Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Toyota DoubleCab 4X4 TRD Oppinions?

Appoligies for my oversight.

Longbob - True to a point but if you look and the percentage of US content you'll see that most of the components etc are mfg in Jpn.

Supertrucker - Look at the statement of US content. I don't care about who owns what. Where is most of the work done?
The foreign label vehicles use more foreign content than do US makers. Assembly in the US is virtually meaningless unless the components are made here too.

Jouneyman - You are right to a point. Libs and Dems and other commies blow a ton of money wateringdown and weakening the human race, granted. But when we buy the work of the foreigners we lose the $$ they'd pay in taxes and the libs, dems and commies will still blow $$.

Norm- The Tundra is at this time only assembled less than 3hrs from where you live in IN...Princeton, IN. I for one no quite a few people whom are VERY happy with their jobs and pay working at the plant. The next Tundra assembly line will be in San Antonio. FWIW, about a year or two ago I read that the most 'American' made vehichle in the world was a Honda Civic. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> By the way, who made the parts or assembled your computer or TV? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Can I mail it back to Japan and have it back in two weeks performing like it was brand new? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Just funnin'

As far as Norm's posts go. When I was looking for a new truck I was working full time and going to school part time, so much of my income was going to classes. My Dodge Omni (187k on it) was starting to show its age and given I had to drive about 25 miles each way to school everyday I was starting to have reliability issues with it. My heart was set on a new plain jane S-10 4x4 with the Ford Ranger as second choice. Bottom line is I couldn't afford either and still continue my education. Toyota was priced up with the Chevy and Ford so that was out. My last choice was the one I could afford ... Plain Jane Nissan 4x4 XE with the 4cyl (made in KY). She is still humming along today with minimal dollars put into her. Not very comfortable esp. with a 90# dog sitting next to me, but its mine and paid for. Bottom line is the American manufactures priced themselves out of my range. Living in the Northeast 4x4 was a priority (for me at least), and a stripped Ford/Chevy/Toyota 4x4 was $3,000 more than what I paid for my Nissan with Air and Cruise (but not much more <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />).

So to answer your question, NO I couldn't find a USA made truck to fit my needs and budget from an AMERICAN manufacturer.

FWIT, Toyota opened an engine plant here in Huntsville last year, to build the V8's for the Tundra. Same engine I have in my 03 Tundra. Good thing is they brought an authentic Japanese restaurant with them. :-) TM

Toyota has/is building an assembly plant in Mexico to shift certain operations from its Fremont, CA plant. Rumour has it was due to CA's tight environmental laws. More on Toyota's mfr here.



FWIW,



The dash boards and seat parts for the Tacoma are manufactured at a plant located about 3mi from my house here in KA. Alot of Toyota's parts are built here instead of Japan. Keep the facts straight please! From their website:



"WHERE DO MANY OF THE PARTS AND MATERIALS COME FROM?

Toyota purchased nearly $15 billion worth of parts and materials from 500 North American suppliers in fiscal year 2002. Since we opened our first North American plant in 1986, our cumulative North American parts and materials purchases have grown to $99 billion. Our relationship with suppliers is one reason that more than 75% of the content in our vehicles is purchased from North American suppliers. This includes everything from windshield wiper blades and seats to catalytic converters."

MtnHtr

I was actually at a Toyota dealer yesterday checking out the new Tundra doublecab. Per the required labeling, the truck was assembled in Indiana out of 60% US and Canada content and 35% Japanese. (Not sure where the other 5% went.) Both the engine and tranny were US/Canada made.

My point exactly. The american auto makers are priced way out of my league. And the vehicles have no where near the quality the toyota has. I looked at the new Chevy colorado yesterday. Almost $27000 for a truck that is smaller, has less room and towing capacity than a full size chevy with a v8 that can be had for about $2000 less. That was with comparable equipment. And the thing probably wont last for more than a few years before it starts giving trouble. I drive a 86 4 runner. It has 240000 on it and still going. It gets driven pretty hard every day and everything except the ac works. And the toys of today are still made with the same quality. No way in hell would I waste my money on a truck from the "big 3". Too high priced and too low quality.

