Thanks for the info...can you provide more info about this company Prestigous Accessories..I can't seem to find anything on the web. Also, did the dealer install them or did you do that yourself?
With the discussion on having running boards installed, I'm a little confused. On the Edmunds site, it says that running boards are standard on the 2002 SR5 model. Are they standard or are they not? What is standard on the SR5? I understand that keyless remote is not, which is pretty unbelievable.
I am looking for an aftermarket cargo mat for my Seq for the cargo area behind the 3rd seats. I haven't found one this sized, only for the entire cargo area behind the 2nd seat. Does anyone know if one is made for the Seq, and where the best place to purchase it is? Thanks.
Check out the current issue of Popular Mechanics. One of the their long term testers is a Sequoia Limited. There's a shot of it with all four wheels off the ground. I didn't think anything this big and heavy can do that.
Our Sequoia has only been with us for about 2 weeks. I'll write up my thoughts on it after we've used it a while longer.
Check out Macneil automotive. They have cargo liners in two different sizes. One for behind the second seat and one for behind the 3rd seat. I've used their floormats for the last 4 vehicles that we had though I've never used a cargo liner.
I've got Macneil's mat for behind the 2nd & 3rd seat. It's great for keeping the place clean. It has a nice high lip that runs all the way around the edge, and seems to help limit stuff from sliding around (although stuff still slides some). It has cutouts that appear to be where the 3rd row seats would make contact, although I haven't cut through the mat as I have my 3rd row seats in the garage. $138 bucks, delivered in about a week.
Highly recommended. I might even buy the mat for just behind the 3rd row for when I have them in the car. It's that good.
Anyone else have a creaking noise from the top of the dash? I can't tell if it's at the base of the left hand pillar, the bottom of the windshield, or the dash. The dealer has tried twice, and is now having a harder time hearing the creaking noise (surprise!) It's pretty annoying.
I bought mine on Nov 4, 2000, and have been REALLY happy until this event. My experience with the brakes at 15k miles, was like others, resolved by adding a little fluid - pad life is about 40% now.
Any help on the noise would be greatly appreciated - although I may be leading the contingent with milage and age.
We had to buy the paint ourselves from a local auto paint shop. My father-in-law paints cars for a hobby so I had a connection there.
baseballmom94:
The 2002 SR5's I see advertised here in NE Florida have the running boards as an option. They come with the alloy package or can be purchased separately. I'm in the Southeast region and from what I've seen on this board, this region differs from the others when it comes to options and dealer add ons. For instance, my SUV came with LoJack already installed....
Yeah, I forgot to tell you also that I bought mine in April and bought another one for my sister (her money) in late August. My sister's SEQ was made in August 1, the first day of the 2002 model year.
can anyone tell me why the red SR5 sequoia in this picture looks different from what I usually saw in my area? or even in toyota website? (notice the fender) is sequoia looks different from region to region?
Could those be the color-keyed overfenders? On the 2002 model, which is the car shown on your 2nd web address (yahoo),the alloy wheel package comes with running boards and overfenders. The Sequoia in the 1st web address doesn't have the overfenders.
Well after several attempts to resolve the appropriateness of being charged $39 to top off the brake fluid(well the Service managers explanation was that I was not being charged for the brake fluid but the Diagnostics)the dealer feels the charge is appropriate and I still do not. The service manager offered to credit us $39 for future service but that was never the point. The point was should we have been charged in the first place. Both the service advisor and service manager indicated that the fluid was probably not topped off during 7.5K service but the diagnostic charge was still appropriate????
So the question now is this--I currently have a Toyota Service Survey for a previous service(not the 7.5K service)-how should I fill it out? Do I focus on the service they are asking about(which was fine) or do I use the survey to address the current issue--service advisor never getting back to me after he was to discuss the brake fluid charge with the service manager(three calls over a week)and the whole nickel and dime mentality associated with the $39 charge-as stated in my original post very different than my Lexus and Volvo dealer.
Opinions please--Cliffy I would be most interested in your thoughts. FYI my wife is in the market for a new car and we were seriously considering a 2002 Avalon or Camary--this situation (as petty as it may sound) pushed us to another Volvo--
By the way I really love the Sequoia but I wish I could take it to Nordstrom's to be serviced
Thanks for the web site and the info...unfortunately, we are mechanically challenged in my household, so I don't think this solution would work for us. But I will puruse the web site and maybe get a brainstorm. Thanks again.
I reflexively want to respond that you should "take care" of your service writer on the survey, but I can't do that and remain objective. I didn't closely follow your saga, but on the face of it, it seems strange that they didn't work to get this covered under warranty. This brings me to another point that I try to raise when I can. It does matter where you buy your cars and the best price isn't always the best deal.
Now, I'm not saying you didn't research this and I don't know how much choice you have in your area. There are those people who only shop for the lowest price and ignore the fact that some dealerships have better service after the sale. I'll give you a real world example from one of my customers. A guy bought a Sienna from me and 2 months later had a "problem" with his suspension. The lower shock mount broke and the van had to be towed in to us. It was pretty obvious that he had hit something but he said no. Rather than argue the point, my service department looked up his records and saw he purchased it from us and slid it through a warranty claim with no cost or questions to the customer. Even though he might have been able to save a few dollars by purchasing elsewhere, in the long run, he got the best deal.
