papa tiger

There was a time, say before 2006 when I would admire the Tundra quality. Now; not so much. Toy went racing an quality went with it.

smurfs_of_war

For all the hate you guys pile on the Tundra, they sure are popular vehicles on the RV forums... pretty sure that has to say something. Ugly as sin, sure, but I suspect the sheer number or RVers using them speaks to their capability.

It's a truck. Unbunch your skirts.

conger

On my 2013 XTR it's on the left side of the mirror where I like it. When I'm backing up, I like my head up and looking around not down at the radio. All my mirrors auto dim at night when bright headlights hit them too. I like like that feature too. I'm surprised on the 14s it's down on the radio screen.

Kung

While this is true, it's also a bit overplayed. The Japanese steel used in these (and even later) Tacomas/4Runners was of a lesser quality than what's used here in the USA. Therefore frame rot occurred a HELL of a lot faster than it would elsewhere.

That said, when I noticed some rust on my 4Runner frame, about $100 worth of undercarriage coating and an hour or two with an angle grinder, fixed the problem.

I'll hand you the frame problem, but that being said, if I need a reliable SUV that I know will hold up for years to come, I'm buying a 4Runner or Sequoia.

snobdds

Um, Dana Corp, an american company built the frames that were recalled under the Tacomas.

How about them apples...?

conger

This is one of those things that will never have a winner. But keep the crap flying..... It's fun.

Kung

Sorry, getting my information mixed up here.

Tacomas, yes - they were made by Dana in CA, I believe, and none of the frames got adequate rust coatings.

The 4Runners, however (at least most of them, if not all) were sourced/manufactured in Japan, and their steel in general from that time period wasn't up to the same standards ours was. (And still isn't.)

My point wasn't that the rusted frames weren't an issue - they were a HUGE issue. My point was that it was somewhat overplayed. Unlike, say, transmission issues or something, applying a rustcoating either prevented the issue, or stopped it in its tracks. I know 2 people personally who own Tacomas from that generation; being from the north, they rustcoated the absolute hell out of their vehicles as soon as they bought them, and to this day they still look cherry.

All of this being said, however, I'll also readily admit that rustcoating to make sure a freaking FRAME doesn't break in half is not something that owners typically expect to have to do. LOL

maxximum101

Doesn't matter who made the frames. All that matters is they where built to Toyotas specs, they approved them, and built there trucks on them.

papa tiger

We have a given, the frame rots under intense corrosion conditions. But did you know most all the old Toy trucks brake lines rust off under the box and bang the pedal goes to the floor. It is another one of those things U have to constantly be vigilant for if U own before 94 trucks. Meanwhile the truck itself will certainly get you where you want to go, just not stop when you get there. Sort of like the old copper tops, they just keep on keeping on while the ole strait line 4 and 5 speed trany were mosly indestructible. LOL I was partner to (2) 4Runners and (2) 4X4 pickups from back in the 80/90's and did just about every repair known to man on them. Biggest problem I encountered were freezing up emergency brake actuators in the backing plates on all of them. Even the 2003 Tundra does it. So you seldom find a Toy along side the road, just in the middle of the lake. But they never broke down in 500,000 miles of driving them. But my arss always did.

Johnnymossville

This is one of my favorite videos. The Toyota shakes it behind more than Shakira. Nice if you are into that sort of thing on trucks.