The reason why HID causes glare is because your eyes pupils don't know to contract when they see the violet light. Also bluish light is worse for fog or distance viewing (that is why fog lights are best when yellow).
HID plus:
Smaller reflector possible More lumens per watt (assuming you care about power consumption) More lumens possible within DOT regulations
HID minus:
Expensive Poor CRI Takes 10 seconds to get to full brightness. Bluish light is worse for distance viewing More glare to other drivers
With Halogen you can get those DOT-legal +50 clear bulbs which put out more light per watt than normal bulbs but only last 1/2 as long. Still you can buy a real lot of them for less than what HID costs.
I've seen how the HID lights on my G35 (4100K) illuminate the road at night and I test drove the '08 Sequoia at night. To my eyes, the illumination from the headlamps on my sedan with HIDs were better. I'm not going to attempt to get into the technical aspects of the differences, I simply go with what my eyes tell me.
I also come back to what I said before, if halogens are better (CRI, lumens.... whatever), why are HIDs standard on every Lexus, every Infiniti and at least optional on other brands? I guess what you're implying then is that everyone else that pays for the optional HIDs on these vehicles are just a bunch of ill informed consumers.
The bluish halogens that folks have referred to are NOT HIDs. The color temperature of most factory HIDs is around 4100k, which is a whitish light, not blue. I'm seen folks that swap these out for 6000k and even 8000k HIDs, just to get the purplish hue associated with higher color temps. This is actually counter productive to providing good night time illumination. I guess for these people, it is the wow factor.....for me its not.
I've said my piece on this topic. Thats it for me. To be fair, its time to get back to other discussions around the '08 Sequoia.
It is true. The Sequoia is based on the Tundra as you know and the Tundra was designed by American engineers with lots of input from domestic truck buyers. This is not the only car/truck/suv that's being designed in the US. The Camry, Avalon, Tacoma, Celica, Solara, were all designed at the Calty design studio in California. :shades:
The Japanese can make cheap looking interiors. Just look at the cheap plastic on the door panels of the new Landcruiser not to mention the cheap running boards and alloy wheels. The Highlander, Yaris, and the Scion xB, and xD all use cheap plastic. What we used to know as Toyota quality is now in Lexus products. :shades:
I only object to someone complaining without testing them. You tested it, so ok.
"I also come back to what I said before, if halogens are better (CRI, lumens.... whatever), why are HIDs standard on every Lexus, every Infiniti and at least optional on other brands? I guess what you're implying then is that everyone else that pays for the optional HIDs on these vehicles are just a bunch of ill informed consumers. "
I think it is fair to say that most HID is better than most halogen, but the best halogen is certainly better than the worst HID. I just wanted someone to test the light ability before complaining by default.
As for if I think that everyone who pays for them are ill-informed consumers... Nearly all certainly are ill-informed. I bet more than 95% of them did not realize that HID have very poor color quality and are no better than metal-halide street lamps. However, I am not saying buyers have made a mistake. The average HID is at least twice as bright as the average halogen -- so that is a big plus. And DOT regulations limit wattage to 55 or 65 or so -- so a 130 watt bulb is not an option for a legal road car.
As for if I would want HID... I would, but now that I know about the CRI issue, much less so than before I knew about that. 4100K is a good color temp. Changing them to a higher temp is beyond stupid.
You said "If I could get into a loaded Platinum for a hair less than $55K, I'd have one in my driveway already".
I just thought I'd let you know that I bought a loaded Platinum (everything but the laser cruise which seems abit of a waste to me) last Friday for $53,418 (before taxes, registration and title). There are dealers willing to negotiate, it just takes some effort to find them.
I just drove home my slate Platinum, fully loaded (except for laser cruise) and did $55,500... I did not play hardball since I love this color and I simply cannot wait due to the need for a tax writeoff....
I just drove it home and am going to go out and play with it... It really is awesome. The more I play the more I appreciate all the fine details they changed... That being said, they can always do better and I agree with the previous comments about smart key, 8 inch nav, etc...
One thing I have to say is the sound system exceeded my expectations for factory stuff... I'm not saying it is great (no factory stuff is good), but it is decent. I am one who put (4) Dynaudio 3 ways in my last sequoia... and two 15 inch subs :P I'm beyone doing that these days and I think the sound system is good enough to not have to replace. I hope the nav is good enough as well. In any case, I'm loving the Slate color and every other refinment made in this next generation Sequoia.... It is so much different than the prior year its not even funny... Toyota gets an A- from me
Can you please look at the console in the center of the 2nd row - and tell me what the consequences would be if I removed it? I plan to have two child seats in the second row. This will prevent the seats from folding down. There will be no reasonable way to get to the 3rd row unless I remove the center console or if I make people climb over it.
I heard there are some HVAC controls on it, but I assume they are just duplicates of the diver's controls. Can I unscrew the console from the floor and just unplug the wiring to the HVAC controls?
I've talked to my dealer about this console issue. I don't understand the point of the captains chairs with a permanent console. I also will be having two child seats and have been waiting for captains chairs with an "aisle" so my oldest could access the third row on his own.
Bottom line, we're out of luck. It can be done, but you'll have to do it yourself and most likely have to carpet under what was the console. Here's what I'm considering. Loading up a limited, put one seat on one end and the other in the middle of the bench, and leave the other end for access to the third row. I think you can get a limited equipped with everything the platinum has except for the laser cruise control.
That is one idea -- to get a loaded limited. But you will give up more than just the cruise control.
1. No AC in front seats. 2. No heat in 2nd seats. 3. No memory in front seats for sharing with wife. 4. No TEMS electronic shocks. 5. No ride-height control. 6. No snobby Platinum badge to show how you are better than the others.
I think I will just try to remove the console. I think it has carpet under it. I saw a Limited that had not yet been dealer-prepped. It had captain's chairs but the center-console was not installed yet. The floor looked normal with carpet.
