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Comments
David
Although my Sequoia has had no problems to date, it seems that I had better trade it in now before it develops all of the major issues associated with this vehicle - you know, the ticking, clicking, grinding, smelling, etc.... problems.. LOL !
Now let's see, what is out there for me to replace with ? Hummmm.... there are just so many choices, but which will truly meet my family needs ??
So what can I/should I get in exchange ? Choices galore !
I am thinking of a Yukon Denali. Yes, I sure could use all of those 325 ponies for towing the boat I plan to buy, and all other potential towings I could do in the future. It would be a comfort owning one of the biggest and baddest full-size SUV truck out there. What with the great drivetrain, creature comforts, and pleasurable driving experience. Shocks... I just remembered, I cannot afford a boat nor anything bigger than a bike, hence this may not address my need. But, the luxury features sure would be nice to have, if only I can afford the 12MPG it would get me, at close to $2/gallon. Ouch ! Gotta look for a sedan or minivan with such creature comforts and great mpg....
But then, maybe I should consider the Expy. Afterall, it was chosen as the winner of the F/S SUV in initial quality survey by JD Power. Way to go Ford winning one for the gipper ! In addition, I read that it can perform better than the Seq in muddy situations. And since I do love mud-wrestling so much, it would be nice driving my way through mud sometimes, and knowing that my wrestling (ehm, driving) partner won't be able to touch me since I would be far nimbler in such muddy situations. But, then I may need a new tranny at 40K, and what about that re-sale value, just in case it fails to meet any of my other off-the-wall needs, and I am looking to move on ? Hummmmm....
I get it, why not just simply switch to the Tahoe LT. Great interior fit and finish, roomy though not as luxurious interior, well engineered vehicle though dated, build quality may be "spotty", but it sure is a Chevy and since it is "Built as a rock", it should/would/could last me some 300,000 miles+.
Just found the solution to all of my needs. The 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Limited. Yes, that's it. Mid-size SUV with a "full size-like" build, great exterior looks with all of those metallic-looking plasticised body cladding. Good engine, although feels underpowered sometimes, huge moon-roof, nice interior lay-outs and creature comforts. When the news of CR's test hits worldwide press, I could get one dirt cheap.... So what if I lose BIG on future re-sale, but at least I would be saving big $$$ upfront in the purchase price. I could take the savings and plow that into my retirement fund, planning to retire by age 45 from the return on these savings alone. That's only a "few" years from now...
As soon as I get back home, I am selling/trading-in my Sequoia and getting me that fine-looking, but dirt cheap Mitsubishi Montero Limited.
"American Airline Flight 128 departing Tokyo for San Jose is now boarding...." I wake up with a start ! What was all that ? Gosh, I must have been dreaming !!! Back to reality, gotta get up and head out to the gate to catch my flight...
Have a wonderful week'nd everyone....This is meant to be a light-hearted humor, if it does not meet your taste, you are not obliged to read through.
Well, we finally came to an agreement with toyota and the body shop that the value of our Seq. was appreciably impacted b y their actions and this is what ended up happening....
Concord Toyota gave us an extended 100,000 mile warranty at no charge and refunded the value of the 3 auto details the still owed us which we advised them we would never use.
The body shop (which I will not name because they were really cool and did the best they could in a bad situation) gave us a $1,500 credit to use on my husband's 1962 Chevy C20 Fleetside PU truck which he wants to restore.
Everybody is happy all around, I guess, but what a trauma it all seemed at the time!
Rose
This forum is a kick in the ... I'm glad most of you stay away from another forum where people are only helpful to each other and not derisive. Why would a non-Sequoia owner even be in here? Do you just have nothing to do? Or do you work for a competitor? My guess is most of you have nothing to do.
Comedydrama: thanks for the color info! I'm buying this week, and that settled it for me. Since I don't want to wait on good deals for the 2002, I'm going with the Desert Sand instead of the Sunfire Red. Don't want to be kicking myself when I see a 'real' red Seq driving around and I'm stuck in that maroonish color. My GUESS is that, although the SR5 is losing a color, the golden silver is going to be a Limited hue, but the red will be an SR5.
