Personally I am not fond of toymota's(yes thats T-O-Y-M-O-T-A)either. I think they are under powered to be considered a real truck,hence the name Toymota(Toy-motor). However,I also say to each his own and I'm sure for some they are just what the doctor ordered.
I cant stand my Toyota, I never have an excuse why I cant make it to work, my friends love it and always want me to drive, and I always have to pull people out of the ditch when we get a good snow. Maybe I'll trade it in for something less reliable.
Oh, come on, worthless?! They're good trucks. Perhaps a little small (for my taste) but they'll do anything that the other half-tons will do (besides haul a lot of people). I own a GMC, by the way, but I'm big enough to admit when another manufacturer has a good product. Well done Toyota! -powerisfun
Daniel40...I drive a fullsize Dodge Ram,I like the power of a V8,I don't care about gas milage,the Toymota is fine for what its for,but what its for is not for me. As I said many people like them and that is fine, I do not. I tried to stand up for you because I am not impressed by a guy in a sable slinging mud at a fellow truck.I don't care what everyone will nodoubtedly tell me..Toyota does not make a serious work truck,and that is fine,if you don't need one. I will also say I am a hick,and damn proud of it. I am a Union Carpenter and you can pick on that too if you want to.I do respect someone that chooses a brand and defends it to the end,I like to reply to these letters and have a good debate.I am a long time Dodge fan,and a Pittsburgh Steeler fan since I knew what football was,if that makes me a hick or worse than so be it!
I don't own a Toyota, I just know there good trucks and they don't guzzle gas. I am also fond of the Ranger, but I think it eats up too much gas for it's, what I consider to be weak 4.0L. The Toyota 3.4L puts out 30 more H.P. but only gives up 5 pounds of torque but also gives up .6L of displacement and a considerable amount of weight. Oh there is nothing wrong with being a hick, it's just he wasn't trying to see a better truck.
I have to agree with rsmtom. I owned a 77' Ford for a short while (stayed under the hood more than behind the wheel). I then bought a 79' Chevy truck and I got tired of picking up all the parts that rusted off of it after 4 years!!! I then bought a 1981 Toyota and I have never went back to domestic vehicles. They are the most dependable and durable vehicles on the road. I will say this however, the domestic vehicles have improved greatly in the past 10 years. But I think that they had to in order to compete with companies like toyota.
By the way, the following vehicles are made in the USA; Tacoma, Corolla, (Sienna, Avalon, Camry are made in Georgetown KY) That is probably why they are a bit pricey too. My cousin makes 45,000 a year for operating a spraygun!!
Long time Dodge fan? Is there such a thing? What's long time? 94? I find it hard to believe (unless you're a Chrysler employee) that are many fans of Dodge trucks before 1994. Just asking....
Say what you want about Toys but I can attest to the fact that mine has been exceptional. 1990 4x4 SR5 extra cab has 165,000 miles......original clutch, original engine, doesn't burn oil. Still runs like a dream. Of course, I do maintain it properly with oil changes etc. Not one thing has broken on it and bought it new
Got my little boy a Tonka truck for christmas. If he doesn't play with it I sure will. As for size: Chevy silverado is only 3" wider. Hold out 3 fingers, that's how much "bigger" it is. The silv is 9" longer. That's about half the length of your keyboard. The bed is the same and the interiors are almost identical in legroom. The extra inches in the silv are consumed by a poor engine/tranny layout. In essence Toyota made the same size bed and interior yet shaved wasted space from the front end while putting in a more powerful standard engine than chevy. Look at the silv engine compartment. It has tubes and hoses running randomly about the engine as if they were afterthoughts. The way the components are haphazardly arranged makes it difficult to believe much planning went into the details. By stark comparison; the Tundra engine compartment is neat, orderly and shows real attention to detail. (i.e. the windshield fluid container takes exactly one gallon, clear path to all spark plugs, etc.) My dad's 74 chevy was a good truck, he's very disapointed with the poor quality of his newer chev.
