Possible 2010 SE owner needs help... - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Briant73 · 03-13-2010, 03:17 PM

I am in the market for a 2010 Highlander SE AWD. The help I need is what if anything should I add on to it. I have decided on Magnetic Gray exterior with Black interior. I live in Northwestern PA where we get a lot of snow which leads to salt/dirt. I'm looking to upgrade from a 2007 Rav4 V6 AWD Limited.

I am thinking about these accessories

1) Toyota Mudguards (seen enough to decide I want them unless there is something majorly wrong with having them)

2) Toyota XM receiver - I believe the SE comes with xm prewire/antenna but does that save on the cost at all if the dealer has to install the XM kit?

3) Toyota Body Side moldings but two questions 1) Do you find you're having issues without them? Anyone got pics of the toyota BSM installed? Not sure if I will like the look.

4) Toyota Hood guard - Any pics of this on magnetic gray and to those without the hood guard any issues with damage up front? I live where snow, ice, dirt, rocks do get on the road.

Hope you can help me and if I can work out the right deal might be here more often.

tht1gurl · 03-13-2010, 03:44 PM

Asystole · 03-13-2010, 05:27 PM

I live in Wisconsin so salt and sand are no strangers to my 2010 SE. I put the WeatherTech rock and bug shield on as soon as I got home. That saved countless rock chips already! I had to wait for a few days to get the mud guards in the mail. That was the longest 5 days!

I have thought about the XM radio but I am still undecided on the price.

Side Molding isn't very functional IMO. It seems to be more cosmetic. I make a point to park in slots are are on the end of aisles so only the opposing car's passenger door is near my HL.

terp84alum · 03-13-2010, 06:10 PM

What does it cost to add the XM? How can you tell if your unit is XM ready?

Dman1 · 03-13-2010, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terp84alum

What does it cost to add the XM? How can you tell if your unit is XM ready?

To add XM, the installed prices, according to Toyota.com: $449.00; Toyota.ca (for us Canadians): $638.90.

If you want to install it yourself, looks like you can get a hell of a lot better deal from a place like Toyotaparts4u: $190.50 (http://www.toyotaparts4u.com/scripts...product=297492).

As for what models are XM Ready, I believe they all are. I just did a quick "Build Your Toyota" and the base model lists the XM as an option. The XM antenna is located in the middle of the roof near the back, and is the same color as the vehicles exterior.

Hope this helps.

boozereddy · 03-14-2010, 06:53 AM

I too think mudguards are must. Go for it..you will not go wrong with a Toyota.

Briant73 · 03-14-2010, 09:59 PM

Thanks for the input so far.

Mudguards are a definite, XM radio is a probable.

Hood guard I hear isn't too hard for one to install or is that not true? Just checking if I decide to do it later. I'm thinking the Toyota version btw.

BSM I'm going to see if it comes with it from factory but sounds like most owners feel these don't protect as much on the HL compared to other vehicles.

tht1gurl · 03-14-2010, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Briant73

Mudguards are a definite, XM radio is a probable.

Hood guard I hear isn't too hard for one to install or is that not true? Just checking if I decide to do it later. I'm thinking the Toyota version btw.

BSM I'm going to see if it comes with it from factory but sounds like most owners feel these don't protect as much on the HL compared to other vehicles.

Mudguards =

for sure; for the XM radio, consider how much you listen to your radio now and if you'd want all those options. Also, the subscription cost counts. For much cheaper, you could listen to normal FM radio or download music to an iPod and play that through the HL.

The picture of the hoodguard I posted for you is the Toyota version, I went to the accessories part of the HL page. It apparently has a no-drill installation and should be easy to do. Check the website to see, I can't remember too clearly.

As far as BSM goes, it's all for aesthetic purposes, IMO. I have a CR-V w/ OEM BSM and it just makes it look nice, no added protection what-so-ever.

Briant73 · 03-15-2010, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tht1gurl

Mudguards =

for sure; for the XM radio, consider how much you listen to your radio now and if you'd want all those options. Also, the subscription cost counts. For much cheaper, you could listen to normal FM radio or download music to an iPod and play that through the HL.

The picture of the hoodguard I posted for you is the Toyota version, I went to the accessories part of the HL page. It apparently has a no-drill installation and should be easy to do. Check the website to see, I can't remember too clearly.

As far as BSM goes, it's all for aesthetic purposes, IMO. I have a CR-V w/ OEM BSM and it just makes it look nice, no added protection what-so-ever.

I currently have XM in my Rav4 (roady XT) and would like to carry it over to the new vehicle.

The rest I'll see how it goes.

synch22 · 03-16-2010, 01:01 AM

We had the same debate on the extras. I added the mudguards but did not initally add the xm radio. Since our Hybrid Limited was not here yet i did some more research and even though we have never had xm or sirius I decided to call back and have the xm put in before we pick it up. Figured whats a few extra hundred bucks after spending so much and it seemed only right since we had Nav to install the xm.

Briant73 · 03-16-2010, 11:59 AM

So looks like this is how I will proceed -

Mudguards - YES
XM - YES (caught myself too many times messing with the xm roady xt instead of paying attention to the road)
BSM - YES (factory installed)

tht1gurl · 03-16-2010, 05:38 PM

^All good choices

Pics when you get it?

Briant73 · 03-20-2010, 11:29 AM

Wanted to update, no pics yet but I picked up my 2010 Highlander SE in Magnetic Gray with black leather interior. It came factory with body side moldings. I has the dealer install mudguards (should of done them myself but hey they gave a good price) and XM receiver.

So now that I have it I have a few questions mainly to do with interior lighting -
I see there is a light shining down on the gear shifter/cupholder area between the front seats, also the front doors have lights built in.
Are the cupholders supposed to light up at all?
Is there a light in the center console?
Are there footwell lights or is it all lit by the map/ceiling lights?
No reflectors built in for the rear doors?

Still debating about hoodguard so any opinions there are still welcome.