Now, back to your question on how to handle the survey. If your advisor didn't treat you to your complete satisfaction, make it known. If things were out of his control and you think he made a good effort to help, mark the survey "completely satisfied" but continue your efforts to right the wrong. Those surveys directly and personally affect the writer and his pay check may be involved.
First...thanks to all for helpful responses to my previous questions. I recall some discussion on dash kits available (wood or wood style) to replace that silver finish. What 's the latest on this for the Sequoia ? By the way....I've got just 3500 miles on my 2001, and after driving large vans for years, feel like I'm driving a sportscar......peppy little sucker at that. I do get a kick out of people referring to the Sequoia as a beast.....it's all relative, isn't it.
Does anyone know why Edmunds does not have True Market Value numbers listed for the 2002 Sequoia? Is this done on a state-by-state basis? I'm in Ohio.
Also, wondering if anyone cares to share any monthly lease rates for a 2002 2WD SR5 Sequoia. Is it possible to find out about monthly lease payments BEFORE visiting the dealer? Any helpful websites?
http://www.leasecompare.com/ lets you put in the specifics and gives you 5 lease company's payment, residual, money factor, etc. This can give you some examples of what you may be able to get depending credit, income, etc. Also, you can get lease info by asking questions on the Ask Lease Questions forum (Edmunds site).
I have a 2001 Seq., SR5 with 16K miles on it. The fuel pump went out on it according to the service writer at the dealer's shop. It seems strange that a problem like that should occur this early in the life of this particular vehicle. Anyone have a similar mechanical malady on their 2001 Seq?
Have really benefited from lurking here as we've done our research so much appreciated! We've finally decided to make the jump and buy a Sequoia and there is a wholesaler in Bellevue WA (Platinum Wholesale Auto) that has very agressive pricing. They have a new 2001 Silver Limited 4x4 w/ every option expect cargo net for $38,950 and the exact same car but 2002 model for $40,500. They import these down from Canada and have to sell as used imports but they have <50 miles on them both. I've called to Toyota dealers and they say no issue with warrenty work as Toyota works off VIN numbers not where they were purchased. A couple questions....any issues with the Canada thing that anyone knows of? And second, I currently have a deposit on the 2001 but any benefit on paying $1,500 more to get 2002 model year? Thanks much!!
I've gone through this before and no body believes me about the risks of this. If you feel you can legally and ethically make the statement that you are 100% sure that the miles on the odometer are correct when you sell it you should be fine. If not, you will be committing perjury when you sign an odometer statement to whomever you sell it to.
As to the warranty, if the VIN has been entered into the TMS system by a dealership, you will have no warranty issues. If it hasn't, you'll have to find a shop that is willing and able to do it before making any warranty claim.
The other thing that has not been discussed is resale value. Put yourself in the position of a used car buyer three or four years from now. You have been looking at used Sequoias and have learned the differences in equipment and options. Suddenly, you come across one that seems to differ in equipment from the others you have seen. You learn that it is a gray market vehicle. Are you going to pay the same money for it? Neither will the guy you try to sell it to.
Thanks to all who responded if they would buy a Sequoia again. Not surprised by the answers. This wkend, I plan on driving again (3rd time) the Seq and the MDX, this time bringing along the wife and baby. Have another one on the way, hence the reason for leaning toward the Seq. Also need to tow a 3,500lb Mastercraft. All I need now is to sell my '97 Mercury Mountaineer, loaded with only 39k miles for $15.5k (anyone interested??) I'll throw in a dozen brownies... :-)
We bought a sequoia imported from Cananda last summer and are very pleased with the car and the deal we got ($4k to $5k less than what the toyota dealers were offering at the time). Warranty coverage and registering the VIN was no problem. We called the Toyota Customer Service number before purchasing the rig to verify the VIN number and have them enter it into their system. The rep said warranty coverage will be no problem. he did say, however, to make sure the vehicle has been coverted to US specs.
We also checked with the local Toyota dealer to price compare, and even they said that they were selling Seqouias from Canada at the time, so it's not just non-toyota lots that do it.
As far as affecting car re-sale, that's anyones guess. I think it would depend on desirably and availability of used Seqouias at the time, and who you are dealing with. There is a good chance that the price would probably have to be adjusted to compensate for lack of being able to disclose true vehicle mileage. But then, on the other hand, you got the vehicle for much less than the going U.S. rate so it may balance out.
If you are buying intending to keep it until it quits (like us), it may warrant consideration. If you think you are going to sell it in the next few years, you may want to pass because the Canada issue may come back to haunt you.
I have a 2001 SR5 sequoia and while driving on the freeway, the vsc and trac lights came on with warning beeps. I could feel something in the front left wheel also. I brought it to the dealer and they said it was a sensor that needed to be replaced. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this problem and did the sensor fix it.
