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Comments
What happened to the Tundra pricing you were going to put out? I am still interested in seeing prices.
Thanks
UMMM, when exactly will Toyota produce the truck I want. I would like something similar to a F-250 SD, 4x4, supercab, short bed, diesel, automatic. Should I check back with you in 2010? Later, Wes.
Holliwood
Holliwood
I think people do make a good point about the lack of different sizes available. I think this will hurt sales a little, but I also think that many people complaining probably wouldn't buy a Toyota anyway. In the half ton pickup class, most of these trucks have become personal transportation as opposed to work trucks. I personally don't tow much so I don't need a 3/4 or 1 ton truck, but I would like a truck for hauling stuff, hunting, camping etc. and this fits the bill. Now whether it does it better than a half ton Chevys, Dodges or Fords remain to be seen. I used to detest Chevys, but I definitely think they have made strides.
Greg Hoppes
: )
Mackabee
P.S. every dealer will have one Tundra in their showroom by Friday the 16th. Brochures are already available.
The prices do seem very competitive, but why no base model Access Cabs? I don't need the SR5 package and don't like the big jump in price between reg. and Access cabs. Why must I pay over $5000 for a couple more doors? That's fully a 1/3 of the price of the reg. cab 5M.
Help me out here, I'd like to replace my 4x2 Tacoma with a Tundra (4x2 Access Cab V6 5M) but I can get a F-150 ext. cab for $17000 after discount.
I was looking at buying the Ford F250 Super Duty, Super Cab, 4x4 XLT 5.4L, but Ford doesn't seem to want to build it! I couldn't find one with cloth interior & captains chairs in black or red. Apparently, that's asking alot.
Anyway, the Tundra Limited seems to be a good product but word has it that the dealers are going to charge premium for them. I can get the Ford (if they ever make one) for dealer invoice plus $300.
Does anyone have an opinion as to which is the better product and if the rumors are true.
: )
Mackabee
Mackabee
The F250 and Tundra hardly seem comparable, at all. I mean one is a 3/4 ton, the other 1/2 ton at 15/16 scale. The F250 is a macho-man work truck, the other an up-scale luxury/sport machine. One is fast with good economy, the other a brute hauler with decent economy if you are towing a lot. And I doubt you are going to find Red/Black captains chairs in the Tundra either. I don't think you can say which is the better product between these two unless you define what you want to use it for.
THE GOOD:
1. It is sized just about perfectly as a "personal-use" truck. It's a bit smaller than the domestic full-size models. I consider that a "plus." The domestics are, in my opinion (for personal-use), just too large.
2. The new V8 is very powerful.
3. It drove beautifully, and it is very quiet.
4. Has a very good payload/towing rating.
5. 60/40 Split rear seat makes a lot of sense.
6. 4-doors!
7. Lot of room under the hood. Headlight bulbs look easy to replace (as does other normal maintenance), because of all that room.
8. Dual power outlets as well as a cigar lighter.
THE BAD:
1. I wish it had a 5-speed automatic. The DOHC V8 is a real revver. You can really feel the power come on at mid-high rpm. A 5-speed, with closer gear splits would be a big help - especially when towing, or carrying heavy loads.
2. Speaking of towing: I understand the "Towing Package" won't be available until September.
3. I wish it had the full-time 4x4 system from the Land Cruiser, at least as an option. Full-time (or auto-on-demand 4x4) will be the coming thing for personal-use pickups. GM already offers it on their new full-size pickups, and so does Dodge in the Dakota. I'm surprised Toyota launched this new vehicle without it.
4. The rear seat is very uncomfortable for an adult. I realize that these seats are meant for temporary use, but I do wish it had the front-to-rear room/comfort of the new GM extended cabs.
5. The fold down rear arm rest with cup holders is great idea. Unfortunately, when folded down, it is too low to be used by an adult. It is fine for kids.
6. The front center console is also way too low. If Toyota made it higher, it could double as an armrest, and have much great storage capacity. They could then eliminate the fold down center armrests attached to the insides of the front seats (they wouldn't be needed).
