Ordering a new 4Runner (advice please) TRD OR v ORP

Hi everyone,

I am strongly considering ordering a new 4Runner TRD or TRD ORP. I need some advice guys from who have had these.

My primary purpose for this vehicle is to go fishing and tow a 18ft Crestliner aluminum boat. I am coming out of an old V6 Explorer with a 3.73 axle which has the same towing capacity but was beefed up with a tow package years ago.

I plan to fold down the seats for several weeks and leave my fishing equipment etal in there. So will the Softex seats in a TRD ORP be ok? I have only had cloth seats in my old Explorer. Anybody have thoughts. I have been debating the TRD OR or ORP.

Also, I live in Michigan outside of Detroit and wondering if anybody has any dealer suggestions. I would really like to go some place that will treat me fairly and where I can go for service since I am not mechanically inclined.

I see some pics of of the TRD Off roads with the "TOYOTA" grill which looks really cool but it looks like sadly that is only offered down south? I love that grill but probably not as much of a fan of the all black wheels.

Thanks for any advice guys. I am thinking of ordering something in the beginning of the year to have in time for spring and fishing.

Thanks
Mac

 

I’d get the premium for the Softex seats if nothing else

 

If your primary purpose is to tow a boat, why are you looking at a 4runner?

 

I am looking at the 4Runner for towing my boat since its the right size to fit in my garage primarily and I can keep all my stuff under one secure roof. I have a 90's 2 door Explorer for years that I bought new and towed with and its time for it to go so I sort of got used to using an SUV. I like the full size pickups and even looked at the Tacoma but Tacoma is longer than the 4Runner and much tighter in my garage.

In addition to be honest, I have heard so much about the 4Runner reliability it appealed to me very much. I have read many times that since its made in Japan its very solid.

I don't honestly trust the current Explorers or the Jeep and GM quality. I guess it sort of made sense. My friends think I should pay the same for an F-150 and just park it outside. I thought if I can keep a 4Runner 20 years like I did my old Explorer with a 4.0 V6 and 3.73 axle then by then I will be too old to fish.

Those were my thoughts, but I am open to anybody's thoughts really. This would be a first Toyota for myself.

 

How far do you tow your boat?

 

I am towing about 50 miles one way on a given weekend (so 100 miles road trip) I live north of Detroit and would tow down to Lake Erie to go fishing. I usually go about 1-2 times per month from May-August. So what I have always done is load up my Explorer each spring and just leave my stuff in there and park in the garage and its ready to at any moment. Thats why I always left the seats down. I don't have kids and am a single guy and just used it for fishing with my Dad or a few buddies.

 

Most of my towing is highway towing as well

 

Welcome to the forum from Wisconsin Mac! We have the ORP, but both are good choices.

 

I personally prefer the OR over the ORP (I have the ORP, but bought it used for a good deal). I really hate the Softex seats. They are hot as balls in the summer because they don't breathe, and I slide all over them cause they ain't grippy. MY old TE had cloth and my wife's current SR5 has cloth and I prefer that to the Softex. You really don't get a whole lot more with the ORP over the OR, all the gadgets are the same. Engine / gearing / transmission / tow ability is all the same. Some lighting differences (puddle lights, turn signals in the mirrors), some interior trim differences, that's about it.

 

Welcome to the forum from Canada, mac1usa! A 4 Runner has a tow rating of 5000 lbs, so unless you’re hauling a pretty big boat, a 4 Runner will do it. Maybe not as good as a F150, but it will do it. Probably the best for heavy duty towing would be a F250 or F350 with a diesel, but for light towing a 4 Runner is certainly rated for it. And, it is a lot more reliable than any domestic vehicle, which is just a simple fact. An ORP has a locker which will give you a lot of confidence on slippery boat ramps. 4 Runners are also extremely safe: with 8 air bags, you won’t find that on any SUV that I am aware of.

 

I don’t know what your boat weighs, but I’m sure the runner is capable. Just know it’s a 6 cylinder engine and towing isn’t it’s strong point

to answer your original question: the premium is definitely worth it.

 

Thanks guys. My boat is 1,500lbs and the motor, trailer, gas and equipment has me around 3,00 max lbs. I have towed with my old explorer just fine. I am not going to win any races and that’s fine.

I read about full frame vehicles for towing also. I think the 4runner and only trucks are full frame anymore.

The only other I looked at is the Yukon and Sequoia of course more money and barely fit in my garage. I wish I could buy that V8 4runner I read about.

If I ever got another boat it would be smaller and lighter as I get older.

