ThirdSUV, I'm glad I can supply the comedy. I'm always good for a few laughs. And if we do wind up getting the Chevy Tahoe or GMC Yukon, I'll let you know how we made out and how many trips we took back to the dealer. But you don't have to convince me that the Sequoia is a nice SUV, it is! But for the options we want, as in a Limited, we can't see spending $42,000+. If I'm going to do that, than why don't I just break the bank and get a brand new 2002 Cadillac Escalade for $50,000? Or a BMW 4.4i for $50,000? Both of those SUVs blow away the Sequoia ... literally! So, if I ever see you guys at a traffic light, I'll be the first one to the next light in my Vortec 5.3 liter 285-horsepower engine, which also tows 2,000 more pounds than the Sequoia. I hope I could supply the laughter again.
"why don't I just break the bank and get a brand new 2002 Cadillac Escalade for $50,000? "
All that means is that you'll be "breaking down in style". Come on, 10-15K$ bump over Yuckon/Towmehome for a bigger engine and softer leather?????
BMW4.4.....leave it to BMW to fullfill the market niche of SUV drivers who feel the need to go 100mph
SEQ towing capacity.... It's enough to tow your Esscalade back to the dealer for repair
"I'll be the first one to the next light in my Vortec" No, it's more likely your be in the ROAD BERM of the next light with the hood up trying to figure out what broke....again
Anyone know of a fleet mgr that will order the Sequoia I want for $1000 over dealer DORA? Do any of you experts think there will be better deals on the 2002's?
Krisko, no response. I emailed the dealership a couple of days ago but they haven't responded yet. I'm thinking about calling him on Monday. Thanks! They had a really nice Thunder Gray Limited in stock. SO NICE! My wife and I just saw a Sequoia commercial ... perfect timing. Ugh! It just reinforced the notion of how much we like the truck. And, John (john 1726), thanks for getting back to me. I figured that would be the deal with the Limited vs. SR5. However, maybe we'll still see you in regards to a Limited. I'll keep you posted. The great thing about it is we don't have to make a move right away. We're taking our time and doing our homework. I'm glad I raised such a stir about SUVs.
Last week at this time I started going down the list of auto buying e-commerce sites. There are six listed in the “carbuyingtips.com” site. For each one I put in my requirements: a Sky Silver Metallic Toyota Sequoia Limited 4WD with a list of options and stated that I was will to pay up to a fix percentage over invoice. I just finished completing the third site when I got a phone call from the fleet manager at Tracy Toyota (within 2 minutes). That was Friday afternoon and I picked my shinny new Sequoia on Sunday afternoon paying close to $2000 below MSRP including the manufacture’s options. People may be getting better deals out there but I’m more than satisfied, especially since the whole process was short, simple and enjoyable. Of course I did up front research and had my e-loan check in my hand ahead of time. There was no price haggling and the Tracy Toyota fleet manager was the most pleasant person to deal with. She (Tersea) made sure the car was ready in every aspect before we drove off. In fact the car was probably on their lot only long enough to prep it for me to pick up. Call it good fortune in the Year of the Snake, Valentine day, good karma, or just plain old good timing. The Sequoia is basically my wife’s car and she’s never been nicer to me. I hope she lets me drive it sometimes!
congrats on your new silver sky SEQ... yes, the wife may/will let you drive the new rig, but only occassionally :-)
just the other day, my wife and I had the following conversation wrt the SEQ:
"Honey, you are putting too much mileage on the vehicle driving it 50 miles round-trip to work", she said
"So what are you saying," I asked ?
"Well, I just think the shorter 5 miles round trip I take to work is rather appropriate for the vehicle, don't you agree ?" she replied...
Uhmmmm..it appears that my SEQ driving days may start to trickle down to the "occassional" :-), despite plunking down the $$$ to buy the rig.
Say, Dianne, I may need another SEQ soon, in that case here is a question for you: do you happen to have a SR5 2WD in SS color with MSRP <$35K, and selling for ca. $33,500 ?
I'm planning to make a purchase within 1-2 months and I've narrowed it down to these two. I understand Montero LTDs are right around $34k fully loaded. I'm also considering the 4WD Seq SR5 w/ am leather convenience pkg and alloy pkg, which may go for around $37k (hopefully). The Seq is a bit bigger than I'd like, but I like the idea of a V8 and the Toyota dependability. The Montero I like because of its 4wd capabilities and the creature comforts. $3k less doesn't hurt, either! How is reliability? That's my primary reason for not choosing a JGC LTD. Also, how is the V6? I've heard it's a bit sluggish, esp. on inclines. Any, thoughts? Those two are my main concerns about the Montero. Thanks for any advice! --Jimmy
I was wondering if anyone out there had information about aftermarket tonneau covers for the Seq. I have seen only one in a Seq, the Toyota version in a showroom, which is the one referenced in the owner's manual. When I asked about it, my dealership told me that it was a $600 option which cost them $498, the price at which it was offered to me. (I was a bit disappointed that it was not standard, but what you can expect from such a modestly priced car?) Although the cover seemed nice, it did not seem $498 nice. I can't imagine that a cover could not be made for much less than that and I would be interested in one if the price were right. Does anyone out there have thoughts about it?