After driving both, I came away feeling (reliability aside) the Chevy was a nicer car for less money. Toyota seems able to make customers happy giving them 20% less stuff for 20% more money. Whether a better reputation for reliability is worth an extra 5-6k is the question.
The Sequoia is the better tow vehicle. IMO the Honda (oops I mean Acura) will not be happy towing your boat and towing any distance will severely limit it's useful life. Why you ask? well, the MDX is essentially an Odyssey with a light duty, part time, 4wd system tacked on. So, it's a front wheel drive vehicle with an Accord derived transmission and a high revving V6 with little low end torque. I have an Odyessy and would never try pulling anything bigger than a small utility trailer with it, even though the book says it will pull 3500# ( I know, the MDX says 3500# for a cargo trailer or 4500# if it's a boat? sounds fishy to me... wind resistance or something I guess). I too have a 3500# boat and have pulled it with a Bronco, Explorer, 2 Suburbans and my Sequoia. The Seq. is a much better tug than the rest. When you consider tow ratings, remember that the tow rating is calculated for an unloaded vehicle with the driver and one passenger. Any additional passengers and cargo have to be subtracted from the towable weight. If you are used to pulling your boat with the Merc. which (If memory serves) has a 5.0 V8 and a 6,000# rating then you will not be happy with an MDX when towing.
Anyone have recommendations for winter tires available in size for Sequoia Limited 4WD? I am mainly interested in a tire that excels in it's grip and ability to stop on icy roads as opposed to just "traction in snow". Winter here in Colorado mountains is long, snowy and icy especially at 9,600 feet. Most winter driving is on highway and Interstate with a couple of mountain passes.
I've had good luck with Blizzaks in the past on other vehicles. Recently have heard good things about Nokian winter tires. Anyone know anything about them, or if they are available in size for Sequoia?
2heeldrive: For the record, of the vehicles you listed, including the "Odyssey with a light duty, part time, 4wd system" the Sequoia has the lowest payload rating of them all at 1305 lbs. This rating would hardly result in the Sequoia being "a much better tug than the rest".
From a towing perspective any of the GM f/s vehicles you listed and the Explorer XLT are clearly superior tow vehicles with higher payload, hp, torque, tow capacities and CGVWR than a Sequoia.
While the Acura MDX gives up 1700 lbs in tow rating to the Sequoia its somewhat surprising that it has a higher payload rating than the "heavier" duty Sequoia.
Tahoe 1750lbs - Pay 8200lbs - tow Explorer XLT 1500lbs - Pay 7000lbs - tow MDX 1367lbs - Pay 4500lbs - tow Sequoia 1305lbs - Pay 6200lbs - tow
I have a toyota sequoia that has 18000 + miles. The brake light seems to be on all the time and now the VSC lights also came on. After reading the comments on this board I added some brake fluid (it was at the minimum). It seemed to be the fix. I would like to thank you all for the information posted here.
Otherwise the vehicle has been fantastic. It is the smoothest and quitest vehicle I have ever had. Drove a caddilac deville all the way to toronto and back (more than 1000 miles). This was brand new and there is no comparison with the toyota sequoia.
While the Sequoia may not be a perfect towing vehicle for all situations, it is a fine towing vehicle. You are very good with statistics, but statistics don't always translate into the best tow vehicle. There are many factors besides payload ratings (which you seem to focus on) such as braking ability, ability to handle tongue weight, quality of ride while towing, ability to resist sway, where the torque curve falls in the RPM range and the list goes on. Trailer boats magazine (a very unbiased and reputable boating magazine that features a towing vehicle every month) awarded the Sequoia "Tow Vehicle of the Year. It was a direct comparison with the larger engine Tahoe and the 5.4 Triton Ford Expedition. The Sequoia won both the towing and non-towing sections of the comparison. And did so quite handily. While all of these vehicles are fine vehicles and clearly all have their individual personalities (strengths) the Sequoia should be given full credit. It also shone in the toughest part of the test- mountain towing in which it attained better performance than the other two. Again, lower specs but better real world performance. I have yet to see the Sequoia bettered in comparison tests by any major publication (although I don't claim to scout them all!). Comparing it to an MDX for towing purposes is really not a direct comparison. Similar to if a Sequoia was compared to a 2500 Suburban.
Hope this helps those wondering about towing.
P.S. I tow a 5500 lb. boat. It is a wonderful towing vehicle. Did a 2500 km. trip this summer with it.
Hey Heatwave -- good to hear from you -- it's been way too quiet on this board! Have you decided to trade for a Sequoia yet?
