2019 Tacoma 4x4

I wrote a letter to Toyota Corp, it will probably be placed in the round#5 file (aka garbage), however I explained ever so nicely that I am a current owner of a 2015 Tundra Doublecab 4x4 Longbed SR5 , a 2015 Limited 4Runner (Wife), and a 1999 Tacoma 4x4 Limited Extracab. I should be paying off the Tundra this year and was considering trading in my 1999 for a new Tacoma. But unless Toyota brings the Tacoma into the 21st Century Technology, aka disc rear brakes and stops with the forced packages in order to get wanted accessories that they will likely lose my business. Again Im reasonably certain my requests will fall on deaf ears but if enough current owners express there thoughts and suggestions and educated feelings similarly Toyota will have to listen or lose there share of the market, and its a big market. Chevy Colorado 4x4 Doublecab Longbed diesel is very competitve in price an current in techology, 28+ mpg and all the options you want on an ala carte order menu, Nissan is as well, both offer better warranties, toyota needs to step up and quit riding on the back of there now antiquated technology Old school Tacoma, they went from a rock solid 4.0 6 cylinder engine to 3.5 6 cylinder engine claiming better mpg's, no real gain there to the consumer except it cost them less to produce it and its reliability is no where near the 4.0. As a current 3 Toyota vehicle home, if they dont step up my household will be jumping to a new vehicle brand. What the heck, we are only talking my 120,000 dollars, they dont need my 120,000 that bad right?

 

They make more money bundling. I looked at other trucks and chose aTacoma SR model as the bundled packages were expensive and unwanted. It would be great if they listened, but complaints for them do go into the circular file. For a while Tacoma was the only real small/mid sized pickup around. It made them kind of tone deaf.

 

Tonedeaf is accurate until share prices become affected, I really believe that. I wrote a social media post about a company I own stock in and how the new CEO showed 5straight quarters of stock decline, and that any other company that had this kind of results somebodys head would be on the chopping block, funny how the last 4quarters have now shown an increase.

 

One of my old bosses used to say the power of the pen is mightier then the sword, now a days the power of social media owns that title.

 

Welcome to the forum!
Good luck.
Check braking distances versus the competition. Drums work just fine lol.
Test drive one, they are pretty nice!

 

Not the point and I have test driven the newest Tacoma. Ever change the rear drums brakes yourself. I have and they suck butt. I can do all 4disc on my tundra by myself from start to finish in a little less then 30 minutes. You will spend considerably more time then that on 1 side if its drums definitely longer since they are less attended to since no one wants to. Besides if I am spending 21st century money cost I demand 21st century technology. I am ok if not everyone agrees with my point of view, that's what makes this country so great. But as for me, you want my 2019 money you give me 2019 technology, not 1930's technology braking.

 

Also the 2015 4Runner is the same or basically same chasis and my wifes 4Runner has disc brakes yet the Tacoma doesnt and her 4Runner 4x4 performs equally as well as the Tacoma. Nissan has had disc brakes since 2008 all the way around.

 

Lol they had rotors and calipers a long time before drums back in the 1890's so actually the disc brake is the old tech!
Seriously, my concern is not time of maintenance, it is reliability, durability and operation. Both do just fine in rear brake applications.
Good luck and I hope you find what you want. cheers!

 

OP - sounds like you made up your mind, choose another brand for your next vehicle. 4.0 old but reliable = good, but drums old but reliable = no good? Please explain.

 

How is the 3.5 not reliable?

 

No one person dictates to a huge corporation what they should apply as their sale technique. They know what works and that is the bottom line of it all. If you don t like the product go elsewhere and buy. Try a gm product and you will see. GOOD LUCK !

 

Don’t think you’ll get your way especially with rear disc brakes.

Reason I got a Tacoma is cause of rear drum brakes. Have you ever went off-road and got mud in your disc brakes? Talk about a small heart attack.

 

You are willing to not buy the Tacoma because of mostly rear drum brakes?? I had a 2008, I bought brand new, put 200k miles on it, and changed the rear shoes 3 times in 10 YEARS!!! It took all of about 45 minutes per side, including cleaning and adjusting.....C'mon man, if that is holding you back, then maybe you should buy something else.
That's almost saying you don't want to buy a vehicle because you have to get out of it and fill it up with gas...

 

3.5 is whack

 

Rear drum brakes doesnt make a vehicle bad. Front bakes do most of the hard braking due to load trasfer. Rear brakes are important but not as much as the front. Drum brakes are fine in this truck for most of the basic tasks that the majority of the owners are performing.

This thread is useless. A guy complaining about a truck he doesn't own. Just buy the frontier if that makes you happy.

 

I have no problem with the drum brakes but with the trans and engine combo. Driving through the mountains suck. The ECT button makes it drive like a normal vehicle, so I don't understand the point of it being in NOT ECT mode. I guess its a deceptive gas mileage thing.

 

People can say what they want about great sales.... But I just heard on the radio yesterday that Toyota is offering $750 cash back on remaining 2017’s. It’s almost April.

I doubt your letter will matter to Toyota, but I bet the competition is eventually gonna get enough sales to constitute some more tech friendly changes. I am happy with my truck but I hear ya.

The motor issue... Honestly within the next 10-15 years most manufacturers including Toyota will be close to exclusively electric. Get a truck with a “motor” and keep that baby.

 

Yup, they don’t care. Sales are up. And show no signs of slowing down. Until that changes, why would they make these changes and take a hit on the margins? That wouldn’t go over well at the shareholder meetings.

Silver lining is the new Ranger. I think it will make a serious dent in sales. Enough to incentivize them (Toyota) to make a few changes. From what I see, the Ranger may have more a la carte options like the F150, is a global platform, and will make Much more power. Plus, it has better rear room. I am definitely looking forward to it.

 

Because op said so.