Toyota vs SxS

[Customweld]

Mine is bare bones, budget model. Works fine and does what I ask it to do. To me it's just another tool not a luxury item, I'm not paying for a full cab, heater, A/C, 13 light bars and whatever else people do. It just needs to go from point A to point B and back, I don't drive it around all day road hunting like so many guys do.

A guy I used to work with bought a new $25k SXS several years ago for "hunting" and complained after using it the first season he had it, said he put 1300 miles on it, killed 9 bottles of whiskey and didn't see any elk. Cracks me up

Exactly. They are just tools. I have a Tacoma, SxS and a quad. Each has it's purpose. As it sits right now, there is no way in hell I'd take my Toyota where I take my Pioneer.

 

[WeiserBucks]

As it sits right now, there is no way in hell I'd take my Toyota where I take my Pioneer.

Take em both to the same places for 10 years and see which one is clapped.

 

[5MilesBack]

5100 are also a poor low speed shock for comfort. I have them.

Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, or a masochist, or have never experienced "comfort" before........but I've never understood what all the fuss is about ride quality and comfort. My '01 F-350 is fine, my old Toyota is fine, my Tundra is fine. What am I missing? I've also never found anything in Colorado that my old stock Toyota couldn't handle just fine by itself or with chains. And I've never "aired it down". It's been rode hard and put away wet for 36 years now.

Maybe it's like boots......everyone seems to have a problem with their feet or their boots. I buy a pair, put them on, and go. I think I'm better off not knowing what I don't know, and just keep pressing on.

 

[Customweld]

Take em both to the same places for 10 years and see which one is clapped.

I know which one wouldn't have any paint left!

 

[WeiserBucks]

I know which one wouldn't have any paint left!

Or ball joints, cv joints, kidneys, missing teeth . . . . . .

 

[Balderdash]

I've never fully understood the SXS appeal. Around where I live they're legal on the roads, and everyone is constantly buzzing around on them, interfering with the normal flow of vehicles that were actually designed to be on paved roads. I totally get their use for farm/ranch/job site use and even off road trail riding for fun, but not as a replacement for situations in which using an actual vehicle wouldn't be much different.

For hunting I ran several Jeeps through the years that would go to the vast majority of places the larger SXS's will, and they have heat and AC. If the trails are really that rough, I prefer a traditional ATV for hunting/game recovery. They're better for steep and/or overgrown trails.

I do go along with the argument that it's nice to not use the vehicle you need to get home with for off roading, but a small Jeep will tow as easy and with the same equipment as is used for the larger 4 seater SxS's

 

[WCT3]

It’s crazy to me that I still meet guys on trails who don’t/wont air down.

I'm guilty of this because my compressor sucks and I don't want to wait 30+ minutes to air back up to drive home.

 

[Weldor]

I prefer the comfort of my Megacab to get where I'm going, towing and unloading is worth the price of admission. Tow my jku or SxS my truck does not care. I'm 6'4" Taco's really kill my back, but they are great trucks no doubt. I think we got away from the hunting rig thing and more into the Baja racing. LOL.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I prefer the comfort of my Megacab to get where I'm going, towing and unloading is worth the price of admission. Tow my jku or SxS my truck does not care. I'm 6'4" Taco's really kill my back, but they are great trucks no doubt. I think we got away from the hunting rig thing and more into the Baja racing. LOL.

The newest Tacoma design, which I love the look of, I’ve rented 3 times now for 10+ day travel trips. Once in Alaska and tested the TRD off road quite a bit, and twice on some quick trips from AZ to Vegas for work.

They are 100% not comfortable for anyone over 6’ tall. I’m only 6’1-6’2” and if I stretch to sit up straight my head hits the ceiling liner.

Neither of my older tacomas had that issue.

Also, the 2024 TRD off road package with factory 33s feels insanely underwhelming compared to a Jeep or SXS for the off roading I did in Alaska.

 

[Poser]

That said. $5k v8 4runner leaves a lot of money in the piggy bank for badass suspension....

View attachment 907685

With only 185k, that would be 15-18k in Colorado.

 

[cq0302]

Engineering design goal on most sxs is 10-20k miles, I believe it is 10 on a . Some people get more but they just are not designed for longevity like a Tacoma. You could get decent suspension in a Tacoma around 5k, for 10k you could really have something. Lots of very reputable suspension builders in socal and Arizona area


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[HuntHarder]

Maybe it's like boots......everyone seems to have a problem with their feet or their boots. I buy a pair, put them on, and go. I think I'm better off not knowing what I don't know, and just keep pressing on.

If you think your F350 rides good, I think your last statement is % accurate. You are better off not knowing.

