I've said it before and will again. The dealer should not pass advertising fees on as a vehicle cost. Its not. Everyone needs to advertise to be in business. Some more than others. This comes out of their net profit at the end of the year. Let's say if I'm buying a Pioneer car stereo--cost $150 Store X sells it for $170. Store Y sells it for $175 and says well its really $170 but I have to pay $5 more to advertise it than business X. Who will you but it from?
I think the TDA is added to the invoice 'cause it's not a cost from the factory.
The stereo includes the cost of advertising in its price--just 'cause it isn't spelled out, doesn't mean that it isn't there. If companies didn't figure ALL costs into their product and left it to accounting at the end of the year to scrape the bucks together to pay for lights, facilities, and advertising, there would be a lot of short-lived companies. (kind of like the dot coms)
This is similar to a government contracting issue where all costs need to be justifies. If a contractor made that stereo for the gov't, the contractor would have to detail the cost of labor, overhead, materials, subcontractors, and profit. The government could choose to break down the overhead into facilities, support staff, lights, water coolers and advertising. Now if the company selling the stereo to the gov't was more of a broker, the costs would be profit, finished product and overhead, which includes labor and advertising/incentives. The gov't would assess the costing issues and grant an award fee (usually in the 90-99% range...rarely 100%) based on the efficiency of the operation.
There is currently no information about NAV in the Sequoia. It is available in other Toyota family products so one can assume at some point in the future it may be available. One reason it may not appear is if the rumours are true about the Land Cruiser being an upscale Sequoia next year. They may make it only available for the LC.
All, Thanks for all the good information. What I have found in the last 24 hours jives with most of your comments. TDA is a Dealer expense (voluntary on the part of the dealer) for regional advertising, which if joined by the dealer, is actually set up and managed by Toyota.
The WFR charge was in fact listed seperately on the invoice, however, the invoice base was lower than the Edmunds base by the WFR and holdback ($695) to the penny (dumb me). AT the end of the day, I'm feeling pretty good about my position, and if a vehicle comes in with one or two things I don't care for, I'll try to mitigate their costs by using the WFR (really profit) argument. Thanks again, and Best wishes.
i seems to remember reading some article about the toyota future saying that if by 2005 LC sale don't pick up, they are gonna stop making them. for sequoia not having NAV is a total marketing thing, they just don't wanna make it too nice, so people still see a differ between LC and sequoia (i mean for people don't care about too much perfect off road ability) i don't know the rumors of up scale sequoia next year, if they do that, they will probably make it a lexus. actually that's one of the reason i bought sequoia, cos the future model will just be nicer and more expensive, what i mean is rather than buying a MDX, and knowing it will be another cheaper version of honda in the future....
DEALER advertising fees are not the issue here. A distributor (regional) levied fee tacked on to the invoice that happens to cover non-dealer specific advertising is the issue. Again, it is pretty irrelevant. All that a consumer benefits by knowing the invoice is to compare prices on vehicles with different equipment. It is just a base line for comparison.
Even if toyota advertises in the region and makes the dealer pay toward that, its still advertising. If the dealer needs to pay $25,000 per year to advertise in the paper, on the radio, and for money directly to Toyota, then that's one of his costs, just like the rent, the employee salaries etc. If all his costs are less than his total profit he's made money. If he needs to start paying interest on vehicles because they are sitting on the lot for a year and has passed the interest free grace period, will he charge that to the customer?--the answer is no, because the customer won't pay for it. Interests on vehicles sitting on the lots are however one of his costs.
Let's keep costs to actual costs of the vehicles. Factoring in advertising fees is a very gray area.
Gray area? Of all the expenses you listed, only one is added to our invoices.
This is ridiculous. As a consumer, you are not paying invoice anyway. You are paying a figure that you (and often, the dealer) choose to relate to an invoice figure. You don't want to pay it? No problem. Just pay a higher figure over the invoice MINUS the TDA fee.
Well, unless the individual sees the invoice, it is possible that higher costs could be attributed to "advertising fees". Thus, yes it would be best if we always talked about the price over the invoice cost without advertising fees added to the invoice. This way the variability of the advertising fee does not factor into our decision of the price over cost that we paid.
This is our Sequoia's first winter in Northern Wisconsin. We now have snow and ice covered roads and we are having numerous problems with our Sequoia. The first problem (or shall I say oddity) is a horrible grinding noise that comes from just in front of the driver whenever the rear wheels start to slip. This grinding noise is loud and happens constantly on snow and ice covered roads at slower speeds when under acceleration. The service department claims this is NORMAL! If this is normal I am extremely dissatisfied with the engineering of the sytem that creates such a horrible noise (sounds like metal gears mashing together) and wonder just exactly what it accomplishes. We tried to turn VSC off and the noise persists. Toyota service says this is not VSC, rather traction control that emits the noise. Normal, so nothing to fix.