Anyone can repeat specs, but I am speaking from real world experience. What does payload have to do with towing, except to reduce the amount of towable weight. If you really want to look at useful specs lets look at three that folks who are serious about towing care about -- the distance from the rear axle to the hitch, the weight of the tow vehicle and the torque curve of the engine. The shorter the distance from the rear axle to the hitch, the less leverage the trailer has on the tow vehicle and the less likely the rig will "porpoise" a 2002 Suburban, for example, is 15" longer than a Sequoia. The heavier the tow vehicle the better -- so as not to get pushed around by the trailer. The Sequoia is the heaviest vehicle of the group (it weighs 150# more than the 2002 Suburban!) and, thats the actual weight of the vehicle, not the theoretical loaded maximum. It's engine torque that does the work and you want lots and low RPM. The Sequoia puts out 315 ft# @ just 3500 RPM, the GM 5.3L puts out 10 ft# more, 325 ft#, but at 4000 RPM. I have towed the same load many hundred of miles with all of the aforementioned vehicles and I can say that the Sequoia is the best tug. OK, I can't resist doing a 1 - 10 tow rating so here goes:
2002 Sequoia: -9- Easiest of all to tow with 1999 Sub 1500 4WD 5.7L V8: -8- Good tug, bad, bad brakes 1999 Sub 1500 4WD 5.7L V8: -8- see above (I know, I had two; it's a long story) 1993 Explorer 4WD v6: -6- Seemed ok at the time but in retrospect got pushed around quite a bit 1982 Bronco 4WD 5.0L V8: -3- No power, scary brakes, but was heavy and had a short axle to hitch distance so it didn't get pushed around.
The best tow vehicle? a 3/4 ton anything, but IMO overkill for anything under 5000#. Just for the record, my '99 Suburban's had a GCVW of 12,000 pounds, a tow rating of 6000#, and they had a 5.7L engine that put out 330 ft# at a really low 2800 RPM (they had plenty of power). I think GM is in a specmanship war with Ford and Dodge and is overstating their current tow and load ratings. Not to take anything away from the Suburban platform as a tow vehicle -- It does very well, but in 1500 (1/2 ton) trim, it is not superior to the Sequoia.
Is anyone getting very low gas mileage with their Sequoia> I have the SR5 and it's not getting anywhere near the 13mpg in the city and 18mpg highway that it's rated for. We're lucky if it gets 10-11mpg in the city and never better than 15mpg in strictly freeway driving at 70mph. The dealer computer-tested it and said its rated for 18 plus on the highway but it's nowhere near that in reality. What kind of mileage do you get? Also, whenever the cruise control is on in highway driving and we go up even a slight incline, sometimes even an overpass, the overdrive kicks in. I know the computer-guided cruise control maintains a constant speed but the overdrive goes on and off a lot if you drive in any terrain that has just rolling hills. Any comments?
Aside from the obvious intrumentation issues like Km/hr, Celcius, etc. One US dealer told me that tempered glass is not required in canada, etc. Is there a list of these differences floating around somewhere?
Cruise control will lower your fuel economy on the highway. It can't anticipate hills like you can. If you see an incline, you can add throttle so that by the time you get to it, you have enough momentum and your transmission doesn't have to downshift.
Most (not all) mileage issues can be addressed by looking carefully at driving habits. The other variable is fuel, because some parts of the country will be switching to oxygenated fuel next month to reduce ozone. This is a regional and seasonal thing and will reduce your fuel economy over the winter.
If I have to accerlerate quickly, I get a strong gas smell in the Seq. This can be from a start or if I have to accelerate quickly while moving. Anyone else experiencing this problem? Any hints as to what it can be?
After 8000+ miles, I am routinely getting 12-13 mpg around town, and 18-18.5 mpg on the highway at 75-80 mph with cruise. When highway speed comes down to 50-60 for long distances, I have gotten as high as 20 mpg (all calculated from actual consumption and mileage driven).
Well, I took my black limited 4x4 in for removal of the spots on the body from acid rain or iron rich water from the faucet--that's debatable. Good news and bad. They got the spots off the body, but they could not remove them from the windows! Does anyone have a fix for removal of acid rain--iron spots fromt the side windows? I guess it was too much to ask that the paint warranty apply to the windows! I'll suck it up--just need a fix. Thanks
I have had good luck with a heavy duty glass stripper from "No Touch" that I found at a True Value hardware store. It's a clever name but it takes a fair amount of rubbing to remove water spots and other grimy stuff from glass. I have also heard that Bon Ami cleanser will work. Finish up with a Rain-X treatment and you won't have to worry about water spots again.
see notouch.com/newsite/glass-products.html for more information.
I now have over 6700 miles on my 2001 Sequoia. The vehicle has performed flawless and I donot have one complaint.I recently took a 1600 mile round trip with six adults.The ride and comfort of the vehicle was great.The vehicle gave me 18 miles to the gallon driving at 75 mph for most of the trip.This is my first foreign vehicle which is made here in the United States.The vehicle continues to exceed my expectations and if I had to do it all over again I would buy this vehicle.The cost of the vehicle is more than the competition but the quality and reliability of the vehicle exceeds any Ford or General Motors product that I have ever owned.The last four vehicles prior to this one were bought brand new by me.Two of the vehicles were General Motors products and two were Ford products.The Toyota Sequoia puts all these vehicles to shame, the Ford products being what they are Garbage.To any one thinking of buying a Sequoia for what ever it is worth based opon my experience this is the best vehicle I have ever owned.
