Which truck to keep

[OutlawDrifter]

Their [transplants] business strategy was simple too, build a plant in bumphuck USA because the land was dirt cheap and it didn't matter, people will commute to work there.

You know, I see a lot of Dodges on the road. So you may not be buying them, but others are. The cheapest product seems to win. I wonder if Ford can continue to tout the F150 being America's best selling truck any more..

The first statement is almost comical. ALL manufacturers, US or otherwise, buy the cheapest land in the most tax advantaged area they can, its called business and maximizing profits. I've never heard of GM, Ford or Fiat/Chrysler/Stellantis(or whatever they call themselves now) buying overpriced land in a high corporate tax area to support the community. In fact, they (GM/Ford/FC) are doing the exact thing in other countries, building factories outside of our borders because it's cheaper...so that point is null and void. Factories built on American soil produce jobs and tax revenue.

Again, there is a market for cheap. I prefer purchasing quality with my hard earned dollars...I tend to hold on to stuff longer than the warranty period, and refuse to buy a new vehicle that immediately depreciates. All of my stuff, less my wife's current pickup are appreciating in value at this point.

If your interested in only purchasing OUR products, do a quick sweep of your house and see where stuff is made.

 

[Dariusz Salomon]

I tend to always chuckle a bit whenever I read something along the lines of, "This Toyota was assembled in the US.." Keep in mind I made mention that newer domestics aren't what they used to be. That was in direct reference to many of them being built off home base today compared to yesteryear. But back to Toyota specifically, responses like yours were exactly what Toyota was hoping to capture by building plants here. As the demand for their product increased, it no longer made financial sense for them to import. So the benefit of building factories here was many fold. They could tout being an American made product while employing Americans as well as avoiding import tariffs. However, ALL Japanese tranplants here are run by Japanese big shots. When it comes time to build a plant here, they are very shrewd about it; only employing contractors whom they have ties with back home and same thing about their suppliers. If they can avoid it, they will not buy raw materials and supplies from the US. Matter of fact the company I work for sells domesticated versions of another Japanese supplier's formulations. That supplier refuses to have a plant here, but that supplier is the only pretreatment supplier the Japanese want to buy pretreatment from. So in order to sell stuff to these transplants what do we have to do? License the Japanese supplier's formulas, pay them royalties and then sell to the transplant. Meanwhile, the large majority of the transplants (When I say "transplant" I'm talking Toyota, Honda, Nissan ect.) R&D is happening back in Japan and all profits are being funneled back there. They have no pensions to support and only in recent years have they actually begun to invest in the surrounding communities, whereas GM and Ford have been giving back to the communities for decades. Their [transplants] business strategy was simple too, build a plant in bumphuck USA because the land was dirt cheap and it didn't matter, people will commute to work there. They are parasites and nothing more, so I refuse to drive them. But of course, if all a fella does is just scratch the surface, they appear to be benign and superior.

You know, I see a lot of Dodges on the road. So you may not be buying them, but others are. The cheapest product seems to win. I wonder if Ford can continue to tout the F150 being America's best selling truck any more..

However-most of Japanes cars and trucks for american market are designed specifically for this market and unavailable anywhere else(except Canada and prolly some South American countries). They are made to compete with big 3s products and to hit american tastes. I get where the money is funelled to,but I'd say those are american cars-well american-japanese. Tho this trend(with the exception of full size trucks) may be ending as even big 3 are now trying to make"worldwide"products to sell on every market-which is very difficult as history shows with various attempts-simply because tastes,roads,conditions,economy and laws vary accross the world.

 

[Caman96]

I fail to see how any of this ^^^ applies to this thread.

 

[TCBRacer77]

I live in Alabama as well and I think depending on the area you would definitely get more for the Toyota if you kept the 400, also I’m not sure how expensive parts can be for Toyotas but I know parts are definitely cheap for 400s. Plus with how expensive gas is, I’ve noticed a ton of people I work with that are parking their super nice newer pickups for their smaller older (probably from high school) vehicles that get better gas mileage, so I think people would definitely find the Toyota enticing to buy compared to driving their 2019 3/4 diesel lol. Good luck with everything and I hope it all turns out well! P.s think about the sentimental value of possibly passing the 400 down to your child(ren) later in life since it was your grandfather’s!

 

[Cadillac Bob]

Thing is if Gp’s truck holds something to you then keep it if not dump it! And same goes for the Tacoma but if one serves a better all around usefulness then keep that one but like other guy said sell that jeep get a older but good ride for the wife don’t waste money on payments bye time you pay that off things will be that much farther towards electricity an get that high dollar value now!! Best advice is to ACTUALLY OWN everything you have not renting it!!! Owning your vehicles is huge upside when you have kids to pay for!! An it’s better to be you yourself vs doing what everyone else in the neighborhood or family is doing driving around in Chevy equinox’s dime a doz!!! Show your soon to he’s that uou don’t have to do what everyone else is doing an yeah it’s nice to have new but anyone can go get a payment!!! Plus you have built in memories to pass down!!

 

[Caman96]

My son has a 03 Tacoma 2.7. They only got maybe 18 mpg new(he’s getting about 12-14 mpg), my 96 5.7 gets better mileage now than his truck.

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[PlayingWithTBI]

They could tout being an American made product while employing Americans as well as avoiding import tariffs. However, ALL Japanese tranplants here are run by Japanese big shots.

Look up the NUMI plant, in Freemont CA, where Toyota and GM went into a partnership. At the time, most of the Tacomas were built there along with the Pontiac Aztec and Toyota's version, of which I can't remember the name. Now Tesla is building their cars in that plant. That property is, in no way cheap!

 

[Erin]

Around here, OP could get 10k or better for the Tacoma. They are few & far between when it comes to finding one for sale that isn’t a scam.

 

[Archaic2021]

My son has a 03 Tacoma 2.7. They only got maybe 18 mpg new(he’s getting about 12-14 mpg), my 96 5.7 gets better mileage now than his truck.

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Ive thougtht about this but don't know anyone who has a older gmt 400 What kind of highway mileage can I get out of the 97 5.0 2wd.

Been doing tons of math...the 2800 I was gonna spend on the honda buys a lot a lot of gas...not to mention it will still need repairs.

If I could get low 20s out of the chevy I might as well throw some tires on it and ride. I can deal without the a/c until next year.

 

[Frank Enstein]

Keep the Chevy.

Parts and advice are readily available.