Problem Number 2: We live right off of a highway and often have to pull out of our driveway in to traffic. When doing so and stepping on the gas to accelerate, the Toyota refuses to go. The engine seems to cutout or govern itself to only a certain RPM. This has happened countless times since we've owned the vehicle on totally dry pavement. This is not only irritating but dangerous. When acceleration is expected, and is not there, it makes you wonder what will happen next. Toyota service has been "unable to duplicate the problem" so they have no idea what we are talking about. My guess is that this may be VSC related? I seem to remember seeing someone comment about this in a car magazine (AutoWeek maybe?). Irregardless, even with VSC supposedly turned off, the problem persists.
These problems, combined with the horrible sound system, poor climate control, and other nuisances have made us very unhappy Toyota owners. This was our first, and very well may be our last, Toyota.
I welcome anyone who has feedback or can lend advice on the two problems I have outlined above. You can e-mail me direct if you prefer at jeff@3-lakes.com.
I've wondered and somewhat worried about whether the use of the ABS to stop wheel slip will cause excessive noise. I used to notice that in a WIndstar van. We have not had the truck on slippery snow or ice to determine this as of yet. Offroad and in rain I have not detected any noise though. Has anyone alse had similar experiences with noise form the ABS on snow/ice?
What you are experiencing is VERY normal and indicates the system is operating as it should. Traction control uses your ABS system to route power to the correct wheels. ABS makes a loud grinding and clicking sound.
As for the loss of power, I assume that this happens only when you are in 2 wheel drive. I have written extensively on this issue. The only cure is to leave your Sequoia in 4WD. This shuts off the rev limiter portion of the traction control.
You should read the topic titled "Toyota 4 Wheel Drive Systems Explained" This is the 4th topic down in the SUV conference. This should answer all your questions on the operation of this system. Were it me, I'd certainly have this thing in 4WD all the time in a Wisconsin winter. There is no reason not to. This will reduce the frequency of the ABS noise as well.
The traction control noise is FAR louder and more persistant than the ABS noise. It also seems to be closer to the driver. In fact, the Toyota dealer said the "Traction Control Pump" is what makes the loud noise.
I doubt that people in climates with little snow or slippery roads would seldom, if ever, experience these problems. For us they will be daily nuisances all winter long. The traction sound is actually louder than the radio when it is playing at a normal level. Maybe I can try to drowned it out with that abundance of Toyota sound system bass.
If these idiosyncrasies are indeed "normal" then I will reiterate my disappointment in the Toyota 4WD system. Instead of making the system safer it has done just the opposite -- epecially with the loss of power issue. Leaving a vehicle in 4WD to fix that problem seems like an obscure fix. 4WD will create wear and tear on the front end that is not neccessary 99% of the time. Toyota needs to address the problem - period.
One of my friends has a 2000 LandCruiser that does not make any such noises. Different system?
Where have you written on the "loss of power" issue? I have not read it in this forum. Is it also in the Toyota 4WD topic?
After reading the Toyota 4WD postings it is obvious that this IS the way the system is supposed to work. Still doesn't mean I have to like it though. One particular post noted that when pulling out of gravel (our driveway) onto blacktop that the reduction system can kick in. That is exactly what happens to us. I still don't believe that "put it in 4WD" should be the answer to this problem. I am also not confident that long term leaving the system in 4WD is good for any of the front end components. Unless the system is so good that it never sends power to a wheel that doesn't need it - not even for a second.
For 99% of daily drivers this sytem is not the best system. Some type of override or default system should be available to make these items not work/the default unless engaged. I can see the benefits when conditions call, however, NOT in daily driving.
Confused by your last post - "Sorry". The Toyota 4WD system has nothing to do with your extremely informative and helpful way of explaining it - which I do appreciate. Just saying that the system doesn't seem to make sense for most daily drivers and usages.
I'm a bit sensitive to this topic from others whom have asked questions in the past. This system is designed to work best when left in 4WD. When in this mode, the Sequoia system is indistinguishable from the LC and the LC has no method of switching to 2WD. Because you are operating on a center differential, rather than a transfer case, the issue of tire wear is moot. Drive line components are there to be used.
I realize you don't like the answer of leaving it in 4WD, but that is the correct answer.
Your last post makes the most sense. If it does not create excess wear, and it is indeed the EXACT same system as a Landcruiser, then we'll run it in 4WD and see if it helps. As I stated before, this system just doesn't seem to make sense for most users and if running it in 4WD is the answer why did they even put 2WD in the Sequoia? Not questioning you, just wondering.
I do appreciate your feedback. Where/how did you become so knowledgeable on this system?
I think the 2WD option was made for me. I live in SoCal but ski/board every other weekend in winter (except this year - recovering from ACL recon) and MTB about every weekend in summer. So I am in 2WD most of the time and 4WD when I need it. Also, I occassionally leave it in 4WD on the dry roads here and haven't really noticed much of a difference with MPG and kind of like the steerng and power feel od 4WD in such circumstances.