A friend of mine works at a Toyota dealership which is about a half mile from both the Pentagon and National Airport. On 9/11, they heard the crash and saw the smoke. They could not close the store because the roads were jammed with pedestrians walking home.
Three businessmen were waiting to board a plane back to Chicago when the airport was closed. They had to get home. They walked out to Route 1 and found this dealership. They pooled their money and bought a Sequoia and drove off toward Chicago.
This dealership actually sold a few cars that day because there was a NADA conference just down the road. Several dealers were there and purchased cars at wholesale to drive home as well. The Chicago businessmen were the only retail deal though.
I know this is a meaningless story, but I thought some of you might like it.
Has anyone had a problem with their gas cap leaking? I have noticed that after I fill up my tank, there are always streaks on the side of the truck coming from the gas cap area. I'm very careful about not spilling gas and I don't top it off, so I can't figure out where it is coming from.
It is very irritating having those stupid streaks behind the gas cap. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.
I posted on Oct 18, about creaking from the top LH side of the dash. The dealer has had the car for two weeks and still can't fix the problem. To their credit, they haven't developed deaf ears! It sounds like a broken weld, where the roof pillar meets the chassis...but they haven't been able to identify that either, since there multiple pieces of metal meeting that juncture. (No accidents in case you were wondering...)
Toyota says they've never heard of it, and is waiting to see what the dealer finds. My wife is concerned that they won't find the problem, and if it is a weld, then it's a structural integrity problem (roll-over protection...).
This is getting ridiculous. We could have bought Brand G.M. and had this kind of problem, but really thought Toyota would deliver on quality....it's not happening
We've loved the truck up to this point, and had a 16 year old 4Runner before it.
Not too up on the specs, other than what you listed. However, type in "Canada" in the Search box for these boards (upper left hand corner) and you will find a lot of info on purchasing Canadian vehicles, possibly including specs. Reading those made me feel better. Our Seq didn't come with any different equipment than the American version, at least from what I can tell. All equipment and features match the option packages listed in the Seqouia brochure. The only tip off that it's Canadian is the Owners manual, which mentions that the vehicle is in accordance with Canadian laws. Let me know if I can be of further help.
Its rather entertaining that when someone states a flattering opinion about a Sequoia and its capabilities no one challenges the opinion. When I provide data without opinion that clearly shows the GM and Ford vehicles as having better specifications for towing, the Sequoia owners get all wound up.
I'm sure the Sequoia is a fine tow vehicle. However, there is no comparison to a 1/2 ton Suburban let alone a 3/4 ton Sub. I've towed for 20 years with trailers from 4500 to 9000 lbs. There is no comparison between the light duty suspension in the Tundra-based Sequoia and the computer controlled suspension with self-leveling in the 1/2 ton Sub or the rear leaf spring set-up in the 3/4 ton.
I've owned the latest 1/2 ton Denali XL and 2 previous 3/4 tons. Payload matters substantially in towing. The proper weighting for a trailer places 10% of the trailer's weight on the tongue of the trailer. This is applied to the payload of the tow vehicle.
If your boat weighs 5000#s than the tongue weight should be around 500lbs. That 500lbs must be subtracted from the payload for safe towing. In the case of the Sequoia a 5000# boat leaves just 800#s of payload or maybe 4 average guys and no gear. By comparison that same 5000# boat leaves a Suburban with nearly 1500 lbs of payload or nearly twice that of a Sequoia. These are not marketing details but specs that really matter (or should) for anyone serious about their safety when towing.
After 20 years of towing, my view is that the Sequoia is poorly suspended for moderate to heavy towing within the manufacturer's specifications. It may ride nicely and excel in many areas that consumer's are looking for in an SUV. My view (and the data supports that view) is that moderate to heavy towing is not one of the categories a Sequoia excels at when compared to the f/s GM SUVs.
You stated the following: "... My view (and the data supports that view) is that moderate to heavy towing is not one of the categories a Sequoia excels at when compared to the f/s GM SUVs...."
This stated "opinion" of yours was in response to a Seq owner who has experience in towing using the truck, and who provided a persoanl user experience using the Sequoia to tow, and comparing it to his personal experience towing with his 2 previous 1/2-ton 1500 Subs, Ford Explorer and Ford Bronco.
All of this user's claims you dismissed simply as, ehm, "flattering opinions".... !!
Well, how shall one describe yours then ? For one, you have no personal experience towing with the Sequoia. At least none that you have provided to us here. For another, you provide "opinion" that you deny others of.
So we have to weigh both sides and both force of arguments and figure out who to believe. Who then shall we believe ? The guy that owns and uses the Sequoia to tow, or a Denali XL owner who reads manufacturers and magazine brochures and makes conclusions of the Sequoia based on paper specs ?
What is needed is an objective look at the manufacturer's specifications regarding towing and hauling limits. The difference is obvious. The Sequoia owner may have exceeded Toyota's recommended limits. If you decide to do that, you place yourself, your passengers and others possible in harm's way. Whether or not the Sequoia towed the load easily or not is not as important as following the manufacturer's recommended limits. It doesn't come down to either's opinion...it comes down to the manufacturer's recommended limits.
