First fake TRD Pro I have seen in the wild

I am a BMW M3 owner, so I see my fair share of 335i's with M3 badges on them, but it is never when I am in my M3. The same seems to go with our 4Runner TRD Pro, I saw this while driving around in another vehicle, not our 4Runner TRD Pro.



As you can tell from the side, the TRD pro badge is wrong. Same badge was on the rear hatch. The ride height is wrong and it doesn't have any FOX suspension (or the OG Bilsteins either). No skid plate. The front bumper looks like it could be off a TRD Off Road, but it spelled out in aftermarket "4RUNNER" instead of Toyota. And it looked like it was just taped on with black double-sided tape visible behind the "4RUNNER".

I actually give more respect than most to people who buy SR5s and throw tons of parts at them making them better than my TRD Pro, but the second you fake it like this it grinds my gears.

 

Agreed. Too bad too as like you said, an SR5 can be modded up to be anything the owner wants it to be. No need to fake it.

Edited to add;

Upon 2nd look, take the fake badges off and that’s a good looking 4. Painting the OEM wheels and new tires looks good, and then flushes that down the toilet with fake badging. Dumb!

 

Hey fake it til you make it right?

 

Eh, I guess. Almost seems disrespectful to the 4R. The SR5 is a fine and capable vehicle on its own. In fact, after having a Limited and blowing out the XREAS, I decided my next one was going to be an SR5 and I was going to build it exactly how I wanted it to be and here I am.

 

Not really sure why people do this. The people that own 4Runners know it's fake, and the people that don't, don't care enough to know what a TRD Pro is anyway.

 

It’s also got the OEM plastic running boards.

 

Nobody better call me fake when I decide to buy the pro grill. That’s how they all should look.

Regarding the picture, perhaps it actually is a Pro, but the owner de-pro’d it because as a humble guy, thought it was presumptuous. Maybe he figured he'd prefer to sell the fox setup, wheels and grill, but never got around to the badges.

 

I hate the word “Pro” which is a marketing thing. MacBook Pro, iPhone Pro, TRD Pro, etc… at least the M badge is iconic. Or if one changes an SR5 badge for a TRD badge I get it. But adding the word “Pro” ruins everything IMO.

It doesn’t bother me if anyone keep their Pro badge but definitely strange to add one.
I actually removed mine since I hate this marketing word so much. Replaced it by the TRD stripes.
The TRD Pro 4Runner just happened to have almost everything i wanted straight from the factory which is why I got one. I wish it was called TRD something other than Pro though



edit: don’t know how to rotate the image. It’s not sideways in my phone library

 

I don't think there's anything wrong with putting the pro grill on another 4runner. After all most of the "pro" additions are cosmetics. I personally like the look of the Pro grille, pro wheels, (not the roof rack, it's gotta go) and the Pro has certain stuff that other 4runners dont have other than the limited such as dual climate, etc... AND I dont have any plan on adding a lift, bigger tires, until a couple years from now so it made sense to me.

But it's weird to have a 4runner that has a Pro badge and looks completely different than a TRD Pro, despite still looking good like said above by @Accelerator

 

Yep, the owner was off to a really good start with the mods/changes without changing the badges.

 

I don't get why anyone would do it. Like @PVT Pablo said, anyone who cares about what a TRD PRO is would know it's fake.

I don't care if people put PRO grilles, etc on whatever trim. I won't do it, but that's just me.

I thought about getting PRO wheels early on, but I'm so glad I didn't now that everyone has them!

 

Meh, to each their own. I prefer to debadge vics, kept the symbol and lettering on the hatch until i can find a way to delete them without looking goofy.

 

I love that my 2013 Trail is pre-TRD and doesn't have any extra badging on it. I think it looks cleaner with nothing on the c-pillar.

 

I occasionally see a Tacoma TRD Sport around town that has TRD Pro badges all over it. Same thing, they're not even in the right place, and he's got a bunch of AutoZone mods on it too.