When you are in 4WD in extreme conditions do you get the grinding noises or is it in 2WD only? I assume from Cliffy's post that in 4WD (if it acts like LC) then it doesn't make the noise. If it did and I lived in WI, I would want a different truck too. Good luck.
I learned about this by studying. I work in a dealership and cornered every technician and Toyota engineer and trainer that I could. Actually, no one person was able to give me everything I needed. I pieced it together bit by bit and played with it a bit on an icy parking lot.
As to why even have a 2WD mode? I have no idea. There are those who are convinced that the poor mileage on the LC is due to the full time system. In reality, the poor mileage is due to the sheer weight and lack of aerodynamic properties. As Nighter50 pointed out, the 4WD system has little impact on it. I'm guessing it was a marketing move by Toyota.
To be honest with you I have never driven it in 4WD for any extended period of time. I too think that perhaps the noise will happen less often, if at all, in 4WD. At least I hope so. In all honesty this is actually my wife's vehicle so I do not drive it that often. Only recently have I started to drive it when she started complaining about the grinding noises. We have only had it for about 8,000 miles and this is the first winter since we bought it in April.
More importantly than the noise, I hope the 4WD setting will cure the engine governing problem. I am VERY surprised that no other cold climate/harsh winter reader has complained about this goofy 2WD setup.
so for those who own a 2WD sequoia, like myself, is 3lakeswi's problem 2 unavoidable? i remember you have said something like, getting a 2WD sequoia is equal to getting an mini van, but it sounds worst than that now!! i'm too young to die.
I love my Sequoia SR5. The only problem is that the dash has a slight rattle. It seem to be coming from just above the stereo on the flat part of the dash. If I push on the top of the dash, the rattle stops. Any one else have this problem. It is rather annoying since the rest of the car is so tight and quiet. It is under warranty but I do not feel like leaving the car for a day with the dealer until some other problem arises (if any).
We live in a severe winter climate. The Sequoia is a dream on ice and snow. Just wondering if you have snow and ice like I do why are you bothering at all with 2wd? As noted, Traction control is defeatable with dash switch when in 4wd. Also, are you using Blizzak type tires? If not you should be. The stock tires are all-seasons and could be contributing to your lack of traction. My winter dueler dmz2's work well. Re: why 2wd system at all? My guess is curb weight which will affect fuel economy. I believe the 4wd is about 400 lbs. heavier.
I recently got a 2001 Sequoia SR5 (with the 265/70R16 Bridgestone H/T 689 tires). Getting ready for winter I am concerned about stopping/turning this heavy vehicle in snow/ice this winter (i.e. better traction might be a very good investment). Can any owners who have had it in snow yet comment on whether the above stock all-seasons tire work reasonably well in snow? The tire rack rating of them seems pretty poor (for snow and in general) so I'm trying to figure out whether to:
a) Just stick with stock H/T's year round if they work reasonably well b) Upgrade to a better all-season with better snow performance (if they would be significantly better than the H/T's) - the Michelin All-Terrain seems to be the top pick. c) Go the dedicated snow tire route (Bridgestone Duelers in the 245/75R16 size as noted in earlier posts). Obviously the best traction choice but at more hassle/cost than a or b.
Recently there was a survey of more than 110,000 car and light-truck owners, conducted by automotive research company J.D. Power and Associates of Agoura Hills, Calif.
According to Power's 2001 APEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution And Layout) study, the Toyota or Lexus vehicles led seven categories, making Toyota Motors Sales U.S.A. Inc. the top company. The Toyota Avalon was best premium midsize car, the Lexus ES 300 was the most appealing entry luxury car, and the Lexus GS sedan topped the mid-luxury car group.
Both Toyota trucks also were at the top of their respective categories, and Toyota also held the top spot in the APEAL study's full-size SUV category with its Sequoia besting the Ford Excursion and Chevrolet Tahoe. Toyota had held the top spot in the full-size SUV group for the two previous years with its Land Cruiser SUV.
There you have it Sequoia owners... Feel proud when you're cruising down the highway knowing that you're driving the top ranked full-size SUV.
Here's the link for those of you who may want more specifics.
I guess I just never saw the point of driving the vehicle around in 4WD when 2WD should be capable of moving the vehicle through 95% of what we are driving in. Many of our side roads and streets are snow and ice covered all winter. Main highways are usually clear. Obviously the Toyota 4WD system is more than capable, however the 2WD system (in my OPINION) is crap.
After we picked up the vehicle from the dealer last night we put it in 4WD where I am guessing we will have to keep it for the remainder of the winter season to avoid traction control grinding and engine governing. The engine governing in the other 3 seasons of the year is another story. I am guessing we will STILL have to run around in 4WD in the summer to avoid be clobbered by some other car when I pull out of my driveway and the Toyota decides how much acceleration it will allow instead of the driver.
