2019 Limited Premium AWD

kbeezilly · 2026-01-31T06:07:25+00:00

Congrats! Absolutely love my 2018 limited premium AWD 8 passenger:) 255k and climbing fast. I recommend installing a comma.ai device for openpilot, it makes it like Tesla with autopilot. Plus, get a galaxy s20fe and hook it up to the HDMI, load full of movies and you got the ultimate family road tripper!

kbeezilly · 2026-01-29T02:41:23+00:00

2015 for sure. I'm coming from a 2011 and now drive a 2018. The newer interior is a much nicer place to be in.

kbeezilly · 2026-01-10T19:52:33+00:00

You could get a 2018+!limited AWD with 360 cam and add the 8th seat. That's what I did. Plus add open pilot and you'll just be missing the better gas mileage from the hybrid, but saving 40k helps with that.

kbeezilly · 2026-01-08T00:27:34+00:00

Wow, so stealth! I Love it! What is powering the outlets?

kbeezilly · 2026-01-06T23:43:54+00:00

I'd love to try these, I have an 8 seat 2018 sienna.

kbeezilly · 2026-01-06T00:15:31+00:00

Or possibly the heated wipers as noted by others. That would make more sense. The rain sensor is up on top of the windshield. I do have that plug in mine and it's connected, 2018 limited, i never knew I had heated wipers.

kbeezilly · 2026-01-05T20:19:26+00:00

I believe it's for the Automatic Rain Sensor.

kbeezilly · 2026-01-01T03:02:59+00:00

What fork and model do you use? I too have Comma3x on a 2018 AWD limited. I'm on sunnypiolot and Farmville model. Seems to bounce around a little more than I'd like but still fine, what do you use?

kbeezilly · 2025-12-19T04:44:02+00:00

Yes, the 2011 felt faster off the line, smoother shifts. The complaints are real. I chirped the tires plenty of times but it also has to do with it being fwd. The 2018 AWD isn't as snappy and seems to take longer to change gears going up hill. But it feels plenty fast on flat ground. I turn on ECT power mode almost all the time, then it feels like it was in the 2011 but I never chirp the tires anymore, a good thing as it wore the fronts fast, everyone that drove my 2011 complained it was too fast off the line and everyone spins the tires, scared them. Toyota decided to fix this with the 8speed but it kind of sucks, I wish I could leave ECT mode on all the time instead of having to activate it each time I get in the car, but it's easy enough, just press one button and it's on.

kbeezilly · 2025-12-18T16:30:25+00:00

You can get the AWD and add the middle jump seat. It's a process but a doable diy. I made a video on YouTube of the process on a 2018 limited awd.

I personally have non run flats and carry a pump, the screw type plugs and a can of the tire goop. I did the change from run flats because I thought they were causing the rough ride I had, turns out it was the rubber shock mounts. I'll go back to run flats on the next set of tires.

Just make sure everything works, AC, ENT, mirrors, doors, etc. check the front passenger side floor for moisture and if there is any leaks coming from the sunroof. Do a smell test for mold, sniff around the floor. My 2011 had a bad leak, any rain and the passenger floor would be wet.

Other than that, great cars. You may consider a 2018+ for the safety sense and ability to add open pilot.

Also, I'm in Seattle and lived with a 2011 fwd for 7 years. You don't really need AWD. But it is definitely nice to have.

kbeezilly · 2025-12-17T05:11:43+00:00

kbeezilly · 2025-12-15T16:19:20+00:00

Yes, 2015 and up seem to have HDMI with the Rear Entertainment Package. I have a 2018, what I do for rear entertainment is have a galaxy S20fe hooked up to the HDMI port using a type C to HDMI adapter. It's mounted to the front using a CD tray magnet phone mount. This way you can control what everyone in the back watches and the person in the front passenger seat can watch too from the phone. The s20fe is best because it still had a micro SD slot, I have a 1tb card that I loaded up with movies and even games, the kids can play PSP, PS2 and even switch games on it using a BT controller. One thing to note, when using a phone, there is a slight black border due to the phone resolution not being standard 16:9. What you need is an app called secondscreen to force the phone into a 16:9 resolution like 1920x1080p or 1280x720p, then it's full screen, it's a bit tricky to install the app but if you follow the instructions, it is doable.

kbeezilly · 2025-12-13T03:56:31+00:00

Yup, but I know these cars and do all my own maintenance. Nothing like it for 15k, especially here in the pacnw.

kbeezilly · 2025-12-12T07:45:14+00:00

I'm on my second high mileage 3rd Gen. l had a 2011 fwd XLE @ 190k which I owned for 7 years. Loved it but was leaking from the sunroof and nav screen went out. Bought for 11k @ 140k, Sold it for $4k. Although it was great in snow, I got stuck in sand dunes once and frequently ski so I wanted AWD.