Next, ease up a bit on the posters here. This forum is actually far better than many others. Yes, we do get the constant whiners and the people who don't own them who criticize for no reason other than to stir the pot. This topic is light years ahead of any topic that has the word "Tundra" in it though. At least we can get real answers to questions without being insulted.
oac: Thanks for the levity.
I have stated in here before of the three--expo, Yukon, seq my preference would be the seq. I will probably be buying one in the next couple of years if I don't get a landcruiser instead.
That is why I post here. To get the pluses AND minuses. Unfortunately, if I mention something critical, or point out where a competitor may have an advantage over the Seq., I can take it for granted someone will freak out. Relax. Get over it. Learn to see both sides of the issue.
Once again, another effort to turn this into a fan club rather than a forum where rational discussion can take place...
In a couple of weeks I'm doing a 1500 mile trip with a lot of mountain passes. Will post the results.
cct1: I read your whole post, as I do all of them. Where did I say anything about you not liking the Seq? How did I "turn this into a fan club"? The only remotely positive thing I insinuated about it was that the suspension might be more smooth in normal driving conditions!
How did I miss one side of an issue? By stating that you have focused entirely on horsepower in regards to towing? I think posts from cliffy1 and 714cut back up my little hypothesis about torque. A few thousand automotive engineers probably would, too. So, I ask, where is "rational discussion" when there is a perpetual (notice I addressed you and "others") disregard for facts?
To all, I apologize if my tone was a bit harsh in the previous post. It was actually a buildup from reading a variety of posts in this forum that made me feel so strongly, including the claims of fellow fans of the Seq.
Bones
714cut:
The boat that I'll eventually buy is in the 4,500-5,000 pound range (don't know the trailer weight though). I'll be interested in seeing what your experience is driving in the hills. Here are my concerns with towing:
1. Several posts have stated that the maximum is just that--the maximum you CAN tow. But several posts have recommended that you should tow 75% of the maximum if you are doing alot of towing, presumably to save the engine. That's a shade under 5,000 pounds on the seq. This is where the extra HP may come in handy--longterm engine wear (not to mention climbing hills). Only time will tell on this one. This is my major area of concern--like to get (rational) opinions on this.
2. Did you have to have anything special done with the Seq. (other than installing the hitch) for towing, and if so, how much did it cost? (The hitch for the MDX, for example, almosts costs as much as the vehicle).
Call me greedy, but I would like to see the Seq with a few more horsies, especially at its price. I bet Toyota will increase the HP eventually, similarly to what they did with the 4runner. I am in no hurry to buy the boat--will wait at least a year (The marina I am going to use was destroyed in the storm that came through Oshkosh--if any of you saw the story on the national news, there were pictures of boats up on rocks and destroyed docks and slips--that's where I was going to keep my boat.).
The seq. is my favorite in the class of full sized SUV's. However, I don't think its perfect. There are relatively minor things (such as the metallic painted trim from hell, stereo, the minivanish rear end) that I can either live with or easily change. There are other things I am more concerned about--the ticking some people have been experiencing, and the HP. I am hoping that when it comes time to buy, the things I am concerned about with the seq. that are not easily changed will either be proven ok the way the vehicle is currently, or improved upon before I buy.
It seems like there isn't much activity on Sequoia Solutions and often times this board becomes a pissing contest. No offense intended, I'm just looking for something different.
I'll still hang out here, too, because it can be informative, I was just wondering if there was anything else out there.
True, many boats do not weigh over 2500-3000 pounds. But remember that's dry weight. A boat fully rigged sitting on a trailer weighs a heck of a lot more than the manufacturer's dry weight spec. For example, I have an 18' Ranger fishing boat that weighs 1600# dry. Add an outboard motor 400#, fill it with 36 gallons of fuel, three deep cycle batteries, a trolling motor, fishing gear, tackle, anchors, the trailer - I think you get my drift. I would guess that my boat, fully rigged on a trailer is closer to twice what the manufacturer's specs say the boat alone weighs.