JD Power never sent me a survey, and if they had the Toyota would have gotten poor marks in a lot of categories.
gohabsgo: I have to agree with the one vehicle measured in the "Most Loved" survey. I own a Toyota Avalon and both my wife and I think it is an excellent family sedan.
I do have to wonder about any survey with the Aztec on the top of its category and the absence of vehicles like a 740IL or MB500. Makes you wonder if the owners of the vehicles that won simply have lower expectations. (I swear, that last remark was not an effort to stir things up, just wondering outloud about hi-end cars that didn't make the list and why.)
I too have a 2001 SR5, and live in Minnesota. You are right, the trac control is loud. However, I run my vehicle in 4WD all year. I haven't noticed any decrease in mileage, so why not. As far as wear and tear goes, the front end components were made to be used as much as the rear, so you might as well use them. Another thing I tend to do is turn off the VSC when there are snow covered streets and I am driving on residential/city streets below 50 mph. Believe me, I think you will realize that this is a pretty safe vehicle. I know I feel better when my wife and kids are in it.
So leave it in 4WD and I think you will be much happier. I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee before this which came with permanent 4WD. I like the Sequoia much much more. Personally, I don't understand why more vehicles aren't sold that way in this climate. The only thing you accomplish with a 2WD vehicle is save a little money. As I'm sure you, few people in our areas would buy a truck like this without the 4WD option. There's no harm in using it, so I suggest year round 4WD.
Amazingly many dealers don't even understand this. You should see the look I get from the dealer when I drive it in in 4WD. He always aasks why. I tell him "so the rev limiter doesn't kick in". He acts like he doesn't even know it has a rev limiter.
I guess I don't understand your logic regarding 4wd. Why would you not want it in 4wd when you have lots of snow and ice? On top of that there is no real downside to having it in 4wd. You bought a 4wd-why not use it? Give some thought to the tires as well-that may solve a lot of your problems. In 2wd it sounds like you may have a problem. I'm on my second Sequoia now and have never felt the traction system was obtrusive or dangerous. Be persistent with the dealer and/or call Toyota. The "squeaky wheel gets the grease".
someone wondered why toyota made the 2wd version of the seq.... besides the curb weight issue some one lese pointed out, i most humbly suggest it is all for we californian's (southern californian's to be exact)... i mean, if you've never lived here it may be difficult to understand this, but what do we really need 4wd for ? no snow to bother us, no sleet, no icy rain, not much inclement weather to speak of. yes we do get our occasional earth shaker but then, the beaches, the freeways, the sun, the hills, the works..... you'd only be wasting good ol' 4wd if you buy one out here. but there are those who do need a 4wd even in california... in the far north... here in san diego, there are more 2wd's than 4wd's, by my very unscientific count on freeways. that is when you can actually see a seq on the road, scarce, very scarce indeed...
btw, my seq was fixed (kinda) by the dealer. the fix was re-balancing the wheels. now the vibration is gone, but i will be taking it to an outside vendor to increase the alignment specs.
did i hear that the yukon denali xl did not even get a honorary mention in the most loved survey ? well, heatwave3, i am calling you out on that. what's that with the survey people, eh ? maybe the people surveyed had no appreciation (?) for the superior towing abilities of the denali ! or maybe they just found the denali to rank lower than the seq in the f/s suv category. or by chance, was the denali in the luxury f/s category ? even then its "cousin" the escalade won that (could be infered therefore, that the denali won one category, right ?).... just wondering aloud here, just like you Pete... don't take it personal, ok
I ordered a new sequoia limited with the preferred package. I haven't received the truck yet, so I can't comment on the bass noise, but I'm wondering if anyone knows if this stereo has an aux input jack, and how accessible it is. I'd like to hook up an MP3 player to the stereo, and I hate those cassette adapters and FM modulators. The jack sounds the best to me.
oac3: trust me, no offense was taken to the remarks regarding Denali's. I don't even know if they were included in the survey, although the Escalade being the nearly identical vehicle with different headlights and stabilitrak winning its category is a reasonable surrogate. Either way, I'm not terribly influenced by how much someone else is in love with THEIR vehicle.
As I've stated in the past, my DXL is absolutely the best vehicle I have ever owned for the purposes I use it for. Additionally, no other vehicle could meet the requirements of the DXL, luxury, performance, tow capacity, storage and aesthetics. Money wasn't an issue. If the Escalade came in an XL version it would have been a serious consideration.
gpm5: The ABS actuator is in the engine compartment. This is where the noise will originate.
doudoudid: On the 2WD models, I believe there is a "TRAC off" button on the dash. If there isn't, there is a "VSC off" button and on the 2WD models, this does disengage the traction control.
