What's the chatter on the 2018's?

I received an update from my dealer on the build status of my 18 Tacoma. Does anyone know what the yellow highlighted items stand for? They're saying my build date is 11/13, so I presume that's what "SA" stands for?

 

Status: allocated (plan to be build)
Activity: Early Production
Location: San Antonio build start 11/13

 

Perfect! Thank you for the quick response!

 

Does the truck stop fine...... yes it does Thats all that matters dude, sure they dont look as nice a disc brakes but they stop the truck just fine so just let it die dude. Its not like this is a race car

 

I am old, plan on never retiring, and also ok with rear drums....

cause, you know, I have more important things to worry about.....

Too funny!

 

As stated before I'm fine with drums in the rear. 70 to 80% of braking is done by the front brakes and the biggest advantage of disc brakes over drums is their ability to dissipate heat better than drums. So unless you are coming down Pikes Peak daily, drums are going to work just fine for 99.999% of Taco drivers. Will Toyota put rear disc brakes on the Taco in the future? Yup! Necessary? Nope! If you can't wait, there is a kit to install rear disc brakes. Cost is only $1,000.00

 

I live at 2800 feet.
I go down to sea level daily morning.
Drums on both my Tacoma. Works fine. Do I want better braking like my sports cars? Sure.

 

I would probably just deal with the loss of the bed and get a 4Runner. None of the other midsize trucks appeal to me. The Nissan interior felt old and cheap back in 08 when I got my first Tacoma, though it's probably the most reliable of the bunch. The interior of the GM twins doesn't look much better and the Ridgeline would probably drive more like a crossover than a truck. I could definitely live with a 4Runner though.

 

November 1st and still no 2018's on Toyota's website. Toyota Dealerships are overstocked with unsold 2017 Tacoma's collecting dust on the lots.

Hopefully there will be fewer Lemons in the 2018 lineup.

 

Southeast Toyota shows about 2550 2017 Double Cabs and about 250 2017 Access Cabs in inventory and available. That is only one region. So yeah a lot of unsold inventory out there....

http://southeast.buyatoyota.com/Tacoma#NarrowInventory

 

Yup, should be VERY deep discounts

 

I have been watching Availability dates (of Pro's mostly) and the latest show an availability date of 11/24. Will they shutdown lines in between 17' and 18' or will they just transition as needed?

 

If you look at the last week or two of availability, they already have photos of the trucks, which means they have already been built. So I would guesstimate that the last 2017's will be built in the next two weeks and the 18's will follow. Also from what I see in the Southeast availability, all of the VIN's start with a 5 so nothing from Mexico.... Maybe the first 2018's will be made there or are already in production.

 

The salesdude that sold me my truck called my wife this morning wanting to know if she wanted to trade her16 Rav 4 in on a Super White Pro. We test drove one before we bought my OR so I guess he figured it was worth a shot. He said he could give her a helluva deal cause the 18's would be there by the end of the month. Ain't doing it, but I guess that shows they are trying to shed what's left of the 17's.

 

usually production line stop previous model year around May (Toyota Fiscal year ends in april) and start transition during june with final transition during August/September. the reason pro's don't get built until later is because Toyota cycles between SR/SR5/Limited/Platinum/1794 models first then they start adding in the pro's later in the model production runs.

remember Toyota has a computer generate the build orders and then those models are allocated to regional distribution ports and ports distribute according to each ports criteria.

that is why some unicorn models are so far inbetween builds since the computer builds more of a model that sells more than those that don't.

 

Hmm, I wonder why they're still building 2017s next week?

My 2017 sr is slotted to be built on the 4th...seems like if they're so desperate to get rid of the 17s and new 18s are set to be built, why would they even build me a base model 17?

 

I don't believe they're building 2017's right now. When I place my order in late September, the regional manager that the new car sales manager spoke to on speakerphone said that the last 2017s that they'd receive would be allocated by the end of September. After that, everything that was allocated would be an 18. I'm sure they were building a few in October, but I doubt they'd be building the Tacoma going into November.

Heck, my 18 is supposed to be built on 11/13 - It seems odd to be producing 17's still, especially if inventory levels are high.

 

Well that is very strange

It's a 4cylinder 5 speed, so it can't be a 2018. Either my dealer is lying to me or they're still making some 2017s next week

 

I’m 35. I like being able to see my rotors up front, for preventative maintenances sake, it’s easier when you can see your components on the front, which wears faster and requires more attention. I would prefer the front NOT be drum and shoe. You can’t see your shit. I would also prefer my rear be drum. Since... after all, they are both a hundred years old tech, along with turbos. I prefer they stay drum because I like how the parking brake works, and I don’t need to see into the rear drums because those motherfuckers almost never need to be replaced anyway. If Toyota had gone disc in the rear, I wouldn’t complain in any real way, with the exception of the drum in disc parking brake contraptigon you’re forced to use when you have disc in the rear. It’s extra shit I don’t like. I’m particular like that. But that’s me.

 

I work with heavy equipment. Almost everything I see that weighs more than my house and is on wheels is rocking drum brakes. This better stopping power you speak of, I do not believe it. You do, but I don’t.