considering trading my '04 KC SE 4x2 for '05 CC SE/LE 4x4...your thoughts?

[cardesigner]

Happy 4th to all by the way!

Yesterday, I had a really bad experience with my Titan at Osa Meadows, up in the Sequoia national forest. My girlfriend and a load of my friends went camping for the 4th weekend. We got to camp and began setting up, popping a few beers and having a great time. On the way in we crossed a huge mud pit that blocked the entrance to our secluded spot and although my Titan made it through, it was a bit sketchy as I spun the tires and almost got stuck...but got through it.

An hour later my girlfriend began complaining about pains in her body and wasn't sure what to do. I told her it could have been the altitude but asked if she wanted to leave. Half an hour later she was in agony and major pain. Without hesitation, we jumped in my Titan and told my friends of the situation. I hammered the gas in hopes of finding a doctor or ER, which was very far since we were in the middle of nowhere. It was also getting late, around 7:30 pm, and I was in unfamiliar territory about 50 miles from the highway. Anyways, I slammed my truck though the mud pit, which was deeper now with the water draining into it. My truck just sat and spun the rear tires. It was completely stuck, but I backed it out and tried again. Once again it failed. I couldn't get my Titan out. Luckily my friend had a 4WD and we jumped in that and got out just fine with no effort. I sped down the mountain and found a hospital in Ridgecrest, about 60 miles away. We were there for a while but my girl was OK.

The next day my Titan was able to get out after an hour of struggling and creative efforts. My friend, a seasoned offroader, told me that if I had 4x4 it would have been fine. I've gotten stuck on other occasions with that same friend pulling me out w/ his Jeep Rubicon. Not only is this embarrassing but considering yesterday it could have been an even more serious situation. I do go camping quite a bit, the terrains are getting more and more challenging with every outing and we go out riding bikes out in the middle of nowhere and it's come to my attention that I should have gotten a 4x4.

What do you guys think? What kind of hit can I expect? Is it the time to buy or should I wait until later in the year, or would it make a difference? I'm a bit disappointed with my big Titan right now, it's not her fault since I bought a 4x2 and not expecting to ever need a 4x4 until after I got it. I've also realized that even though I need the bed space of the KC, I carry rear passengers quite often and it's just a PITA with the KC.

What do you guys think?

[tweety]

The bulk of the people I see around town that have 4x4's on their pick ups never uses them for what they are meant for. Occasionally I will run into a guy that goes fishing and needs it to put the boat in the water but like the Jeep Sahara that I had, many of those people get the 4x4 just to say that they had it. We used our Jeep a lot.
Like you mentioned, you go off camping quite a bit. When push comes to shove, you needed your truck and it failed you. 4x4 would have helped a lot in this case. No question as to what you should do. Not worth the risk in the future.

[BULLTITAN]

Hey cardesigner, I know what you mean. I had a explorer w/o 4x4 and stuck back out of driveway in the winter, that sh!t is embarrassing, so when I got to the U.S.,I traded and bought a CC Titan 4x4 and never regreted it. Just to make sure it worked, I took out in the training area on the military installation and found some funky stuff to get thru and it did! Now about the time to buy, if you wait around the fall timeframe, you can probably get a better deal. However, if you do wait you could get stuck again and pulled out next time by a Honda Ridgeline Go for it and be prepared to spend more.

[Vector]

Better to not need it and have it, than to need it and not have it.

Buy the 4x4 LE. I love mine. Although I have a couple of snowmobiles that I take up north all winter long, and usually need 4WD due to snow and road conditions here.

Its a fun item to have. You will find yourself testing where you can go with it.

[HudsonValleyTitan]

Living here in the northeast, the 4X4 or 4X2 question never came up. I had to go the 4X4 route for the winters. But your lifestyle, even without the winters to worry about, shows you need a 4X4. Most times, a stuck truck is just an inconvenience, but in your case, had you NOT had another friend with 4WD, it could have been much more serious! You can either take the hit and go with the new 4WD Titan, or keep the truck you have and stop going places a 4X2 shouldn't go. I think you know what to do. Hope the girlfriend is ok.

[vntperformance]

I own a 05 LE CC/4x4, love the truck...just hit 4k miles!! And now the damn brake shudder is appearing. I never go off roading or any of that stuff, but when it snows here this winter i'm sure i'll love the 4wd even more!!!!!

enjoy!
vnt

[mtofell]

I have the 4X4 and never even considered otherwise... I rarely use it but like the others say... it's better to have it and not need it than the other way around. It's a nice feeling to not even think about it.... I got an LE CC 4X4 because thankfully, it's a company truck but if push came to shove and I was forced to give up some pleasures... the 4X4 would be one of the last to go... I would waaaaaay rather have a stripped down 4X than a nicely equipped 2X.... just a personal preference I suppose but it's a nice thing to not have to think about.

[whodat808]

you are going from a KC to CC, you know that you'll lose some bedspace?

[whodat808]

sorry disregard my post...i just saw your last paragraph

[cardesigner]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Looks like I will seriously be looking at trading my Titan in. You guys are right, better to have it and not need it, but with the places I go and the things I do command a 4x4. Living in L.A., I never thought I'd need it much since I didn't need it in my old Toyota.

I would probably go with the SE because I prefer the bench seat. I'll have to stop at my dealer and see what they can work out.

[SickWhip]

keep us posted!

[FluxCubby]

The 05 LE's have a leather bench seat available as an option, but you lose the seat heaters...just FYI