I've parked next to domestic in parking lots. This size thing is so trivial. You have to look at the two trucks side by side real good to notice the slight difference. Lay your hand on the table and count off three fingers. That's the width difference. 3 little stinkin' inches. If the tundra was 3 inches bigger than the ram would that make the ram a midsize and the dakota a compact? Toyota made a truck size that was best for most situations. Why make a truck bigger that you actually need? I asked a retired guy at the base RV park how he liked his new Tundra. He said it tows his 26 foot trailer like a dream. He had a ford f-150 that left him stranded way too many times and decided to buy a quality vehicle this time around. That's really the bottom line to all this hooping and hollering about size. Divert attention from the fact that Toyota makes more dependable and longer running trucks.
All the measurements I've seen the Tundra is much closer to the Dakota than the Ram.As for the dependability factor,I already adressed that nonsense.And I haven't seen many Toymota's doing much work anywhere.I do know of one that was traded in by a gentleman at our local Dodge dealer for a Dodge Ram quadcab,because the guy said the truck didn't pull his horse trailer very well.I am sure that the trailer was heavier than Toymota intended for the Tundra to pull,but the Ram was also a half ton.I was standing there waiting for the lube,oil,and filter to be done on my truck and overheard the whole conversation.Seems the Toymota did ok on the flat but would not pull the big hills we have around here.His other complaint was that the trailer he said seemed to push the Toy in the corners alot more than the Ram.Again I am not trying to defame your Toymota I just stand firm that it is not a fullsize truck.There is another topic in here comparing the Tundra to the Dakota so I will not clog up this one with the same subject.
i drove a v8 tundra and man did i have fun!the truck is awesome and if i wanted a bigger truck i would have gotten one!by the way the shop i work at has a 96 chevy 2500 4wd with the "mighty" vortech 255 h.p engine and man is that thing slow! no fun drving that one.....oh and the ride well don't even try to compare it to the tundra. (just the facts)
I would never claim that a Toyota is perfect, this is something that only domestic owners bring up, hmmm, but scan through the topics on this board and take note of how many posts there are for the the threads about Chevy problems, then take a look at the same about import complaints. I am not saying there are none but not nearly as many. Many of the domestic onwers who are enguaged in arguments in the "vs"s threads like to take the complaints in the foreign threads and make reference to them. If the foreign owners did the same it would require a research staff of about 10 and it would take about a month to document all the complaints. Just an observation.
Noticed that a local Ford dealer has set up some laptop computers hooked to the internet in the waiting room for his "clients" to use while waiting for service. That could be real dangerous at a Ford dealer. In fact, get a live feed from service areas of the big 3 and a couple of imports. You'd be amazed at what goes on and what customers are told. Maybe we could get Allen Funt to do a special on dealer service shops.
49,50,61...Is this some kind of new numbering system?Ok let me give you all the whole truth and nothing but the truth.It doesn't matter what the name says on your tailgate,if you have a good copy of the model you have a good copy,if you don't you don't.All modern vehicles use the same technology,and the same basic build techniques.The differing number of complaints against different manufacturers in these forums is a product of the randomness of the people who are in here.There may be 400,000 chevy owners coming through here,and only 40 Toymota owners,who knows maybe Yugo owners are the most prevelent in here.So the number of complaints on a web sight really doesn't mean squat.Toymota can make trucks they been doing it a long time,if they really sucked they would be out of bussiness by now,the same can be said of Ford,Chevy,Dodge,Izusu,Mazda,and even Nissan(plus any others I missed).The myth that Toymotas are so reliable comes from the fact that traditionally Toymotas were never used(and abused) for work the way american fullsize trucks were.American cars have always been just as reliable as Japanese cars,case in point is the Chrysler slant six,I have never heard of a bad one.As far as magazines car(or truck)of the year goes I wouldn't be so proud of that title,did you know such works of art as the Chevy Citation once got that honor. Merry Christmas to all no matter what you drive...And have a safe and happy New Year!