There's a certain subset of enthusiasts in my area that like to modify their vehicles by tacking on as many extra emblems, fake chrome trim, hood ornaments, and as many fake scoops and fender vents as they can. A lot of them do it to older 4Runners and Tacomas, but there's also an F-150 and Explorer Sport Trac modded up like that too.

 

Badging has gone downhill after they stopped putting Toyota and 4wd on the mud flaps

 

I’m all for the “pro look” grill, letters/ no lettering is no difference for me- it’s kind of a way to express ones self. But adding TRD pro side badges is just unnecessary.

 

Exactly, like it would be different if the faking it scammed an opinion towards your vehicle in some way, but everyone would know or doesn't care.

 

I wonder if he bought it like thinking it was a Pro and paid the Pro price for a fake?

 

Yeah so my fear is for every fake M3, fake TRD Pro, it could have been some shady car dealer who threw some badges on and sold it for TRD Pro prices

 

He's also missing the "Pro" roof rack as well

 

Exactly!

 

I view TRD an an accessory line - if you want a heritage grill (that's what it should be called) on your SR5 that is perfectly normal. TRD wheels, skid plate etc - these are all options in my opinion, the Pro just happens to come with them from the factory.

The actual TRD Pro badge however is tied to a specific trim and price point and now we get into not only poor taste, poser flexing but possibly outright shadiness if this guy ever puts it for sale.

TRD ORP w/KDSS is arguably better than the Pro anyway so for me the Pro doesn't carry the came clout with 4Runner as it does maybe with a Tacoma or Tundra.

 

Lmao. Back when I was in the mustang group (16 year old me), people would put cobra badges on their v6’s

 

Same like someone putting a Denali badge on a regular Yukon, or slap a SS on a regular trailblazer or Monte Carlo lol

 

Just happy with my SR5 Premium=best of both world's. Head turner and does everything I ask it to!

 

The pre-2019 Pro had the same roof rack as all the other models

 

That things probably an SR5, based on the wheels.

There's a guy who parks next to me at work that has a pre-2015 5th gen.

I thought he had a bunch of fake TRD Pro badges all over it until I looked a little closer and noticed it said TRD BRO.

At least he has a sense of humor.

 

Worse when you see a 2001 Mustang with a Nissan GT-R badge



The only reason I replaced the grill on my 4runner is that I like the OG look of having TOYOTA spelled out much like on an FJ. I have no care to replicate another trim.

As an SR5 owner, to me its just nice to build the truck to your vision outside of adding the trim pieces to a different model. And as already stated above, those of us who know the difference frown on it and those that do not dont care anyway.

 

i agree with you here

This always makes me laugh when I read this. It sure is better for you. Most likely not for me. KDSS would be worse for someone like me for my needs compared to the stock fox suspension from the pro. Which are worse than many aftermarket options.

It’s just as cringy as hearing people with a pro saying they have the best possible 4Runner and look down at others who don’t have a pro. Can’t stand it personally…

Whatever you think is best for you, that great, but it might not be best for someone else.
Just like an SR5 or a limited is the best for someone else but not good enough for you . For many, it’s better to buy an SR5 and build it with front and rear locker than using Atrac on your OR or my Pro.

 

May be its just me who don't give a damn about TRD Pro.

From poor workmanship on the wheel alignment, wheel balance. Sunroof leak. The automatic climate control is no different than manual controls where I have to keep changing temperature, fan speed. Roof rack with same crossbars and just 110lbs weight with extra wind noise. Even small things like turn indicator on mirrors so it indicates to people on the side on turning or Toyota been so cheap not even giving A/T spare tire. Even TRD Pro wheels have same width as SR5 right? 7in vs TRD ORP has wider wheels for bigger tires. Don't want to keep on an on complaining. Just wanted to tell I don't give a damn about TRD Pros. Me personally would like an SR5P with 7 seats put a good lift, tires, twin lockers front and back, skids and sliders. I think nowadays SR5 allows to have that multi-terrain camera system? (not sure). Again its just my opinion.

To be honest when I come next to another non TRD Pro at a traffic light / parking lot, back of my brain thinks,
"I wonder what would that owner think about mine? 'Look at that idiot who overpays for that same 4Runner?'".