I took delivery of my new Sequoia on Dec 30. In the past 30 days I have only driven it about 10 days. It has been in the shop the other days. The right front hub and front differential went out in the first week and due to lack of parts available, sat in shop, in fact dealer robbed diff from another new Sequoia to get mine going. On picking it up, it now has a fluttering vibration which is driving me nuts. Also the vehicle wanders at highway speed requiring constant vigilance to keep it on the road. It is going back into the dealer on Monday again. Service people know me on a first name basis. Needless to say, NOT happy with my Sequoia so far..
Georgevette, I'm sorry to hear about your Sequoia problems. I wish you had better success. Well, I guess you can't count on that great Toyota capability. So if you can't count on that what's there to sway me. I hope things get better for you, but your story convinced me NOT to buy the Toyota Sequoia. Thanks for the tip! And to mp19fan I liked the Montero, too. But it didn't have enough horsepower (200 HP.) The 4WD is awesome (probably just a notch below Jeep) and the creature comforts are wonderful. I think the only thing the Sequoia has over the Montero Limited is its engine. So, if you don't need to drag race anyone or pull a huge boat, I would recommend the Montero. Plus, it's $3,000 cheaper and it looks great. And to all those wondering what my wife and I are doing ... it looks like we're GMC Yukon bound. We both drove it today and loved it. It has everything we want and more, for about $5,000 less than a Sequoia. We just have to finalize the details.
I may have a small window of opportunity to purchase a SR5 4X4 with all the options that I would want except for the premium radio for roughly $ 3,300 under MSRP. One dealer told me that the only way to get the radio upgrade was to special order. Dianne or Cliffy is this correct? I have not seen any SR5s sitting on dealers' lots with the DJ Premium Radio Option factory installed.
Questions:
Are the current SR5 owners happy with the standard radio? Has anyone heard both systems and is there a significant difference in quality? Has anyone researched and/or installed aftermarket options?
Now, a month late I find the section on TUNDA VIBRATION PROBLEMS!! There are over 200 posts on just vibation problems with that vehicle!! Yikes and I am the proud owner of a vibrating Sequoia... Nowhere in the Tundra area have I found the vibration truly cured.. I love every aspect of the Tundra, except, of course, driving it... When I GET to drive it and not in the shop.....
Dianne: Be assured that 'if' I was needing to buy another Toyota product, I'd be knocking on your door, but not this time. I was merely kidding in my last post; see the 'wink wink' at the end ?
joerafferty: interesting that as soon as you hear a SEQ owner complaint, you quickly pointed to that as your reason NOT to buy the SEQ ... You must be living in a different planet than the rest of us, if you expect perfection from a car manufacturer.... It ain't that far a stretch to say you really didn't want to buy the SEQ afterall, you were simply out to prove yourself right.... Wish your wife can read this board before you buy that GMC Yukon. But, it's your money, do whatever you like with it.
Oac3, go ahead and buy another Sequoia. Heck, it's your money, you can do anything you like with it. WINK-WINK! Then, you'll have two SUVs with vibration problems. Listen, I just found it funny that all the Toyota owners were busting my chops about possibly considering and buying a GM product. And then all of sudden several OTHER owners pointed out to me that they were experiencing Sequoia problems. Heaven forbid! And, like you said, all car makers and dealers are not perfect. Any car can have its problems. Just like a Toyota. And possibly a Yukon. Who knows? And, by the way, my wife has read all the posts and she's laughing her head off. This is great fun! Also, she has test driven, as I have, the Tahoe, Yukon, Durango, Grand Cherokee Limited and Sequoia. And for its value, get-around ability (4WD), driving prowess, size, towing capacity and interior comfort, we both agree that the Yukon is the way to go. Good luck to all!
I special ordered a loaded SR5 from a dealer in the SE region in late Dec and I am getting a real song-and-dance about my order status. Now yesterday, for the first time, the dealer starts yapping about the possibility of a 90 day wait for special orders. Funny he didn't mention that at time of order. He says the order is "at the factory" but I have my doubts. There must be a tracking system that ties my inital order as it makes its way through the system? What information do I ask him for to find out the true status of my order??
Can someone explain the milestones that occur between the dealer, regional HQ's, and manufacturer?? I keep hearing about allocation but I can't even get a straight answer about how it plays into the ordering process.
How many miles did you have on the Sequoia when you started noticing the vibration problems? Do you know if anyone has noticed these problems with a new rig at the dealership? Thanks
My SS SR5 4WD now has 900 miles. Notice slight knocking during acceleration, but I am really trying to listen for it. If I was not aware of the "diesel sound" then maybe I might not have noticed it yet.