I have to disagree with you. I am only 24 but I remember the 80's, dont you? American autos during the 80's were absolute crap in general. I spent most of my childhood waiting in the service department waiting room while my parents' Fords, Chevies, and Dodges were getting repaired. Do you really think a vehicle should be exibiting so many problems after the abuse of 1 year. You claim that Toyotas dont get abused. Were do you live? Detroit? I grew up in the mountains and have seen more then my share of abused Toyotas. I was in disbelief when I heard someone on another thread claim that there were a greater percentage of old compactr Fords and Chevies on the road. Just take a look at the Resail value of older compact trucks. The reason most people are brand loyal has nothing to do with quality, it has everything to do with ego, father/grandfather, and NASCAR affiliation. (I know, I work one floor below NASCAR's headquarters) If there is one truck that can take abuse, historically it would be the Toyota compact pickup.
If them 80's toyota pickups can take all that abuse then where they all go now? They all be rustin peacefully at the junker, thats where. Answer this one here, if them toys be all that, how come there be now such thing as a classic toyota? Good luck on this one now!
Those old rusting Toyotas are all still on the road where I live. My dad just bought mine when I got my new Tacoma. I think the old Toyota style is classic. The Landcruiser is a classic also. There weren't many of them to begin with thats why you dont see herds of them. You see, rust, while unsightly, does not prevent a vehicle from running. I would wager that there is a greater percentage of classic Toyotas on the road then any other compact pickup. I may live in a more open minded part of the country but I there are many many older Toyotas on the road.
I never came across an individual in my life that did not think Toyota trucks were as drable as they get untill I bumped into the "set in there ways" crowd in the pickup discussion here. You base your entire angle on this debate on the antiquated homegrown stereotypes of 50's Amercana "bigger is better". Toyota got its reputation by making quality vehicles like GM got its reputaion for shotty build quality by making vehicles with shotty build quality. I will invest my hard earned money with what I consider to be the obviouse choice and will continue to do so untill I am see differently.
I've come to value your opinion. You know Toyota, Nissan, Range Rover and other foreign companies sell their trucks all over the world. The favorite car in Kuwait is a Chevy Impala followed by a Suburban, but not a single Silverado did I ever see. All the pickups were Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan crew cabs. How come the Big 3 aren't in that market?
I am from the South too, plenty of all kinds of trucks around here. There definately isn't a shortage of Toyotas and Nissan's. My neighbor is still driving the same Toyota he had in 1979. I can barely remember but I know it to be fact. He was always hauling rocks and dirt around and still is.
I grew up 45 miles from Asheville, NC and I remember many japanese trucks with many American full-size versions. As I recall, many people bought the japanese compacts because of their value versus price comparison. Since there wasn't alot of money flowing in the area--it was essential to buy wisely. The reliability of US-made trucks has increased dramatically over the past few decades and now the differences are slight. Ultimately we have all benefitted from competetion as such.
The mountains are tougher than the Low Country! I live near a city now (Phila) and haul "city stuff" all day. Yes, I own only American-origin trucks but that's because the Japanese didn't make a truck for roofers then. I won't automatically dismiss any manufactuer just because it says "Toyota" in the future. Origin ranks about as low on my list of criteria as styling when it comes to a real work truck.
well our shop truck (96 chevy 2500 4wd)has developed a antifreeze leak (intake manifold):0( and not to mention all of the other things that have plagued this truck......my boss is now thinking of trading this jem in now! oh bye the way his wifes 98 4-runner has been flawless and with more miles on it than the chevy!