My wife and I (and now three boys - 5, 2 and newborn) picked up our Sequoia on Saturday. Got just about a fully loaded Silver SR5 (sticker = $42.3K) for $38.8M (before TTL) and they gave us $9K for our '95 Explorer (which we had a hard time selling on our own). Think we got a pretty good deal - could have beat them up more on the sticker but we were prepared to spend this much.
Love the ride, room and the comfort of this "SUV". We drove the Expedition, new Explorer, Mercury Mountaineer, Acura MDX, Lexus RX300, Toyota Highlander and GMC Envoy & Yukon before landing on the Sequoia. I've always driven Acuras, so we really wanted the MDX but didn't want to wait 4-5 months. And we really love the extra room, comfort and quality/security of the Sequoia. The US vehicles couldn't compete on build quality, ride or car-like smoothness.
You'll pay a little more but I think its worth it. Simply put, we'd recommend it to anyone with a growing family. Let you know what the next few months bring.
Joe V. (Newtown, CT)
P.S. Also used peoplefirst.com for the loan. Great business plan...approved us in 15 minutes and we had a blank check (good for 45 days) at our door the following day (6.75%). Very easy.
Comments
Our Sequoia has only been with us for about 2 weeks. I'll write up my thoughts on it after we've used it a while longer.
http://www.macneil.com/store/vehsearch.asp
Highly recommended. I might even buy the mat for just behind the 3rd row for when I have them in the car. It's that good.
I bought mine on Nov 4, 2000, and have been REALLY happy until this event. My experience with the brakes at 15k miles, was like others, resolved by adding a little fluid - pad life is about 40% now.
Any help on the noise would be greatly appreciated - although I may be leading the contingent with milage and age.
My husband installed them. The web address for Prestigious Accessories is:
http://www.prestigious1.com
We had to buy the paint ourselves from a local auto paint shop. My father-in-law paints cars for a hobby so I had a connection there.
baseballmom94:
The 2002 SR5's I see advertised here in NE Florida have the running boards as an option. They come with the alloy package or can be purchased separately. I'm in the Southeast region and from what I've seen on this board, this region differs from the others when it comes to options and dealer add ons. For instance, my SUV came with LoJack already installed....
http://www.prestigious1.com/images/Rbs/RB607050a.jpg
http://autos.yahoo.com/newcars/details/toyota02sequoia/index.html
So the question now is this--I currently have a Toyota Service Survey for a previous service(not the 7.5K service)-how should I fill it out? Do I focus on the service they are asking about(which was fine) or do I use the survey to address the current issue--service advisor never getting back to me after he was to discuss the brake fluid charge with the service manager(three calls over a week)and the whole nickel and dime mentality associated with the $39 charge-as stated in my original post very different than my Lexus and Volvo dealer.
Opinions please--Cliffy I would be most interested in your thoughts. FYI my wife is in the market for a new car and we were seriously considering a 2002 Avalon or Camary--this situation (as petty as it may sound) pushed us to another Volvo--
By the way I really love the Sequoia but I wish I could take it to Nordstrom's to be serviced
Now, I'm not saying you didn't research this and I don't know how much choice you have in your area. There are those people who only shop for the lowest price and ignore the fact that some dealerships have better service after the sale. I'll give you a real world example from one of my customers. A guy bought a Sienna from me and 2 months later had a "problem" with his suspension. The lower shock mount broke and the van had to be towed in to us. It was pretty obvious that he had hit something but he said no. Rather than argue the point, my service department looked up his records and saw he purchased it from us and slid it through a warranty claim with no cost or questions to the customer. Even though he might have been able to save a few dollars by purchasing elsewhere, in the long run, he got the best deal.
Now, back to your question on how to handle the survey. If your advisor didn't treat you to your complete satisfaction, make it known. If things were out of his control and you think he made a good effort to help, mark the survey "completely satisfied" but continue your efforts to right the wrong. Those surveys directly and personally affect the writer and his pay check may be involved.
Also, wondering if anyone cares to share any monthly lease rates for a 2002 2WD SR5 Sequoia. Is it possible to find out about monthly lease payments BEFORE visiting the dealer? Any helpful websites?
As to the warranty, if the VIN has been entered into the TMS system by a dealership, you will have no warranty issues. If it hasn't, you'll have to find a shop that is willing and able to do it before making any warranty claim.
The other thing that has not been discussed is resale value. Put yourself in the position of a used car buyer three or four years from now. You have been looking at used Sequoias and have learned the differences in equipment and options. Suddenly, you come across one that seems to differ in equipment from the others you have seen. You learn that it is a gray market vehicle. Are you going to pay the same money for it? Neither will the guy you try to sell it to.
Does it work out similiar to the MDX?
Looking at base model with leather,sunroof 4 by 4,
wheels ect. Figure 38,000 purchase price.
Thanks
We also checked with the local Toyota dealer to price compare, and even they said that they were selling Seqouias from Canada at the time, so it's not just non-toyota lots that do it.