7. The tailgate seemed a little loose in terms of fit.
8. Too few model configurations.
THE UGLY:
1. The styling of the Tundra makes the new GM pickups look bold and daring. I wish Toyota (and other Japanese brands) would have the courage to make some bold styling statements, like what Chrysler has done in recent years. If you look carefully, you will see a lot of Ford-inspired styling "cliches" such as: the grille, the locking tailgate lever, and the dashboard.
FINAL VERDICT:
Despite its tepid styling, it is probably the best personal-use truck out there -- for now.
I just received the Tundra promo video in the mail. The performance test were a little cheesy I felt. They compared acceleration with Ford & Chevy's 4.8L trucks, while the braking test was against Ford & Chevy's 5.4L trucks. Well DUH!!! You run faster than the competitors' SMALLEST V8s, and you brake quicker than the heavier & bigger V8s.
I like the Tundra a lot, but that bit of underhanded stats manipulation was uncalled for.
I guess I'll wait and see. I might just have to hang on to my Tacoma for a couple more years till the Tundra cools down a bit.
In any case, about the lack of model range and option thing. I'm sure Toyota went after what the biggest percentage of full-size truck buyers are looking for, while minimizing production cost. It only makes sense when you don't have the volume to support all market niches. Faulting Toyota for not making a T-250 or a T-350 diesel rig is like faulting Ford or Chevy for not making a Miata. They just don't have a cock in that fight.
Center console could be higher up for a better arm rest although the one I drove had the captains chairs with arm rest, I though it was kind of in the way but it could be moved up and out of the way. Back seat is usable for small people or kids but not for average sized adult. The fullsize domestics still have them beat with size if that is your need.
Sticker price was $28,200 or so. This had all the options I would want. Power, Captains seats, cd/cassette/radio, 16" tires with cast aluminum wheels, air conditioning etc. Didn't have the off-road package which was basically bilsteins and stickers. In a competitive market like Denver, I have already had a dealer tell me that they are selling them at $1500.00 off of MSRP to start with. The one I test drove didn't have any additional dealer profit added onto it.
is so I did a test, I tested the Chevrolet
Silverado 4.8L V8, Dodge Ram 5.2L V8, Ford F150
4.6L V8, and the Toyota Tundra 4.7L V8 (Note: all
were 4x2, believe me also all were equal. To start
out here are some stats, Toyota's engine out-horsed
all the engines, except the Silverado's which has
10 more horses, but the Silverado's engine is
bigger. When I was on the test drive I notice the
Tundra was by far the quietest, in the video I got
it said special detail went into making the Tundra
the quietest pickup. The Tundra also had the best
accelerations, with and without a load; and it had
the best braking. Another thing is that the Tundra
is in it's first year, if it is a big hit there
will be more models. The last one is it with have
the Lexus LX470's V8 engine, so you know the Tundra
is going to be reliable. If there are some
positives there are always negatives. The biggest
negative I found is it's SIZE this can be a good
thing or a bad thing, good if you need to park in a
small spot or get into tight areas, bad if you
need to carry a lot of people. The front seats have
a lot of room, but the rear are another story, my
5'8" son fights perfect, but any bigger no way.
Here is a short text I saw on the Tundra's
state-of-the-Art engine "Finally, a full-size truck
that can get out of its own way. We recommend that
the competition get out of its way, too- from
0-60, the Tundra V8 4x2 is the fastest in it's
class.* Its available 4.7L, 245hp i-Force engine is
the only double overhead cam (DOHC), 32-valve V8
offered in a full-size pickup. The unique shape of
its pentroof combustion chamber produces maximum
fuel efficiency and increased power. There's no lag
time with this powerplant- when you get on it,
you're gone. What's more, the i-Force V8's advanced
design helped the Tundra become one of the first
full-size pickups to achieve low emission vehicle
(LEV) status."
So to conclude I think the Tundra will be a great
personal use vehicle, that really can haul
something, with a maximum towing capability of 3.5
tons. This truck I believe will sell it's goal of
100,000 a year without a problem
*- Based on AMCI-certified performance tests
conducted using a model-year 2000 Toyota Tundra V8
4x2 Access Cab SR5 against comparably equipped 1999
4x2 4.6-liter Ford F-150, 4x2 4.8-liter Chevrolet
Silverado and 4x2 5.2-liter Dodge Ram half-ton
full-size pickup trucks.