I live in NY the land of road salt.I see very,very few old Toymotas.Probably not even a 50'th of the number of old domestic trucks.I still say noone will ever convince me that japanese vehicles are any better than american vehicles,I don't think they ever were.People are very quick to jump on this reputation crap.There was a study done about car survey's,I have forgotten the web page address.But in this survey they took a large section of people who were polled about thier cars and asked them specifics about thier answers.They found many people have differing ideas on what is acceptable for thier vehicles and what is not.One glaring example I remember was a man who reported his Honda as being an exceptional,then when polled in more detail it was discovered that the tranny blew on the car early on.The mans reason for not reporting it was that he said everyone knows Honda's are very reliable so mine must be a fluke.Makes one wonder how often this goes on? As for Chevy's having a reputation for having shotty build quality,I think this guys read too many Toymota ads.I am not saying one should dismiss Toymotas without a look,I am just saying that in the grand scheme of things,any truck you buy is more than likely going to be very good,and we shouldn't be putting down any brand,it is kinda like putting someone down,for the brand of shoes they wear.
The reason the myth goes on about Toy trucks being so reliable is simply that the amount of trucks produced vs Chev = less complaints. Chevy builds...um, about 1M per year vs Toy's 200K. Let's see now, if 1% complain that's 100K compliants for Chevy and 20K compliants for Toy..or 5 times as many compliants for Chevy. But that is because they make 5 TIMES more trucks!! NOT because Toy is more reliable!! Hello !! I owned a 89 X-cab V6 (6yrs) & a 95 T100 V6 (3 yrs) and they both had problems. So far my 99 Silverado xcab 5.3L (since Feb 99) is probably about even on problems with the two Toy's I owned (PS pump leaked, pass. side speaker blown and the cruise resume did not work.....minor stuff so far - about the same as the Toys).
And the guy who compared a 95 or 96 Chev to the new Tundra....come on, make a fair comparison, like a new Chevy, Ford or Dodge against the Tundra. Your comparison is like comparing a 96 T100 against a new Silverado.
The reason that GM,Ford and Dodge produce more trucks than Toyota has been Import tariffs that restrict how many trucks Toyota can import into the states. The big three have been trying to hold Toyota at bay for 20 years now and has since began producing domestic trucks in Mexico.(imported domestics?) There's alot of bizarre horror stories related to that. The trucks Toyota now produces in the states are limited to a few small factories at best. This why there aren't as many produced. As for the Toyota product it has forced American truck manufactures to produce better trucks with more amenities and gizmos unheard of 10-15 years ago. Reliablity and testing of Toyota trucks and the research and developement of new technologies is based in part on the domination that Toyota has had in the Grand Daddy of Off Road Racing..."The Baja 1000" Anyone who thinks Toyota builds an inferior product really isn't paying attention to the facts.
Put Ivan in a Chevy and then that will change.......(Hint Hint....It's the driver not the truck)..........Ummm wasn't Ivan winning with Chevy BEFORE going to Toyota? So much for your "domination/technology theory".
an extract of Mr. Stewart's bio. Nothing about Chevy's in it. Gotta agree w/you about it's the driver not the truck. And I'd have to say, without any further research, that Ford is probably the next most successful off-road manufacturer.
Born In Oklahoma, Stewart grew up in San Diego. His love for off-road racing began In high school when he started riding dune buggies. Following graduation, Stewart married his high school sweetheart and took a job in construction, while he maintained racing as a hobby.
In 1973, he began working with owner-driver Bill Hrynko, to build and maintain Hrynko's off-road buggie. He also served as a co-driver until Hrynko broke his leg, giving the "lronman" the chance to drive. Stewart won his first race and continued to win with various grassroots efforts before joining Toyota's factory-sponsored team in 1983.
In his first two years behind the wheel of his PPI-prepared race truck in the Mickey Thompson Off-Road Stadium Racing Series, Stewart clinched consecutive driver's championships in the Grand National Sport Truck Class(GNST). He earned a third championship in 1990. Only his former teammate Rod Millen has been able to match that feat with three consecutive titles in 1992, 1993 and 1994.
Together with his teammates, Stewart played an important role in Toyota's 11 manufacturer's championships and 42 main event victories in the 12-year history of the stadium series - nearly three times more than any other truck team. Although Toyota did not return to the stadium series in 1995, Stewart will always hold the record for all- time event wins in the GNST class with 17.
