Dad got a TRD pro tundra

[565]

My dad's TRD pro came in.  It's basically his retirement toy.  I went with him to pick it up.  He got it at MSRP but has had a deposit on it for most of a year.  He just got it today so I'll have more thoughts after he brings it around a few more times.

[RomanChariot]

That's a nice truck. It kind of feels like it should have the C pillar blacked out since the A and B pillars are blacked out. It would give the full floating roof illusion.

[giant_mtb]

Daaaamn. Nice color.

[FoMoJo]

Yes, nice colour.

[CaminoRacer]

He take it off any sweet jumps yet?

[565]

He take it off any sweet jumps yet?

Lol when the salesman was going over the features with him, he was like this is how you engage 4WD low, you probably won't ever use that, this is for the rear locker, probably never use that.  He probably assumed that the 66 year old retired Chinese guy won't ever take it off road.


And he's right, probably the most off roading it is going to see is when my mom accidently runs over a curb with it at Costco.

[SJ_GTI]

Lol when the salesman was going over the features with him, he was like this is how you engage 4WD low, you probably won't ever use that, this is for the rear locker, probably never use that.  He probably assumed that the 66 year old retired Chinese guy won't ever take it off road.


And he's right, probably the most off roading it is going to see is when my mom accident runs over a curb with it at Costco.

Those curbs can be quite rough. Your dad should consider a lift and some meatier tires. 

As others have said, great color choice on the truck. 

[CaminoRacer]

Is that a built-in light bar in the grill, under TOYOTA?

[MrH]

Is that a built-in light bar in the grill, under TOYOTA?

Awwww yeaaaah.

A retired Chinese guy, jumping curbs and blinding everyone with his Brodozer lights is a great mental image   I hope there's a freedom ain't free decal on the back window.

[565]

Awwww yeaaaah.

A retired Chinese guy, jumping curbs and blinding everyone with his Brodozer lights is a great mental image   I hope there's a freedom ain't free decal on the back window.

Pretty much,  gonna get him some truck nuts for Christmas.

[565]

First order of business will be to compromise its off road capability by getting some running boards.  My 5 foot 1 mom looks like she's cliff diving when she's getting out of the truck.  I'm worried she's going to break an ankle.

[Lebowski]

Nice.

[giant_mtb]

First order of business will be to compromise its off road capability by getting some running boards.  My 5 foot 1 mom looks like she's cliff diving when she's getting out of the truck.  I'm worried she's going to break an ankle.

OEM ones are pretty nice, but probably about twice the price of what you could find aftermarket.

[AutobahnSHO]

yummy!

[565]

Well drove it around a bit.  And well..it drives like a big truck.  I have very limited experience driving around trucks so I can't really say it's much better or worse than other half ton pickup trucks.  I've driven around uhaul and rider trucks and this obvious is better than those.  I once borrowed my brother in law's Denali 2500HD and that felt like driving a building.  I felt it was going to accidently run over smaller cars when I made a turn..  This Tundra feels like driving a slightly smaller building.  It feels like it takes constant awareness to keep it in the lanes.  I imagine an even wider Raptor or TRX is even harder to keep in the lanes.

The ride is very soft over bumps but body control is poor, but my frame of reference is the blackwing and x3m, again minimal experience driving trucks. You can see the hybrid spiking electric torque to torque fill for the turbo.  There is piped in "v8" noise that doesn't sound like a V8, at least not a GM small block that I'm used to, maybe it does sound like the old 5.7 toyota V8. 

Overall I would say it was way more fun to ride in it than actually driving it.  I guess I don't understand daily driving this kinda thing for commuting without hauling or towing anything. My parents have really gotten into gardening and yard/home improvement since retirement.  My dad has basically been using his old SUV as a truck, hauling dirt and supplies on a tarp with the seats down.  He also plans to tow his boat with it but it might be too much for the 11000 pound tow rating.  Even if he doesn't tow the boat at least now we can pack all our fishing gear and coolers instead of making two trips like before. I think overall they will get good use of this truck as a truck.

[565]

Okay went to my folks place for labor day weekend and my wife and I borrowed the TRD pro for a spin to get some lunch for everyone.  She liked it alot more than I did, because it's way more fun in the passenger seat than the drivers seat. 

It also gets a ton of attention, probably because it's traffic cone florescent orange.  Had a guy in a TRD pro 4 runner follow for like 2 minutes on the highway pointing at it to his passenger.  I haven't really seen any other TRD pro Tundras around yet.

Tried Toyota's level 2 autonomous driving in comparison to BMWs.  The radar cruise works very well but only has 3 follow distances to the BMWs 4, the lane centering seems to work well enough.  In the BMW the steering is very quick so it seems like the wheel is making tiny adjustments but the car is weaving and pingponging at times.  In the Tundra the steering has alot more slop so the system seems to be cranking at the wheel quite a bit and I expect it to heave into the other lane but the truck is barely moving.  Also the BMW complains pretty much immediately if your hands are off the wheel.  Toyota's system seems like it would let you keep your hands off the wheel forever by comparison.  I think after like a minute it asked for the hands back on the wheel. 

Also the digital rear view mirror in the Tundra is actually better than the CT5.  Better clarity by far.  The interior materials are shockingly cheap.  Hard plastics everywhere but that might be the norm for trucks but build quality seems excellent.  I heard the early Tundras had tons of fit and finish issues but they must have sorted it out.  The panel gaps are tight, interior panels solid, and paint quality is stunning.

[IrishGuy]

Also the digital rear view mirror in the Tundra is actually better than the CT5.  Better clarity by far.

I've always wondered what these digital rear view mirrors are like.  When looking at it do you feel like you're just looking at a screen or does it really do a good job at emulating a mirror-like experience?  Also, what was better about it in the Tundra over the CT5?

[565]

I've always wondered what these digital rear view mirrors are like.  When looking at it do you feel like you're just looking at a screen or does it really do a good job at emulating a mirror-like experience?  Also, what was better about it in the Tundra over the CT5?

The tundra has a bigger mirror (screen) with the ability to display text over the mirror for the button functions as well as a sharper image, not sure if it's from the camera or screen.

It feels like a screen, because unlike a mirror there is no depth perception.  However the benefit is a much wider field of view and much better night image quality, you can see what is behind you at night and not just the headlights.

On another note, I applied blaster surface shield to the bottom of my dad's Tundra this past weekend when it was warm.  I've never done any rust proofing before but seeing how my dad intends to keep this truck forever and my g37 was eaten by rust, figured it was a good idea.

Did it with some ramps and the Woolwax pro sprayer gun and it was pretty easy.  I'll have to see how it holds up.  I might also do it on the wife's X3m but there isn't too much exposed steel on that car underneath.  Blackwing won't see salt/winter weather.