I purchased a Pyrite Mica 08 Sequoia Limited, and love the color, looks, handling, engine, everything! I have had it for 4 days now. I have been waiting for a year for this vehicle to come out just to look at it. I wasn't planning on buying it, but after seeing it on the dealers showroom, I really liked the looks! I am going from an 04 Denali XL to Toyota and had my reservations, but this vehicle so far is just awesome. I am still trying to figure out the 4 WD system and how to best use it, but overall have been pleased so far.
Does anybody have any information / experience with the vehicle stability system / 4 x 4 , etc?? My dealer said that I would rarely need to use 4 WD. It has been snowing like crazy in MPLS, and I have used it a lot for only having it 4 days so far.
I hooked up my I phone to the Aux jack, and it works very nice. (you have to buy the chord)
So far, this vehicle is on the top of my favorites list of all time. If considering buying, I would look no further. It blows the Tahoe / Yukon away. Plus, it just looks cool.
My SR5 came a week ahead of time from the port. Black exterior with stone interior. New sequoia is looking awesome. I have owned 2006 Sequoia too and it is a great improvement over previous model both in terms of looks, engine, interior and how it handles. At no time it feels sluggish. If you are not careful, you will be above 70 in seconds. For the 50 miles I have driven I am getting 17 miles avg fuel consumption. Not bad considering it will improve as the engine breaks-in. The interior looks awesome with stone cloth. The silver dash color does not look cheep as many had said. It matches very well with stone interior. The leg room on all 3 rows is plenty.
I bought mine with 6 CD, Tow package, backup camera, power seat, DRL, all weather mats (3 rows and cargo) and running board for 500 above invoice. MSRP 39335, price paid 36300. I had time to take away unwanted port options such as option A, 20 inch wheels, etc.
2008 Sequoia comes standard with accessory meter for mpg, temp, time, miles to drive etc. This is shown as an option in the Sequoia brochure but it is standard.
Sequoia looks very well balanced from outside. It is not huge or front heavy. The rear looks perfect. Backup camera is also a great feature. So far I am very happy with the sequoia.
where's the best place to keep an eye out for incentives (specifically for a lease) on the 2008's? Like some others of you, I've found the prices aren't too good. Is there a specific forum for that? Or will they be announced here?
Best place is link title Put in your zip code and it will list all current incentives. They change every month around the 2nd so keep looking. :shades:
thanks mackabee. Perfect. HOpefully Jan will be bring 2008 specials. Right now there only seems to be 2007's, which is confirmed by the dealer. Too bad, cause I'd like to help them out with their EOY sales numbers.
The best way to get a good lease deal is to totally understand how a lease works and realize you can negotiate the price that the lease company pays for the car. Basically, negotiate so much over invoice. Then get the 'money factor' from the finance department for the number of years. The value will depend on your credit and if you are a 'preferred customer.' Ask for the preferred customer rate if there is one. Then ask them the 'residual value' for 10,000, 12000, or 15000 miles a year for the model you want and for how many years you want to lease it for. Now plug all this into a lease calculator along with the amount you want to put down. It will tell you what the payment should be. Then type this all up in a brief letter and fax it to a few dealers.
Note that if you just ask for low payments, they will fudge the other numbers and you will never really know if you got a good deal.
Also note that the money-factor value they give you can be converted to an interest-rate by multiplying by 2400. If that comes out to something like 9% you know you are getting screwed. Make sure it is 3, 4, 5% or something reasonable.
I don't foresee any incentives on the 08. You can get a great deal on one right now as dealers want to move lots of inventory before the new year. :shades:
Seems something is going on for the 2007's versus 2008's. I'm able to get 1 dealer to give me close to what I want, although on a 2007. $500+tax a month for a 36/12K lease with minimum (~$1000) down for a Limited with nothing else major added. Seems I can get it on a 2007, but nobody's biting on the 2008, so I figured it was the incentives that were making the difference.
2007s have between $2000 and $4000 incentives. In order to know if that is a good lease deal, you need to post the residual value and money factor. If you do not know what those are -- you are very likely getting the deal padded.
Poor routing on known routes. Sent me over a dirt road with a locked gate. It seems to like routing on dirt roads here in So CA. POI does not show all the sites. Different list for same name. Several "Quizno" for example. Same name with several lists. Worst is I was told by Dealer that I could get integrated XM. Not available through the dealer after I paid for the vehicle. I consider the electronics in this vehicle sub standard to the rest of the industry. Not even equal to my 2005 GMC PU truck.
I do like driving it. Very comfortable and very smooth engine transmission response. It will suffice until someone brings a diesel SUV I like to the market place. The price was right.
Perhaps it would be smarter to know all of the underlying factors. But for me, I just know what monthly and down payment I want. If they can get those numbers to work for me, I could care less how they arrive there. But I see your point. Maybe knowing the lease numbers would tell me how far off I am from their prices.
I have a 2002 Sequoia Limited and have really liked it. I finally got to drive an 08 Limited and found it to have a lot of road noise and less head room than my current one. Has anyone else noticed this? I was all set to buy the Platinum but am not sure what to do now. For those that considered the Infiniti QX56, what sold you on one vs the other?
There's quite a few incentives on the 2007 cash back, dealer cash, etc. I had a customer Saturday that looked at the 08 but his wife said it was too big for her. She's about 5 ft tall. I did tell them about the 07's that we were very aggressive on pricing to make room for the 08's. He called me back after a few minutes and I had already talked to my GM and he told me to blow it out the lot. $7500.00 off MSRP. Limited with nav. Called the guy back and he must have misunderstood or bought something else since I haven't heard from him after repeated phone calls. :shades:
Without knowing your zip code, it is impossible to know if $7500 off is a good deal. Incentives are regional.
As for road-noise -- I drove a Platinum and was rather happy with how quiet it is. I drive a 2006 Honda Oddessy most of the time. The Platinum was much quieter than our 2005 Subaru STi.
Didn't realize I'd be giving up these features. Something to think about.
I thought the Limited only came with the bench seat. Are you sure is was an '08? I know previous model years had captains chairs w/ removable consoles.