In addition to stadium competition, Stewart drove one of two trucks for Toyota in the mini- and mid-size pickup class in the desert during the 1983 and 1984 seasons. In less than two years, he claimed six class victories, including two SCORE World Championships. When Toyota moved to the Unlimited Class in 1985, he became the only driver for the team's single entry.
Stewart claimed Toyota's first Baja 1000 victory in 1993. That win clinched his second SCORE Overall and Unlimited Class series championships, matching his 1990 record as the only driver in the series history to earn both titles in the same year. In addition, Toyota became the only truck team in history to sweep the "Crown Jewels" of desert racing -- Nevada 400, Baja 500 and Baja 1000 -- in the same season.
Entering his 27th year in off-road racing and 17th year with Toyota, Stewart has amassed 83 career victories and eight driver's championships. Included in these wins are Seventeen Baja 500s, eight Mint 400s, four Parker 400s and Three Baja 1000s. He earned the nickname "lronman" for his numerous solo victories in the two Baja races.
I road in an early 90's Toymota of a friends.It didn't ride as well as the '89 Dakaota I owned.It didn't have anymore amenities than the Dakota I owned and really wasn't as relaible as the Dakota I owned.Even the owner of that Toymota will admit all this.What does this prove?Not much,except maybe Toymota had just about nothing to do with trucks getting more luxurious.My best guess would tend to believe it had more to do with consumers wanting the amenities,but what do I know,I'm just a dumb Carpenter.
What RS Petty stated is true. Ivan Ironman Stewart is a legend to the Baja offroad racing as Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, or Dale Jarrett is to Nascar.
Desert racing is the hardest racing on a truck. Hot and dry temps, all the dirt and rocks, etc. The trucks experience all these obstacles at very high rates of speed offroad. Lots and lots of breakages. I hate to admit it, but the Toyota's have been more durable and finished more races, with the Ford and Chevy's not being able to finish because of breakages. That is not to imply that Toyota builds any more reliable truck or car over the domestics. Everyone knows that the parts used on race trucks are about as much brand specific as a heinz 57 dog is a purebred.....Each truck just has their team sponsor stuck to the outside.
Toyota Racing Development does do some things right though, at least in the Baja races.
It's as ridiculous to compare Ivan Ironman Toyota to a street going version of a pickup truck as it is to compare a Nascar truck series Ford, Chevy, or Dodge.
It's probably even more fair to compare the Toyota Indy cars to Ford Cosworth and Chevy Ilmor. Toyota has had their butt kicked for years in the Cart series.
While Stewart is a legend there are many well known WINNING racers besides him. I know Roc won't care but Robbie Gordon (Ford) Rob McCacrean(sp?) (Ford) the Herbst Brothers (Ford) Ragland(Chevy)win their far share of races. Baja is just two races a year out of many. Want to hear something that's really going to start the flames? Ivan Stewart's pre-runner a few years back was a thinly disguised Ford powered Toyota. Ok, let the doubters post.
I agree with you, although I may not have worded it to be understood the same.
You can't compare showroom floor import and domestic trucks to those raced in the Baja's. No comparison. Same with Ford and Chevy at the Nascar races.
mviglianco1: You don't know what you are missing. Nascar is watched by and holds more enthusiasts than any sport, including baseball (the American Sport) and Football. That is fact.
No offense, but could your dislike of Nascar be due to Toyota not having a presence in Nascar? Toyota's V8 is a totally new concept for Toyota. Until recently, Toyota has been marketing trucks in the US to the needs of the Japanese in their own country (Admitted by Toyota in many reports and recorded conversations). They have not had much knowledge of and have not built\marketed trucks to the American economy, thus no V8 and smaller cab space, etc. They felt their strong industry was always in smaller trucks for more economy. Japan actually sells very little of their pickups for personal use in Japan. If a work truck is needed, they use Isuzu diesel trucks and the like.
Now they are getting on the wagon, but who's V8 is it actually??? Toyota or Lexus? Toyota is a good truck, but still not quite engineered for the American need. Maybe in 2001 or 2002, they will build the cabs a little bigger, the beds a little deeper, etc.