Still waiting for my Sequoia to arrive, I started wondering about remote starter options. Toyota quoted me a price of $500 ($250 parts, $250 labor). Sounds pretty high. Has anyone else had one of these installed? By the dealer or by AfterMarket installer? Are you happy with it? Is $500 too high for this product?
I'm in Massachusetts if it makes a difference, and I'm getting a Limited.
Remote car starters are big in our area although I don't have one. I'd stick with the Toyota one-I have heard of horror stories of malfunctioning electronics, hours spent checking wires etc, also check with toyota-seems to me they were mentioned in owners manual and were not recommended. I'll post if I find out any further info.
I haven't put a remote start on my Sequoia yet, but I have had experience with a couple of them. I had one on a Camry and one on a Jeep GC. The one I recommend is made by Crime Stopper. I am having one installed after christmas on our new Avalon. Price installed is $250 which includes connecting the doors and trunk for keyless remote also. We have the keyless option, but it's nice to have it all on one remote key fob. I believe it was $200 without connecting the doors. I asked my installer about the Sequoia and he said it wouldn't be any problem. The only difference is they need on of the master keys which they put inside the module inside the dash. This is because the chip in the key needs to communicate with the module.
Having had these before, they are really convenient, especially here in Minnesota.
what is remote starter? does it work as an keyless entry if you don't have it? i didn't know toyota has this option. i'm the one who suffer with no keyless entry option with my SR5 and refused to spent additional $400 to install it. But if this a remote that can work as an keyless entry and also start the engine from outside, i'm happy to do it.
I have read similar posts of people asking questions before about this topic. Thought this post may help (I'm not the typcial shopper)
Shopped and studied an EXTENSIVE amount...(I surveyed/contacted about 20 different states around the country...dealer, private seller, wholsaler, registered importer, web-sites, forums, created spreadsheets, plotted depreciation curves, test drove repeatedly, rented, u name it)
It came down to value. A heavily negotiated pre-cert. loaaded '00 LX470 ('00 starts new traction technologies, but no side airbags, '00 and 25k miles saves a bit of money) was just too close in price to a Sequoia. '00 LX470 was 44-45k (dont heed listed prices of 48-52k too much...sales are down by 30-50% and some dealers are still choking on inventory) and similar '01 Sequoia with 12-15k miles cert pre-owned like 38+ minimum with many dealers telling me I could save by buying other SUVs for less money if I found the Sequoia pricey. This is still a 7-8k difference, different model year, miles, etc., but given both ar certified and have basically 95+% of the latest technology I considered it too small a difference spread across 5+ years (I buy and hold)and makes me think hte Sequoia vs LX470 in a practical sense is not a 20-25K spread if you're willing to go pre-owned
Sequoias it appears (IMHO - no flames, pls, I've been a lurker for some time and learned a lot from you folks) have some measure of artifical scarcity and so artificially high prices for some time now. Everyone I spoke to said they would buy as many as they could get their hands on - including the RIs who cant get enough out of Canada
I found '01 demo 4x4 Ltd loaded Sequoias under best pricing could be had for 39 flat with few thousand miles...37-39 for pre-owned with 12-25k mi...35-36k from Canada (no, it's not a TMU title, yes T honors warranty..you'll want to use an RI 'cause of all the paperwork...NAFTA says fine, dealers often counsel otherwise). Many times, people were holding out for a couple thou more
Overall, regions and dealers vary WIDELY...if you have the time and energy, you can really contact dozens of dealers and get lucky with someone who wants to move a vehicle or has some other special situation. Experience can vary widely even in the smae dealership.
Bear in mind this is my value judgement...beyond value, I say drive any vehicle(s) you are considering, possibly even rent it, though that can get expensive. Some dealers (wholesalers actually) let me out for 30-60 minute test drives. I think some thought I was too young (Lexus especially...and Cadillac-forget about it... I was like their pesty grandson) and salesperson would accompany me on the drive and not let the SUV out for more than a few minutes of easy roads.
Anyway, I think that no amount of me telling you how one feels vs the other can substitute for actually getting behind the wheel. Enjoy!
Last week test drove a Limited Sequoia on the NJ Parkway. Went to pass another vehicle and the tach red lined and the engine started to howl like it was being over worked.
Got back to dealer and ask if this vehicle was a four cylinder because that's the way it drove. He said no, it was an 8. No guts.
Left there and bought a 02 Denali XL. Plenty of guts here. Vortex 6000 V8.
No, I'm not a GMC troll. Just a poor (really poor now) working slob like most Americans.
For those two GMC owners who keep posting to the Sequoia board I will say that you made the right choice. We own a 2001 Sequoia (9,000 miles) and a 2001 Yukon (21,000 miles) and I will grab the Yukon keys before the Sequoia keys every time. I can not think of one area where I prefer the Sequoia over the Yukon.