Well, considering invoice on one of these with MSRP of $50,260 is around $3800 less, I'd say another $3700.00 off would put it at way below invoice. I'd say it was a very good deal indeed. Mack
regarding road noise, for the most part it's pretty quite but I do often notice a whistling or uneven air-flow sound coming from the huge side mirrors. i thought it had something to do with the fact that they are retractable but who knows. the noises are pretty noticable with radio off on a smooth road. other than that I love it (black with tan 08 platinum)
Ref your question about Infiniti QX56- We're heading over to the Infiniti dealer again on Saturday to confirm, but I believe that we're getting the QX over the Sequoia. The reason....both my wife and I feel that the QX just feels more luxorious than the Platinum and it offers many more luxury features (HDD Nav, Smart key, HID headlights, heated steering wheel, etc). We also both feel that the exterior of the QX looks "nicer" and classier. That is very subjective though! There is still a slight shot that we'll get the Seqouia, but I doubt it.
My wife test drove 2008 sequoia limited, I was the passenger. The 2008 with much road noise and handles like a truck.(Its like a tundra). We have a 2003 sequoia handles differently. My wife also test drove the 2008 QX56 and loved the drive, wants the infiniti over the sequoia. I hope this is helpful.
would you be able to post your price of the QX56. I am also interested in this SUV over the Sequoia. One price given to me was 53,975 with DVD option and nonsense 695 dealer fee. I balked at this price.
I just came back from the San Diego Auto Show. I own a 2007 Toyota Sequoia SR5 that I am happy with. At the show they had the new 2008 Toyota Sequoia Limited on display. This one comes with the automatic opening rear hatch. I found that I hit my head on the tailgate because the opening won't let me get near without ducking my head. I only stand 6 feet tall. Some design problems maybe with this. I need to get into the back of my vehicle to hook up my Doberman on her leash. This automatic opening rear hatch will not be in my future or any other vehicle that I can't walk under with the rear hatch open without ducking.
I've seen a few posts here regarding the lack of a pass-through on the Platinums due to the center console that is not removable. That was a big disappointment for me as my wife and I were leaning towards a Platinum, but as someone else also mentioned, we will have two car seats installed. Our rear passengers would have to get over that console. What I have seen is that the Limiteds have an option for captains chairs with armrests without a center console. I'm seeing these in dealer inventories throughout Texas, but haven't seen one in person yet. Someone else mentioned they thought the center console simply wasn't installed yet on a Limited that they saw, but that's not the case. Therefore, if you uninstall the Platinum center console, I don't know if you will have any carpeting under it. Here is how the option is showing up on the Limiteds:
7-Passenger Seating Includes 2nd Row Bucket Seats With Armrests Without Center Console. The Price Of This Option Is Included Within The Base Vehicle Msrp Above. $0
I hope this helps. It looks like we might have to go with this option instead of the Platinum.
I am curious, we have not looked at the QX, how does it compare to the 08 limited in room and does it have the option for 8 seats? I would also like to know how it compares in pricing. Does Infiniti offer as good a lease as Toyota? We are currently in an 04 limited and have really loved it (all 60,000 miles of it).
I've driven an 08 QX on different occasions while getting my wifes G35x serviced at the Infiniti dealership. Looks may be deceiving. The QX looks classy and perhaps more stylish vs. the new designed 08 sequoia. My deciding factor comes down to consumer reports. Consumer reports ranks the QX (Infiniti) and Armada (Nissan) the lowest of all large SUVs with regard to repairs and reliability. Yes, the QX looks good and includes some luxiourious features, but I would rather have a product that is more reliable. I've even experienced the NAV screen not coming on at times when I would start up the QX. I would consider that a sign of costly repairs to come. Anyways, happy shopping.
Trebor, the "Build and Price Your Sequoia" tool on the Toyota website shows the code "Lb21" for Red Rock, at least in my zip code of 70447. Are you seeing another color coded LD21?
Here I am, smack in the early honeymoon phase of ownership of my new 2008 platinum model Toyota sequoia. I have been waiting for this puppy since my 2002 model went over 100,000 miles. The old girl’s still in my driveway, by the way. I couldn’t part with her for the paltry $5,000 the dealer offered me, even if she does have 183,000 miles on her. Used her to pick up a pizza tonight (don’t want that smell in the NEW car!) I put money down on my 2008 sight unseen as soon as Toyota announced it would be released in late December. Prior to my new car’s arrival, Hubby and I test drove an SR5. I don’t know the test model had the smaller engine, but, although it had good pick up, it made an awful lot of alarming roaring engine noise upon acceleration. The Platinum model I just bought (with the bigger engine) accelerated quietly, with no vrooming noise at all. I don’t know if the nuances of the Platinum model make any difference, but I felt the ride was much smoother, and the car less “truck-like” to drive than the SR5 we tested. You can adjust the suspension, so maybe it was set on “sport” when we tested the SR5, whereas I prefer the “comfort” setting. The Platinum is only a tiny bit more bulky-feeling to drive than my 2002 model, which I felt was like driving a car. Toyota claims the steering is made “for a woman.” This is fine by me, since I don’t really want to feel like I’m driving a truck. I have a truck. It’s not my idea of a luxury ride. It’s kind of a disconnect on Toyota engineer’s part, however, since the 2008 model is NOT a feminine-looking car, particularly from the outside. It lacks the door trim details (or any body details really) of the older models, and comes across as decidedly “boxy.” The comparisons to the appearance of the Dodge Durango are not entirely unfair. My little, 83-year-old Granny has an easier time getting in the front seat than in my old car, but once she’s there, she can’t see over the dashboard, because the passenger seat bottom doesn’t adjust up and down like the driver’s side does. She’s very short, however, and probably should not be riding in the front seat anyway. But she’s 83. YOU tell her to get in the back seat. That being said WOW!!! I am in LOVE with my new car. It’s like skating on glass, the ride is so smooth, and the features of the car bring to mind a Lexus. I was surprised by some of the little cool, little details my old model lacked, like window shades for all of the rear-seat passengers, and heated second-row seats. The rear lift gate is automated, which seems Way Cool, but may be a little dangerous. I’ll try not to knock Granny in the head when I lower it again. My mom owns a Lexus LX470, and when she got in my car she decided to trade hers in for a Sequoia. She is a total car snob, so this is really saying something. This is a roomy car, comfortable as any I’ve ever owned, and it handles like a dream. It has a tighter turning radius than you’d ever believe for a beast this size, and it stops on a dime, which is not an unremarkable feat for its massive weight. It will also tow 10,000 lbs, so taking the horses along will be now be possible—something the old girl just couldn’t handle. I’ll let you know later if the honeymoon lasts, but for now, **sigh**, I’m in love. I’m a little over $60,000 poorer, but in love, nonetheless. :shades:
trebor, it's interesting that we have almost the same cars. You mentioned that you have a 06 Odyssey/05 STi and I have a 05 Odyssey and had a 04 STi. Sold the STi last year because I never had any time to drive the car and was spending way too much money modifying the car.