When I got my explorer I ordered the 3.73 axle and towing package with beefed up trans cooler etal nothing like that on 4runner available. From what I read Japanese manufacturers just don’t offer that it’s just built to tow. But I guess there is a new SAE towing standard that the 4runner meets so I am hoping to be ok.

My hope is to get one and keep 20 years like the explorer. I drive an accord as an everyday car.

I thought choosing the OR or ORP package is better with less stuff to go wrong in the future also over day the limited. Plus I just like the look better also.

 

Hi mac1usa.

Are you planning to do any off-roading or "overlanding"? If you're looking for a 4Runner for for daily driving, highway driving, and towing your boat, a SR5 may suit you just fine. A 4WD SR5 is going to be less expensive and has ATRAC and that will get you out of most situations. Less electronic drivers aids to fail.

The TRDs have a manual transfer case lever, Crawl Control, Multi-Terrain Select, and a locking read diff. If you're not really planning to off-road, these features may not be necessary.

Premium gets you the SofTex seats, mirror mounted turn signals, puddle lights, Homelink, and a couple other minor things. The SofTex seats are easier to clean, but I live in the south, so heat issues on the nether regions was my concern. Homelink would have been very nice (my wife has it in her Audi), but I can mount my garage door opener with some double sided tape or hook and loop strips.

Not that I'm trying to dissuade you from buying a 4Runner, but have you also considered a slightly used GX460? It has the 4.6L V8 and is essentially a Lexus badged Land Cruiser Prado 120, with some fancy Lexus electronic bits.

Ultimately, it's your decision. Sure having all the extra stuff is nice to have, but is the additional cost worth it to you?

Oh, and the front grills with "TOYOTA" vs the insignia that you see on the TRD models, have been swapped to the better looking grill. Those do not come on the TRD Off Road or SR5 trims. I can't recall if they come on the new Trails Special Edition or the new Venture Special Edition.

 

Thanks for the note. You know I did look and the Lexus and the V8 nut the issue with that is the tailgate. I cannot open that Lexus swing tailgate with my boat trailer attached. Gosh it’s so stupid! I went to a dealer and measured that and measured the tongue on my trailer and it’s a no go. The sales people thought o was nuts measuring the tail gate and did not know anything about towing.

I agree on the SR5 comments you noted. I won’t really off-road. I think I just liked the wheel options and good scoop look on the OR and ORP.

I am not sure how that locking rear doff works. I thought the manual lever for 4wd would be less stuff to break. Even my 90s Explorer has a button but I know they broke. I would probably only use 4wd on a wet or slippery boat ramp to pull the boat out of the water.

I guess what appealed to me most about a 4runner is the reputation for reliability. It may sound dumb but I will probably put 2,000 miles per year on it.

 

Stick with the ORP, mac1usa, the locker is a necessity for boat ramps. you will never get stuck in the water with your trailer. Don't buy a Limited or an SR5. They don't have a diff locker. You can lock the rear diff with just a flip of a switch on the ORP or a Pro. Huge advantage if your wheels spin.

 

Welcome from Arizona!

 

Old Toyota Guy,

Thanks for the tip. I have seen that rear diff button on the sales videos. My laymen’s understanding is that the locking rear diff sends equal power to each of the rear wheels? Does this sound correct?

Do people use this in conjunction with 4WD or perhaps just by itself as well?

I have never had this option before but have used 4wd on the explorer when there is seaweed or it’s slick. I am going to stick with you suggestion I think.

Our water levels are high in Michigan in the Great Lakes and many times there is more water at the ramp when you come in based on the wind direction. It’s somewhat similar to a tide. This can pose an issue when reloading your boat.

Thank you for all the responses. I appreciate your knowledge and insight.

 

That makes 100% perfect sense. Really, IMO the main reason to get a 4Runner is its unbeatable combination of reliability, durability and utility. Yes, it's great off road but there are better. Yes, it tows 5000 pounds but other trucks tow more. Yes, it has a lot of cargo capacity but other vehicles have more (though not with the same today exterior dimensions). But no other vehicle anywhere near its price range does so many things so well while also having incredible longevity.

My thought about OR vs ORP actually leads me down a different route: Have you thought about an SR5 Premium with three rows? I get that the OR models look cool, but with an SR5 you can save money and mod it later for looks and more off road ability -- in case you actually need that, which is not clear to me.

The SR5 has Softex and the three row configuration gives you a flatter load floor with longer usable cargo hold, since the second row seats just slide forward. In two-row configurations, you instead have to fold the seat bottoms up against the back of your front seats, which eats up a good half foot of length for hauling stuff.

Just a thought.

 

OP, the old toyota guy is wiser than me, especially when it comes to off road stuff, but you might want to see what others here think about the rear locker issue. I have never once heard anyone say that a rear locker is essential for boat ramps. Did you ever need one yourself, in all your years of boating? Just sayin....

