather than try to get the dealer to fix it.
-One side of the passenger's grab handle pulled out from it's insert the first time I used it. Luckily I was just showing my mother-in-law the feature so she could get in the truck. Evidently it just wasn't snapped in correctly at the factory b/c I pressed it in firmly and once I heard and felt it snap in place, it's solid now...
-It doesn't show in the pictures but the Celestial Silver has a lot of metallic flake in it and is lighter in person than it seems in the photos. I've noticed that metallic paints have a tendency to look a bit blotchy if the paint wasn't perfectly blended. Again, it doesn't show in the photos but both front fenders look blotchy in person with almost like vertical stripes. It's not bad and I don't think I'll push it with the dealer but it's not a perfect paint job.
Other thoughts:
-Granted, the GMC SLT was the "luxury" model when I bought it (no Denali at that time), but I have to say that the interior of the 2016 GMC was nicer than the Toyo, especially the seats. The GMC had leather, which I can live w/o, but more importantly the GMC seats were much more comfortable than the Toyota's. My first trip with the Toyota was from Seattle to Portland and back and even with the upgraded 8 way adjustable seats in the Toyota I never have really gotten comfortable. In the GMC I could sit comfortably all day but two hours in the Toyota is about all I can stand (sit?). I can't quite pinpoint what I don't like about them but I'm always squirming. If these are a huge improvement over previous generations then I hate to think what they were like before...
-The ride itself is better than the GMC. The GMC had 80k so it's probably not a fair comparison but the Toyota is firm w/o being bouncy or stiff in a way the GMC never was. haven't taken the truck offroad yet but my guess is that it will do far better than the GMC did. The Wescott kit definitely made it a bit firmer but I've only driven it a few miles since installing the kit and obviously didn't have that many miles on it prior to installation so this set up will really be my only reference point going forward.
-Discount Tire in Wilsonville, OR, did a great job with the tires and wheels. My timing was a bit off and the tires and wheels ended up sitting at the store for a couple of weeks but they held my order and made sure they had the correct lugnuts and whatnot ready to go.
-I installed the Wescott Designs lift kit myself. It wasn't hard but there were no instructions and the only videos they have are of an install done on a Tundra. That left me with a couple of questions but Jeff Wescott called me and walked me through the things I couldn't figure out.
-I really like Method's wheels. They look good w/o being overly flashy or garish like a lot of aftermarket wheels are. I thought about a bronze wheel but was too timid to pull the trigger. The 703 is nice but they're everywhere and I wanted something a bit different so went with the 705. I like how it's vaguely reminiscent of the TRD wheels w/o being a direct copy. A +25 option would have been preferable because that would have put the wheels and the running boards at exactly the same width out from the truck but the +35 is fine.
-So far I like the D6 running boards. They're plenty sturdy and I love how I can stand on them and reach the top of the truck. The biggest knock in reviews seems to be around the installation but it really wasn't difficult so I'm not sure what people are complaining about. They aren't frame mounted but they're not meant to be sliders so that doesn't concern me. GoRhino has a frame mount option but it requires drilling, which makes no sense since the truck has pre-threaded holes in the frame. That option is also more expensive though and, again, unnecessary since they would never hold the truck anyway.
-Lots of comments in the forums about the spare tire size and the wallet key.
-Yes, I got the wallet key but I don't know where it was stored. My salesman found it prior to me picking the truck up and held it for me.
-My spare is a 245/75 17 tire, so technically "full size" but is clearly marked as a limited use tire. There have been lots of comments about different spare tires showing up but if you look at the owners manual that is clearly by design. There are at least five or six different tire/spare configurations based on the model truck (pgs 602-621 of the owners manual) and some of those options are not "full size".
-Stock TRD wheels and tires are for sale. They have less than 300 miles on them. If you're interested let me know. I live outside of Seattle but the tires and wheels are currently at my mother-in-law's house in Portland. Basically, if you're in the I-5 corridor between Bellingham and Albany I'm sure we can work out a pickup spot. We're cleaning out my father-in-law's shop in Portland so right now I'm driving back and forth every couple of weeks. The tires are off the wheels currently and if there's no interest I'll probably end up selling the tires right now and then hold the wheels until there are more base model trucks on the road.
Pictures:
I'm coming from a 2016 Canyon 4x4 SLT LB, which was a great truck. I would have kept that truck for another 10 years but I've got plans which seemed to make a new truck now a good idea (at least to my somewhat twisted logic). When purchasing a new vehicle a six foot bed was a non-negotiable for me, which really left the Tacoma as the only current option (sorry Nissan, but you're just not in the game).
My "build" is designed for everyday utility with light off-roading, think logging and forest service roads. I'm primarily a hiker and backpacker but trailheads can be pretty remote. I have a wedge camper being built that I should be able to pick up in the next couple of weeks and the point of the camper is to be able to take my time getting to trailheads and enjoy the trip. An example would be taking two or three days to go from Seattle to the Wallowa mountains in NE Oregon, backpack in the mountains for three or four days and then a couple of days back home.
I put a deposit down on a dealer allocation in Feb of '24. The truck had a couple of production delays but was finally delivered to the dealer on April 17th and I picked it up on the 18th.
I purchased from Lake City Toyota in Seattle through the Costco Auto Buying Program and paid ~$2,800 off of MSRP. This is the third or fourth time I've used the Costco program and highly recommend it. I'll also say that the salesman I worked with, George, was fantastic. He consistently communicated with me every time he had a status update.