Now for the new Sequoia, checked one out tonight and I generally like it. But there are two things that I'm really disappointed with. (1) No bench seat option for Platinum. (2) Trunk space with 3rd row up is not that big at all. I need eight seating capacity so I basically have to go with the Limited but it seems that the Limited does not come with memory seats??? In the Toyota press release, it only mentioned that the platinum has memory seat package but no mentioning of the same package for Limited. In terms of the trunk space, it's just very small with 3rd row seat up. We do a lot of vacation/holiday drivings with little kids and we carry a lot of stuff with us on these trips. That's the only reason that I'm still considering a Yukon Denali XL. With 3 little kids and a fourth one on the way, a large trunk space is very important to me. Just wondering what other large families' view on the trunk space issue. It's funny that one of the Toyota VP was saying during the development stage that the new Sequoia might be too big. In my view, it's pretty wide, but definitely not that big in terms of length. If the Sequoia is about another foot and half longer, that'd be perfect for me.
The Platinum I bought came in with the wrong color. I gave them two days to find me another Platinum in Black or Pearl with a Graphite interior and they could not. Today I got my (non-refundable) deposit back and started my search all over. I needed to buy this year so I could not let them take every last day to fail me once more.
I called a previous dealer I had spoken to and they said they had an Arctic Frost Pearl with Tan interior and would beat my previous deal’s price by another $500 relative to invoice. I really wanted a Graphite interior, but the extra $500 would help convince me to consider Tan. I went and saw it, and thought the Tan looked fine. I was, however, concerned about how I would put two kid’s seats in the 2nd row and get access into the 3rd row with the non-removable center-console. I saw two bolts inside the console and figured I could remove it and unplug the heated-seat controls, but it seemed like a waste to do that (being uncertain if there was carpet under it and to scrap the heat controls).
I noticed a Slate Metallic SR5 on the lot with a Graphite interior and decided to check it out. I had not considered Slate, but in person it was *really nice.* There was something else I liked about the looks which I could not pin down at the time. Now I think it is that the SR5 does not have a chrome bumper, mirrors, or door handles. It looks better if you ask me without the chrome. Also it had a bench seat, which I now decided would be better for our child-seat situation than even captain’s chairs with a pass-through. Also it keeps the dog from getting forward as he loves to come into the driver’s seat when I leave him in the car. Biggest downside is you have to fold a seat to get into the 3rd row, but the upside is we will need the 3rd row much less and hence can keep it folded more for cargo.
The Graphite was by far the best interior color – especially on an SR5 as many of the plastic-dipped-in-fake-chrome bits were black in the SR5! The fact that the top insides of the door was hard plastic rather than covered in soft fake leather did not look worse as the hard plastic looked nice in black (probably looks awful in tan). I had previously only seen a grey-inside on a Tundra and this looked much better. The Tundra had the chrome knobs and grey door panels and center console. These areas being black on the SR5 Sequoia were a huge bonus as was the black carpeting.
Also it had a leather-wrapped steering wheel -- in an SR5! How could this be? I previously ruled out the SR5 because I 'knew' it was not possible to get it with a leather wheel and I didn’t want an aftermarket wrap as they are thicker and never look right. Also it had the following: 5.7L 4x4 with 6 speed, locking center diff, cold kit, leather interior in all rows, heated power seats, heated side mirrors, power folding 3rd row, fog lamps, power moon roof, nav, JBL, backup camera, running boards, rear spoiler, DRL, tow prep, carpeted floor matts, and door sill protector. This is almost $9,000 in retail options. Why not just get a Limited? I might have, but this was in front of me and there was like 1 more day of the year and also -- a Limited with adding nav, DRL, sunroof, rear spoiler, and cold kit (options this car had) would have been $3700 more! So what would a Limited have that this SR5 did not in exchange for $3700?
1. Bluetooth. (Might have been nice but sometimes these things are quirky). Never use the voice control on my Honda as in practice it is a pain. I guess I would pay $100 for this.
2. Leather-trimmed console lid. (don't care, black plastic looked ok). I would pay $25 for this.
3. IR glass. (Not sure if this matters). Maybe it would. I would pay $100 for it.
4. Optitron instruments (looked at this, and could not see it as better. It was white instead of orange but not ‘nicer’). I would pay $0 for this.
5. Electrochromic mirror (don't mind flipping it). I would pay $50 for this. And who needs a compass with GPS.
6. Chrome-door handles (SR5 is body-painted which looks better to me). I would pay -25 (negative $25) for this.
7. Sonar. (do wish I had this). I would pay $400 for this.
8. Chrome AC knob and inside handle (way nicer without it). I would pay -$50 for this.
9. Vanity mirror (lame. I don’t put on lipstick). I would pay $0 for this.
10. Chrome grille (looks better without it). I would pay $0 for this.
11. Roof rack (In the last four years I have used one twice to move a Christmas tree, but our minivan has one. I would have liked it though). I would pay $300 for this.
12. Limited badge to show you are special. This does have a resale-value upside.
So about $1000 worth of stuff. Not worth $3000+ to me.