My current problem is a rattle coming from the headliner on the roof right above where the front passenger seat belt is located( betweeen sunroof and where the pillar starts. It is a constant rattle on even the slightest bit of bumpy road (which is about all we have here in PA). Just pushing on this area causes a squeeking sound. Maybe there is a wiring harness that runs through this area. Anyone else experience this rattle in the headliner? I would like to avoid the 35 mile trip and the wasted afternoon to get the dealer to look at it. Any suggestions?
I ordered a special SR5 as well on DEC 26, 2000. They told me the custom order would take 90 to 120 days, I call the dealership every week, the have no tracking methods. My cousin works for Toyota customer service in Calf. She verfiyed both points, 90 to 120 day wait and no tracking methods, but she said we should be notified when the IN is sent to the dealer.
With due respect to your cousin, can you please tell me how Toyota could possibly function without a tracking system when they make special order cars?? You can't have a dealer network of thousands submitted thousands of special order per month for factories all around the world without a tracking system, that is just plain IMPOSSIBLE.
Now if you tell me Toyota has a CONFIDENTIAL INTERNAL tracking system that the dealers beg Toyota not to make accessible by anyone so that they can be lazy and throw their hands up in the air and tell the customers that "we have no tracking system" then I WOULD believe that scenario. Discouraging... but believable.
I just bought a loaded limitied 3 weeks ago and love it so far... However, I live in the MidWest (alot of ice lately) and there is a traction control feature (i'm not a big details car guy so I'm still figuring out all of the options)... When I accelerate in 2 wheel drive and the tires give way (due to ice), it seems like the vehicle makes a fairly loud noise... Is this normal??? Any advise would be appreciated. (this is my first post ever). seckburg@flynnagency.com
I strongly recommend that you read the owner's manual, particularly the section about the VSC/Traction control systems. Yes, it's normal and is caused by the traction control system reducing the torque and applying the brakes to control the rear wheel slippage. If it was not for this system, your Sequoia's tailend would be a ditch/curb seeking missile; spinning rear wheels = little traction and zero directional stability. I also strongly recommend that you leave it in 4WD High mode at all times so you won't have to deal with this as much.
Good luck Drew Host Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
and good luck to you too with your Yukon... Hope it gives you many years of pleasurable, trouble-free driving :-)) see, we Toyota lovers can have fun too, but our problem is we love our Toyota vehicles bcos of the quality of workmanship, reliability, longevity, great resale values, driving fun and rock-solid reputation... Now, can we say the same for your GMC Yukon product ?
Just make sure that you take a peek at the Yukon board to see the great vehicle you are buying...
Us Toyota guy's and gal's know all about the Yukons and Tahoe's! So do all th Chevy and GMC owners, not to mention Expedition owners! Why do you think we all bought TOYOTA'S! ;o)
Hi Drew- Having followed the posts and read the sites regarding Seq 4wd, I wanted to follow up on your recommendation to eckburg to leave it on all the time. I have no reluctance to leave 4wd on all the time in the upstate NY winter weather. However, is it worth it to leave it on while driving on clear and dry roads? It would seem to me one would benefit from slightly better traction, 4 wheel instead of 2 wheel traction control, and VSC being on (unless toggled off), but would lose gas mileage and, possibly, incur extra wear on some 4wd parts. Can you elaborate? Thanks.
1. where do we write you foratoyota? You don't have an email address listed in your profile.
2. I finally had the chance to test drive both the Sequoia and MDX today (back to back approximately 15 mim apart). While the MDX is a very nice SUV in its own right, the Sequoia is by far the better of the two. The Sequoia's is simply superior in terms of size, quietness, smoothness of engine, ride and having a "REAL" third row seating option. MDX's thrid row is a joke, and I personally do not believe MDX is any more luxrious than the Sequoia (with the exception of the GPS/NAVI System, if it counts as a luxury item). The faux wood in the MDX is cheap and looks nothing like the real thing. The MDX is really a luxury wanna-be SUV (not necessarily a bad thing, but people should not be fooled into thinking that the MDX is a true Luxury SUV).
My wife and I were both very impressed with the Sequoia. Our delima now is to decide whether to go with a ML320 or a fully loaded Sequoia SR5 4x2. We are leaning to the ML because the dealership where we bought our E320 is offering us a very attractive price and that the lease term seems to be better than the Sequoia's (even though in my heart I know I really want the Sequoia). Decisions. Decisions.