Can you please share what you most like about the Yukon over the Sequoia? We are considering purchasing one of these vehicles in the next few months. I would say that based on my test drive and looking the vehicle over, the one thing I like better about the Sequoia is that the third row seats roll forward, providing more storage room. Thanks for any input.
baseballmom94: I'm not sure about the regular Yukon but in the Yukon XL, Suburban and Denali XL, the third row seats roll (fold) forward to provide significantly greater storage space in the rear without having to remove the third row seats. Its a very nice convenience.
I bought the Denali because all the features I wanted were there plus more.
I have never been in any vehicle that rode as smooth and quiet as the Denali XL. Coming back from the dealer on the NJ parkway I thought I was doing 55 mph but after glancing at the speedometer I was surprised I was doing 75. No wind noise at all.
I bought the XL over the regular Denali because I felt there was more leg room in the third seat plus with center buckets its very easy to get into the back seat.
For a list of features and a demo showing a lot of the features go to www.gmc.com and click on Denali.
GMC offers until 15 Jan 02 zero down and zero financing for 36 months. Why not use their money?
After I got back I took my B-I-L to the Toyota dealership where I took the test drive and parked right outside the main window show room.
It was really funny because every Toyota sales person came over and was staring at my Denali with their mouths hanging open. Even the sales manager went outside to sneak a peak at the inside and the sticker.
One improvement the 02 has over the 01 is that it now has a 6 L vortec engine instead of the 5.7L.
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The stereo includes the cost of advertising in its price--just 'cause it isn't spelled out, doesn't mean that it isn't there. If companies didn't figure ALL costs into their product and left it to accounting at the end of the year to scrape the bucks together to pay for lights, facilities, and advertising, there would be a lot of short-lived companies. (kind of like the dot coms)
This is similar to a government contracting issue where all costs need to be justifies. If a contractor made that stereo for the gov't, the contractor would have to detail the cost of labor, overhead, materials, subcontractors, and profit. The government could choose to break down the overhead into facilities, support staff, lights, water coolers and advertising. Now if the company selling the stereo to the gov't was more of a broker, the costs would be profit, finished product and overhead, which includes labor and advertising/incentives. The gov't would assess the costing issues and grant an award fee (usually in the 90-99% range...rarely 100%) based on the efficiency of the operation.
One reason it may not appear is if the rumours are true about the Land Cruiser being an upscale Sequoia next year. They may make it only available for the LC.
Thanks for all the good information.
What I have found in the last 24 hours jives with most of your comments. TDA is a Dealer expense (voluntary on the part of the dealer) for regional advertising, which if joined by the dealer, is actually set up and managed by Toyota.
The WFR charge was in fact listed seperately on the invoice, however, the invoice base was lower than the Edmunds base by the WFR and holdback ($695) to the penny (dumb me).
AT the end of the day, I'm feeling pretty good about my position, and if a vehicle comes in with one or two things I don't care for, I'll try to mitigate their costs by using the WFR (really profit) argument.
Thanks again, and Best wishes.
Let's keep costs to actual costs of the vehicles. Factoring in advertising fees is a very gray area.
This is ridiculous. As a consumer, you are not paying invoice anyway. You are paying a figure that you (and often, the dealer) choose to relate to an invoice figure. You don't want to pay it? No problem. Just pay a higher figure over the invoice MINUS the TDA fee.
Problem Number 2: We live right off of a highway and often have to pull out of our driveway in to traffic. When doing so and stepping on the gas to accelerate, the Toyota refuses to go. The engine seems to cutout or govern itself to only a certain RPM. This has happened countless times since we've owned the vehicle on totally dry pavement. This is not only irritating but dangerous. When acceleration is expected, and is not there, it makes you wonder what will happen next. Toyota service has been "unable to duplicate the problem" so they have no idea what we are talking about. My guess is that this may be VSC related? I seem to remember seeing someone comment about this in a car magazine (AutoWeek maybe?). Irregardless, even with VSC supposedly turned off, the problem persists.
These problems, combined with the horrible sound system, poor climate control, and other nuisances have made us very unhappy Toyota owners. This was our first, and very well may be our last, Toyota.
I welcome anyone who has feedback or can lend advice on the two problems I have outlined above. You can e-mail me direct if you prefer at jeff@3-lakes.com.
Thanks, Jeff
As for the loss of power, I assume that this happens only when you are in 2 wheel drive. I have written extensively on this issue. The only cure is to leave your Sequoia in 4WD. This shuts off the rev limiter portion of the traction control.
You should read the topic titled "Toyota 4 Wheel Drive Systems Explained" This is the 4th topic down in the SUV conference. This should answer all your questions on the operation of this system. Were it me, I'd certainly have this thing in 4WD all the time in a Wisconsin winter. There is no reason not to. This will reduce the frequency of the ABS noise as well.