Not knocking the Toyota. They are a good truck too if that is the market of truck you are wanting. It's just my observation that they need to be a little bigger and offer some of the full size truck amenities if they should be taken seriously as a full size truck.
Don't take this as a slam on the Tundra. It is not meant to be. I don't think anyone is brand loyal due to Nascar. It has been said several times here that Nascar cars and trucks have GM, Ford and, Dodge (trucks only) sponsorship, but the engines and parts are engineered individually based on Nascar regulations and have very little to do with the manufacturers that sponsor them.
I drive a Chevy Silverado. Am I brand loyal? No. I prefer to buy American if the American product is of the same quality for the same or less cost, but I have no problem buying an Import if it provides a cost or quality benefit. I have owned both import and domestic vehicles. I just don't see any reliability difference between the two these day's and the Imports are more costly, both initially and in repairs\maintenance along the way.
Enjoy your truck. There is nothing wrong with a Tundra. It's just not the only truck out there and not everyones "preference".
Actually I drive a Tocoma, and while I like the Tundra, I really dont know anything about it. I dont really dont hate NASCAR, it's just that living in Charlotte and working one floor below NASCAR's headquarters I have grown a little tired of always hearing about it and always getting stuck in race traffic around NC. I have plenty of friends that follow it and a few that have become very rich because of it. I am going to a New Years party just a few hundred yards from Rusty Wallace's house in the Blue Ridge Mtns.
I just feel that I have a little more of an open mind about vehicles due to the fact that my parents had no specific brand loyalty and I dont follow NASCAR. My only loyalty to Toyota stems from one of my first vehicles being an older model pickup that I put through hell and it never let me down and is still going strong for my dad.
HEy!!! Let's switch areas!!! I still miss my home state of NC--especially when NASCAR is back in season! Trust me, it's got to be better than listening to a bunch of Eagle-fan idiots praying that this NFL team somehow wins at least three games a year!!
I guess I have nothing to complain about so dont expect me to trade. At least with the Panthers we can hope for a .500 season. Where in NC are you from?
Backpacking, and fishing aren't. I wonder how much oil and rubber it takes to support NASCAR and all other forms of racing. Just think of all of those tires, where do they go? Hopefully some fans living room.
mviglianco1, I resemble that living room remark! I once considered buying a tire used by my wife's favorite NASCAR driver. I suggested that we could make a coffee table out of the tire by putting a round piece of glass (1/2" Thick) on the tire. I was joking, her comment was "Well, maybe if we had a rec room in the house."
I'd rather see NASCAR return to its roots and race modified production cars rather than purpose built race cars. Maybe Busch series should look at this. All the previous posts about "racing" were to counter the thought that Toyota can't make trucks. They can, they do, and they have a good history of how to make them tough. They may not be for everyone, but then obviously neither is NASCAR. Barlitz, my life is just fine, but thank you for caring.
Comments
-powerisfun
trucks and they don't guzzle gas. I am also
fond of the Ranger, but I think it eats up
too much gas for it's, what I consider to
be weak 4.0L. The Toyota 3.4L puts out 30 more
H.P. but only gives up 5 pounds of torque but
also gives up .6L of displacement and a considerable amount of weight. Oh there is
nothing wrong with being a hick, it's just
he wasn't trying to see a better truck.
By the way, the following vehicles are made in the USA; Tacoma, Corolla, (Sienna, Avalon, Camry are made in Georgetown KY) That is probably why they are a bit pricey too. My cousin makes 45,000 a year for operating a spraygun!!