And, compared to the Platinum I intended to buy, I also gave up:
1. 20 inch wheels (tossup -- 18s should be better on the dirt road I drive on). 2. Memory on seats (I care a little). 3. Perforations in seats and AC through them. (this seemed kinda cool (pun)). 4. 2nd row heat (do not care). 5. Power rear hatch (I did want this) 6. H-TEMS (I tried this and could not feel any difference). 7. Power steering wheel (pimp but whatever). 8. Headlamp cleaner (this is nice). 9. Turn signals on mirrors (don’t care). Mirrors that power fold? (kinda pimp and fun) 10. rear DVD 11. Laser cruise 12. Remote start. 13. Platinum badge
All of this is worth, to me, about another $5000.
So I am rationalizing that I am better off giving up some fluff and saving the almost $12K while giving up stuff that to me, is only worth about $6000, while gaining the nicer (to me) chrome-free outside and chrome-reduced inside and the bench seat which in the end worked out for what we needed. Also it was the only way I could quickly get the Graphite interior. But the best part is – I no longer have to wonder if it was silly to spend almost $60K on a Sequoia that was an AWESOME truck but not quite a luxury SUV. Now that I paid under $44K, I no longer need to ponder that and I can not worry as much about scratches as it is a utility truck. It seems like a nice sweet spot and I doubt it will feel under-equipped. It still has a nice leather interior, nav, JBL, and the good engine. I would take it any day of the week over a $52,000 fully loaded 2007 model just for the engine alone.
BK (before kids) I use to have fun owning fast cars and thought that chapter was behind me. I gotta say though, having owned my 08 Seq for the last 4 days that I find myself "beatin' other cars off the line" pretty often. I try not to, but this thing has so much darn power it has been too tempting. I live in the NYC metro area so I see a ton off wild drivers. A Mercedes 350 tried to cut me off on my commute and couldn't get it done, which was amusing. Nothing like a "sport-sedan" probably 1,000 lbs lighter getting body-slammed by my hulking Seq. It has been a while since I felt like I owned a "toy" again, but I have to say this monster is fun !
For any Platinum owners - is the driver selectable heigth for all 4 wheels or rear only? What is min/max clearance?
Also, there *has* to be a way to get a bench into the Platinum model for 2nd row... Ignoring heating aspect, one should be able to buy the parts and remove current seats/replace with bench... Not sure. This issue is possible dealbreaker for me as well.
Also - no locking diffs between l and r side, right? So lets say there was only traction in front left and rear right tires, and you were at 0 mph. Could you move in that situation, or would you just spin the opposite tires?
It might be too early in model life, but if ARB or Detriot Locker has an aftermarket diff lock for the rear at least, that would be fine for me.
Also important for off road traction - anyone know the ratio when in 2wd, 4Hih and 4Lo of the gears - does this have a strong gear reduction mechanism in 4Lo? That and diff locks are the main thing to me if I understand 4wd correctly. Electronic-focused systems, unless they have 'modes' don't work for real 4X4 work. Land Rover LR3, for example, has 'modes'. These modes allow you to optimize for crawl ratio on the one hand, or wheelspin on the other for mud/snow. On this note, the 2008 Sequoia has defeat buttons for 2 of the electronic systems - very smart move.
I'll let you know tomorrow after we get back but there is no way that I'm paying anything over invoice for the QX. Infiniti should be coming out with new incentives on 1/5/08 and I'm interested in those. When we first started looking at the QX in late summer, our dealer was moving these rather quickly. They usually only had 2-3 on the lot. Now he's got 10, so that is driving my price point. Besides, I had an out of market dealer offering me invoice on the QX in August.
There is no locking diff right and left, but the car will sense wheelspin and apply brake to a slipping wheel which will shift torque through the open diff to the non-spinning wheels -- so yes, you can get free.
The QX does have the option for a bench seat in the 2nd row. All three parts of that bench can fold independently of one another. The pass through to the 3rd row is very nice...my 3 YO can flip the latch to engage it- it is that smooth and easy.
The QX does not have quite the interior room, according to dimensions. It holds 97.1 cu ft of "stuff" while the Sequoia holds 121 cu ft. I am hard-pressed to say that the QX feels smaller though. My assumption is that most of that extra room is actually up in the roofline, where it does me little good. Both hold abt 20 cu ft of stuff behind the 3rd row so again that shows that both have similar footprints. The 3rd row in the QX is not quite as comfortable as the Seqouia, but it is much better than the Escalade and Mercedes GL350. The Sequoia has a VERY comfortable and flexible 3rd row. Kudos to Toyota for that!
Somebody mentioned the quality issues with the QX and Armada. I agree that is a concern to me...we currently have a '01 Pathfinder that has been great. My guess is that the new vehicles ('04) being built in a new factory (Canton, MS) resulted in some growing pains for Nissan as they probably rushed these vehicles to the market to get some of the large SUV pie. The interior upgrades to the '08 QX are worlds apart from the '04-'07 one. I've got to believe that Nissan has got this truck settled out now. I know a couple of owners of '05/'06 QX's and they love them and have had no issues.
One final part to that reliability concern....Toyota has been no stranger to the negative reliability issue list of Consumer Reports. Several of their vehicles (including a Lexus or two) have dropped off of the reliable list. In fact, the Tundra (on which the Sequoia is based) has already had at least one recall and there are multiple posts on message boards about the new 5.7 engine having issues. Point is that Toyota is no longer the rock solid relability bet that it used to be.
I wanted to confirm what someone posted... If you say you are going to pay cash, you will get a worse deal, not better. I asked for so much over invoice and they said ok only on the condition that I finance at least $15,000 of it so that they could get their kickback. I was not planning to finance, but I did to make them happy knowing I could pay it off early and also it does help to free up some cash so it was fine.
Comments
HID plus:
Smaller reflector possible
More lumens per watt (assuming you care about power consumption)
More lumens possible within DOT regulations
HID minus:
Expensive
Poor CRI
Takes 10 seconds to get to full brightness.
Bluish light is worse for distance viewing
More glare to other drivers
With Halogen you can get those DOT-legal +50 clear bulbs which put out more light per watt than normal bulbs but only last 1/2 as long. Still you can buy a real lot of them for less than what HID costs.
I also come back to what I said before, if halogens are better (CRI, lumens.... whatever), why are HIDs standard on every Lexus, every Infiniti and at least optional on other brands? I guess what you're implying then is that everyone else that pays for the optional HIDs on these vehicles are just a bunch of ill informed consumers.