I am just about ready to purchase a sequoia, but before I talk to the salesman, I wanted an unbiased opinion from this community. I am a little confused about how the option packages stand up against the Limited. Is it possible and cheaper to get the SR5 and pay for these items I want as options, or just get the Limited? I am looking for 4WD, Leather interior, the higher quality sound system (but only single CD player if possible), Sunroof, Rear Spoiler, Curtain and side airbags, heated front seats.
foratoyota - Don't tell me your the same guy from Tuscoloosa who made similar posts on the Camry topic. You were banned for hiding your motives. You can't promise a payment tax included anyway because tax laws vary by state.
resipsa and ecksburg - I've posted complete explanations of the 4WD system here before but I realize that it is hard to scroll back to find them. I also posted this at www.tundrasolutions.com. Log in there and click on the "Sequoia Tech" forum and you will see this topic.
Thirdsuv and others on order tracking - Dealers have the ability to track our orders. It isn't the best system but it works. When we put in an "order", what we are actually doing it taking a vehicle that is due to be built in the future (usually 2 to 3 weeks away from build). We put in an equipment change request. It takes one to 3 weeks before we know that the request was accepted. Once it it accepted, it shows on our inventory list with the correct equipment.
It is then built and we are given ETAs at every step of the way. Before it is built, we get the build date. Once it is built, we get an ETA to the distribution point (generally one week after build). The thing only sits at the distribution point for a week or so. Normally, we get a vehicle 2 to 3 weeks from the original build date.
Your dealer show be able to produce a sheet showing where the vehicle is and the correct equipment. The only odd thing exists in the South. There, you have a different distributor and you can get garbage added by them which can slow things up. They are also on a different computer system and their inventory can't be looked at by other regions.
On the SR5, you will not be able to get the spoiler or heated seats. The side air bags may require a special order, depending on what is being shipped to your region.
I have actually considered the two (Mercedes vx Sequoia) along with the MDX, and I fully agree with your assessment of the MDX. But comparing the Sequoia to the M320, the sequoia has more room. There isn't even a 3rd row seat option with the M320 (but there is with the M430). I think they are both very safe, but because of size, shape, and height, I wonder which would do better if the Mercedes and the Sequoia were to crash into each other. I am guessing the Sequoia.
I had this exact same problem and had the dealer carefully insert some silicone into the space between the liner and the roof. Rattle is gone. I think there is some cable harness up there but I'm not sure.
Obviously the Sequoia has more room since it is a much larger vehicle and in a different class. The ML320 is definitely available with the 3rd row seat option as well, not just the ML430.
As for the hypothetical crash, the Sequoia as the weight advantage, but as of now, its crashworthiness is unknown. The only crash test involving anything close to the Sequoia is the Toyota Tundra pickup truck that it is based on. It did well for the driver in the NHTSA test (4 stars), but not so well for the passenger (3 stars). However, I would caution against interfering too much from these results since the Sequoia is quite a bit different from the Tundra structurally.
As for the M-class, it did extremely well in crash tests in both the US (by the NHTSA and IIHS), as well as in Germany, so it the question is not that easy to answer. There are also variables that one has to consider (ex. full width front crash, or offset crash). I have a photo gallery of real world M-class crashes if you're interested: http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=137587&a=10126395
You mentioned to Traveling that a side air bag may require a "special order". I'm assuming that a special order can lengthen the time on the front end before the thing gets "accepted" by factory and show up on inventory. Is there where the worst case 90 day scenario can arise?
I'll get to the point....my dealer says my order is "at the factory". I am in the SE region.
1)I have a FAX copy that apparently shows him submitting order to SE region. Does that mean anything?
2)If it is truly "at the factory" is there any Toyota system that he has access to that shows this special order configuration with my name or dealer # assigned to it? I understand that it may not have a build date or anything attached to it yet?
3) If so what is the name of this system or report name?
I believe even SET has the same TDN (Toyota dealer network) system as we do. With TDN, I get a daily report showing all vehicles on order to this store. It shows the model, color, options, temporary serial number (a permenant one is assigned when it is actually built), build date or port ETA, invoice cost and MSRP. No where does it state that the vehicle is sold or ordered. We just have to know that.
Your dealer should be able to show you this report. If they do have TDN, it is report CV4. It will show everything they have coming, but they should be able to point to the unit that you have ordered.
Now, if they have ordered it but it still is a few weeks away from being built, the correct equipment may not show on it. You can still at least see if they have a pending build request though by looking at a code on that report. You will see the letters "EPW", "EPW-L" or EPW-C" I don't know what EPW stands for but the ones marked "L" are on the assembly line now and the ones marked "C" have pending equipment changes. If they show you this report and point out one with the incorrect equipment but you see the "C" code, they probably are telling you the truth that it is ordered. There is another report that shows outstanding build requests but I don't know how to access that one.
The 90 day 'worst case' only would happen if the initial request was turned down and they had to resubmit it. On the Sequoia, we are never farther than 60 days from seeing them.
Thanks a bunch for taking some of the mystery out of the process for all of us. Only bogus dealers fear the light! Way back in Dec. when I was new to the boards and ordering I thought you were with Dianne on the West coast. Won't make that mistake a second time if this deal pipes.