I doubt that people in climates with little snow or slippery roads would seldom, if ever, experience these problems. For us they will be daily nuisances all winter long. The traction sound is actually louder than the radio when it is playing at a normal level. Maybe I can try to drowned it out with that abundance of Toyota sound system bass.
One of my friends has a 2000 LandCruiser that does not make any such noises. Different system?
Where have you written on the "loss of power" issue? I have not read it in this forum. Is it also in the Toyota 4WD topic?
For 99% of daily drivers this sytem is not the best system. Some type of override or default system should be available to make these items not work/the default unless engaged. I can see the benefits when conditions call, however, NOT in daily driving.
Anybody wanna buy a used Sequoia?
I realize you don't like the answer of leaving it in 4WD, but that is the correct answer.
I do appreciate your feedback. Where/how did you become so knowledgeable on this system?
When you are in 4WD in extreme conditions do you get the grinding noises or is it in 2WD only? I assume from Cliffy's post that in 4WD (if it acts like LC) then it doesn't make the noise. If it did and I lived in WI, I would want a different truck too. Good luck.
As to why even have a 2WD mode? I have no idea. There are those who are convinced that the poor mileage on the LC is due to the full time system. In reality, the poor mileage is due to the sheer weight and lack of aerodynamic properties. As Nighter50 pointed out, the 4WD system has little impact on it. I'm guessing it was a marketing move by Toyota.
More importantly than the noise, I hope the 4WD setting will cure the engine governing problem. I am VERY surprised that no other cold climate/harsh winter reader has complained about this goofy 2WD setup.
As noted, Traction control is defeatable with dash switch when in 4wd.
Also, are you using Blizzak type tires? If not you should be. The stock tires are all-seasons and could be contributing to your lack of traction. My winter dueler dmz2's work well.
Re: why 2wd system at all? My guess is curb weight which will affect fuel economy. I believe the 4wd is about 400 lbs. heavier.
a) Just stick with stock H/T's year round if they work reasonably well
b) Upgrade to a better all-season with better snow performance (if they would be significantly better than the H/T's) - the Michelin All-Terrain seems to be the top pick.
c) Go the dedicated snow tire route (Bridgestone Duelers in the 245/75R16 size as noted in earlier posts). Obviously the best traction choice but at more hassle/cost than a or b.
Any comments/updates greatly appreciated,
Tom
According to Power's 2001 APEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution And Layout) study, the Toyota or Lexus vehicles led seven categories, making Toyota Motors Sales U.S.A. Inc. the top company. The Toyota Avalon was best premium midsize car, the Lexus ES 300 was the most appealing entry luxury car, and the Lexus GS sedan topped the mid-luxury car group.
Both Toyota trucks also were at the top of their respective categories, and Toyota also held the top spot in the APEAL study's full-size SUV category with its Sequoia besting the Ford Excursion and Chevrolet Tahoe. Toyota had held the top spot in the full-size SUV group for the two previous years with its Land Cruiser SUV.
There you have it Sequoia owners... Feel proud when you're cruising down the highway knowing that you're driving the top ranked full-size SUV.
Here's the link for those of you who may want more specifics.
info.http://carpoint.msn.com/Browse/win_2879.asp
After we picked up the vehicle from the dealer last night we put it in 4WD where I am guessing we will have to keep it for the remainder of the winter season to avoid traction control grinding and engine governing. The engine governing in the other 3 seasons of the year is another story. I am guessing we will STILL have to run around in 4WD in the summer to avoid be clobbered by some other car when I pull out of my driveway and the Toyota decides how much acceleration it will allow instead of the driver.
JD Power never sent me a survey, and if they had the Toyota would have gotten poor marks in a lot of categories.
I do have to wonder about any survey with the Aztec on the top of its category and the absence of vehicles like a 740IL or MB500. Makes you wonder if the owners of the vehicles that won simply have lower expectations. (I swear, that last remark was not an effort to stir things up, just wondering outloud about hi-end cars that didn't make the list and why.)
So leave it in 4WD and I think you will be much happier. I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee before this which came with permanent 4WD. I like the Sequoia much much more. Personally, I don't understand why more vehicles aren't sold that way in this climate. The only thing you accomplish with a 2WD vehicle is save a little money. As I'm sure you, few people in our areas would buy a truck like this without the 4WD option. There's no harm in using it, so I suggest year round 4WD.
Amazingly many dealers don't even understand this. You should see the look I get from the dealer when I drive it in in 4WD. He always aasks why. I tell him "so the rev limiter doesn't kick in". He acts like he doesn't even know it has a rev limiter.