As far as affecting car re-sale, that's anyones guess. I think it would depend on desirably and availability of used Seqouias at the time, and who you are dealing with. There is a good chance that the price would probably have to be adjusted to compensate for lack of being able to disclose true vehicle mileage. But then, on the other hand, you got the vehicle for much less than the going U.S. rate so it may balance out.
If you are buying intending to keep it until it quits (like us), it may warrant consideration. If you think you are going to sell it in the next few years, you may want to pass because the Canada issue may come back to haunt you.
Good luck!
Thanks
I've had good luck with Blizzaks in the past on other vehicles. Recently have heard good things about Nokian winter tires. Anyone know anything about them, or if they are available in size for Sequoia?
From a towing perspective any of the GM f/s vehicles you listed and the Explorer XLT are clearly superior tow vehicles with higher payload, hp, torque, tow capacities and CGVWR than a Sequoia.
While the Acura MDX gives up 1700 lbs in tow rating to the Sequoia its somewhat surprising that it has a higher payload rating than the "heavier" duty Sequoia.
Tahoe 1750lbs - Pay 8200lbs - tow
Explorer XLT 1500lbs - Pay 7000lbs - tow
MDX 1367lbs - Pay 4500lbs - tow
Sequoia 1305lbs - Pay 6200lbs - tow
Otherwise the vehicle has been fantastic. It is the smoothest and quitest vehicle I have ever had. Drove a caddilac deville all the way to toronto and back (more than 1000 miles). This was brand new and there is no comparison with the toyota sequoia.
You are very good with statistics, but statistics don't always translate into the best tow vehicle. There are many factors besides payload ratings (which you seem to focus on) such as braking ability, ability to handle tongue weight, quality of ride while towing, ability to resist sway, where the torque curve falls in the RPM range and the list goes on.
Trailer boats magazine (a very unbiased and reputable boating magazine that features a towing vehicle every month) awarded the Sequoia "Tow Vehicle of the Year. It was a direct comparison with the larger engine Tahoe and the 5.4 Triton Ford Expedition.
The Sequoia won both the towing and non-towing sections of the comparison. And did so quite handily.
While all of these vehicles are fine vehicles and clearly all have their individual personalities (strengths) the Sequoia should be given full credit. It also shone in the toughest part of the test- mountain towing in which it attained better performance than the other two. Again, lower specs but better real world performance.
I have yet to see the Sequoia bettered in comparison tests by any major publication (although I don't claim to scout them all!).
Comparing it to an MDX for towing purposes is really not a direct comparison. Similar to if a Sequoia was compared to a 2500 Suburban.
Hope this helps those wondering about towing.
P.S. I tow a 5500 lb. boat. It is a wonderful towing vehicle. Did a 2500 km. trip this summer with it.
Anyone can repeat specs, but I am speaking from real world experience. What does payload have to do with towing, except to reduce the amount of towable weight. If you really want to look at useful specs lets look at three that folks who are serious about towing care about -- the distance from the rear axle to the hitch, the weight of the tow vehicle and the torque curve of the engine. The shorter the distance from the rear axle to the hitch, the less leverage the trailer has on the tow vehicle and the less likely the rig will "porpoise" a 2002 Suburban, for example, is 15" longer than a Sequoia. The heavier the tow vehicle the better -- so as not to get pushed around by the trailer. The Sequoia is the heaviest vehicle of the group (it weighs 150# more than the 2002 Suburban!) and, thats the actual weight of the vehicle, not the theoretical loaded maximum. It's engine torque that does the work and you want lots and low RPM. The Sequoia puts out 315 ft# @ just 3500 RPM, the GM 5.3L puts out 10 ft# more, 325 ft#, but at 4000 RPM. I have towed the same load many hundred of miles with all of the aforementioned vehicles and I can say that the Sequoia is the best tug. OK, I can't resist doing a 1 - 10 tow rating so here goes:
2002 Sequoia: -9- Easiest of all to tow with
1999 Sub 1500 4WD 5.7L V8: -8- Good tug, bad, bad brakes
1999 Sub 1500 4WD 5.7L V8: -8- see above (I know, I had two; it's a long story)
1993 Explorer 4WD v6: -6- Seemed ok at the time but in retrospect got pushed around quite a bit
1982 Bronco 4WD 5.0L V8: -3- No power, scary brakes, but was heavy and had a short axle to hitch distance so it didn't get pushed around.
The best tow vehicle? a 3/4 ton anything, but IMO overkill for anything under 5000#. Just for the record, my '99 Suburban's had a GCVW of 12,000 pounds, a tow rating of 6000#, and they had a 5.7L engine that put out 330 ft# at a really low 2800 RPM (they had plenty of power). I think GM is in a specmanship war with Ford and Dodge and is overstating their current tow and load ratings. Not to take anything away from the Suburban platform as a tow vehicle -- It does very well, but in 1500 (1/2 ton) trim, it is not superior to the Sequoia.
THD
Aside from the obvious intrumentation issues like Km/hr, Celcius, etc. One US dealer told me that tempered glass is not required in canada, etc. Is there a list of these differences floating around somewhere?
