A new Toyota?

[TC Chris]

I think I'm buying a new Toyota Tacoma, The problem is finding one that has 2 doors and is red. I went to the dealer today. They cannot order vehicles. Vehicles are allocated to them. There is a two-door Tacoma in their allocation, silver, that is scheduled to be built in 4 days, They are trying to get the build order changed to red. If I can't get a manual transmission or 2WD, I at least want the number of doors and color that I prefer.

Of course, two days before, the brakes on the red Ranger stated behaving themselves. But its box is a mass of rust, and its got > 216K miles on it, so I really should get another daily driver. And at the age of 77, buying a second new car ever seems like a worthwhile waste of money. As a full-time employee, still adding to my work retirement plan, plus getting Social Security, a new vehicle is a small luxury I can afford. Yay for new car smell! I'll probably bug the sales guy tomorrow to see if there's red paint in the factory gun.

Chris Campbell

[William]

Tacoma's are good trucks, I wish you luck getting it the way you want it.

Bill

[electra225]

Dad used to buy a new "Shevallay" every year. Base model, tan, six, three on the tree, radio and heater. He would trade each year at Hare Chevrolet for $100 and his abused, hard-worn year old model. In 1966, he had to give $400 "boot" and thought that was highway robbery. I didn't know you couldn't buy a two wheel drive truck anymore. You'll likely live to appreciate the automatic transmission. Good luck with your new truck....

[William]

And appreciate 4 wheel drive.

Bill

[electra225]

I found this video. This guy is about a half-windbag, but he sometimes makes a good point. He has been a traditional Toyota fan and has several of his own. I thought maybe some of what he has to offer might be of benefit to you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZX801nCl6w

[danrclem]

I haven't ever had one but Toyota seems like a quality vehicle. Everyone that I know that has one seems to like them.

I didn't know that they couldn't order vehicles and I thought new car dealerships had a locater service where they could find what you want. I have heard that Toyota dealers could be an independent bunch. Maybe search cars.com or some other site to possibly find what you want.

[William]

Friends that drive Toyota Rav4's just went looking at new ones. The dealer told them pretty much the same thing, if you want one you will have to pick what we have in stock ( which was only 3 ) or you don't get one. They are good vehicles but there are also other vehicles out there that are just as good. Chris, since you like Rangers what about a new Ranger?

Bill

[electra225]

Or a Maverick. The bug killing people around here all have Mavericks. They must be good. They get a hard life. I think the Maverick is more like the old Ranger than the new Ranger is from what I've heard and read. A guy I work with has a Maverick and he likes it. I think it has a turbocharged 4-banger in it.

[TC Chris]

They no longer make Rangers with 2 doors, or with longer beds, or in red paint. The only Ranger "red" is a garish orange color. The long 4-door cab makes for a stubby box. I finally decided I could live with an automatic (because nobody make one), but a 4-door, garish orange, stunted bed model is not appealing. The Maverick bed is even shorter. I think they all have 4 doors. If I wanted an SUV, I'd buy one. But I would like a nice pickup truck. They were once built to be functional. My Ranger is a real pickup truck. Now they are suburban cruisers for posers. The world is going to "deleted" in a handbasket.


Rather suddenly, the old Ranger's brakes started working. The bad pulse went away; the drums stopped heating up, and I could modulate the pressure. I have no idea what happened. But it means that I have more time to hunt around for a red 2-door Toyota if the local dealer cannot scare one up. They are part of a very large dealer organization (Serra) and I bet if I start to walk away with my money and look in other towns, they might try harder to find one. I did call the sales guy this afternoon and left a VM to see if they had got the "allocated" truck switched to red.