The bluish halogens that folks have referred to are NOT HIDs. The color temperature of most factory HIDs is around 4100k, which is a whitish light, not blue. I'm seen folks that swap these out for 6000k and even 8000k HIDs, just to get the purplish hue associated with higher color temps. This is actually counter productive to providing good night time illumination. I guess for these people, it is the wow factor.....for me its not.
I've said my piece on this topic. Thats it for me. To be fair, its time to get back to other discussions around the '08 Sequoia.
:shades:
:shades:
"I also come back to what I said before, if halogens are better (CRI, lumens.... whatever), why are HIDs standard on every Lexus, every Infiniti and at least optional on other brands? I guess what you're implying then is that everyone else that pays for the optional HIDs on these vehicles are just a bunch of ill informed consumers. "
I think it is fair to say that most HID is better than most halogen, but the best halogen is certainly better than the worst HID. I just wanted someone to test the light ability before complaining by default.
As for if I think that everyone who pays for them are ill-informed consumers... Nearly all certainly are ill-informed. I bet more than 95% of them did not realize that HID have very poor color quality and are no better than metal-halide street lamps. However, I am not saying buyers have made a mistake. The average HID is at least twice as bright as the average halogen -- so that is a big plus. And DOT regulations limit wattage to 55 or 65 or so -- so a 130 watt bulb is not an option for a legal road car.
As for if I would want HID... I would, but now that I know about the CRI issue, much less so than before I knew about that. 4100K is a good color temp. Changing them to a higher temp is beyond stupid.
I just thought I'd let you know that I bought a loaded Platinum (everything but the laser cruise which seems abit of a waste to me) last Friday for $53,418 (before taxes, registration and title). There are dealers willing to negotiate, it just takes some effort to find them.
I just drove it home and am going to go out and play with it... It really is awesome. The more I play the more I appreciate all the fine details they changed... That being said, they can always do better and I agree with the previous comments about smart key, 8 inch nav, etc...
One thing I have to say is the sound system exceeded my expectations for factory stuff... I'm not saying it is great (no factory stuff is good), but it is decent. I am one who put (4) Dynaudio 3 ways in my last sequoia... and two 15 inch subs :P I'm beyone doing that these days and I think the sound system is good enough to not have to replace. I hope the nav is good enough as well. In any case, I'm loving the Slate color and every other refinment made in this next generation Sequoia.... It is so much different than the prior year its not even funny... Toyota gets an A- from me
Can you please look at the console in the center of the 2nd row - and tell me what the consequences would be if I removed it? I plan to have two child seats in the second row. This will prevent the seats from folding down. There will be no reasonable way to get to the 3rd row unless I remove the center console or if I make people climb over it.
I heard there are some HVAC controls on it, but I assume they are just duplicates of the diver's controls. Can I unscrew the console from the floor and just unplug the wiring to the HVAC controls?
Bottom line, we're out of luck. It can be done, but you'll have to do it yourself and most likely have to carpet under what was the console. Here's what I'm considering. Loading up a limited, put one seat on one end and the other in the middle of the bench, and leave the other end for access to the third row. I think you can get a limited equipped with everything the platinum has except for the laser cruise control.
1. No AC in front seats.
2. No heat in 2nd seats.
3. No memory in front seats for sharing with wife.
4. No TEMS electronic shocks.
5. No ride-height control.
6. No snobby Platinum badge to show how you are better than the others.
I think I will just try to remove the console. I think it has carpet under it. I saw a Limited that had not yet been dealer-prepped. It had captain's chairs but the center-console was not installed yet. The floor looked normal with carpet.
Does anybody have any information / experience with the vehicle stability system / 4 x 4 , etc?? My dealer said that I would rarely need to use 4 WD. It has been snowing like crazy in MPLS, and I have used it a lot for only having it 4 days so far.
I hooked up my I phone to the Aux jack, and it works very nice. (you have to buy the chord)
So far, this vehicle is on the top of my favorites list of all time. If considering buying, I would look no further. It blows the Tahoe / Yukon away. Plus, it just looks cool.
I bought mine with 6 CD, Tow package, backup camera, power seat, DRL, all weather mats (3 rows and cargo) and running board for 500 above invoice. MSRP 39335, price paid 36300. I had time to take away unwanted port options such as option A, 20 inch wheels, etc.
2008 Sequoia comes standard with accessory meter for mpg, temp, time, miles to drive etc. This is shown as an option in the Sequoia brochure but it is standard.
Sequoia looks very well balanced from outside. It is not huge or front heavy. The rear looks perfect. Backup camera is also a great feature. So far I am very happy with the sequoia.
Thanks!
Aaron
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Note that if you just ask for low payments, they will fudge the other numbers and you will never really know if you got a good deal.
Also note that the money-factor value they give you can be converted to an interest-rate by multiplying by 2400. If that comes out to something like 9% you know you are getting screwed. Make sure it is 3, 4, 5% or something reasonable.
Also, can someone please answer definitively, does LB21 = Red Rock?
I am not sure if when you say LB21 you mean LD21.
Mack
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Poor routing on known routes. Sent me over a dirt road with a locked gate. It seems to like routing on dirt roads here in So CA. POI does not show all the sites. Different list for same name. Several "Quizno" for example. Same name with several lists. Worst is I was told by Dealer that I could get integrated XM. Not available through the dealer after I paid for the vehicle. I consider the electronics in this vehicle sub standard to the rest of the industry. Not even equal to my 2005 GMC PU truck.
I do like driving it. Very comfortable and very smooth engine transmission response. It will suffice until someone brings a diesel SUV I like to the market place. The price was right.
As for road-noise -- I drove a Platinum and was rather happy with how quiet it is. I drive a 2006 Honda Oddessy most of the time. The Platinum was much quieter than our 2005 Subaru STi.
I thought the Limited only came with the bench seat. Are you sure is was an '08? I know previous model years had captains chairs w/ removable consoles.