Most (not all) mileage issues can be addressed by looking carefully at driving habits. The other variable is fuel, because some parts of the country will be switching to oxygenated fuel next month to reduce ozone. This is a regional and seasonal thing and will reduce your fuel economy over the winter.
see notouch.com/newsite/glass-products.html for more information.
2HD.
Three businessmen were waiting to board a plane back to Chicago when the airport was closed. They had to get home. They walked out to Route 1 and found this dealership. They pooled their money and bought a Sequoia and drove off toward Chicago.
This dealership actually sold a few cars that day because there was a NADA conference just down the road. Several dealers were there and purchased cars at wholesale to drive home as well. The Chicago businessmen were the only retail deal though.
I know this is a meaningless story, but I thought some of you might like it.
It is very irritating having those stupid streaks behind the gas cap. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.
Toyota says they've never heard of it, and is waiting to see what the dealer finds. My wife is concerned that they won't find the problem, and if it is a weld, then it's a structural integrity problem (roll-over protection...).
This is getting ridiculous. We could have bought Brand G.M. and had this kind of problem, but really thought Toyota would deliver on quality....it's not happening
We've loved the truck up to this point, and had a 16 year old 4Runner before it.
Any thoughts or help would be hugely appreciated!
I'm sure the Sequoia is a fine tow vehicle. However, there is no comparison to a 1/2 ton Suburban let alone a 3/4 ton Sub. I've towed for 20 years with trailers from 4500 to 9000 lbs. There is no comparison between the light duty suspension in the Tundra-based Sequoia and the computer controlled suspension with self-leveling in the 1/2 ton Sub or the rear leaf spring set-up in the 3/4 ton.
I've owned the latest 1/2 ton Denali XL and 2 previous 3/4 tons. Payload matters substantially in towing. The proper weighting for a trailer places 10% of the trailer's weight on the tongue of the trailer. This is applied to the payload of the tow vehicle.
If your boat weighs 5000#s than the tongue weight should be around 500lbs. That 500lbs must be subtracted from the payload for safe towing. In the case of the Sequoia a 5000# boat leaves just 800#s of payload or maybe 4 average guys and no gear. By comparison that same 5000# boat leaves a Suburban with nearly 1500 lbs of payload or nearly twice that of a Sequoia. These are not marketing details but specs that really matter (or should) for anyone serious about their safety when towing.
After 20 years of towing, my view is that the Sequoia is poorly suspended for moderate to heavy towing within the manufacturer's specifications. It may ride nicely and excel in many areas that consumer's are looking for in an SUV. My view (and the data supports that view) is that moderate to heavy towing is not one of the categories a Sequoia excels at when compared to the f/s GM SUVs.
For the record:
1500 Suburban 1976#-payload 8700#-towload 5224#-curb weight 285hp 325ftlbs
Sequoia 1305#-payload 6200#-towload 5295#-curb weight 240hp 315ftlbs
You stated the following: "... My view (and the data supports that view) is that moderate to heavy towing is not one of the categories a Sequoia excels at when compared to the f/s GM SUVs...."
This stated "opinion" of yours was in response to a Seq owner who has experience in towing using the truck, and who provided a persoanl user experience using the Sequoia to tow, and comparing it to his personal experience towing with his 2 previous 1/2-ton 1500 Subs, Ford Explorer and Ford Bronco.
All of this user's claims you dismissed simply as, ehm, "flattering opinions".... !!
Well, how shall one describe yours then ? For one, you have no personal experience towing with the Sequoia. At least none that you have provided to us here. For another, you provide "opinion" that you deny others of.
So we have to weigh both sides and both force of arguments and figure out who to believe. Who then shall we believe ? The guy that owns and uses the Sequoia to tow, or a Denali XL owner who reads manufacturers and magazine brochures and makes conclusions of the Sequoia based on paper specs ?
Hummmmmm !!!
My wife and I (and now three boys - 5, 2 and newborn) picked up our Sequoia on Saturday. Got just about a fully loaded Silver SR5 (sticker = $42.3K) for $38.8M (before TTL) and they gave us $9K for our '95 Explorer (which we had a hard time selling on our own). Think we got a pretty good deal - could have beat them up more on the sticker but we were prepared to spend this much.
Love the ride, room and the comfort of this "SUV". We drove the Expedition, new Explorer, Mercury Mountaineer, Acura MDX, Lexus RX300, Toyota Highlander and GMC Envoy & Yukon before landing on the Sequoia. I've always driven Acuras, so we really wanted the MDX but didn't want to wait 4-5 months. And we really love the extra room, comfort and quality/security of the Sequoia. The US vehicles couldn't compete on build quality, ride or car-like smoothness.
You'll pay a little more but I think its worth it. Simply put, we'd recommend it to anyone with a growing family. Let you know what the next few months bring.
Joe V.
(Newtown, CT)
P.S. Also used peoplefirst.com for the loan. Great business plan...approved us in 15 minutes and we had a blank check (good for 45 days) at our door the following day (6.75%). Very easy.