Very interesting exchange. I, too, am in the weird SE region (S. Fl) and special-ordered a SR5 4wd on 011101. I am waiting to hear from my sales rep as to where my truck is in the process. (Cliffy1: if, for some reason, my order "falls through," I'll also be needing help. What additional charges, if any, are there to deal through you and take delivery in S. Fl? Won't the S. Fl dealers be kind of unhappy prepping a car that wasn't part of their pipeline? Thanks for all your valuable input on this and the Tundra board.)
I see you're in S. Florida. I just bought a Limited from Toyota of Hollywood, my salesman is their fleet mgr, Israel Washington. I basically got the one I wanted for almost $3000 off. He is also open to building out an SR5 to Limited specs, I almost did that but got the Limited instead. Check him out, good guy.
I never thought I would get at least half of what I wanted to know in post #955 answered.
So it looks like if my salesman says that after 3 weeks he could not find the vehicle with the right options that I ordered, he is outright lying. That's what I thought too, but I just couldn't get a real handle of it.
e-mail me at sclifford@kjtoyota.com if your deal tanks. There are a few limitations to orders that I didn't get into in the last e-mail. The biggest one is that I have to have the correct model coming in to make changes to. In this region, we get almost no 2 wheel drives and that model would be nearly impossible for me to get. If a person wanted a 4x4 and just wanted options that normally were not ordered but were in the list of available options (see the Edmunds. list on this), I, or anybody else who knows what they are doing can get it. Normal delivery times are 6 to 8 weeks.
2 or 3 participants on the Landcruiser board have reported that Toyota has come out with an effective fix for the 2001 LC booming bass problem. Those of you who have similar problems with the Seq. might check with your dealers to see if the same fix will work on your vehicles.
For what it is worth, I saw an ad in the L.A. Times Sunday paper for a Sequoia sr5 with 4,000 or 5,000 off from MSRP at Hammer Toyota (I think). It was one only, and the MSRP was around 33K or 34K. In all likelyhood it was probably just a bait.
Limited vs. SR5
I personally don't think that the Limited is worth the extra 3-4K over the SR5. The SR5 can be dressed up with almost all of the items that a Limited has. As I recall from posts in the past, the major differences are the lack of fog lights, leather on doors, the ugly hammer tone treatment, heated seats, the limited decal and a few other minor details (different wheels and tires?). Plus, I believe that the SR5 has a better residual value if it is important to you. I think that the SR5 can be almost as nice as a Limited if you can live with the aforementioned shortcomings. If it is important to you to have a "Limited" version of the Sequoia, then spend the extra money (and you do get marginally more for the money). You cannot go wrong with either. Go with your heart.
Here is a heads up to anyone looking for a Toyota. Avoid "Right Toyota" in Scottsdale Arizona...it is the "Wrong" place to buy your vehicle.
I made a deal with them on a Sequoia LTD on 01/25/01, they told me the only way they would accept my deal was to give them the deposit on a credit card over the telephone, I agreed, and they took my deposit the same day. They mailed me the paperwork, which showed they sales price as $5000 more than we had agreed to. Their price was several thousand dollars over invoice. When I questioned the figures, the finance manager told me that the sales price was high because they had to buy the interest rate down (what a crock of...). When that story did not wash he told me that they now had to charge me for shipping (after they had agreed to ship the truck for free). Basically, they reneged on the deal 5 days later. Now they say that they do not discount their Sequoias...they did not tell me this when they accepted my offer and my deposit.
My thinking is that when they made the deal it was the end of the month and they had several trucks in stock, however at the end they only had mine left to deliver.
When he finally realized that he was not dealing with a dummy...he blamed the salesman for bad practices (this was only after I called the General Manager). They promised to return my deposit...because they sold the truck to someone else over the weekend.
Bad customer service...I plan to contact Toyota National about this. Stay clear of this dealership
You may also want to file a complaint with the BBB as they will keep a record of it and anyone doing a background check with the BBB will get to know about them. Additionally, the BBB will write to the dealership about your complaint and request an answer in writing. Who knows, maybe they are a member of the BBB...doubt it though.
C/EPW = Pending FRS change. That's a domestically unbuilt car@plant, PIO changes still available.
When there is no "C" before the /EPW, it's a car that will be built as allocated, and it isn't FRS'ed.
EPD and EPD/L are cars ready for production, the "L" being there when a PIO change isn't available anymore. Production days and weeks are also listed on your TAC sheet as well.
This stuff I have to read and go over daily, weekly, constantly, with all of the build-order requests and deals I fill...the endless color changes, factory equipment changes I do!
<-- not a knowitall, just clarifying the codes for you! I really pride myself on build-ordering car precisely the way folks want them, in the colors they prefer. It's just what I do. Yes, I do prefer to sell out of regular stock and I often do too. But, at times, I read where people are told that things aren't possible, and I know otherwise.
