SXS or Prerunner. Your thoughts and what you choose.

[RothShocks]

This goes through my mind at least two to three times a day. Why do people choose to go buy a sxs vs building a prerunner? There are the obvious reasons of prep cost, time commitment, skill needed to maintain and operate, ease of upgrades etc. Just recently I think in the fishgistics show it was noted somewhere that SXS outsell Dirt bikes and Quads 6 to 1 combined.



My view as why I’ll probably only ever own a prerunner.



My choice of vehicle is a prerunner, actually an 89 Bronco to be exact because of what I expect it to do. I need 3-4 seats, 4x4, Long travel (15” +), and the ability to store lots of tools. My favorite thing to do is Chase races or volunteer and do recoveries at local races so I need something that can pull up to a 5,000-pound car relatively easy through the desert and drive on the highway. So far everything can be done in a 4 seat SXS minus the highway part unless you are in AZ which I still wouldn’t feel comfortable doing. But to me the one thing that turns me off to SXS is they are cookie cutter 99% of the time. There's no soul or love put into it when everything is just bolt on. When you spend weeks at a time or even years building a buggy, truck, jeep, etc. You get a special feeling every time you drive it even if it's just a shit box with a spindle lift and 33s. When I put in a solid day of work on my bronco or even a customer's truck, I have an overwhelming sense of achievement even if it's something small like revalving shocks or helping them with suspension geometry. Which is probably the main reason I won't ever have a sxs because it doesn’t really take skills or knowledge to swap out 16 bolts and now you have a “race legal” cage you don’t have to work for it. To me that’s what makes the desert great was everyone had to put lots of time and effort into cars to make it out to the desert and when you saw each other out there you had a mutual respect for what each other had built. Just like when I see Trucks roll on Instagram, I feel bad for that guy because I know he has sacrificed 100’s of hours to get the truck to where it is and sometimes, he has to start over from scratch. To me that's what makes the prerunner community is the respect we all have for each other.



So, What are your thoughts on choosing either and why did you do it? Did you want to just get out to the desert quick and you don’t care in what? Did you want to build something unique? Did you just want to learn a new skill?

(Pic for attention not my truck sadly, but if you find me a sxs that is cooler than this and post it ill Venmo you $20)

 

[DP_Tundra]

Personally I will always choose a vehicle with an enclosed cab, windshield, and heater/air conditioning over any sxs. Prerunner for me every time.

 

[UR_Mawm69]

I want to see someone post a response that fights the argument @RothShocks just posted. (not saying you started an argument, i just want to see someone say the opposite. or something. not good with wuRDs sumetymes)

I think you are 100% correct with everything you said and agree 100% as well with everything.

This should be made a sticky SmellyWelliElliotster/SteveyBOI/all you turdnuggets.

 

[the bodj]

Personally I will always choose a vehicle with an enclosed cab, windshield, and heater/air conditioning over any sxs. Prerunner for me every time.

100% this.

Sure a sxs is definitely faster than my truck, but my body is pretty worked over and I can't do long days of getting beat up anymore - part of the reason why I don't ride dirtbikes in the desert anymore. My truck is warm, plush, plenty fast, keeps the dust out, I can keep all of my gear inside so it doesn't get silty, I can laugh and have conversations with passengers while on the trail, I can drive to/from my destination on the highway, and it's something I built.

 

[Taco626]

I own both, a sxs and a prerunner. The ONLY reason I bought a sxs is because it fits in my toy hauler. Therefore, it goes with me and the family every time we go to Ocotillo Wells or Glamis.

With the truck, I always had my brother in law tow it out for me until he sold his truck and bought a civic

 

[FENDERFAB]

Just my opinion and past experiences-

I originally started building my truck because i didnt have money to go buy a sxs or something already built. I learned how to fab because i wanted a nice truck and that was the only way i could get to the end goal. I love trucks and prerunners but there is a certain set of logistics that go with that as well. When i was younger i was full kill truck guy, most of my friends were into the offroad scene and had trucks as well so it just sort of fit.

Throughout the years as life changed i found myself going to pretty much only glamis because thats where my group was going. Most of them all either got out of the scene or changed to sxs or sandrails. For about 3 years i stored my toy hauler in glamis and i would trailer out my truck. Drop the truck at camp, go to storage and get the trailer and setup my camp. 2 days later do the reverse, clean it all up and put the toy hauler away in storage and then go load up my truck and drive home. Talk about alot of work. It was a day production on the beginning and the end of every trip and it got old fast.

i did own a sxs for about 5 years during this time as well (weller racing SR1) and it was pretty reliable and a ton of fun and it did great in the dunes. I sold my toy hauler 2 years ago because logistically it didnt work for me. I couldnt fit my ranger inside it, and if im taking the truck out i had no where to sleep other than a tent unless i had a buddy tow it so it just made sense to let it go.