If you are buying a boat with a dry weight of 5,000# then you can plan on adding another 1,000-1,500 pounds in accessories and fuel alone. Then load your vehicle with four or five people and you have now reached your vehicles maximum towing capacity.
By the way CCT1, where did you Sequoia shop? Bergstrom or Kolosso? We bought our Sequoia at Kolosso (Appleton) and had a great experience. We got it for right around dealer invoice and it was the only one they had on the lot (back in April). I would suggest them to anyone in the Fox Valley. Our salesman was Brian (last name escapes me).
We bought our Yukon (also a 2001 purchased 8/00) from Northgate GMC in Rhinelander. They are a decent dealer and also sell Toyotas. Kolosso negotiated more, even though we had already purchased a Yukon from Northgate 9 months earlier.
For towing the Yukon is preferred over the Sequoia. Mainly because my Yukon has the "Autoride" option which adds a smoother ride along with a self-leveling suspension. The self-leveling suspension is great for boat towing - which I do a lot of all summer long. Mostly to different musky tournaments and lakes all over Northern Wisconsin.
Good luck with your purchase.
On another note, I tow a 4200 pound rig (2000 pound hull, 525 pound motor, 1040 trailer, plus 50 gallons of fuel, 3 batteries, trolling motor and a good 60 pounds of tackle) with a Tundra. The Tundra is rated for 7100 pounds with the same engine. The difference is the overall truck weight and the rear suspension. The Tundra has leaf springs which are more robust than the multi-link set up on the Sequoia. The Sequoia rides better than the Tundra due to this though. The Tundra does very well with this set up and I'm not lacking get up and go.
We have had many days in the 90s and I have no complaint with the air conditioner. The kids keep their temp set higher than mine to keep from freezing.
3lakeswi:
Thanks for the info! I have checked out and driven the Seq. only at Bergstrom, didn't really get into negotiations as I will be waiting at least a year (perhaps longer) to purchase, unless the minivan dies before then. Is Kolosso off the Wisconsin Ave. (or College Ave.) exit in Appleton? I have only seen one Toyota dealer in Appleton--if Kolosso is the only one, I know about where it is. I would definitely take a look at them off your rec.--not a big fan of Bergstroms...
You bought one vehicle in Rheinlander, and another in Appleton? That's a pretty long hike!
I am waiting to see how long Skipper Bud's will be out of commission--really wanted to get a boat next year, but I have a feeling it will be difficult to get a slip there for a year or two now after all the damage...There are other places in town, but it is so close to my house I would just as soon wait.....
I plan on keeping the boat (24 foot deck boat) at Skipper Buds. I checked the dry weight of the boat--4500 lbs. This is going to bring up a dilemma, as I prefer the Seq. over the Yukon (no offense intended). I could go down to a 21 foot deck boat, dry weight 3500--I might seriously consider this if it made the difference in purchasing the seq. or Yukon.
Unfortunately 3lakes, as you are well aware, Lake Butte Morts and Winnebago are not exactly the cleanest lake, and I would like to take the boat to Green lake (when its not overcrowded) and up north. Green lake is only a 45 minute drive, but the north woods is a significant drive, and this is what I'm concerned about...No way I would by an Expo, I personally prefer the Seq. to the Yukon, but I might have to rethink that if I go with the larger boat. Any other thoughts?
Fire me an e-mail (jeff@three-lakes.com) and I can answer any and all questions about Sequoia vs. Yukon for you and/or boat towing. You will be towing quite a bit heavier boat than I do but I am sure the Sequoia would be up to the task.
I went to college in Oshkosh and lived there year round during that time. Familiar with Green, Winnebago, Butte Des Morts, etc. Never really fished them because at that time I never owned a boat, nor did I know anyone who did.
Three Lakes is about 30 minutes North of Rhinelander (near Eagle River) so that is really where our "hometown" dealers are located. We happened to be in Appleton and my wife saw the color she wanted so we went in to see what they would do for us and - waa-lah, we drove home in a Sequoia.