I am sold on the Tundra as a great personal use vehicle... BUT the dealer in Santa Clarita, CA put a $7000 mark-up!!! Are you high?!
The reason I had been deciding between the F250 4x4 Super Duty and Tundra 4x4 access cab, is because I felt they were a comparable "value." I felt Ford did a great job with the fully loaded super cab 4x4 and it should hold up in value over time. Toyota has a proven record of building reliable vehicles that retain great value.
But with a price gouge of $7000 over MSRP you will never sell me a Tundra or any Toyota for that matter
I believe Toyota has a winner here, as long as "money hungry" dealers don't tack on outrageous markups. Toyota's reliability is legendary (I can say that even after the V6 Head Gasket Incident), and I will gladly pay the somewhat higher price upfront for the Tundra, than to shellout over the years the cost of repairs for the current Big Three's Pickups.
Yes, I'm sold on Toyota - - and I'm sure they will expand this model line to satisfy even the most demanding full size truck enthusiast.
I don't have the stats in front of me, but the Tundra must be a wider vehicle than the Dakota. Like a true full-size, the Tundra's bed is wide enough to fit 48" wide paneling flat on the floor between the wheelwells. The Dakota can't do that.
In many ways, the Tundra is sized much like the full-size 1/2 tons of 30-40 years ago. Those vehicles were not nearly as large as today's full-size 1/2 tons.
I do agree with you, however, that the Tundra/Dakota comparison is very easy to make.
Bob
The comments I've seen in postings about price leave me breathless! ADRO (Additional Dealer Rip Off) $7000?????? Someone else said $1500 brings the price to about $30,000. ('Cuse me while get my heart restarted.) I only paid $29,100 for my Super Duty diesel 4x2 and Super Cab. I've got everything on it except leather and captian's chairs. The Tundra is a nice truck, but is it really worth the premium over the domestic models?
I've said this before. If you really want a Tundra but DON'T want to pay the ADRO, wait until the fall or winter. I think that there will be significant dealer incentives and rebates on the Tundra. This has nothing to do with T vs. C or D or F. This has nothing to do with the big Q. It's simple Econ-101. Toyota has built a factory in Indiana with an annual capacity of 100K plus vehicles. Toyota has been selling about 20K trucks per year. That leaves an excess capacity of at least 80K vehicles per year. Toyota will probably try to build something else to use up the capacity. To switch the plant between two lines is difficult. The vehicles should be similar to take advantage of the production tooling. So, there's not a lot of choice of vehicles that can be built in the new plant and take advantage of the Tundra type production tooling.
Here's my logic. There is probably excess capacity. Toyota can't afford to let the plant sit idle. I can see more Tundra trucks built than demand. There should be an excess of supply by fall or winter. An excess of supply usually breeds incentives and rebates. Your almost $30K MSRP + ADRO should fall into a respectable $23K or $24K. I know if it were me, I would try to wait it out. You're only looking at 6 or 8 months. Heck, some of us have been waiting that long for the Silverado and the Super Duty. It's a nice looking truck; but no truck is worth the ADRO.
Rich
Agreed. Based on MSRP the Tundra seems, on paper, comparable to Dodge/Ford/GM. With a $7K markup, or even $1500? No way. Wait till supply catches up.
Another thing to consider: There's a school of thought that says wait a year before you buy a new, redesigned model, to allow the company to work out the bugs. With the Tundra, you've got a whole new truck plus a whole new factory. I'm pretty sure there'll be more than a few bugs that Toyota will need to work out.
I like the term "full size lite", I think it sort of describes the Tundra. I personally like the size of it except the access cab, of course if the access cab was bigger, then it would be a full size Chevy or Ford.
As for jcmdie's contention that this truck will sell a lot of Dakotas, I think he is living in a fantasy world. No Dakota will come close to the Tundra in terms of quality. While the Magnum V-8 engine has been around a long time, it is OLD technology. Dodge would be better off putting the 4.7l engine from the new JGC in that truck and working on their QUALITY control.
Of course if it wasn't for Toyota and Nissan setting the standard for quality, we would still be seeing the same noisy fall apart, rattling, no quality domestic trucks we saw in the 70's and 80's. Before everyone gets all excited and starts sending nasty messages, this is my personal experience and I stand by it.