In 2wd it sounds like you may have a problem. I'm on my second Sequoia now and have never felt the traction system was obtrusive or dangerous. Be persistent with the dealer and/or call Toyota. The "squeaky wheel gets the grease".
btw, my seq was fixed (kinda) by the dealer. the fix was re-balancing the wheels. now the vibration is gone, but i will be taking it to an outside vendor to increase the alignment specs.
did i hear that the yukon denali xl did not even get a honorary mention in the most loved survey ? well, heatwave3, i am calling you out on that. what's that with the survey people, eh ? maybe the people surveyed had no appreciation (?) for the superior towing abilities of the denali ! or maybe they just found the denali to rank lower than the seq in the f/s suv category. or by chance, was the denali in the luxury f/s category ? even then its "cousin" the escalade won that (could be infered therefore, that the denali won one category, right ?).... just wondering aloud here, just like you Pete... don't take it personal, ok
Thanks
As I've stated in the past, my DXL is absolutely the best vehicle I have ever owned for the purposes I use it for. Additionally, no other vehicle could meet the requirements of the DXL, luxury, performance, tow capacity, storage and aesthetics. Money wasn't an issue. If the Escalade came in an XL version it would have been a serious consideration.
doudoudid: On the 2WD models, I believe there is a "TRAC off" button on the dash. If there isn't, there is a "VSC off" button and on the 2WD models, this does disengage the traction control.
I'm in Massachusetts if it makes a difference, and I'm getting a Limited.
Thanks
Having had these before, they are really convenient, especially here in Minnesota.
Shopped and studied an EXTENSIVE amount...(I surveyed/contacted about 20 different states around the country...dealer, private seller, wholsaler, registered importer, web-sites, forums, created spreadsheets, plotted depreciation curves, test drove repeatedly, rented, u name it)
It came down to value. A heavily negotiated pre-cert. loaaded '00 LX470 ('00 starts new traction technologies, but no side airbags, '00 and 25k miles saves a bit of money) was just too close in price to a Sequoia. '00 LX470 was 44-45k (dont heed listed prices of 48-52k too much...sales are down by 30-50% and some dealers are still choking on inventory) and similar '01 Sequoia with 12-15k miles cert pre-owned like 38+ minimum with many dealers telling me I could save by buying other SUVs for less money if I found the Sequoia pricey. This is still a 7-8k difference, different model year, miles, etc., but given both ar certified and have basically 95+% of the latest technology I considered it too small a difference spread across 5+ years (I buy and hold)and makes me think hte Sequoia vs LX470 in a practical sense is not a 20-25K spread if you're willing to go pre-owned
Sequoias it appears (IMHO - no flames, pls, I've been a lurker for some time and learned a lot from you folks) have some measure of artifical scarcity and so artificially high prices for some time now. Everyone I spoke to said they would buy as many as they could get their hands on - including the RIs who cant get enough out of Canada
I found '01 demo 4x4 Ltd loaded Sequoias under best pricing could be had for 39 flat with few thousand miles...37-39 for pre-owned with 12-25k mi...35-36k from Canada (no, it's not a TMU title, yes T honors warranty..you'll want to use an RI 'cause of all the paperwork...NAFTA says fine, dealers often counsel otherwise). Many times, people were holding out for a couple thou more
Overall, regions and dealers vary WIDELY...if you have the time and energy, you can really contact dozens of dealers and get lucky with someone who wants to move a vehicle or has some other special situation. Experience can vary widely even in the smae dealership.
Bear in mind this is my value judgement...beyond value, I say drive any vehicle(s) you are considering, possibly even rent it, though that can get expensive. Some dealers (wholesalers actually) let me out for 30-60 minute test drives. I think some thought I was too young (Lexus especially...and Cadillac-forget about it... I was like their pesty grandson) and salesperson would accompany me on the drive and not let the SUV out for more than a few minutes of easy roads.
Anyway, I think that no amount of me telling you how one feels vs the other can substitute for actually getting behind the wheel. Enjoy!
My $.02
Got back to dealer and ask if this vehicle was a four cylinder because that's the way it drove. He said no, it was an 8. No guts.
Left there and bought a 02 Denali XL. Plenty of guts here. Vortex 6000 V8.
No, I'm not a GMC troll. Just a poor (really poor now) working slob like most Americans.
I have never been in any vehicle that rode as smooth and quiet as the Denali XL. Coming back from the dealer on the NJ parkway I thought I was doing 55 mph but after glancing at the speedometer I was surprised I was doing 75. No wind noise at all.
I bought the XL over the regular Denali because I felt there was more leg room in the third seat plus with center buckets its very easy to get into the back seat.
For a list of features and a demo showing a lot of the features go to www.gmc.com and click on Denali.
GMC offers until 15 Jan 02 zero down and zero financing for 36 months. Why not use their money?
After I got back I took my B-I-L to the Toyota dealership where I took the test drive and parked right outside the main window show room.
It was really funny because every Toyota sales person came over and was staring at my Denali with their mouths hanging open. Even the sales manager went outside to sneak a peak at the inside and the sticker.
One improvement the 02 has over the 01 is that it now has a 6 L vortec engine instead of the 5.7L.
Later