I have listened to both the standard SR5 radio and the DJ upgrade in the Limited, and I cannot really say that I hear much of a difference in quality. I ended up with the standard SR5 radio and it sounds fine (especially CD's).
Save your money, and if you really decide you don't like it, go aftermarket.
In the new york region, when you submit a factory option change, we are notified from distribution within an hour whether the change has been accepted or not.
Comments
But you don't have to convince me that the Sequoia is a nice SUV, it is!
But for the options we want, as in a Limited, we can't see spending $42,000+.
If I'm going to do that, than why don't I just break the bank and get a brand new 2002 Cadillac Escalade for $50,000? Or a BMW 4.4i for $50,000? Both of those SUVs blow away the Sequoia ... literally!
So, if I ever see you guys at a traffic light, I'll be the first one to the next light in my Vortec 5.3 liter 285-horsepower engine, which also tows 2,000 more pounds than the Sequoia.
I hope I could supply the laughter again.
"why don't I just break the bank and get a brand new 2002 Cadillac Escalade for $50,000? "
All that means is that you'll be "breaking down in style". Come on, 10-15K$ bump over Yuckon/Towmehome for a bigger engine and softer leather?????
BMW4.4.....leave it to BMW to fullfill the
market niche of SUV drivers who feel the need to go 100mph
SEQ towing capacity....
It's enough to tow your Esscalade back to the dealer for repair
"I'll be the first one to the next light in my Vortec"
No, it's more likely your be in the ROAD BERM
of the next light with the hood up trying to figure out what broke....again
cheers
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
They had a really nice Thunder Gray Limited in stock. SO NICE!
My wife and I just saw a Sequoia commercial ... perfect timing. Ugh! It just reinforced the notion of how much we like the truck.
And, John (john 1726), thanks for getting back to me. I figured that would be the deal with the Limited vs. SR5. However, maybe we'll still see you in regards to a Limited. I'll keep you posted.
The great thing about it is we don't have to make a move right away. We're taking our time and doing our homework.
I'm glad I raised such a stir about SUVs.
just the other day, my wife and I had the following conversation wrt the SEQ:
"Honey, you are putting too much mileage on the vehicle driving it 50 miles round-trip to work", she said
"So what are you saying," I asked ?
"Well, I just think the shorter 5 miles round trip I take to work is rather appropriate for the vehicle, don't you agree ?" she replied...
Uhmmmm..it appears that my SEQ driving days may start to trickle down to the "occassional" :-), despite plunking down the $$$ to buy the rig.
Say, Dianne, I may need another SEQ soon, in that case here is a question for you: do you happen to have a SR5 2WD in SS color with MSRP <$35K, and selling for ca. $33,500 ?
wink, wink....
Well, I guess you can't count on that great Toyota capability. So if you can't count on that what's there to sway me.
I hope things get better for you, but your story convinced me NOT to buy the Toyota Sequoia. Thanks for the tip!
And to mp19fan I liked the Montero, too. But it didn't have enough horsepower (200 HP.) The 4WD is awesome (probably just a notch below Jeep) and the creature comforts are wonderful.
I think the only thing the Sequoia has over the Montero Limited is its engine. So, if you don't need to drag race anyone or pull a huge boat, I would recommend the Montero. Plus, it's $3,000 cheaper and it looks great.
And to all those wondering what my wife and I are doing ... it looks like we're GMC Yukon bound. We both drove it today and loved it. It has everything we want and more, for about $5,000 less than a Sequoia.
We just have to finalize the details.
Questions:
Are the current SR5 owners happy with the standard radio?
Has anyone heard both systems and is there a significant difference in quality?
Has anyone researched and/or installed aftermarket options?
Thanks,,,,I hope to test drive tomorrow.
Nowhere in the Tundra area have I found the vibration truly cured.. I love every aspect of the Tundra, except, of course, driving it... When I GET to drive it and not in the shop.....
joerafferty: interesting that as soon as you hear a SEQ owner complaint, you quickly pointed to that as your reason NOT to buy the SEQ ... You must be living in a different planet than the rest of us, if you expect perfection from a car manufacturer.... It ain't that far a stretch to say you really didn't want to buy the SEQ afterall, you were simply out to prove yourself right.... Wish your wife can read this board before you buy that GMC Yukon. But, it's your money, do whatever you like with it.
Listen, I just found it funny that all the Toyota owners were busting my chops about possibly considering and buying a GM product. And then all of sudden several OTHER owners pointed out to me that they were experiencing Sequoia problems. Heaven forbid!
And, like you said, all car makers and dealers are not perfect. Any car can have its problems. Just like a Toyota. And possibly a Yukon. Who knows?
And, by the way, my wife has read all the posts and she's laughing her head off. This is great fun!