Chevy silverado is only 3" wider. Hold out 3 fingers, that's how much "bigger" it is. The silv is 9" longer. That's about half the length of your keyboard. The bed is the same and the interiors are almost identical in legroom. The extra inches in the silv are consumed by a poor engine/tranny layout. In essence Toyota made the same size bed and interior yet shaved wasted space from the front end while putting in a more powerful standard engine than chevy. Look at the silv engine compartment. It has tubes and hoses running randomly about the engine as if they were afterthoughts. The way the components are haphazardly arranged makes it difficult to believe much planning went into the details. By stark comparison; the Tundra engine compartment is neat, orderly and shows real attention to detail. (i.e. the windshield fluid container takes exactly one gallon, clear path to all spark plugs, etc.) My dad's 74 chevy was a good truck, he's very disapointed with the poor quality of his newer chev.
would have gotten one!by the way the shop i work at has a 96 chevy 2500 4wd with the "mighty" vortech 255 h.p engine and man is that thing slow!
no fun drving that one.....oh and the ride well don't even try to compare it to the tundra.
(just the facts)
Merry Christmas to all no matter what you drive...And have a safe and happy New Year!
Merry Christmas
Answer this one here, if them toys be all that, how come there be now such thing as a classic toyota? Good luck on this one now!
Happy Holidays
The reliability of US-made trucks has increased dramatically over the past few decades and now the differences are slight. Ultimately we have all benefitted from competetion as such.
and not to mention all of the other things that
have plagued this truck......my boss is now thinking of trading this jem in now!
oh bye the way his wifes 98 4-runner has been
flawless and with more miles on it than the chevy!
As for Chevy's having a reputation for having shotty build quality,I think this guys read too many Toymota ads.I am not saying one should dismiss Toymotas without a look,I am just saying that in the grand scheme of things,any truck you buy is more than likely going to be very good,and we shouldn't be putting down any brand,it is kinda like putting someone down,for the brand of shoes they wear.
And the guy who compared a 95 or 96 Chev to the new Tundra....come on, make a fair comparison, like a new Chevy, Ford or Dodge against the Tundra. Your comparison is like comparing a 96 T100 against a new Silverado.
Anyone who thinks Toyota builds an inferior product really isn't paying attention to the facts.
Born In Oklahoma, Stewart grew up in San Diego. His love for off-road racing began In high school when he started riding dune buggies. Following graduation, Stewart married his high school sweetheart and took a job in construction, while he maintained racing as a hobby.
In 1973, he began working with owner-driver Bill Hrynko, to build and maintain Hrynko's off-road buggie. He also served as a co-driver until Hrynko broke his leg, giving the "lronman" the chance to drive. Stewart won his first race and continued to win with various grassroots efforts before joining Toyota's factory-sponsored team in 1983.
In his first two years behind the wheel of his PPI-prepared race truck in the Mickey Thompson Off-Road Stadium Racing Series, Stewart clinched consecutive driver's championships in the Grand National Sport Truck Class(GNST). He earned a third championship in 1990. Only his former teammate Rod Millen has been able to match that feat with three consecutive titles in 1992, 1993 and 1994.
Together with his teammates, Stewart played an important role in Toyota's 11 manufacturer's championships and 42 main event victories in the 12-year history of the stadium series - nearly three times more than any other truck team. Although Toyota did not return to the stadium series in 1995, Stewart will always hold the record for all- time event wins in the GNST class with 17.
In addition to stadium competition, Stewart drove one of two trucks for Toyota in the mini- and mid-size pickup class in the desert during the 1983 and 1984 seasons. In less than two years, he claimed six class victories, including two SCORE World Championships. When Toyota moved to the Unlimited Class in 1985, he became the only driver for the team's single entry.
Stewart claimed Toyota's first Baja 1000 victory in 1993. That win clinched his second SCORE Overall and Unlimited Class series championships, matching his 1990 record as the only driver in the series history to earn both titles in the same year. In addition, Toyota became the only truck team in history to sweep the "Crown Jewels" of desert racing -- Nevada 400, Baja 500 and Baja 1000 -- in the same season.
Entering his 27th year in off-road racing and 17th year with Toyota, Stewart has amassed 83 career victories and eight driver's championships. Included in these wins are Seventeen Baja 500s, eight Mint 400s, four Parker 400s and Three Baja 1000s. He earned the nickname "lronman" for his numerous solo victories in the two Baja races.
