Is getting the Taco I want even realistic?

I am shopping for a TRD Pro, Lunar Rock, MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND YES IT ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE 3 PEDALS.

I'm wondering if maybe I'm being unrealistic.

I'm 46 years old. I ordered a new '98 Jeep TJ from the factory and haven't bought a new vehicle since. Mostly, I've subsisted on hand-me-downs from my elderly parents who don't hold on to anything for more than 3-4 years, and I can fix anything. I want the truck I want, and it's either this Taco, or a Gladiator. I really want the Taco, but I'm just wondering if I'm being unrealistic in trying to get what I want. I've been to 7 dealerships today, and there were a grand total of 3 Tacomas on all the lots, all stripper SR5 autos.

Now, I have no intention of buying off the lot. I know I won't find what I'm looking for. I'm patient. I have time.

Problem is, every dealer tells me:
- you aren't allowed to order. Period, full stop.
- Everything en route is already spoken for
- The dealers don't even request their own stock. Whatever shows up on the truck, they have to sell.

I have no problem traveling (although getting my two trade-ins to a distant dealer could be problematic). I have no problem waiting.

Thing is, I don't know if what I'm waiting for is realistic. And I don't want to wait for the '22s and that obnoxious yellow fishing lure color to come out.

How are you guys getting or ordering your Tacos? I'm even following the "I just ordered here's my build date" threads and wondering...how?

For comparison, the fully loaded Gladiator I would consider (definite 2nd choice) does run about $10k more MSRP. However, when I factor in a dealer ~150 miles from me is offering 8% below invoice (not MSRP, INVOICE), and the Tacos are getting marked up by the dealers above MSRP, they're exactly the same price or (depending on dealer markup), possibly even less than the Taco. I can order a Jeep tomorrow and builds are running 4-6 weeks (although I just saw yesterday they're having chip shortage issues now too, soooo......).

Like I said...I can wait. But nothing tells me waiting will even get me what I want.

So how are you guys doing it? What can I do to get the truck I want? One dealer said they can "request" from the factory but even that isn't guaranteed.

And please don't turn this into a Jeep v. Toyota argument...I get it. But I want what I want, and I'm not the least bit interested in an access cab auto SR5. This will be the last truck I ever buy and I don't feel like settling.

Thanks for any tips and insight, or maybe just tell me to go to hell.....
Darel

 

@Unchained 5150

 

Congratulations on your new Gladiator!

 

Haha, yeah that's about what I thought. Today was really kind of frustrating and depressing for me. I really had no idea you can't order, I just thought they weren't sitting on lots very long.

 

Did you even bother to look? Found this in 20 seconds.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/ecd1900b-8238-4f14-b2e2-88064044c10f/

and

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/937f77a2-c080-4e8d-95bf-4d15b396beba/

 

He wants a manual

 

#1: I know anything showing up on cars.com today won't be there tomorrow. #2 Both are auto. That's literally the most important thing that I put in all caps.

 

Auto rules.

 

Ew.

 

Are you against a 2022 Offroad in Lunar?

 

You keep telling yourself that

 

Haha!

 

Get a 2022 TRD off road in lunar rock with leather and a manual.

Edit you could get a cactus gray new Bronco with a manual.

 

No that would be fine. I was under the impression the Lunar was gone for '22, replaced by 90's Spandex Extravaganza Yellow. Am I wrong on that?

 

Oh wait you were referring to an OR not a Pro. To be honest, here's my feeling. I love Army Green, absolute favorite color. But, to try and get an OR up to the trim level of a Pro, the OR actually ends up even more expensive than the Pro! I have considered that but it just didn't make sense to me to get the OR when a Pro ends up a few hundred cheaper, and you end up getting all the little Pro-specific things too. It sucks too, because I could probably trim a lot of the fat off a Pro, but the one or two options I really care about, you have to get in a $5000 package in the OR that takes it up to a Pro.

So Lunar is my second favorite to AG, but it just makes more sense to get the Pro, so Lunar it is.

 

You may have to travel far a d wide to make that purchase. I would start by looking at every region within 1500 miles of you, then move to the rest of the country. They are tough to find, but do exist somewhere
Start by setting up a new email account, then email every dealer in that 1500 mile radius... see who wants to work with you and who doesn't.

 

HAHA I forgot about the "new email" trick, I actually did that a long time ago. I need to do that now.

 

Cars.com shows one available at a dealer in Ohio...
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/782a9661-d9b8-4c68-a5fb-560cbb55b412/

 

With the current times if you truly want this you are going to have to do the legwork, probably use a shipper or travel. I have also read about automobile brokers, you pay them to use their knowledge of the industry and connections.

Any way you go about it this will be an MSRP + purchase. Good luck and keep us informed.

Toyota website will show you the inventory for a region based on the zip code that you enter when you start your search. If you want to see the inventory in a different region, you need to start by entering a zip code that is in that region.

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/determining-your-region-for-toyota-deals

You might want to check out this thread, a member (computer wizard) set up.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacoma-inventroy-spreadsheet.714583/

 

Hmmm....that could work. Worth an email, I guess, although I'm not expecting it to be for sale.