SR5.... did I mess up?

First time “brand new” buyer... I wanted an Off-Road but the market couldn’t supply. I saw Templeton (my SR5) and fell in love.

I’m feeling remorse by not getting an ORP, but love my SR5... did I mess up? Y’all have crazy OFF-Roads and Off-Road Pro’s while I chill here with my SR5.

So far my 4R has just 3k miles, roof rack, LED’s, limb risers and trail rash. I can’t keep him out of the woods... but I sit here wondering if I made a mistake not getting more...

 

Unless you need a locker I would not worry about it.

 

Pay for options you will actually use. IMHO, the sr5 is darn near perfect, it gets me everywhere I want to go. I have owned Toyota trucks with all the lockers and extra gadgets, turns out 4wd and atrac are all I personally need to get all the places I like to go. I chose the SR5 because it has all the options I need and use, it a very capable Toyota 4wd truck.

I would never look at someone else’s 4 runner with envy when they paid for options I just don’t need. I would be thankful and content with what you have. It’s not like you got stuck in the middle of nowhere because you did not have a locker, then I would be considering upgrading.

 

Here’s one thing I’ve learned. If you find yourself browsing Instagram or any off-road retail site, they depict off-roading as a lifestyle that is achieved by purchases. I may not speak for everyone but since I was a kid I spent 6-8 months in Mexico watching the Baja races and spending time with my then step family. I remember one trip we took my mother 95 maxima and took it down some firebreak roads shortly after contingency. I guess what I am trying to say is don’t get lost in the idea of off-road and “over landing” it’s all become so publicized that if you don’t have the lates gear better not off-road. Even still, you question not getting more but the parts in question seem to be available in the after market. Remember the biggest upgrade to off-roading is tires!! Longer than indented but just my .02

 

The key phrase here to me is "but love my SR5..." I love mine too and I don't do much 4 wheeling these days but I know these things are amazingly capable. I off roaded a '93 Grand Cherokee that had a 2" lift and 31" tires on it but nothing more. Open differentials, no electronic helpers at all and it flat amazed me where I was able to go with it and not get stuck. What I'm trying to say is that unless you do some really hard core off roading you will continue to be happy with your choice. You Tube SR5 off roading. There are some pretty cool videos of people doing some pretty tough trails in SR5's. A-Trac is a pretty amazing system. Here's a couple that I enjoyed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhoP1cwkGto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjfMOGgTop8

 

We just purchased our 2020 ORP a few weeks ago, our dealer had an SR5, ORP and a Limited. My wife ultimately made the decision on which one she wanted. I was shocked she didnt want the Limited. She will do zero off roading with her new 4 Runner.
No reason to regret your purchase, make your 4 runner your own, mod it how you want..

 

I'm sure you'll be fine. As others have noted, you can always add what you want/need. Shoot, I got a limited cause Momma likes leather, dual climate and the sunroof. Everything else is fixable. Enjoy!

 

Stay proud of your choice, it is a damn good vehicle. I have a 2017 SR5 P, and love it.

 

My SR5 is more than capable for what I do, yours should be too

99% of people with a factory locker will probably never really use it, skewp looks cool sure, and the multi terrain select is bleh. You got a solid truck, don't sweat it

 

I don't think going with an SR5 is a mistake. If you absolutely need a rear locker, you can get one put in for about the same price difference as the TRDOR. The only other things that the TRDOR has is the terrain select and crawl control. You don't need them, and I personally like not having them because that means I have less things that can go wrong.

The only thing that I regret is not going with a third row. Not because I need seats back there but because of the improved way the second row folds down which gives you a bit more room long ways and how the whole back is truly flat when everything's folded compared to a regular rear.. Yeah, you lose a little bit of vertical space, but I think it would be an acceptable tradeoff.

 

Specifically, which feature(s) of the OR have you second guessing your SR5 purchase?

 

Sounds like you bought the car you needed. Toyota will make sure there’s always a reason to upgrade. That’s a race you’ll never win.

I recently purchased a SR5 4WD and love it. I put trd pro sema wheels and grabber atx’s on it and am in love. My truck will never rock crawl or see the rubicon trail but it will certainly see woods, river banks, a snow storm and beaches. All of which my SR5 will conquer with ease. Don’t forget for years the SR5 was the rugged (Pro/ TRD trim). They are extremely capable vehicles and most times will outperform their drivers ability.

Love your rig. She sounds amazing.

 

Couldn’t agree more. For decades the SR5 was the OR/TRD trim before they existed. Bone stock It will conquer just about anything you throw at it.