Greg Hoppes
That's you're story, and you're...stickin' to it, but I think it is a slam on the Dakota, and a biased hoot for the Toyota. I believe Dakota will be putting in a newer-tech engine soon. When they do, it will be as up to date as Toyotas 4.7 overhead cam engine, which is not a new design either. And I believe Toyota has had reliability problems of their own, notably with head gaskets. Which is not really a gasket problem. It's a design problem resulting from an insufficient sealing surface. Dakota also doesn't pretend to be a full size truck like the 15/16 scale Tundra.
Yes Toyota has the head gasket problem, what else? springs on some 4Runners okay. The problem with Dodge, and Jeep is the problems are inconsistent. One time it is the engine, then the tranny, then the electricals, no one consistent problem. They just build them and fix them as they go instead of building them consistently good. I am not sure if this is a worker problem or if it is philosophy problem with the domestics. I still believe the build quality is inconsistent on domestics, I do however believe it is getting better.
However, I don't sit around spouting USA, USA. I just buy what I feel best suits my needs and what has the best quality. That being said, I think Toyotas have the best quslity, but I think they are overpriced for that quality. If you think a Tundra is a 15/16 size truck so be it. Don't buy one, you probably weren't going to anyway. Most of the people that come in here and rip on Toyota aren't planning on buying one anyway. They just want to spout off about their domestic and how good it is compared to Toyota. All the truly negative posts are in the "look out here comes Tundra group.
If you want to add something constructive, go drive the Tundra and then give us your opinion.
Greg Hoppes
Build quality and reliability all aside, the Dakota's bed doesn't take a 4x8 sheet of plywood flat. That makes it a compact (or non full-size) in my book. As far as I'm concern, I might as well keep my Tacoma. I have nothing against the Dakota, it's a nice looking truck. You might make the comparison because you can get a big V8 in a Dakota, but if you're just looking at engines, you could make the comparison between an S-10 with 4.2L V6 and a Silverado with the same engine.
The bed being the theme of a pickup truck. The size of it does matter.
Silverado crash results next month. Be interested to see if GM finally figured it out.
Also look at the 99' annual issue of the Consumer Guides, notice how they rated the Toyota, Honda, and Nissan Motor Companys the most reliable automotive companys and Chrysler, Chevrolet, and GM as one of the most UNRELIABLE cars. Look around most auto magazines all say the SAME!!! Hint, Hint!!! Once again this is just the facts, and my thoughts
Was it a V6 or V8? Extedened cab or regular
cab?
I have owned quite a few Nissans, they blow ANY domestice out of the water with regards to quality, PERIOD. Domestics are getting better, but they are still a notch below. I detest GM/Chevy, but I would most definitely look at the new Chevy trucks, that is how far I think they have come. If you don't have time to "play" at the dealer, why do you waste your time here? Just easier to snipe and complain without driving it isn't it.
desertrat1- I am 6'2" and have sat in the back seat of Ford, Dodge, Chevy, Tundra, Frontier Crew Cab, and none of them have enough room for me, if the seat in front of me is set to where I would set it to drive. My wife is only 5'1" or so but would probably fit in all fine.
I found the Chevy and Ford to be the roomiest with Chevy having a slight edge in seat comfort. All of them that had built in headrests hit me in the back of the neck. The Dodge wasn't quite as roomy to me. The Tundra and Frontier Crew Cab were almost impossible for me to fit in, and I don't think that the Frontier seat was even as far back as I would put it. The Frontier seats were nicer than the Tundra. I get the feeling that Toyota just pasted a piece of upholstered foam in the back and the seat is almost vertical. The Chevy and Ford had a slight recline which made them more comfortable. For me none of them would be perfect, but more than likely I wouldn't be sitting back there. However most of my friends are similarly sized and would be uncomfortable back there as well.
Greg Hoppes
I agree also that Nissan quality/reliability is very good, if not on par with Toyota. It's just that their vehicles are not very aesthetically attractive.
Anyway, this is a Tundra forum so back on topic...
I agree the new Silverado/Sierra has the roomiest backseats. I guess this is about one of the very few times I'm glad I'm 5'7". The Tundra fits me just fine.