 

Not essential, Singleminded, except for peace of mind. I can tell you’ve never been in soft muck on a steep boat ramp with a fairly heavy trailer, and hoping for the best. Especially the OP, who is on the varying water levels of the Great Lakes.

 

Rear locker only works in 4Lo.

There is a workaround to activate it anytime in the Tacomas but from the factory it won't work in 2Hi or 4Hi. I'm not personally familiar with the workaround and if it works in the 4R.

 

Rear locker in 4 Lo is perfect. No need for it in 4 Hi, maybe in the desert racing it might come in handy, but ordinary civilians don’t need it.

 

I watched a video by Jeff Teague from Fred Anderson Toyota in Raleigh; he had a good demo on the cargo room with various options. You do gain a few inches of length with the SR5 and 3rd row flat seat; however you lose several inches of height permanently.

I see Singleminded's point about the extra length and I appreciate that point. However, if I lose a few inches length wise I think I am fine versus losing 4 inches in height permanently. Plus I like this rear locking diff idea. I can see that being handy.

Has anyone purchased the door edge guards from the factory? They look nice in the photos for parking lots etal. I am considering making a list and learning over next few months and then calling to see if someone can order me one from the factory for delivery in April/May

 

I chose the OR vs the OR Premium, as I did not want or need any of the add-ons the Premium came with, or the additional cost of those features. I just wanted all the OR features for the lowest cost.

 

Ultimately, OP, it's your money. You buy what you want. You'll get all sorts of opinions on here based on individual biases. This is a good place for information that you can use to guide your decision, but I wouldn't base my decision solely on internet opinions.

When I was briefly in car sales due to a lay off, I would get customers who were being told in one ear that they should buy Car A over Car B based on biased opinions from friends/family/coworkers/internet, etc. and my response to the was always, "It's going to be your car and you have to pay for it, right? Is your brother/mother/second removed best friends 8th cousin/coworker going to make your car payment? No, then should they have any say in which car you buy? Then get the car you want within budget." For the record, I was not a good car salesman.

Whatever you decide, definitely let us know.

 

I agree EffinNewGuy, I say it another way, buy what you love. Cars are so expensive these days, that unless you’re going to love it, you won’t be happy with it.

 

Yes I agree guys, its my payment. I have had this old Explorer I bought out of high school (that was crazy) and its been paid for 25 years albeit other repairs. I also have an everyday accord that I drive. It may sound dumb but I have never married and do not have kids so I figure if I spend a few extra bucks now and pick out the right vehicle for me and keep it I hope 20 years its money well spent. I don't my new cars often so I research the daylights out of stuff and like everyone else try to make the best decisions we can at the time.

My larger issue is not having purchased a Toyota before is finding a reputable dealer in my area. I know a Honda mechanic and dealer in my area and trust them with my Honda and my Dad's. Trust is unfortunately hard to find and earn. I wish I could find a referral for a mechanic/dealer in my area that is trusted. Sadly I have found many sales people not too knowledgeable about their product. Perhaps these vehicles sell themselves, but if I sold cars I would know a lot more than they do.

Its nice to have a trusted mechanic though who does not mislead; that is worth its weight in gold to me.

 

As others here have advised, the most important thing is to get what feels right to you. People here can point out things you may not know or have thought through, so it's quite wise to solicit these opinions. As you've done. And FWIW, I think you're smart for settling on a 4Runner of some kind. You identified solid reasons for doing so, unlike some people who buy it with off roading fantasies that are just that, when really they'd be happier with a crossover. But when you realize that utility and reliability/longevity are most important to you, then you've hit the nail on the head with the 4Runner.

 

I have an ORP love it. Have towed a pontoon with it a handful of times, no issues. I went to Dunning toyota in Ann Arbor and had no issues. Don't remember the sales guy’s name but he was fine. Didn't test drive any other trim levels so I cant give great advice on that, the ORP was one and done for me.

 

I sold my SR5 to upgrade to the ORP because of the Softex Seats. I cloth seats frayed with my dog jumping up and down on the car. I also got the ORP because of the rear locking diff, crawl control and multi-terrain select. IMHO having the softex, locking diff, crawl control and multi terrain select is worth the additional ~$3k. A-Trac was great on my SR5, but having the additional offroading features gives you that "peace of mind" to get out of tricky situations while offroading. I live in Portland, OR and the heating of the softex seats are not an issue here, its more that they are cold when getting into the car first thing in the morning. The OffRoad Premium gives you that heated seat option which I think will be more needed in Michigan.