 

You have a great rig. No need for regrets. I am buying a 1994 SR 5 next week to add to my Toyota family. No mods no nothing extra.
Enjoy your car!!

 

SR5 is a great vehicle. The only benefit to a OR is the locker. The other gizmos are useless, or at least not needed if you have an understanding of off road operations.

As far as the locker goes, for the casual off road user (of which I am one), you might "need" a locker a half dozen times in your ownership experience. I personally wouldn't get rid of an SR5 to get a model with a locker nor would I add a locker to an SR5 model, just not worth it to me. But buying new (or used, in my case), it made sense to just get the locker version to have it... on the used market especially the price difference is negligible.

My wife's SR5 has actually been to way more cool places and done more off road than my OR...

 

I have a 2020 ORP. Ive had it off road several times but at no point did i encounter something a SR5 wouldn't have done identically.

I DID use crawl once. I backed down into a boat launch recovering a boat with a busted engine. This boat launch was a ungroomed dirt road that happens to go into a lake. We muscled ghe boat onto the trailer, hoped in, rear tire spin (mostly submerged) 4H resulted in front tires digging ruts as well. Put it in 4L, mud/sand, crawl 1. She pulled right out. I also have recovered my 4wheeler from gnarly mud and was surprised how well the vehicle performs in mud and ruts even on these crappy dunlops and stock suspension. I was dead set on upgrading suspension and tires but I've second guessed it recently. I dont see asking more from the runner than I've already asked.... ok maybe some AT tires but thousands on a lift and "cool guy gear"? Nahhhh.

My point is the locker is peice of mind (although atrac acts like lockers, kinda). And crawl is not a gimmick, it works from first hand experience. Do you need those things? Probably not. Don't let badge hunting get you down. Id love to see numbers on how many TRD pros and TRD OR NEVER see as much as a gravel road. Most modded 4runners in upstate NY are SR5s.

 

I've done quite a bit of serious off-roading in my TRD ORP and haven't used the terrain select or crawl control once. 4LO and the rear locker are all I've used. You'll be just fine in the SR5. Get you some good tires and eventually invest in a rear locker and a modest lift and I think you're set!

 

Thats what I meant to say.

Did I need crawl to get out of thst boat launch? Hell no. But why the hell not . I laugh now but most off road enthusiasts know that "oh fuuuck" feeling. You can laugh after but in the moment you're stressed... with your rear tires submerged, front tires on shitty gravel, pulling a broke boat thst isn't even mine out with a ORP with 300 miles it.... GOOD TIMES.

 

Totally get what you're saying haha!

 

you can always get a aftermarket locker if its killing you. That and good tires, a winch, and some maxx trax and youll go anywhere you want.

 

I think you made a fine purchase!! That SR5 should handle about anything that comes along!! Enjoy it!

 

@Kratos I just got back from Ouray/Telluride area on a big week long road trip. Did Engineer Pass, Imogene Pass, Black Bear Pass, California Gulch, Corkscrew Gulch, Last Dollar Road, and like a few more I forgot.

I used the locker ONCE in all that time, and it was because a Jeep went off the trail and I had to take a harder line than normal to get around him so I could anchor to let him winch back up. That's it, like that one time.

Basically I had SR5 capability the entire time until I locked it to do that one thing. Go watch the videos of those places, they are pretty gnarly. You could do them all.

 

Thanks y’all! I do love my SR5, and should not complain. You’re right about the crawl tech, just more things to go wrong. And I do more than the capability of my rig right now and have put him in spots he needed a locker.

No more complaints on this one!

Thank you everyone

 

I want to see them limb risers.


If I were you, I'd add a rear locker. My top requirement for buying my 4Runner was it must have an electronic rear locker.

 

More driving, less buying.

 

As a Pro owner, I recommend to all my friends to get an SR5 Premium. It's 90% of everything I have, at like 10 grand less. Two of my good friends just picked up SR5 Premiums and couldn't be happier

 

Tbh I just got my 20 orp and my wife ordered her 21 ofrp. If the sr5p had a manual 4x shifter I’d gotten an sr5. I’ll change my locker add a locker and all that before it’s all over with (even though she’s currently a pavement princess and I keep saying I’m not I’m not )

 

I agree, but Pro holds the value like a MF. I see some 2-3 year old Pros hitting market for same as they were originally sold.

 

Here are the limb risers. Mind you, they are extremely temporary. I know they won’t hold up to much more than 1” limbs, but to date, they have saved my front windshield multiple times.

I took my kids out wheelin tonight and it saved my windshield from a branch that broke off a tree and landed on my riser.

Yes I know I am putting my hood under a lot of pressure. Yes I know it’s not intended for this but it works for now.