Now im at the point either i buy a big diesel pusher rv to tow my truck to the desert or come up with another plan.

Another thing to consider for me is where your going to use whatever vehicle you have. My wifes family has a nice house up in mammoth and theres tons of sxs trails up there. I have heavily considered recently getting a 4 seat rzr or can am. They lack the character and hard work that prerunners possess but also have their own benefits. Theyre small and can fit in most any toy hauler, pretty reliable and affordable to work on for the most part.

I dont know if i will ever completely get out of the truck scene but as life changes (wife and future family) some of the reasons i built my truck in the first place arent really relevant anymore. I dont care anymore about having the fastest craziest truck, i want reliability and the ability to go anywhere and have plenty of seats for everyone to have a good time.

I think sxs get a bad name because anyone can go buy them and you have alot of new comers who think theyre robby gordon in their rzr 1000 and they have definetly brought somewhat of a negative image to the offroad world.

 

[deangraen]

I personally will always have a closed cab/prerunner. I had my first real experience in a UTV the other weekend and i just dont like the feeling of them being so small and open. Just doesnt feel as safe. Plus the fact we rolled it in the first few seconds leaving on our ride really helped with my decision lol. Not to mention the ability to be "street legal" and all the other comforts of a truck. It just checks every box in my books. Only downside to me is the trailering aspect since they are usually heavier and bigger. Meaning bigger tow rig/camper setup.

 

[Brett_408]

Hit the nail on the head about SXS not having any character or soul. Just like electric cars (especially tesla's)

 

[84projectFORD]

I’d probably have a sxs already if my wife wasn’t already spoiled with a/c and heat in an enclosed rig. There’s something about stepping out of the tracker all clean and seeing everyone else dirty head to toe or atleast from neck down lol.

the other reason is just being different. I have the skills, knowledge and enjoy building things. I love knowing what I built can take desert miles year after year. The biggest issue anymore is, time. Even a sxs won’t change that though. I see far too many friends putting in hours of time into their sxs to prep for trips. I don’t see myself saving any there

 

[Midget Nate]

First things first Trucks, and buggies are way cooler than sxs. For me it was a combination of things, I wanted something I could fit the family in and go anywhere right away, and being in AZ with no sxs restrictions it just made the most sense. I still plan to build a truck, suv, or buggy once the new shop is up. I think a 4x4 buggy with AC/ Heat would be awesome (probably take 5-10 years and ill lose interest a few times etc etc. lol

 

[Oh4Tahoe]

I don’t have either, and I’ve gone back and forth on which I would like to pursue. At the end of the day I’m leaning prerunner, gonna build one. I have friends with SXS, live in Arizona I could run around town in one, whatever. Put the biggest things to me are

1) (as was already said) they have no soul, like the majority of jeeps out there hit it with a catalog and call it a day: not my cup of tea. Like when people used to say “they hit that truck with the Lund stick”

2) I want something enclosed, beefier, more room, more storage space, and something that I built

3) the culture of alot people that rip around in SXS is just awful. Rude, no trail courtesy, people I wouldn’t want to be around

4) in my mind a SXS is almost a “throw away” toy. Buy one, thrash on it, sell it, acquire new one. Rinse. Repeat. A well built prerunner can be a lifelong thing, maintain and enjoy. I like that

 

[HiDesertMotorsports]

after owning both, I can confidently say a big heavy truck is much more comfortable through the desert than a side by side. We had a can am maverick RC, and while it was a ton of fun to drive, you were constantly getting beat up in the thing. Now in our tundra, I can drive at a confident 65 plus MPH through pretty well any size bump without so much as spilling my drink. Both vehicles had shock tuning done on them, but in my OPINION these SXS are just too damn light to really get that plush feeling out of the suspension that you can with a heavy properly built prerunner. Cost aside.

 

[Giant Geoff]

UTB is way better than any UTV! Does the same thing plus: I can go on any street or trail, creature comforts, I can live out of it on 1-5 day trips and I does have to wear motorcross gear!

 

[Brandon_Charley]

I disagree with the "it's all bolt on" argument. I could put together a nearly bolt together Bronco just as easily and probably cheaper than some SxS, the only required deviation would be that the simplest way to get a cage would be a WIY setup as opposed to a bolt in. The other "flaw" is that there is absolutely nothing stopping you from fabbing your own SxS parts. Anyone can bolt together a prerunner if they use the right platform, so caring how others build theirs is a flawed foundation. If I buy a SxS (something I'm getting close to) it would probably be the cheapest 4 seater I can find with aftermarket axle options so I could do my own arms and cage. I don't have $30k for the latest full wazoo long travel turbo deal. I just want a cheap, fun (open is more fun for my 5 year old), safe, easy for my wife to drive, toy I can haul out on a whim, that wont take up my entire garage and prevent working on any other projects.