 

[RichardSkinner]

Take em both to the same places for 10 years and see which one is clapped.

Legitimately, you think the sxs wouldn't be clapped? I wheel a lot, I'm talking really testing rigs type wheeling, and see a lot of breakage. I do see 10-45 year old Toyotas still hanging in there all over the place. That's not because they don't break - they absolutely do, however replacing bushings, ball joints, CVs, and U joints can be done on the trail in 45 minutes.

I don't see many 10 year old side by sides on the trail. Kind of seems they're a bit more disposable items to many. Resale after 10 years is not there and majority of SxS types just finance another toy.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Legitimately, you think the sxs wouldn't be clapped? I wheel a lot, I'm talking really testing rigs type wheeling, and see a lot of breakage. I do see 10-45 year old Toyotas still hanging in there all over the place. That's not because they don't break - they absolutely do, however replacing bushings, ball joints, CVs, and U joints can be done on the trail in 45 minutes.

I don't see many 10 year old side by sides on the trail. Kind of seems they're a bit more disposable items to many. Resale after 10 years is not there and majority of SxS types just finance another toy.

Mine is a perfect example, been using it a ton for 10+ years and all I've ever done is replace the belt once, fuel pump and the oil/filters as needed. I don't care what the resale value is as I intend to keep using it as long as it holds up.

I can't speak to the durability or reliability of others but mine has been great.

 

[RichardSkinner]

Mine is a perfect example, been using it a ton for 10+ years and all I've ever done is replace the belt once, fuel pump and the oil/filters as needed. I don't care what the resale value is as I intend to keep using it as long as it holds up.

I can't speak to the durability or reliability of others but mine has been great.

How many miles on the sxs in that 10 years?

 

[WeiserBucks]

How many miles on the sxs in that 10 years?

Odometer quit in 2017 at 2500ish, I'd guess its at 10-12k at this point?

 

[Bama67]

Are you talking about the illusive 4th Gen 4Runner V8 "Trail Edition" or the new 6th Gen 4cyl Turbo"Trail hunter"?

I've only actually ever seen one of the 4th Gen Trail Editions in the wild, but those are baddass. Not sure what to think about a 4 cyl 4Runner.

Mine was just a 2016 with the tried and true 4.0 V6 and 5 Spd.
Only the Trail models, and TRD got the rear locker back then I believe. All 4Runners come with ATrac, which works pretty well. It did come with some other stuff like terrain modes and crawl control.

I don't want anything to do with the new model, not just the drivetrain but mainly because they somehow made the rear seat room less, even though the vehicle is larger.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I think I'm better off not knowing what I don't know, and just keep pressing on.

As long as you’re happy with it…

Airing down is one of the simplest things you can do that

1. Increases ride comfort
2. Increases traction
3. Reduces the odds of a flat

 

[Jason Snyder]

Thinking of selling the SxS and buying a Tacoma. Most of my SxS usage is hunting. Usually either rough rocky roads or muddy roads. I don’t really off-road or anything like that.

I’ve got a 2020 Can-am Maverick. It’s a good machine overall. But there are 3 of us sometimes. It’s not fully enclosed so the wife gets cold. And on the muddy hunts we get covered in mud.

I thought about buying a 4 seat Can-am Commander. That would allow all of us to hunt together. It wouldn’t necessarily fix the mud and the cold though.

Then I thought about buying a Tacoma. Something in the 2012-2015 range with around 100k miles. I would get a good suspension installed on it so it rides more like a SxS.

The Toyota route would cost the most. But I also see it lasting longer. I haven’t priced out a suspension since I don’t even know which one I would want yet. I can get a truck in decent shape with 100k miles for around $20k most days. $10k more for the suspension? And I’m at $30k. I would hope to easily get another 100k miles out of the Toyota. I could also just drive the Toyota from the house and skip trailering the SxS.

Am I missing anything? Is a good suspension more like $20k? Anyone ditch the SxS for a pickup with a good aftermarket suspension?

For what you describe I’d do the Toyota.

You can add a heck of a nice suspension package, with new UCA for under $5k if you do the work.

Add some good tires on the smallest rim you can do. Put on board air so it’s quick and easy to air down and inflate back up.

I doubt you need a rear locker for what you describe.

 

[Poser]

As long as you’re happy with it…

Airing down is one of the simplest things you can do that

1. Increases ride comfort
2. Increases traction
3. Reduces the odds of a flat

Yeah, I don't understand when people pushback against airing down. I mean, if you don't want to do it, knock yourself out, but the performance improvement and reduced impact on your components just makes it such an obvious advantage. I've driven some the of the same roads with and without airing down many times (some of them being right on the line, other times, just being lazy) and the difference is is akin to driving 2 different vehicles.