Meanwhile, I'm considering keeping the old Ranger. Its value is very low, given the advancing state of oxidation, and the only reason not to keep it is the insurance cost. It's my favorite vehicle ever.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

I have had the Mini ten years, so it has been that long since I went car shopping. The repair shop we use advises their customers to hang on to older cars, before 2015 because they are the last that can be economically repaired. My plan is to drive the Mini and our old Tahoe as long as they will run, or until somebody runs into one and totals it. New stuff is really not economically repairable. I saw a video that told that used, junkyard engines could run ten grand or over for a domestic vehicle, depending on what you needed. This because cars cost so much to buy, I reckon they can justify charging that kind of a price for used parts. A lot of the classic car yards are being crushed out because the land they set on is so valuable. CTC Auto Ranch in Texas is crushing thousands of classic parts cars. The owners die and the heirs have no interest in nor the desire to run the business, so they crush it all out then sell the land. I don't know where it will end. I wish you well in your search for a truck like you want. I seriously don't know what I would consider if I needed or wanted a new car.

[hermitcrab]

working at a Chevy dealer , I believe anything you buy today will be in the crusher in 10 years... after a few years the electronic modules die and no one makes replacements for them ... been driving that new 2.7 4 banger that GM is now installing as base engine in their full size pick-ups or as they like to call it... the turbomax...it has torque and power .... but for how long?... turbos are the weak link and these engines rely on them.. also no one mentions the fuel mileage of them... and for good reason... the turbo 4 cylinder sucks gas like a V8....I recently did a trade up to Gaylord Mi. from Midland , the truck said I had 178 miles of range left...total miles to Gaylord is 118... I figured no problem.... by the time I got to Houghton lake , roughly half way, I was down to less then 80 miles range ...and had to put 20 bucks in it..., and don't get me started on the EV thing... stopped 4 times to charge one just going to Marquette ...made it like a 10 hour trip ... one way!

[TC Chris]

I may not have a chance to experience a new vehicle. The Ford salesman that I visited never returned my follow-up phone call. Now the Toyota salesman isn't calling back. Are sales so hot these days that they can ignore customers with cash in hand? Once things calm don a bit at work I'll do some calling around to other Toyota dealers in the state. Ford's web site indicates that they do not make 2-door trucks any more. Toyota still does.

Or maybe I'll find a good used one with a manual transmission and be all happy about it.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

"Professional" people don't like being serious anymore. They want the quick buck. You are asking for something that may cause them extra work to find. They have an "up" on the lot who will accept whatever they have. Have you thought about contacting some of the really large dealerships out of state in larger cities? Joe Diffie Ford in Oklahoma City, Don Sanderson Ford in Glendale, AZ, dealerships like that. They have a large inventory, they have access to vehicles smaller dealers don't and can get it quickly. I think John Elway sells Toyotas in Denver.....

[danrclem]

When I'm looking to buy, I won't do business with a dealer who acts like they're doing me a favor just by talking to me. I ask them for the price out the door and if they can't give me that, I'll leave.

If I was in your shoes, I'd probably be looking at used Rangers.

[TC Chris]

The problem with used Rangers here is that we are in Michigan, the road salt capital of the world. But my boss's husband has bought a couple used Toyota trucks online and had them shipped, so maybe I should maybe ask him abut his search technique sites. I'd love to have a nice Ranger with two doors and a manual transmission.

As to looking at dealers farther afield, I did that back in 1980. I had ordered a Datsun 510 wagon in red. One day the sales guy called to say my car had arrived. "Red?" I asked, just to make sure. No, he replied, green. I observed that I had specified red. He said, "If you're going to be picky, I'll put you at the bottom of the list." My reply was that I would be looking elsewhere. No, I did not tell him where to kiss.

In those days, our Google was the public library. They had a vast collection of phone books. I went down and looked for Datsun dealers within 300 miles or so. The one in Toledo (125 mi.) had a red wagon. "Hold it for me," I said, "I'm on my way." I grabbed a cashier's check and a buddy and headed southeast. When I got there the window sticker had an interesting line item. "$400 additional dealer profit." This was the peak of the energy crisis and people like me who drove Olds V-8s were buying cars like that, so there was no arguing. I drove the Datsun, my only new car ever, home.

Today at work I punched "Toyota dealers in MIchigan" into Google and printed out a list. I may place some calls tomorrow. "Got any 2-door Tacomas in red?"

Chris Campbell