Mack
We're heading over to the Infiniti dealer again on Saturday to confirm, but I believe that we're getting the QX over the Sequoia. The reason....both my wife and I feel that the QX just feels more luxorious than the Platinum and it offers many more luxury features (HDD Nav, Smart key, HID headlights, heated steering wheel, etc). We also both feel that the exterior of the QX looks "nicer" and classier. That is very subjective though! There is still a slight shot that we'll get the Seqouia, but I doubt it.
7-Passenger Seating Includes 2nd Row
Bucket Seats
With Armrests
Without Center Console. The Price Of This Option Is Included Within The Base Vehicle Msrp Above. $0
I hope this helps. It looks like we might have to go with this option instead of the Platinum.
I put money down on my 2008 sight unseen as soon as Toyota announced it would be released in late December. Prior to my new car’s arrival, Hubby and I test drove an SR5. I don’t know the test model had the smaller engine, but, although it had good pick up, it made an awful lot of alarming roaring engine noise upon acceleration. The Platinum model I just bought (with the bigger engine) accelerated quietly, with no vrooming noise at all.
I don’t know if the nuances of the Platinum model make any difference, but I felt the ride was much smoother, and the car less “truck-like” to drive than the SR5 we tested. You can adjust the suspension, so maybe it was set on “sport” when we tested the SR5, whereas I prefer the “comfort” setting. The Platinum is only a tiny bit more bulky-feeling to drive than my 2002 model, which I felt was like driving a car.
Toyota claims the steering is made “for a woman.” This is fine by me, since I don’t really want to feel like I’m driving a truck. I have a truck. It’s not my idea of a luxury ride. It’s kind of a disconnect on Toyota engineer’s part, however, since the 2008 model is NOT a feminine-looking car, particularly from the outside. It lacks the door trim details (or any body details really) of the older models, and comes across as decidedly “boxy.” The comparisons to the appearance of the Dodge Durango are not entirely unfair.
My little, 83-year-old Granny has an easier time getting in the front seat than in my old car, but once she’s there, she can’t see over the dashboard, because the passenger seat bottom doesn’t adjust up and down like the driver’s side does. She’s very short, however, and probably should not be riding in the front seat anyway. But she’s 83. YOU tell her to get in the back seat.
That being said WOW!!! I am in LOVE with my new car. It’s like skating on glass, the ride is so smooth, and the features of the car bring to mind a Lexus. I was surprised by some of the little cool, little details my old model lacked, like window shades for all of the rear-seat passengers, and heated second-row seats. The rear lift gate is automated, which seems Way Cool, but may be a little dangerous. I’ll try not to knock Granny in the head when I lower it again.
My mom owns a Lexus LX470, and when she got in my car she decided to trade hers in for a Sequoia. She is a total car snob, so this is really saying something. This is a roomy car, comfortable as any I’ve ever owned, and it handles like a dream. It has a tighter turning radius than you’d ever believe for a beast this size, and it stops on a dime, which is not an unremarkable feat for its massive weight. It will also tow 10,000 lbs, so taking the horses along will be now be possible—something the old girl just couldn’t handle.
I’ll let you know later if the honeymoon lasts, but for now, **sigh**, I’m in love. I’m a little over $60,000 poorer, but in love, nonetheless.
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Now for the new Sequoia, checked one out tonight and I generally like it. But there are two things that I'm really disappointed with. (1) No bench seat option for Platinum. (2) Trunk space with 3rd row up is not that big at all. I need eight seating capacity so I basically have to go with the Limited but it seems that the Limited does not come with memory seats??? In the Toyota press release, it only mentioned that the platinum has memory seat package but no mentioning of the same package for Limited. In terms of the trunk space, it's just very small with 3rd row seat up. We do a lot of vacation/holiday drivings with little kids and we carry a lot of stuff with us on these trips. That's the only reason that I'm still considering a Yukon Denali XL. With 3 little kids and a fourth one on the way, a large trunk space is very important to me. Just wondering what other large families' view on the trunk space issue. It's funny that one of the Toyota VP was saying during the development stage that the new Sequoia might be too big. In my view, it's pretty wide, but definitely not that big in terms of length. If the Sequoia is about another foot and half longer, that'd be perfect for me.
The Platinum I bought came in with the wrong color. I gave them two days to find me another Platinum in Black or Pearl with a Graphite interior and they could not. Today I got my (non-refundable) deposit back and started my search all over. I needed to buy this year so I could not let them take every last day to fail me once more.
I called a previous dealer I had spoken to and they said they had an Arctic Frost Pearl with Tan interior and would beat my previous deal’s price by another $500 relative to invoice. I really wanted a Graphite interior, but the extra $500 would help convince me to consider Tan. I went and saw it, and thought the Tan looked fine. I was, however, concerned about how I would put two kid’s seats in the 2nd row and get access into the 3rd row with the non-removable center-console. I saw two bolts inside the console and figured I could remove it and unplug the heated-seat controls, but it seemed like a waste to do that (being uncertain if there was carpet under it and to scrap the heat controls).
I noticed a Slate Metallic SR5 on the lot with a Graphite interior and decided to check it out. I had not considered Slate, but in person it was *really nice.* There was something else I liked about the looks which I could not pin down at the time. Now I think it is that the SR5 does not have a chrome bumper, mirrors, or door handles. It looks better if you ask me without the chrome. Also it had a bench seat, which I now decided would be better for our child-seat situation than even captain’s chairs with a pass-through. Also it keeps the dog from getting forward as he loves to come into the driver’s seat when I leave him in the car. Biggest downside is you have to fold a seat to get into the 3rd row, but the upside is we will need the 3rd row much less and hence can keep it folded more for cargo.
The Graphite was by far the best interior color – especially on an SR5 as many of the plastic-dipped-in-fake-chrome bits were black in the SR5! The fact that the top insides of the door was hard plastic rather than covered in soft fake leather did not look worse as the hard plastic looked nice in black (probably looks awful in tan). I had previously only seen a grey-inside on a Tundra and this looked much better. The Tundra had the chrome knobs and grey door panels and center console. These areas being black on the SR5 Sequoia were a huge bonus as was the black carpeting.