Happy New Year!!!
Second: Why do we care?
Third: I would think a guy named "rs petty" really should be a NASCAR fan.......
just a thought.............
Desert racing is the hardest racing on a truck. Hot and dry temps, all the dirt and rocks, etc. The trucks experience all these obstacles at very high rates of speed offroad. Lots and lots of breakages. I hate to admit it, but the Toyota's have been more durable and finished more races, with the Ford and Chevy's not being able to finish because of breakages.
That is not to imply that Toyota builds any more reliable truck or car over the domestics. Everyone knows that the parts used on race trucks are about as much brand specific as a heinz 57 dog is a purebred.....Each truck just has their team sponsor stuck to the outside.
Toyota Racing Development does do some things right though, at least in the Baja races.
It's probably even more fair to compare the Toyota Indy cars to Ford Cosworth and Chevy Ilmor. Toyota has had their butt kicked for years in the Cart series.
You can't compare showroom floor import and domestic trucks to those raced in the Baja's. No comparison. Same with Ford and Chevy at the Nascar races.
mviglianco1:
You don't know what you are missing. Nascar is watched by and holds more enthusiasts than any sport, including baseball (the American Sport) and Football. That is fact.
No offense, but could your dislike of Nascar be due to Toyota not having a presence in Nascar? Toyota's V8 is a totally new concept for Toyota. Until recently, Toyota has been marketing trucks in the US to the needs of the Japanese in their own country (Admitted by Toyota in many reports and recorded conversations). They have not had much knowledge of and have not built\marketed trucks to the American economy, thus no V8 and smaller cab space, etc. They felt their strong industry was always in smaller trucks for more economy. Japan actually sells very little of their pickups for personal use in Japan. If a work truck is needed, they use Isuzu diesel trucks and the like.
Now they are getting on the wagon, but who's V8 is it actually??? Toyota or Lexus? Toyota is a good truck, but still not quite engineered for the American need. Maybe in 2001 or 2002, they will build the cabs a little bigger, the beds a little deeper, etc.
Not knocking the Toyota. They are a good truck too if that is the market of truck you are wanting. It's just my observation that they need to be a little bigger and offer some of the full size truck amenities if they should be taken seriously as a full size truck.
Don't take this as a slam on the Tundra. It is not meant to be. I don't think anyone is brand loyal due to Nascar. It has been said several times here that Nascar cars and trucks have GM, Ford and, Dodge (trucks only) sponsorship, but the engines and parts are engineered individually based on Nascar regulations and have very little to do with the manufacturers that sponsor them.
I drive a Chevy Silverado. Am I brand loyal? No. I prefer to buy American if the American product is of the same quality for the same or less cost, but I have no problem buying an Import if it provides a cost or quality benefit. I have owned both import and domestic vehicles. I just don't see any reliability difference between the two these day's and the Imports are more costly, both initially and in repairs\maintenance along the way.
Enjoy your truck. There is nothing wrong with a Tundra. It's just not the only truck out there and not everyones "preference".
I just feel that I have a little more of an open mind about vehicles due to the fact that my parents had no specific brand loyalty and I dont follow NASCAR. My only loyalty to Toyota stems from one of my first vehicles being an older model pickup that I put through hell and it never let me down and is still going strong for my dad.
Tacomas are good trucks too. Again, just not what I was in the market for when I bought.
Later.
And when you think about it, what form of recreational consumption isn't?
No need to back away from it, you hit the mark.
(Jeff Gordon still kicks butt, but without Ray Evernham and the mutinous Yates crew, he's down on the mat for a while.)
Happy NewYear
I resemble that living room remark! I once considered buying a tire used by my wife's favorite NASCAR driver. I suggested that we could make a coffee table out of the tire by putting a round piece of glass (1/2" Thick) on the tire. I was joking, her comment was "Well, maybe if we had a rec room in the house."
Rich