One other note (and I know this isn't a boating forum Sequoia fans) is that if you come up to the northern lakes up here by us you will have difficulty with a 24 foot boat. Many of the landings will be too shallow for a boat that large (depending on how much water you draw and others).
Good luck.
EJ - JBL Upgrade
SR - Sunroof
GY - Side Curtains
RF - Rear Spoiler
G4 - Carpet/Cargo Set
5A - Cargo Cover
RL - Running Lights
The MSRP is $45,419 and the invoice was $39,991. We paid $41,093 (invoice + $500 + advertising).
All three dealers would give me the same price, and had similar leases.
48 months, $549/month + tax
51 months, $539/month + tax
54 months, $534/month + tax
All three were first months payment and security deposit down and 12k miles per year.
We went with the 51 months are picking it up tomorrow from Warren Toyota in Warren, Ohio. Everything was done over the phone and fax. The out of pocket was put on my AMEX. I'll see the dealer and the car for the first time tomorrow.
I got 63K miles from the first LTX's on the TLC and probably could have gone another 5K or more. I really like these tires... and I didn't particularly care for the Bridgestones although their performance/longevity are pretty much unknowns for me.
The 275s make a big difference appearance-wise on the Sequoia? I am hoping they fill in the wheel wells/wheel flares a little more.
Thanks for the info!
If you switch tires or wheel sizes it does have an impact on the performance of your vehicle. There were quite a few posts about this topic awhile back.
It will effectively change your axle ratio which will affect your speedo, towing capacity, mileage etc. Now to the degree I'm not so sure and it may not be significant in your case but just a "heads up".
I have done nothing to it. It has the factory towing hitch(which is very sweet. Looks good- not sticking out like Expy or Yukon and wiring harness built in to hitch).
5500 is no problem so I don't subscribe to the 75% theory. I towed with a Ford Explorer at it's maximum and it did an admirable job with 160 hp.V6.
As mentioned previously, if your boat is 5000, you can add 1000 or so for trailer, plus fuel and gear 500+ I'd say you're ok but at the max. Power will not be an issue, but I trust Toyota to give a reasonable towing capacity.
As someone posted much previously, if towing over 6500 you should get a serious towing vehicle-full size truck with heavy duty components. Who would want to tow 8000lbs. with a Yukon? As a long time tower I can tell you not me. That's where common sense comes in and Toyota has done a good job here. Towing is more than just having the highest number in your brochure.
If you think about all of the components between a Yukon and a Sequoia, there's not a lot of difference in dimensions or specifications. My sense is the towing abilities should be similar.
One last thing about Sequoia ability. Remember that Sequoia has a 4.10 axle ratio. This dramatically adds to the engines ability to tow. I don't know if that is an option on the others but it certainly isn't standard. And the advertised towing abilities of the others is based on their optional highest axle ratio. Keep that in mind too. A stock Yukon may have a much lower rating than the optional axle ratio.
Hope this helps.
hidden and nice. I was however mildly dissapointed that the wiring connector was NOT the extra heavy duty circular type. It's the typical 4 pin one.
I think the towing talk is getting a little carried away. If you really need to tow a huge boat, trailer, etc., get a heavier duty vehicle to do it. The Seq worked great towing my 22 foot ski boat (probably weighs 5,000 pounds all in). I don't think its fair to criticize this truck for not being able to adequately tow something that is substantially bigger than that as that is not what the truck was designed to do. By the way, 14,000 miles so far and still loving it every time I drive it!
- Has anyone had the keyless entry reprogrammed. The owners manual talks about unlocking all the doors on the first click. Are there any other options?
- Wish the remote would also roll the rear window up instead of just down.
- Wish the key in the drivers door would roll all the windows up/down instead of just the front ones.
Everything else is great so far, we love it.
if you would, please email me at:
drmax1111@yahoo.com
thx, greg
heavy duty 7-pin round socket AND an additional converter that plugs into the 7-pin socket that converts it to the 4-pin socket. It's a very nice one piece molded converter with no loose wiring. Ford realized that was the best for both worlds.
Not whining...just making suggetsions.