Lack of Chips...Few Tacomas

I’m trying to find a new Tacoma Off-road but the Tacoma is pretty rare at Southern California dealerships right now. A few dealerships didn’t have any, let alone an Off-road. I heard the reason why is lack of computer chips. Apparently, this is affecting numerous vehicle makes and models. It looks like I’ll have to order a Tacoma and just wait it out.

 

Ford makes a significant amount of trucks in Louisville. I noticed a week ago, a fenced off parking area of an old strip mall outside the gate of Fort Knox. Wondered why it had been fenced off, nothing been in that strip mall for years. Friday I was telling my service tech while my wife's Highlander was getting serviced, that I saw a bunch of new Ford trucks starting to fill it up. We are at least an hour from the factory. She informed me that apparently they are parking unsellable new vehicles in whatever space they can find. She told me the main issue with Ford (and there may well be others) are that the transponder chips in the keys are what is in short supply, and so until that resolves itself, I guess they just stay parked until they can complete production. Methinks once that happens, there will be a market flooded with inventory, and deals to be had. I presume Toyota has the same challenges.

 

This guy always have trucks in stock, some times quitye afew

https://www.freeman-toyota.com/inve...&trim[]=TRD+Off+Road&transmission[]=Automatic

 

Local dealer usually had 50-70 Tacoma's on the lot, last few weeks nothing. I snagged my SR5 about 6 weeks ago it's
gone up in value by a minimum of 3,000... doing better than bitcoin LOL. If you find one, expect to pay full price and
even more. Checked last night there are exactly SIX models in my configuration across the entire U.S. with the prices
being a minimum of 3,000 and maximum of 6,000 over what I paid. It's krazy-town.

 

That's part of it. Demand is also through the roof, even on used models. KBB showed my trade in value at $5k more than I paid for it a year ago despite it being 4 years old and having an additional 28k miles.

 

If you're in So.Cal. you may want to look at dealerships in Southern NV or Arizona. I know a couple of members here have bought trucks from out-of-state and brought them back to So.Cal. There are a few more steps you'll need to go though to get it registered but from what I've heard it's really not that hard and may be worth the hassle.

 

Actually, Toyota is less fazed than other auto makers. I've seen multiple articles like this saying they've been stockpiling chips since the Fukushima disaster and it has paid off.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ply-chain-helped-it-weather-the-chip-shortage

Now, I'm sure many other components used are probably in short supply or its suppliers not keeping up which contributes to current shortage. It's amazing though how one disaster helps you plan for others down the road.

 

Since everyone is hot for trucks and SUVs now is the time for a deal on clean 2-3 yo econobox transportation.

When gas is $5 again, lots of I-don't-really-need-a-truck owners will be looking to escape, and econboxes will be very popular.

 

If you really don’t need it atm I would hold off buying one till inventory goes back up . Dealers are not budging on prices and they are way overpriced .

 

I'm not sure if you can get a new Ford police inteceptor delivered at the moment.

 

I agree you should wait if possible but I don’t think you can say they are overpriced when they sell every truck they can get their hands on.

 

4Runners are listing for 12hundred more than last month.

 

Just get a Supra, they're almost the same price and you'll have a lot more fun.

 

Prices are crazy. Carvana, same truck I have but a model year older and with 15k on it. This is thousands more than I paid new back in January.

 

Just stopped by my local dealer today. They have one Tundra - a 4x4 Sport and one Tacoma a 2wd Sport.

The Tundra has a “market adjustment” add in of $7500 making it $56k and the Tacoma has a $5000 adjustment making it $44k.

 

Ya they are overpriced similar truck just different color and has milage . I purchased my 20 Tacoma 32k before Ttl . Brand new .... this truck they want 39981 before ttl . Ya prices are out of control .

 

now I am second guessing the trade in I negotiated a few months back. Picking up my 4Runner in a few days but I trade my '17 Sport 4x4 with 30K kilometers on it for $30500 USD.

According to KBB this is more or less in line with trade-in values but I still feel I am giving the dealer a big meal ticket,

They came down $1000 on the TRD ORP T4R at a time where there are no inventory but I did have to wait 2 months for it.

 

Welcome to TW!

I bought a DCLB (Double Cab Long Bed). All I could find was SB (Short bed) in Texas. Finally used Autotrader and found them.... 700 miles away! Called a dealer, explained what I wanted to trade, got a great "out the door" price. They were in Colorado.

If you have vacation time coming, look into buying out of state. Have a fixed price (out the door), typically you will pay your state tax once back home and you register. My Ford I bought in Kansas, My Tacoma in Colorado. I live in Texas.

Good luck on the hunt!

 

I bought my 19 OR for 34K in Jan of 2019.

Inflation also will play in a bit.

37 is nuts for a SR

 

It's actually an SR5, but still crazy price. They have the original window sticker mrsp $35,485. Purchase pending so someone doesn't care about paying that price obviously.