Doesn't look like there are too many bad things to say about a Toyota. I think I have my decision made now. I may wait for a better deal but I know what I will be dealing for. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

www.tundrasolutions.com



The Tundra isn't nearly the machine the Tacoma is. I nearly bought one, but eventually passed and bough something else - a full sized truck. My personal take is that if I wanted a smaller truck I would by a Tacoma hands down. However, the Tundra doesn't fare very well against the big 3's full sized offerings - which is really where the big 3 have their claim to fame. Even in consumer surveys, the Tundra build quality is pretty much tied with the F150.



If you've never heard anyone badmouth a Toyota, you haven't followed the Tundra closely. The Tundra has quite a few brake problems and doesn't seem to satisfy owners like the Tacoma does. Go to google and do a search on Toyota Tundra Brake Problems and you will see what I mean. Even on Tundra solutions, there are PLENTY of unhappy owners with them. I personally know a couple of people that had them bought back by Toyota when they were on their 3rd set of rotors under 30k miles.



I cannot imagine why anyone would make a 7/8 size truck and put DRUM BRAKES on the back of it - that seems retarded. I do not know if they fixed the problem with the Double Cab or not.

I drove an 85 Toyota 4X4 for quite a long time. Changed the fluids regularly and had few breakdowns (only one comes to mind) At 180,000 miles it still had the original waterpump so I changed it because I was going on some out of state hunting trips. The old waterpump was still tight and did not leak after all those miles and years.

MtnHtr

Pardon my ignorance....

Which is the larger of the trucks, Tundra or Tacoma?

I looked at a new four door Tundra limited yesterday and it stickered for 32k. I didn't have any time to look around any further, how does that price compare to Ford or Chevy?

I guess I didn't quantify my thread. I was only looking at the Tacoma. If I wanted a full size I would get another GMC. Tacomas are awesome trucks.
Westman, the Tacoma is the smaller of the two. The Tundra was introduced a couple years ago. $32K is about par for the course, you can get a little better or worse around here, it just depends on how much you want to shop around and haggle. Take care. OKH

There is one Toyota truck I would avoid and that is the older T100 models. They were badly underpowered with the V6 that was offered in em. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

My .02 My current Tacoma (and the wife's) has a V6 which does pretty good in the power dept, Flowmaster exhaust and K&N filter helps too.

MtnHtr

Those were the two mods that I was seriously cosidering. I don't know what kind of flowmaster I would get. I don't want it to sound like a bee farting in a tin can. There aren't many T100's around here. One of the only ones is an old farmer that lives in the next town. He has talked several other farmers into the yodas and now they say they won't switch back. These guys abuse the hell out of their trucks too. I know what my next one will be though. Tacoma DoubleCab TRD SR5 4X4. This thing is going to have to last me quite a while so it sure took some time to figure it all out. I think that it will go about anywhere that I need to go. OKH

LSU,

There is a great Tacoma forum called Tacoma Territory on the Delphi forums. No help on the Tundra forums though.

Have any of you done any aftermarket modifications to your Tacomas. I was thinking of adding coilovers or a small lift to the front to level the truck out. OKH

I own at 2001 Toyota Tundra, and it is the best truck I've ever driven, riden in, or owned. It has great power. It's little, 245hp, 4.7 l 32 valve V8 will, ( and has) blown the doors off of larger cu. in. 270 hp. 300 hp chevy V8's. Been there, done that. It is so smooth and quiet, you just can't believe it. I traded a 1997 T-100 on it. When I traded the T-100 in I got $18,000 for it. Great resale value on the Toyotas. Cost a little more, but you get what you pay for, and then some when you trade it in. I get about 16.5 mpg all around. 21 mpg best ever on highway. 14.5 in cold snowy weather. It has great quality. We are a Toyota family. Own a new 2003 Camry XLE. Traded a 1998 Camry XLE on it. Got good price for trade in. Never have to do anything but put tires, gas, oil, and brakes on yota trucks and cars. Very reliable, and dependable. Toyota is No.1. Don't believe me, read the reports. The reports sent in by the folks who own them. They love them. Anyone who bad mouths a toyota, just doesn't know anything about them, and they're jealous they don't drive one. I love my Toyota, and you will too. I'd wish you good luck on your purchase, but you really won't need it. Toyotas are built to last.

Hunter01