Also, she has test driven, as I have, the Tahoe, Yukon, Durango, Grand Cherokee Limited and Sequoia. And for its value, get-around ability (4WD), driving prowess, size, towing capacity and interior comfort, we both agree that the Yukon is the way to go.
Good luck to all!
tracking system that ties my inital order as it makes its way through the system? What information do I ask him for to find out the true status of my order??
Can someone explain the milestones that occur between the dealer, regional HQ's, and manufacturer?? I keep hearing about allocation but I can't even get a straight answer about how it plays into the ordering process.
cheers
Do you know if anyone has noticed these problems with a new rig at the dealership? Thanks
My current problem is a rattle coming from the headliner on the roof right above where the front passenger seat belt is located( betweeen sunroof and where the pillar starts. It is a constant rattle on even the slightest bit of bumpy road (which is about all we have here in PA). Just pushing on this area causes a squeeking sound. Maybe there is a wiring harness that runs through this area. Anyone else experience this rattle in the headliner? I would like to avoid the 35 mile trip and the wasted afternoon to get the dealer to look at it. Any suggestions?
can you please tell me how Toyota could possibly function without a tracking system when they make special order cars?? You can't have a dealer network of thousands submitted thousands of special order per month for factories all around the world without a tracking system, that is just plain IMPOSSIBLE.
Now if you tell me Toyota has a CONFIDENTIAL INTERNAL tracking system that the dealers beg Toyota not to make accessible by anyone so that they can be lazy and throw their hands up in the air and tell the customers that "we have no tracking system" then I WOULD believe that scenario. Discouraging... but believable.
Good luck
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
Just make sure that you take a peek at the Yukon board to see the great vehicle you are buying...
good luck, man, you are gonna need it ....
owners, not to mention Expedition owners! Why do you think we all bought TOYOTA'S! ;o)
Having followed the posts and read the sites regarding Seq 4wd, I wanted to follow up on your recommendation to eckburg to leave it on all the time. I have no reluctance to leave 4wd on all the time in the upstate NY winter weather. However, is it worth it to leave it on while driving on clear and dry roads? It would seem to me one would benefit from slightly better traction, 4 wheel instead of 2 wheel traction control, and VSC being on (unless toggled off), but would lose gas mileage and, possibly, incur extra wear on some 4wd parts. Can you elaborate? Thanks.
2. I finally had the chance to test drive both the Sequoia and MDX today (back to back approximately 15 mim apart). While the MDX is a very nice SUV in its own right, the Sequoia is by far the better of the two. The Sequoia's is simply superior in terms of size, quietness, smoothness of engine, ride and having a "REAL" third row seating option. MDX's thrid row is a joke, and I personally do not believe MDX is any more luxrious than the Sequoia (with the exception of the GPS/NAVI System, if it counts as a luxury item). The faux wood in the MDX is cheap and looks nothing like the real thing. The MDX is really a luxury wanna-be SUV (not necessarily a bad thing, but people should not be fooled into thinking that the MDX is a true Luxury SUV).
My wife and I were both very impressed with the Sequoia. Our delima now is to decide whether to go with a ML320 or a fully loaded Sequoia SR5 4x2. We are leaning to the ML because the dealership where we bought our E320 is offering us a very attractive price and that the lease term seems to be better than the Sequoia's (even though in my heart I know I really want the Sequoia). Decisions. Decisions.
resipsa and ecksburg - I've posted complete explanations of the 4WD system here before but I realize that it is hard to scroll back to find them. I also posted this at www.tundrasolutions.com. Log in there and click on the "Sequoia Tech" forum and you will see this topic.
Thirdsuv and others on order tracking - Dealers have the ability to track our orders. It isn't the best system but it works. When we put in an "order", what we are actually doing it taking a vehicle that is due to be built in the future (usually 2 to 3 weeks away from build). We put in an equipment change request. It takes one to 3 weeks before we know that the request was accepted. Once it it accepted, it shows on our inventory list with the correct equipment.
It is then built and we are given ETAs at every step of the way. Before it is built, we get the build date. Once it is built, we get an ETA to the distribution point (generally one week after build). The thing only sits at the distribution point for a week or so. Normally, we get a vehicle 2 to 3 weeks from the original build date.
Your dealer show be able to produce a sheet showing where the vehicle is and the correct equipment. The only odd thing exists in the South. There, you have a different distributor and you can get garbage added by them which can slow things up. They are also on a different computer system and their inventory can't be looked at by other regions.
THanks!
As for the hypothetical crash, the Sequoia as the weight advantage, but as of now, its crashworthiness is unknown. The only crash test involving anything close to the Sequoia is the Toyota Tundra pickup truck that it is based on. It did well for the driver in the NHTSA test (4 stars), but not so well for the passenger (3 stars). However, I would caution against interfering too much from these results since the Sequoia is quite a bit different from the Tundra structurally.