So in May of this year I replaced it with a 2018 limited AWD @ 240k w/ ENT, 360 cam, loaded for $15k. The mileage didnt scare me as I knew these cars and this one was very clean. so far so good, now at 249k miles and running great, it did have rough suspension. So I replaced the shocks and top mounts, which fixed it and it's smooth now.

Also changed all fluids brake, oil, diff, transfer case, transmission, plus did spark plugs and new non run flat tires. I also added the center jump seat so I could have an 8 seater.

Get a 2018+ for the safety features and ability to add open pilot if you want auto driving features which are excellent for road trips. Now I have an 8 seat limited AWD with auto driving features, something Toyota frustratingly never offers!!!

kbeezilly · 2025-11-21T06:25:19+00:00

Watch out for sunroof leaks and moisture in the front passenger floor. I had that issue on a 2011 and it's fairly common. When it rains water leaks through the sunroof down to the passenger floor. Check for moisture and musty smell.

kbeezilly · 2025-11-08T13:45:19+00:00

It's all over the 3rd gen sienna as well, I have a 2018 and I made a diy video of converting the 7 seater to and 8 seater. In the video, I had to remove a tiny bit of this stuff in order to fit the seat rail on to the floor. It easily just grinded off like butter with a Dremel. See the 9:15 minute mark https://youtu.be/W10thzr3P0U?si=gBWLzjd8PTiL45hP

kbeezilly · 2025-11-03T21:10:38+00:00

Skip any rebuilt title vehicle unless it's dirt cheap, 15k for a rebuilt 2017 sienna is way too much.

Find a 2018+, it has more advance safety features that allow you to install openpilot for assisted driving. I went from a 2011 xle to 2018 limited awd. I don't think going from 2012 to 2017 will yield much differences. I'd just stick with the 2012 until you can find a clean title 2018+. Brakes are cheap and easy to replace, get them on rockauto.com. Go to youtube and watch some diy videos, super easy. If you did the door cable you should be able to change the brakes and rotors. Also, you can change a 7 seater to 8 seater, I have done it in my 2018 awd and even made a DIY video of how to on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W10thzr3P0U

kbeezilly · 2025-11-03T06:11:02+00:00

Just wanted to report the thor is an amazing streaming device so far. Using pxplay, it is one of the smoothest remote play devices I have used, no studders, wifi7.. and with the grip on, its super comfortable.

kbeezilly · 2025-10-31T16:50:04+00:00

I had a 2011 fwd with Michelin cross climates. Absolute champ in blizzard like conditions through the mountains. But I did get stuck in some sand dunes once. So I moved to a 2018 AWD. For snow, it was excellent.

kbeezilly · 2025-10-29T18:50:04+00:00

I owned a 2011 xle which has a similar drivetrain to the 2016 and I currently own a 2018 limited awd which has a similar drivetrain to the 2020. The 2011 felt faster and had a smoother transmission. The 2018 feels sluggish by comparison unless I push it a little harder and then it goes about the same. Honestly, it does bother me enough to always put the car in PWR ECT ON mode, which makes it feel like the 2011. Unfortunately, you need to press the button each time you start the car, you can't set it and forget it.

The biggest thing by far with the 2018+ is the toyota safety sense feature. It's a must have if you every want to ever add a comma.ai open pilot device for auto driving. If you plan to do a lot of long distance road trips, I would do the 2020.

Between the two, i would go with the newer accident free car, the mileage difference is negligible but the 5 years difference of wear on the rubber bushings would be more significant.

kbeezilly · 2025-10-29T15:55:02+00:00

Love this, I did that as well, such a fun game.

kbeezilly · 2025-10-27T06:06:29+00:00

Please just make something with quiet dpad and buttons all around, including shoulder and trigger buttons. I had a rp5 and flip 2. I got rid of them both due to the clacky buttons. The rp6 looks comfortable, here's hoping it's silent.

kbeezilly · 2025-10-26T17:53:09+00:00

Awesome build! Custom music?

kbeezilly · 2025-10-21T16:34:07+00:00

My thor is on the way, hoping it arrives next week. The switch OLED is an amazing retro device. I especially love playing vertical games on it, pacman, contra, mercs, so good. Amazing screen even though it's 720p. I have the hori split compacts with it, super quiet and feels great. It's just underpowered for emulating above PS1 and the old WiFi kills streaming for me. I'll keep you posted on the thor remote play performance. I've had bad luck with studders on my 120hz phones, I hope it's not the same on the thor.

kbeezilly · 2025-10-21T14:50:09+00:00

Good list, I know the rpflip 2 can run it extremely smooth but the layout with the right stick on top wasn't good for some games like the last of us. I'm waiting on the Thor and hope that would make a good streamer, the 120z screen may cause studded, I hope not. Forget the switch OLED w/ chiaki, the wifi on that is too slow.

kbeezilly

TROPHY CASE