Sequoia/ Tundra production cutbacks

[twstrchasr]

Autoweek March, 14

Toyota Motor Corp. will ratchet back production of Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs in Indiana and Texas in response to slow sales.

The reduction in volume--a rare move for Toyota in North America--will begin in late spring, said Mike Goss, a spokesman for Toyota’s North American production company. He said Toyota has no plan to lay off workers at either plant.

Goss declined to say how many fewer trucks Toyota will produce this year because of the cutback.

Toyota will achieve the reduction by slowing down the production cycle. Normally, Toyota and other automakers rigorously build up the number of vehicles per hour their assembly workers can build.

The slowdown will not affect production of the Sienna minivan, which is built on a separate line at the Tundra-Sequoia plant in Princeton, Indiana.

Toyota opened its second Tundra assembly plant in San Antonio in late 2006 in a bid to compete head-on with the Detroit 3 in full-sized pickups.

The Texas plant gave Toyota annual capacity to build 300,000 Tundras a year or about 25,000 a month. In February, the company sold 14,400.

For the first two months of this year, U.S. light-truck sales declined by 103,558 from the first two months of 2007.

[5280Hawk]

Thats the Economy for you,

and Gas prices through the roof.

[beaufort-fj60]

Originally Posted by 5280Hawk

Thats the Economy for you,

and Gas prices through the roof.

that and who wants to pay $50k for a truck.. now if they sold them for $15k... they would sell the crap out of them.

[Texx]

That's where they're headed with that new "bat" concept thang. It's supposed to be the size of the old mini. 400 HP and all that is/was great....but not at the pump

[5280Hawk]

Toyota's A-BAT -

In profile, the uni-body truck looks somewhat like a shorter Honda Ridgeline with rounder contours.

"puke"

[Zack1978]

If they drop the price on a Double Cab 4x4 , 5.7 way down I will be an 08 Tundra owner! I wonder how the cutback will effect prices?


Zack

[Rocinante]

I picked up a 08 DC "grade" 4x4 5.7 for a couple hundred under invoice a month ago. Came out to something like 24,8K b4 TTL with the tow/cold pkg after the rebate. Nice truck, about the only thing I miss vs. the SR5 is the telescopic steering column.

I'm not sure where beaufort is getting 50K. You should be able to get a decked out Limited in the 30s right now (35-37k I think??). Prices are probably about as good as they'll get IMO. I don't see Toyota putting out 5K rebates any time in the near future, maybe $3500 or 4k. We'll see.

[Zack1978]

Originally Posted by Rocinante

I picked up a 08 DC "grade" 4x4 5.7 for a couple hundred under invoice a month ago. Came out to something like 24,8K b4 TTL with the tow/cold pkg after the rebate. Nice truck, about the only thing I miss vs. the SR5 is the telescopic steering column.

I'm not sure where beaufort is getting 50K. You should be able to get a decked out Limited in the 30s right now (35-37k I think??). Prices are probably about as good as they'll get IMO. I don't see Toyota putting out 5K rebates any time in the near future, maybe $3500 or 4k. We'll see.

A limited 5.7 4x4 Crew MAx, will be close to the upper 40's.


Zack

[coog]

i've got the '08 Sequoia Platinum...wish it were only $50k! But I'm getting double the mileage (at least) of the old 80 series... doing 80 mph with a trailer.A few, minor bitches, but it is the best of the best.I honestly don't know why the extra dough for the new LC and 570, but I have a friend on the list for a 570 so I'll get a first hand look.

[toyminator]

Maybe now Toyota dealers will be more willing to make deal. My tow rig is a Chevy Silverado because the two Toyota dealers I went to thought the Tundra was a chunk of gold or something.

[cackalak han]

Originally Posted by Zack1978

A limited 5.7 4x4 Crew MAx, will be close to the upper 40's.


Zack

You can get a Limited 5.7L 4x4 CrewMax for at LEAST $45k all day long. And I'm talking about a fully-optioned out model--Navi, rear DVD, sonar, etc. The invoice is around $42k, and I'm pretty sure you can get below invoice.

[beaufort-fj60]

Originally Posted by Rocinante

I picked up a 08 DC "grade" 4x4 5.7 for a couple hundred under invoice a month ago. Came out to something like 24,8K b4 TTL with the tow/cold pkg after the rebate. Nice truck, about the only thing I miss vs. the SR5 is the telescopic steering column.

I'm not sure where beaufort is getting 50K. You should be able to get a decked out Limited in the 30s right now (35-37k I think??). Prices are probably about as good as they'll get IMO. I don't see Toyota putting out 5K rebates any time in the near future, maybe $3500 or 4k. We'll see.

...

[Rocinante]

You made the statement "who wants to pay $50k for a truck". Implying in my mind that you are saying this is what people are paying for a Tundra. Apparently I misunderstood.

There are guys getting limiteds for under 40K - a little under invoice, plus a 2500-3500 rebate (or whatever it is now). If you shop around, and get the "internet" pricing you can get them under invoice. Unless you are an idiot you will not be paying 50K for one of these. You can get a double cab SR5 5.7L 4x4 for under 30K. I think the best price I was quoted on the SR5 was 27.4K, rebate included. This SR5 had an MSRP of 33.6K.

Anyway, one of the reasons I picked up the tundra was price. For the features that I cared about, which do not include leather, high end stereo or bling bling wheels, the domestics in town were higher in price (at invoice) as I saw it. It ended up being a tossup between the Silverado and the Tundra, the deciding factor was the Tundra double cab actually has a decent sized back seat and was a cheaper. Both are nice trucks, I hope the Tundra will last me a long time.

[beaufort-fj60]

you're lucky.. The local dealer here SUCKS