As for the M-class, it did extremely well in crash tests in both the US (by the NHTSA and IIHS), as well as in Germany, so it the question is not that easy to answer. There are also variables that one has to consider (ex. full width front crash, or offset crash). I have a photo gallery of real world M-class crashes if you're interested:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=137587&a=10126395
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=137587&a=11094226
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
may require a "special order". I'm assuming that a special order can lengthen the time on the front end before the thing gets "accepted" by factory and show up on inventory. Is there where the worst case 90 day scenario can arise?
I'll get to the point....my dealer says my order is "at the factory". I am in the SE region.
1)I have a FAX copy that apparently shows him submitting order to SE region. Does that mean anything?
2)If it is truly "at the factory" is there any Toyota system that he has access to that shows this special order configuration with my name or dealer # assigned to it? I understand that it may not have a build date or anything attached
to it yet?
3) If so what is the name of this system or
report name?
Your dealer should be able to show you this report. If they do have TDN, it is report CV4. It will show everything they have coming, but they should be able to point to the unit that you have ordered.
Now, if they have ordered it but it still is a few weeks away from being built, the correct equipment may not show on it. You can still at least see if they have a pending build request though by looking at a code on that report. You will see the letters "EPW", "EPW-L" or EPW-C" I don't know what EPW stands for but the ones marked "L" are on the assembly line now and the ones marked "C" have pending equipment changes. If they show you this report and point out one with the incorrect equipment but you see the "C" code, they probably are telling you the truth that it is ordered. There is another report that shows outstanding build requests but I don't know how to access that one.
The 90 day 'worst case' only would happen if the initial request was turned down and they had to resubmit it. On the Sequoia, we are never farther than 60 days from seeing them.
Won't make that mistake a second time if this deal pipes.
Thanks again
So it looks like if my salesman says that after 3 weeks he could not find the vehicle with the right options that I ordered, he is outright lying. That's what I thought too, but I just couldn't get a real handle of it.
Limited vs. SR5
I personally don't think that the Limited is worth the extra 3-4K over the SR5. The SR5 can be dressed up with almost all of the items that a Limited has. As I recall from posts in the past, the major differences are the lack of fog lights, leather on doors, the ugly hammer tone treatment, heated seats, the limited decal and a few other minor details (different wheels and tires?). Plus, I believe that the SR5 has a better residual value if it is important to you. I think that the SR5 can be almost as nice as a Limited if you can live with the aforementioned shortcomings. If it is important to you to have a "Limited" version of the Sequoia, then spend the extra money (and you do get marginally more for the money). You cannot go wrong with either. Go with your heart.
I made a deal with them on a Sequoia LTD on 01/25/01, they told me the only way they would accept my deal was to give them the deposit on a credit card over the telephone, I agreed, and they took my deposit the same day. They mailed me the paperwork, which showed they sales price as $5000 more than we had agreed to. Their price was several thousand dollars over invoice. When I questioned the figures, the finance manager told me that the sales price was high because they had to buy the interest rate down (what a crock of...). When that story did not wash he told me that they now had to charge me for shipping (after they had agreed to ship the truck for free). Basically, they reneged on the deal 5 days later. Now they say that they do not discount their Sequoias...they did not tell me this when they accepted my offer and my deposit.
My thinking is that when they made the deal it was the end of the month and they had several trucks in stock, however at the end they only had mine left to deliver.
When he finally realized that he was not dealing with a dummy...he blamed the salesman for bad practices (this was only after I called the General Manager). They promised to return my deposit...because they sold the truck to someone else over the weekend.
Bad customer service...I plan to contact Toyota National about this. Stay clear of this dealership
When there is no "C" before the /EPW, it's a car that will be built as allocated, and it isn't FRS'ed.
EPD and EPD/L are cars ready for production, the "L" being there when a PIO change isn't available anymore. Production days and weeks are also listed on your TAC sheet as well.
This stuff I have to read and go over daily, weekly, constantly, with all of the build-order requests and deals I fill...the endless color changes, factory equipment changes I do!
<-- not a knowitall, just clarifying the codes for you! I really pride myself on build-ordering car precisely the way folks want them, in the colors they prefer. It's just what I do. Yes, I do prefer to sell out of regular stock and I often do too. But, at times, I read where people are told that things aren't possible, and I know otherwise.
Dianne in SoCal.
dianne@earthlink.net
PIO ??
FRS ??
TAC ?? Is that the analagous to the CV4 that cliffy mentioned?
Cliffy, What did you mean by this...
"There is another report that shows outstanding build requests but I don't know how to access that one."
When and why would a car be on this list? Would this be cars that dealer has requested to regional but haven't been entered/accepted by factory yet?
I have listened to both the standard SR5 radio and the DJ upgrade in the Limited, and I cannot really say that I hear much of a difference in quality. I ended up with the standard SR5 radio and it sounds fine (especially CD's).
Save your money, and if you really decide you don't like it, go aftermarket.