Curious, saw this Tundra today
- Thread starter ToyotaTrk
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Around 2005
Any pickup truck sold in the US is assembled here, regardless of brand. It was part of the "Chicken Tax" way back when. Chicken tax - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax - it's why we don't have a lot of cool smaller pickups like the VW Amarok. There are a bunch of interesting trucks sold elsewhere that would be priced out of competition due to the tariff.
Same idiocy as the 25 year import rule in my opinion, but at least it has provided incentive for foreign manufacturers to build plants here in the US.
Same idiocy as the 25 year import rule in my opinion, but at least it has provided incentive for foreign manufacturers to build plants here in the US.
Uhm, Since Day 1? Assembly plants in Indiana & San Antonio. Mine's an '03 assembled in Tx. Had a co-worker w/an '00 fm IN. Toyota was trying to make a run at the Full Sized Truck Market, but the problem is the Tundra's back then (1st gen 00-06) are the size of Tacoma's now (& Ford Rangers, & Chevy S10's/Dodge Dakotas) & NOT Competitors for F150's, Dodge/Chevy/GMC 1500's. Great, super reliable trucks, but 1st gens weren't even close to 'full sized'. From inception, all were made here, under the watchful eyes of Toyota Mgmt from Japan. HTH?
Part of the reason Mazda, Nissan opted to build mfg plants here, along w/Toyota. Both latter, prior '85 were importing their smaller trucks without BEDS as 'cars', & having beds installed in SF/LA at facilities they had near the docks. It was a way to 'circumvent' the Chicken Tax Import Tariff, however it also had a Down Side. The Truck Cabs were undercoated and lasted just fine. The Beds had NO Undercoating, and if buyers didn't know, if they didn't get that step done, "aftermarket", the beds rusted out like CRAZY and FAST. Ergo Nissan in 1986 intro'ed the "HARD BODY", where they began assembly in the US, Undercoating the Beds, and those lasted as long as the REST OF THE TRUCKS! When You see any of the pre-'86 models, they usually have WOOD FLAT BEDS on them by now, and now You know the Rest of that story! I had an '84 2.4l 4wd Nissan that got the bed undercoated by a wise man (not me, the guy I bought it from)....1st owner, apparently took 1 look up under there & said "oh Hellno, gotta fix this now!" & I bought from him in the NC Mtns, 10 yrs later, still looking nice & spiffy. Paid a premium, but it was worth it, by then You could fall right thru most of the rest out there...it was awful. Cheap tactics killed Datsun & they had to change their name over crap like this. Find a 240z today w/o rust...it's worth $120k+ & rarer than hens teeth. Another issue is/was "Societal". Japan always sought to have everyone who wanted a car, buying 'new', and in the 60's-80's required Your vehicle there, be 3 yrs old or less (not trucks, just cars). Undercoating was a big waste of money under those circumstances. In 3 yrs, nothing was worn out, but the rust was already beginning, even there. Here, we expected a vehicle purchase to be an (at least) 5-10yr investment. By 10 yrs, they were totally rusted out pieces of junk (I know, I snatched up an '82 Celica ST w/23k miles on it for $500. fm a broken hearted owner, specifically seeking the powertrain, to transplant in another vehicle...deal of a lifetime, IF you needed a great, low miles 2.4L Engine & matched 5spd tranny....in 1995? Was almost afraid to drive it home it was rusted out so bad. The metal was so shot in that car, we took a recip saw and CUT the engine & tranny out once on a cherry picker. lifted up and the rusty frame just fell away. Even the JUNK Yard scowled when I brought what was left of it in on a trailer?!
