Tundra's seem to be everywhere to me

[gmcbob]

Might seem like an odd topic for this forum, and if anyone thinks it should be redirected somewhere else, let me know.

I've brought it up here before (probably in the Sales Ticker forum), but I really feel like I see more 2007/08 Tundra's than I do more Silverados. I'm in Houston, and Toyota does really well here pretty much across the board, but it's actually pretty wild how well this new Tundra does around here. They're basically everywhere - and I see all types of people driving them. I look out the window at my office, and it's nothing for me to see 2 or 3 Tundra's within the course of a few minutes it seems.

I know they're doing right at about 90k a year (I think they sold 200k last year), but it seems like they're on a neck and neck pace with GM full size trucks here in the Houston area.

Where would a break down of how well a particular vehicle sells for a given region be found?

Anyone have any guesses as to why this might be? I know the Tundra is built right down the road, and Toyota is already really strong in Texas (Toyota Center is where the Rockets play for Christ's sake), but is it just because we're such a strong truck area anyway?

I'm stumped.

For the record - I've driven a Tundra and a Sierra - GM does have some real competition here I'm afraid. I know this is a dying market, but I think Toyota definitely did this truck right. No worries, I don't think I could bring myself to buying one, but still...

[daves87rs]

I have seen some Tundras here..though most I see are work trucks....

[Intrepidation]

I don't know how many times I have to say this: What you see in your area does not necessarily reflect the total number of any one vehicle sold throughout the entire country.

[pow]

I don't know how many times I have to say this: What you see in your area does not necessarily reflect the total number of any one vehicle sold throughout the entire country.

Yeah, don't they make them there? In St Antonio, I believe?

During lunchtime today, 9 out of 10 vehicles I saw were Toyotas. I was next to their national HQ. There was this one nice black RS4 parked in the employee lot, though...

Edited August 15, 2008 by empowah

[Newbiewar]

in 2003, i asked some friends who was the largest automaker in the world, and who sold the most vehicles in the united states.

most said ford or toyota...

perception is not reality...

[Camino LS6]

You need to move, your neighborhood has a Tundra infestation. :AH-HA_wink:

The truth is, the Tundra can't touch the domestics in sales, or quality, or capability. It has consitently failed to meet expectations and is bombing in the market. One Tundra plant is shut down and won't build the truck when it starts back up due to weak demand. Toyota has lost billions on this truck, and they deserve to for building such a substandard product. At this point, I feel safe in saying that we will never see the planned expansion of the Tundra line to heavy duty versions.

Oh, and this market isn't dying. It is shifting back to the people that need a truck rather than those who simply want one. That reality will hurt the Tundra even more as those who use their trucks for their intended purpose rarely opt for a Toyota.

[Satty]

I see Tundras all the time, but the company I work for has a small fleet of them. We've also added a Sequoia recently to replace the Durango. An upgrade, if you ask me. The FJ Cruiser has been covered in vinyl graphics that look pretty stupid. I should take pics.

[toesuf94]

The Tundra is selling well right now due to highly incentivised leases. $269 for a full sized truck crew cab 4x4? Try that on a Domestic lot. Not going to happen. I am sure that the dealer will find the needed $5k down in your trade to move one of these pigs. I see them around Cedar Rapids all the time. Of course Toyota Motor Credit is a mile from my house, and I think they have a serious 'give away' to the employees to get them driving toys.

Toyota, and the big 3 for that matter, will see a serious pinch in the market as it was stated above: There is a shift in the market from those who were driving trucks out of desire of a body on frame rwd vehicle over the FWD $h!boxes that have been pumped out for close to 30 years now, to those that actually NEED a truck. Fuel prices have forced certain truck and SUV users into the very fwd $h!boxes they have avoided for years. Look into the demographics of truck buying and you will see a direct correllation from when FWD gained prominence on the showroom floor to the increase of truck sales for personal use. See also the growth of the SUV trend for the same reason. I was alive during this shift in the market, and can recall my dad bitching that you cannot see around or through the damned trucks on the road from the front seat of his '82 Buick LeSabre. Of course, when '86 rolled around and the new for '87 LeSabre had the drive wheels on the wrong end of car, dad bought a BMW, as it was one of the few RWD cars left. Only got him back into a GM car when I introduced him to the XLR in 2006.

[gm4life]

I see some in Dubuque area. But way more GMT-900's.

[gmcbob]

Yeah, I just wanted to see what everyone's take is on the Tundra on this site. Admittedly I sort of like them, but I'd rather have a Big 3 full size truck any day - mainly on principle, and because I think the Tundra is still a little odd looking when you get right down to it.

I had two GMC Sierra's at one point (for a business I had) - a gold 2001 2WD with a 4.8L and a 2004 Z71 with a 4.8L (I was happy to find a brand new white cloth seat 4.8L Z71 on a GMC lot here in Houston back in 2004, kept the price nice and low) and I thought they were both great rides. I periodically toy with the idea of another full sizer to replace the aging Jimmy, but I'm just not sure with gas being this high nowadays. I miss the way those full size trucks drove, especially out on the open road (I took a lot of road trips between here and Colorado in those trucks).

[GMTruckGuy74]

Oh, and this market isn't dying. It is shifting back to the people that need a truck rather than those who simply want one.

That's me, right there... although I do need something to haul the once-a-week BJ's Whlesale Club shopping I do for the School Store I run, I really rather just drive a pickup truck.