Buying a 2008 Highlander Base or Sport ?? Please advise

[ezslim]

Hey all,

I am thinking about buying a highlander as my Toyota 4runner has served me extremely well. I have narrowed the search to two vehicles.

1) 08 black highlander BASE 52000 KMS. - $26,000 on the road

2) 08 Dark Grey Highlander Sport (leather,sunroof) 52000 km - $30,700 on the road.


I am leaning toward the base model, im not sure what the major differences are other than the leather/ sunroof (both i can live without).

What do you guys think? Is the Sport model worth the extra $$?

Thanks!

[ezslim]

Both suvs are 4x4's...

[TrailDust]

Depends on what your needs are. The Base would be better if you're intending to use it off-road at all, or need it for foul weather conditions, etc. The Sport is geared more for the SUV performance end of the spectrum with lower profile tires and such.

[ezslim]

Hey, thanks for the reply.

My driving is mostly highway (toronto to detroit) or local streets, never offroad. Mostly city or highway urban driving...

[lucky777]

I have Base myself and there are few key differences that I can remember, not 100% sure though.

Sport has rear view camera, trip/status monitor, power driver seat, rear hutch window can be opened, radio antenna embedded in the rear side window. I believe sport also has standard fog lights and roof rack that optional on base. Low profile tires that Sport has limit your options and cost more to replace.

BTW do both of these cars have 3 seat rows?

[jimmiejo]

Drive them both . I did , and to me the Sport had a better feel to it It's a pleasure to drive. I think the suspension or shocks are different.

09 Sport pearl white

[matt0420]

Spend some good time playing with the features of both, and get an idea of what you think you'll need.

In my opinion Highlanders are optioned really oddly (in Canada at least)...

You get a stripper model, a near loaded model, or the loaded.

The base model is REALLY BASE. No outside temperature gauge, no steering radio controls, no fogs, all seem like features that should be standard on every mid-size SUV these days. Are the headlights even automatic on the base? GM's have had automatic headlights since 1997...blew my mind when I went SUV shopping last year and saw so many "import" SUV's didnt have automatic headlights.

The Sport is really nice, and almost seems like a different class of SUV when compared to the base...

I remember I seriously looked at a Sport until I realized it didn't even have optional homelink...so at that point I figure WTH I'll just put the extra 4 grand into the Limited for homelink and smartkey.

[jimmiejo]

My o9 Sport has homelink, but didn't have the auto mirror with compass, they threw that in with the deal. It allso has the auto temp a/c.

[TrailDust]

Originally Posted by matt0420

In my opinion Highlanders are optioned really oddly (in Canada at least)...

+1

No, scratch that, + infinity!

[abimom]

The prices seen high to me. I pretty sure my wife paid $26 for a 08 Sport when it was 6 months old with less than 10k miles. She added leather/heated front seats for $2k more. Unless it happened to be a great dea; at the time.

[Timbits93]

You have to keep in mind, they're in Toronto Ontario. Everything is cheaper in the states :P

[abimom]

Ya, but this was about 2 1/2 years ago when she bought it. The price should have depreciated a few grand since then. I remember she wanted the Sport, but found it for about the price of a base model.

[matt0420]

Originally Posted by abimom

Ya, but this was about 2 1/2 years ago when she bought it. The price should have depreciated a few grand since then. I remember she wanted the Sport, but found it for about the price of a base model.

Yeah...those prices are pretty much what Highlanders go for around here...

[Dman1]

Originally Posted by matt0420

Yeah...those prices are pretty much what Highlanders go for around here...

Yup. Even though the US dollar has tanked over the last few years compared to the Canadian $$ (not counting the last month), when the Canadian dollar was worth around $1.07 per US dollar, we were/are still getting hosed by the automobile manufacturers to the tune of 25% (when I bought my 2009 Limited, it was around $48-$50K, and I believe they were going for around $36K in the US for the same package (give or take)). Over and above that, I had to pay 13% in taxes as well, where in most US states, the rate is half of that, or lower, in some cases.

So yeah, the prices seem high, but are reasonable north of the border.

...end rant...

[ezslim]

hey guys, i went to get the base model but it was sold so i opted for the sport model its dark grey with 52000 kms leather, sunroof, etc. New tires/brakes all around and on the road for $30,500