This particular truck has the upgrade package with the only other options being the sunroof and mud guards (and I guess the 6' bed if you count that as an option). I really wanted the premium package but that was really only for the MTM camera system. During the couple of months we waited for the truck to be built we constantly scoured the PNW for a TRD OR premium and never could find one. Just as I got my truck the dealer got an allocation for one but the build date wasn't until July and I didn't care to wait that long....
Mods to date:
-Cali Raised LED Ditch Lights (wired into the Aux 3 switch)
-GoRhino Dominator D6 Running Boards
-Lasfit Switchback Bulbs (Front Turn Signals)
-Method 705 Wheels, Titanium 17x8.5 +35
-BFGoodrich KO3, 285/70 R17
-Opt7 Rear End Light Strip
-Front Window Tint - 30% (24% is the legal limit in WA)
-Wescott Designs Level Kit - 2.5" front, .75" rear
-Black out front Toyota emblem - Plastidip
-Radar Detector Wiring
-A few software changes using an OBDLink LX and the Carista App (Android). Turn off seatbelt warning, fake engine noise, change bump to turn from three flashes to four, etc...
Issues to date:
-Some scratches and scuffs from transit. I did my own paint correction rather than try to get the dealer to fix it.
-One side of the passenger's grab handle pulled out from it's insert the first time I used it. Luckily I was just showing my mother-in-law the feature so she could get in the truck. Evidently it just wasn't snapped in correctly at the factory b/c I pressed it in firmly and once I heard and felt it snap in place, it's solid now...
-It doesn't show in the pictures but the Celestial Silver has a lot of metallic flake in it and is lighter in person than it seems in the photos. I've noticed that metallic paints have a tendency to look a bit blotchy if the paint wasn't perfectly blended. Again, it doesn't show in the photos but both front fenders look blotchy in person with almost like vertical stripes. It's not bad and I don't think I'll push it with the dealer but it's not a perfect paint job.
Other thoughts:
-Granted, the GMC SLT was the "luxury" model when I bought it (no Denali at that time), but I have to say that the interior of the 2016 GMC was nicer than the Toyo, especially the seats. The GMC had leather, which I can live w/o, but more importantly the GMC seats were much more comfortable than the Toyota's. My first trip with the Toyota was from Seattle to Portland and back and even with the upgraded 8 way adjustable seats in the Toyota I never have really gotten comfortable. In the GMC I could sit comfortably all day but two hours in the Toyota is about all I can stand (sit?). I can't quite pinpoint what I don't like about them but I'm always squirming. If these are a huge improvement over previous generations then I hate to think what they were like before...
-The ride itself is better than the GMC. The GMC had 80k so it's probably not a fair comparison but the Toyota is firm w/o being bouncy or stiff in a way the GMC never was. haven't taken the truck offroad yet but my guess is that it will do far better than the GMC did. The Wescott kit definitely made it a bit firmer but I've only driven it a few miles since installing the kit and obviously didn't have that many miles on it prior to installation so this set up will really be my only reference point going forward.
-Discount Tire in Wilsonville, OR, did a great job with the tires and wheels. My timing was a bit off and the tires and wheels ended up sitting at the store for a couple of weeks but they held my order and made sure they had the correct lugnuts and whatnot ready to go.
-I installed the Wescott Designs lift kit myself. It wasn't hard but there were no instructions and the only videos they have are of an install done on a Tundra. That left me with a couple of questions but Jeff Wescott called me and walked me through the things I couldn't figure out.
-I really like Method's wheels. They look good w/o being overly flashy or garish like a lot of aftermarket wheels are. I thought about a bronze wheel but was too timid to pull the trigger. The 703 is nice but they're everywhere and I wanted something a bit different so went with the 705. I like how it's vaguely reminiscent of the TRD wheels w/o being a direct copy. A +25 option would have been preferable because that would have put the wheels and the running boards at exactly the same width out from the truck but the +35 is fine.
-So far I like the D6 running boards. They're plenty sturdy and I love how I can stand on them and reach the top of the truck. The biggest knock in reviews seems to be around the installation but it really wasn't difficult so I'm not sure what people are complaining about. They aren't frame mounted but they're not meant to be sliders so that doesn't concern me. GoRhino has a frame mount option but it requires drilling, which makes no sense since the truck has pre-threaded holes in the frame. That option is also more expensive though and, again, unnecessary since they would never hold the truck anyway.
-Lots of comments in the forums about the spare tire size and the wallet key.
-Yes, I got the wallet key but I don't know where it was stored. My salesman found it prior to me picking the truck up and held it for me.
-My spare is a 245/75 17 tire, so technically "full size" but is clearly marked as a limited use tire. There have been lots of comments about different spare tires showing up but if you look at the owners manual that is clearly by design. There are at least five or six different tire/spare configurations based on the model truck (pgs 602-621 of the owners manual) and some of those options are not "full size".
-Stock TRD wheels and tires are for sale. They have less than 300 miles on them. If you're interested let me know. I live outside of Seattle but the tires and wheels are currently at my mother-in-law's house in Portland. Basically, if you're in the I-5 corridor between Bellingham and Albany I'm sure we can work out a pickup spot. We're cleaning out my father-in-law's shop in Portland so right now I'm driving back and forth every couple of weeks. The tires are off the wheels currently and if there's no interest I'll probably end up selling the tires right now and then hold the wheels until there are more base model trucks on the road.
Pictures:
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