Another perk of a SxS is that they are easier to pitch to the wife. That matters in a lot of households. We are looking at a toy because we want to do a Pismo trip with our neighbors next year and buying is cheaper than repeated renting. "Honey, this one's $15k and we can take it out this weekend" works a hell of a lot better than pitching a build that is going to take months if you stay perfectly on track and disciplined.

It comes down to the reason for the toy.

 

[FENDERFAB]

I disagree with the "it's all bolt on" argument. I could put together a nearly bolt together Bronco just as easily and probably cheaper than some SxS, the only required deviation would be that the simplest way to get a cage would be a WIY setup as opposed to a bolt in. The other "flaw" is that there is absolutely nothing stopping you from fabbing your own SxS parts. Anyone can bolt together a prerunner if they use the right platform, so caring how others build theirs is a flawed foundation. If I buy a SxS (something I'm getting close to) it would probably be the cheapest 4 seater I can find with aftermarket axle options so I could do my own arms and cage. I don't have $30k for the latest full wazoo long travel turbo deal. I just want a cheap, fun (open is more fun for my 5 year old), safe, easy for my wife to drive, toy I can haul out on a whim, that wont take up my entire garage and prevent working on any other projects.

Another perk of a SxS is that they are easier to pitch to the wife. That matters in a lot of households. We are looking at a toy because we want to do a Pismo trip with our neighbors next year and buying is cheaper than repeated renting. "Honey, this one's $15k and we can take it out this weekend" works a hell of a lot better than pitching a build that is going to take months if you stay perfectly on track and disciplined.

It comes down to the reason for the toy.

i agree with this. I think alot of guys on this forum build their own trucks and theres alot of garage fab going on which is awesome but there is also a HUGE amount of people with prerunners in the industry now that dont work on their own trucks. The industry is alot bigger now and keeps alot of fab shops employed. Back when i first got into trucks there wasnt nearly the amount of fab/offroad shops as there is today. There was a few big hitters making suspension (camburg, blitz, H&M, richer, solo, etc) and most guys were doing their own fab/installs. Now there is a ton of shops that do just mainly installs for customers.

Nothing stopping anyone from building their own parts whether it be a sxs, prerunner or race truck. I think overall the offroad industry has evolved into a place where there is a ton of parts readily available for almost any platform. People that dont have the skills/desire to fab can purchase parts and have them installed on their vehicle and get to a similar end goal. Personally i enjoy building parts and making unique builds but again thats not for everyone.

 

[UR_Mawm69]

Epstein didn't kill himself in a SxS.


BOOM.
I WIN THE INTERWEBZ

 

[RW81]

Build a single cab that’s 82” wide in the front and get the best of both worlds

 

[juberafab]

I personally prefer a built street legal vehicle. There is something to be said for getting out after 40 miles and having a sweet tea while the group of SXS peeps want to go back to camp and I just want to keep going. It nice to have a windshield heat and AC. We currently don't have that with the race truck as we sold the wifes prerunner but are planning for the next street legal build already. Being able to drive out to the desert have fun all day and head to In n Out on the way home is priceless. We have missed a lot of awesome trips due to not being Street legal. We had a rhino back in the day and it was fun and not comparable to today's go carts but it was never the same as the truck. It did get us through when our trucks were down for upgrades. Overall I think a well built truck will out comfort a SXS any day.

That being said I get the draw to SXS. Most anyone can buy one and get out in the desert right away. You dont need a massive rig to tow them and they fit in a toyhauler.Prerunners take time and money and dedication to build. In our current case we need a tow rig and would like a Motor home to haul it being that we have kids now and can't sleep in the back of the tow pig anymore(getting older sucks!) Conclusion is street legal prerunners rule.

 

[2012SVTSC]

I put in a lot of work building a SxS and I really enjoy driving it.

When I go out with my friends I'm the only one with the sxs and they always make me do the sketchy stuff or scout things before the pre runners go...

But every single time we all seem to high five each other and have an awesome time.

 

[Dirtfiend602]

I’ve built many badass full bore sxs’s, and for the money invested after drivetrain, suspension, safety, and ancillary, that’s an easy 50-100k…. But I get wanting a turnkey car, especially if you don’t have the means to build something yourself . I was a hater on these glorified golf carts for a long time until I did 1300 miles at norra years ago with virtually no issues and no flats … they are capable with enough money and prep invested , but I’d still much rather build a steel cab prerunner with ac for that cost.