Heavy-Duty Tundra Truck in Limbo

[cincygoblue]

Heavy-Duty Tundra Truck in Limbo
http://subscribers.wardsauto.com/veh...a_truck_limbo/
By Christie Schweinsberg

PHOENIX – A heavy-duty version of Toyota Motor Corp.’s new fullsize Tundra pickup truck is in limbo, an executive says.

“It’s not green-lighted; it’s not red-lighted,” Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager-Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., tells Ward’s at a Toyota media event here.

Carter, who took up his post three weeks ago after leading Toyota’s Lexus luxury division in the U.S. for two years, would like to see such a vehicle, noting there is a market for a heavy-duty Tundra.

“Not only is there a market, but it’s a great addition to the whole truck lineup,” Carter says.

New Toyota Tundra fullsize pickup driving traffic to showrooms.

Although heavy-duty versions of fullsize pickups traditionally are niche models, Ford Motor Co.’s F-Series Super Duty accounted for 40% of all F-Series sales in the U.S. last month.

Detroit’s Big Three all offer heavy-duty fullsize pickups, while Toyota and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. do not.

I also like the lines later when talking about the struggles of the Tundra thus far . . .

But Carter says Toyota will stick with the B-cab Tundra and may possibly de-content the existing model to lower the base price.

“(Vehicle Stability Control) could be done away with,” he says, adding that a fleet customer, such as a landscape company, has little use for such a feature.

So Toyota's best chance of selling a truck no one wants at a price no one wants to pay, is to take away safety features! Didn't Toyota make something in the multi-billions of dollars last year? They can't lower the price without taking away important features? What have they done wrong with this truck to make that their best option?

[69Firebird400]

Regarding the pricing of the regular cab Tundras, I read somewhere that they're around $4,000 more than a comparable base Chevy, and the Chevy gets a 4.8 liter V8 while the Tundra gets a V6. Chevy is supposed to be offering a six cylinder (I assume it will be the 4.3 liter for the time being, until the Trailblazer dies and they consider the Atlas 4.2 liter) in the near future, which should give them a further price advantage when people compare prices online.

[unkillsam]

I thought only GM decontented their cars. Looks like Toyota has beancounters afterall.

Toyota......moving forward to the bank.

[327]

Originally Posted by cincygoblue

I also like the lines later when talking about the struggles of the Tundra thus far . . .
So Toyota's best chance of selling a truck no one wants at a price no one wants to pay, is to take away safety features! Didn't Toyota make something in the multi-billions of dollars last year? They can't lower the price without taking away important features? What have they done wrong with this truck to make that their best option?

I would say GM has somewhat of a similar problem. They said theyre werent taking all of your saftey features. Only the Work truck versions.

[likearock00]

Originally Posted by unkillsam

I thought only GM decontented their cars. Looks like Toyota has beancounters afterall.

Toyota......moving forward to the bank.

Yes, Toyota sounds very similar to GM in this article. Pretty nice to see someone else scratching their heads for once!

[TahoeMikeZ71]

The Tundra already looks like it's an HD truck.

[cincygoblue]

Originally Posted by 69Firebird400

Regarding the pricing of the regular cab Tundras, I read somewhere that they're around $4,000 more than a comparable base Chevy, and the Chevy gets a 4.8 liter V8 while the Tundra gets a V6. Chevy is supposed to be offering a six cylinder (I assume it will be the 4.3 liter for the time being, until the Trailblazer dies and they consider the Atlas 4.2 liter) in the near future, which should give them a further price advantage when people compare prices online.

According to the Chevy website, it is indeed the 4.3L (available spring 2007).

Anyway, as much as I despise Toyota, I find it odd that they can't make a HD Tundra profitably or technically (one or the other) and can't reduce prices on the LD, without taking content out. Who's running the Tundra program for them? It's crazy.

[DuallyMan]

y'all are crazy. Toyota is playing Sun Tzu on GM. They are throwing disinformation to fool its competitors and some of y'all.

[benroethig]

If they want the truck cred, they need to build a professional heavy duty version. Besides, with gas prices rising more casual buyers are going to choose mid sized trucks. 3/4 and 1-ton trucks might become more inportant in the full-size segment.

[likearock00]

Originally Posted by DuallyMan

y'all are crazy. Toyota is playing Sun Tzu on GM. They are throwing disinformation to fool its competitors and some of y'all.

Youz is very edjumacated. Ize look forward to yur posts.

[nailhead425]

If Toyota were to strike a deal with a big-named Domestic diesel manufacturer, that would be a huge coup.

Of course the HD version will be a much more difficult sell.
HD truck buyers, the real ones not people who drive lifted show queens, are tough to switch.

[Realist]

Originally Posted by nailhead425

If Toyota were to strike a deal with a big-named Domestic diesel manufacturer, that would be a huge coup.

Of course the HD version will be a much more difficult sell.
HD truck buyers, the real ones not people who drive lifted show queens, are tough to switch.

On the contrary: HD truck owners are much more likely to switch if they encounter problems or don't like their truck. HD owners are very dependent on their trucks, so if it's something they don't like or any problems with the truck, then they will switch to another brand.

[plane]

Originally Posted by Realist

On the contrary: HD truck owners are much more likely to switch if they encounter problems or don't like their truck. HD owners are very dependent on their trucks, so if it's something they don't like or any problems with the truck, then they will switch to another brand.

Could you please quantify that tendency?
If anyone else has something to do, go ahead, this might take a while.

[shadams]

Based on my experience with HD trucks in the shop, I think I might agree with him, as far as the ones that have serious problems that is. I have several customers that had Dodges or Fords that switched to GM because their work trucks kept letting them down, which costs them money. On the flip side I have also had customers with GM HD's who had issues and went to Ford and Dodge. Dont know how that went, but it does happen.

However, I believe an HD buyer that has had a good experience will normally return, as they know they can depend on them. Will anyone buy a Toyota HD that they will have to count on to earn a living? Kind of a scary prospect seeing as how they would be unproven.

[Realist]

Originally Posted by shadams

Based on my experience with HD trucks in the shop, I think I might agree with him, as far as the ones that have serious problems that is. I have several customers that had Dodges or Fords that switched to GM because their work trucks kept letting them down, which costs them money. On the flip side I have also had customers with GM HD's who had issues and went to Ford and Dodge. Dont know how that went, but it does happen.

However, I believe an HD buyer that has had a good experience will normally return, as they know they can depend on them. Will anyone buy a Toyota HD that they will have to count on to earn a living? Kind of a scary prospect seeing as how they would be unproven.

That's what I meant. I know some people that have HD trucks. One has a Chevy, one has a Dodge, and one has a Ford. The Chevy guy's HD keeps having problems, but he doesn't have the money to get another truck ... at least not yet. The Dodge guy likes his truck, and the Ford guy replaced an old Superduty with a newer one after all the engine problems he had on the old one.

Unlike a typical truck buyer, most HD buyers depend on their trucks to make a living, so if problems occur they are more willing to try another brand. *If* Toyota can deliver a good HD truck, you can bet some unsatifisfied buyers will be willing to switch and try out the Toyota.

But as you said, HD owners who are satisfied with their truck tend to stick with the same brand.