Also it had a leather-wrapped steering wheel -- in an SR5! How could this be? I previously ruled out the SR5 because I 'knew' it was not possible to get it with a leather wheel and I didn’t want an aftermarket wrap as they are thicker and never look right. Also it had the following: 5.7L 4x4 with 6 speed, locking center diff, cold kit, leather interior in all rows, heated power seats, heated side mirrors, power folding 3rd row, fog lamps, power moon roof, nav, JBL, backup camera, running boards, rear spoiler, DRL, tow prep, carpeted floor matts, and door sill protector. This is almost $9,000 in retail options. Why not just get a Limited? I might have, but this was in front of me and there was like 1 more day of the year and also -- a Limited with adding nav, DRL, sunroof, rear spoiler, and cold kit (options this car had) would have been $3700 more! So what would a Limited have that this SR5 did not in exchange for $3700?
1. Bluetooth. (Might have been nice but sometimes these things are quirky). Never use the voice control on my Honda as in practice it is a pain. I guess I would pay $100 for this.
2. Leather-trimmed console lid. (don't care, black plastic looked ok). I would pay $25 for this.
3. IR glass. (Not sure if this matters). Maybe it would. I would pay $100 for it.
4. Optitron instruments (looked at this, and could not see it as better. It was white instead of orange but not ‘nicer’). I would pay $0 for this.
5. Electrochromic mirror (don't mind flipping it). I would pay $50 for this. And who needs a compass with GPS.
6. Chrome-door handles (SR5 is body-painted which looks better to me). I would pay -25 (negative $25) for this.
7. Sonar. (do wish I had this). I would pay $400 for this.
8. Chrome AC knob and inside handle (way nicer without it). I would pay -$50 for this.
9. Vanity mirror (lame. I don’t put on lipstick). I would pay $0 for this.
10. Chrome grille (looks better without it). I would pay $0 for this.
11. Roof rack (In the last four years I have used one twice to move a Christmas tree, but our minivan has one. I would have liked it though). I would pay $300 for this.
12. Limited badge to show you are special. This does have a resale-value upside.
So about $1000 worth of stuff. Not worth $3000+ to me.
And, compared to the Platinum I intended to buy, I also gave up:
1. 20 inch wheels (tossup -- 18s should be better on the dirt road I drive on).
2. Memory on seats (I care a little).
3. Perforations in seats and AC through them. (this seemed kinda cool (pun)).
4. 2nd row heat (do not care).
5. Power rear hatch (I did want this)
6. H-TEMS (I tried this and could not feel any difference).
7. Power steering wheel (pimp but whatever).
8. Headlamp cleaner (this is nice).
9. Turn signals on mirrors (don’t care). Mirrors that power fold? (kinda pimp and fun)
10. rear DVD
11. Laser cruise
12. Remote start.
13. Platinum badge
All of this is worth, to me, about another $5000.
So I am rationalizing that I am better off giving up some fluff and saving the almost $12K while giving up stuff that to me, is only worth about $6000, while gaining the nicer (to me) chrome-free outside and chrome-reduced inside and the bench seat which in the end worked out for what we needed. Also it was the only way I could quickly get the Graphite interior. But the best part is – I no longer have to wonder if it was silly to spend almost $60K on a Sequoia that was an AWESOME truck but not quite a luxury SUV. Now that I paid under $44K, I no longer need to ponder that and I can not worry as much about scratches as it is a utility truck. It seems like a nice sweet spot and I doubt it will feel under-equipped. It still has a nice leather interior, nav, JBL, and the good engine. I would take it any day of the week over a $52,000 fully loaded 2007 model just for the engine alone.
Also, there *has* to be a way to get a bench into the Platinum model for 2nd row... Ignoring heating aspect, one should be able to buy the parts and remove current seats/replace with bench... Not sure. This issue is possible dealbreaker for me as well.
Also - no locking diffs between l and r side, right? So lets say there was only traction in front left and rear right tires, and you were at 0 mph. Could you move in that situation, or would you just spin the opposite tires?
It might be too early in model life, but if ARB or Detriot Locker has an aftermarket diff lock for the rear at least, that would be fine for me.
Also important for off road traction - anyone know the ratio when in 2wd, 4Hih and 4Lo of the gears - does this have a strong gear reduction mechanism in 4Lo? That and diff locks are the main thing to me if I understand 4wd correctly. Electronic-focused systems, unless they have 'modes' don't work for real 4X4 work. Land Rover LR3, for example, has 'modes'. These modes allow you to optimize for crawl ratio on the one hand, or wheelspin on the other for mud/snow. On this note, the 2008 Sequoia has defeat buttons for 2 of the electronic systems - very smart move.
The QX does not have quite the interior room, according to dimensions. It holds 97.1 cu ft of "stuff" while the Sequoia holds 121 cu ft. I am hard-pressed to say that the QX feels smaller though. My assumption is that most of that extra room is actually up in the roofline, where it does me little good. Both hold abt 20 cu ft of stuff behind the 3rd row so again that shows that both have similar footprints. The 3rd row in the QX is not quite as comfortable as the Seqouia, but it is much better than the Escalade and Mercedes GL350. The Sequoia has a VERY comfortable and flexible 3rd row. Kudos to Toyota for that!
Somebody mentioned the quality issues with the QX and Armada. I agree that is a concern to me...we currently have a '01 Pathfinder that has been great. My guess is that the new vehicles ('04) being built in a new factory (Canton, MS) resulted in some growing pains for Nissan as they probably rushed these vehicles to the market to get some of the large SUV pie. The interior upgrades to the '08 QX are worlds apart from the '04-'07 one. I've got to believe that Nissan has got this truck settled out now. I know a couple of owners of '05/'06 QX's and they love them and have had no issues.
One final part to that reliability concern....Toyota has been no stranger to the negative reliability issue list of Consumer Reports. Several of their vehicles (including a Lexus or two) have dropped off of the reliable list. In fact, the Tundra (on which the Sequoia is based) has already had at least one recall and there are multiple posts on message boards about the new 5.7 engine having issues. Point is that Toyota is no longer the rock solid relability bet that it used to be.