Toyota going CHEAP..!

Many hilarious folks with a deep dish of naivety.

Every company involved in design, production, margin and profit will have a team of Engineers with support staff whose only function is to reduce costs. This is a difficult balancing act to maintain quality, competiveness, function and increase margins.

This may involve sourcing new suppliers, or materials, or process, or elimination of low sales options.........the list is virtually endless.

Go back in production history......follow textiles.....hard goods follow textiles about 10 yr later.
First in the Industrial Revolution was in NE USA.
Then it moved to SE.
Then into Japan
Then Taiwan
Then China and Mexico
Now, production is moving into Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia.........

All this is to reduce the cost of labor, one of the Prime contributors to a product's cost.

The irony, this is all driven by the consumer.

 

I didn’t read all 8 pages.
If it wasn’t said already, - Electric Actuators. Bring back the Manual Transfer Case. I’ll even take Manual Hubs and not complain.

That’s all I’m saying on this subject.

 

Why do Tacoma aftermarket parts cost so much more than Jeep, when they do the same thing?
It's not bad to modify/upgrade the truck if it has not enough features
but some stuff costs 10x more than a similar Jeep part


2nd gen Tacoma had less features than a table lamp
I'm not surprised they continued this trend with 3rd gen. I wonder why.
Was hoping that 3rd gen would at least update the 2019 Tacoma to a 2001 standard level (back then Audi had heated seats, auto dimming heated aspherical mirrors, etc.) on B5 A4's that you can buy for $1k now
but I guess not

apparently it's not important to have functioning mirrors and is OK to have it cold, frosted over, with 0 visibility due to being nothing more than a flat piece of glass like you'd have on a 1910 Ford Model T

though I'm sure they added a bunch of expensive electric bullshit that makes the truck worse like every car company does over the years
ABS, EPC, traction control, stability control, and so on

Is manual better?
My electric one makes a thud (I hear it's normal) and seems to prefer the truck unloaded RPM-wise. Like rev it up, then decelerate via manual trans engine-braking.
And then it goes in 4x4 while the RPM does a quick downswing. With traction still on the ground. Only in that condition does it seem to activate best.
I wonder how different manual is from that.

not really sure what this means
aftermarket steel bumpers get a small scratch from a rock you can touch up with $4 black appliance epoxy from Home Depot
Factory does not

man fuck
I just ordered a hood strut kit to upgrade from prop rod
thinking I could keep both as a backup if one fails
I'm afraid of kicking the prop rod accidentally or it getting in the way while working on the engine
Why wouldn't the strut company say that?
Made me realize the Tacoma hood is thin and light (every panel is) which is why it can even open/close with a rod.
German car hoods are heavy steel that are hard to hold up if you remove their strut.
Now I wonder if the Tacoma hood will crease if putting struts...

BPF even makes a cooling panel with a prop rod cut so you retain it

 

Bold below...

 

As did I.
Went from an '06 TRD OR AC to a '21 TRD OR AC.
I just find it a shame that some of the niceties that were standard equipment on my '06 are no longer standard equipment.
As far as the price almost doubling since I bought the '06, I get it. Much of that is in government mandates and inflation.
But overall my expectation is that my '21 will last as long or longer than my '06.
I let everyone know in 2035 if I'm still alive and coherent at that time ....

 

Intellectual property and safety regulations are major factors that make the cost of good rise as well. Backup cameras have now been mandatory on new cars for 2 or 3 years. It won't be long before Safety Sense will become mandatory. All of those features add to the bottom line. Also, with the rise of tech, car companies have patented everything with the goal of litigating profitability.

Consumers are willing to pay, and the 72 and 84 month financing makes the pill easier to swallow even if it costs more in the long run.

 

So to facilitate your argument that they’re going cheap you note that they added an electric seat BUT... lol, yeah ok.

 

Oh ...behind the cab.. in the truck bed ..no track rails..all aftermarket...one more thing ...going cheap....
A future purchase maybe..?
Aloha,

 

Let's say Toyota asks for all the stuff you've mentioned. Fast Forward a few months...

"Why did they make this thing so heavy? The gas mileage sucks... Why so expensive?"

Don't like it? Don't buy it.

 

Best advice !

 

No excuses needed for the old American muscle for sure. I have a 1977 Ford F100 SB restored in the garage myself. Its covered so the Toyota and Ford don't fight.

 

Who knew so much work was being done on Karen's Highlander / Camry engine, that one needs gas struts to lift the hood.

I suspect it has to do withe the following

1. Weak arms
2. The prop rod ruins shots for the gram

 

I work for an automotive manufacturer. There are tons and tons of surveys and research done each and every time a new model, or “face lift” is launched. And a year or two of trial runs within the plant, before the vehicle actually makes it to dealers and such.

We are in an age of sleek, clean appearance over functionality. Sometimes I think items are ditched for appearance factor.

I think there’s also plenty of consideration in these decisions of whether or not doing away with said feature would be a deal breaker.

Also, I think it’s important to realize, for every option you might like, someone else prob doesn’t care for or even realize it’s function.

 

Say what you want about the plastic bumper covers, but when I was rear-ended it was very inexpensive to repair due to only needing to replace the left side, not the entire bumper / cover. While yes, it wouldn't have cost me anything regardless since insurance here just pays for the repairs, it's nice knowing that if I back into something it's not a big deal. Also looks slick to me (the painted ones, not chrome, sorry!)