Got curious, test drove a 2020 Tundra

[dudemancool1904]

2020 Tundra TRD Pro in Army green. One owner clean carfax maintenance every 5k. 95k miles. Dana Point owned no rust or dings.
Mods had a fox factory 2.5 with DSC, camburg uppers, deavers, some sort of exhaust, methods on 35s.
Dealer is asking 60k which even with the rarity of these trucks IMO is too much.

Anyway I’ve had what of grass is greener syndrome with 2g tundras for a while. Build one up as a desert runner/sleeper in the bed setup. This one was at a local Toyota used lot so I went to drive it. Off the bat the crewmax interior is HUGE. The 200 isn’t small but this thing feels so much bigger. I love it.
Also love how the back seat folds up for more storage.

Interior wise the 200 is leagues ahead. I can barely read the nav screen, it’s in a bad place and small. The camera setup and tech in general in the 200 is better. The dash is fine but the layout of the 200 is just better than the tundra. The roll down window is awesome!

Driving wise the steering didn’t feel sloppy but my 200 felt much tighter and more responsive. It wasn’t bad but again if my 200 on 6112s is like a BMW, the tundra on fox felt like a Benz.

My biggest thing is exhaust note, wow this thing sounded great. He had some aftermarket cat back and it was awesome. Really lets you hear the 3ur. I immediately looked up dirty deeds when I left lol.

In summary I think if I had to have a bed or tow more I’d sell the 200. But as an overall package the 200 is by far better put together and just feels solid. If I had the driveway space I’d buy both. But as far as one to keep for me it’s the two hundo.

PS why don’t more people run an exhaust on their 200s!

 

[PDoyle]

You can always buy a trailer.

 

[Blackwater]

PS why don’t more people run an exhaust on their 200s!

I would love to know as well.. i installed a Doug Thorley exhaust on my 100 and it was great!

 

[LTSR]

I would love to know as well.. i installed a Doug Thorley exhaust on my 100 and it was great!

it’s because of the placement of the muffler. It’s right underneath the driver side 2nd row and it just makes the cabin miserable. I’ve experimented and lost.

2G tundra also feels quicker than the 200. But it’s just way too big for what I need. Great option for those who need do to truck things.

 

[40Man]

I had a 2013 Tundra crewmax and the backseat was enormous. Have a 23 TRD Pro and 2014 DC with 4.6 V8 with 27k miles I picked up in January. The 23 backseat is not has big as the last gen crewmax.

The 23 has so much more power than my 200, passing other cars is much easier. I put a seal between the camper shell and cab for a pass through when needed, and roll up the window when not. Just hope I don't have engine failure . Have extended warranty and don't trust the V35A like I do the 5.7 in my 200, so the 23 may be sold in the next few years.

Planning to keep my 200 for a long time. If the Scout truck with harvester ever comes out I'll probably trade the 23 Tundra for one. Planning to let my kids drive the red one when they get old enough, and if they don't wreck it I'll keep it long term.

 

[Supra Turbo]

I had a deposit down on a new 20 TRD Pro in army green. Pretty sure the total was to be under $60k.

No way I would pay that for a 100k San Antonio produced truck. IMO, it should be much closer to $40-45k and thats being generous.

 

[dudemancool1904]

I had a deposit down on a new 20 TRD Pro in army green. Pretty sure the total was to be under $60k.

No way I would pay that for a 100k San Antonio produced truck. IMO, it should be much closer to $40-45k and thats being generous.

Totally. Regular crewmax 4x4s are in the 30s around here. I would consider getting one as a project for that much but 60 is insane.
On the plus side they did offer me 65k for my truck which is what I paid for it 2 years and 30k ago.

 

[Zill]

2020 Tundra TRD Pro in Army green. One owner clean carfax maintenance every 5k. 95k miles. Dana Point owned no rust or dings.
Mods had a fox factory 2.5 with DSC, camburg uppers, deavers, some sort of exhaust, methods on 35s.
Dealer is asking 60k which even with the rarity of these trucks IMO is too much.

Anyway I’ve had what of grass is greener syndrome with 2g tundras for a while. Build one up as a desert runner/sleeper in the bed setup. This one was at a local Toyota used lot so I went to drive it. Off the bat the crewmax interior is HUGE. The 200 isn’t small but this thing feels so much bigger. I love it.
Also love how the back seat folds up for more storage.

Interior wise the 200 is leagues ahead. I can barely read the nav screen, it’s in a bad place and small. The camera setup and tech in general in the 200 is better. The dash is fine but the layout of the 200 is just better than the tundra. The roll down window is awesome!

Driving wise the steering didn’t feel sloppy but my 200 felt much tighter and more responsive. It wasn’t bad but again if my 200 on 6112s is like a BMW, the tundra on fox felt like a Benz.

My biggest thing is exhaust note, wow this thing sounded great. He had some aftermarket cat back and it was awesome. Really lets you hear the 3ur. I immediately looked up dirty deeds when I left lol.

In summary I think if I had to have a bed or tow more I’d sell the 200. But as an overall package the 200 is by far better put together and just feels solid. If I had the driveway space I’d buy both. But as far as one to keep for me it’s the two hundo.

PS why don’t more people run an exhaust on their 200s!

I have the dirty deeds exhaust system on my LX 570, 200, and 2021 Tundra. It’s really the only exhaust solution for the 200 series to avoid drone with its built in Helmholtz resonator. I would opt for the 14” system in the 200, as the 14” is louder in the 200 compared to my Tundra with the 10”. I suspect a large part of that is the smaller overall length the exhaust has to travel (in the 200) so it ends up being louder even with a bigger muffler.

The sound is awesome on startup, silent when coasting down the road, and you can only really hear it when you’re applying throttle.

The 200 is built like a tank in comparison, but the 2G Tundras are the best (reliability wise) half ton trucks you can buy with a bed, and they command a premium for that.

 

[jm89]

I had dirty deeds on my 2018 Tundra. Sometimes I do miss the throaty start up. But trading it in for the 200 has all around been a step up in class and maturity for me lol

 

[GrouchyTech]

I had a 2013 Tundra crewmax and the backseat was enormous. Have a 23 TRD Pro and 2014 DC with 4.6 V8 with 27k miles I picked up in January. The 23 backseat is not has big as the last gen crewmax.

The 23 has so much more power than my 200, passing other cars is much easier. I put a seal between the camper shell and cab for a pass through when needed, and roll up the window when not. Just hope I don't have engine failure . Have extended warranty and don't trust the V35A like I do the 5.7 in my 200, so the 23 may be sold in the next few years.

Does your ‘23 fall under the engine recall?

 

[terdrocket]

My son straight piped our 200. It sounds really good. Surprisingly good. Sounds like it has a really nice muffler on it. Not too loud either. Drone out the wazoo at certain speeds, but he doesn't care. I even offered to sound deaden it for him, but he doesn't care.

 

[40Man]

Does your ‘23 fall under the engine recall?

Nope, the TRD Pros are all hybrid. Same engine, same issue, but Toyota claims the hybrid will have motive power to get off the road if there is a failure so no recall.

Hybrid failures result in a short block rebuild at a dealer, and there are a lot of horror stories with leaks, failures, etc. after getting short block warranty rebuilds back. Techs just arent paid enough to be able to take the time and do it correctly. And Toyota won't supply long blocks for non-recall repairs.

If mine fails hopefully it will have been long enough that some 26+ hybrid used engines from accidents come available and I can convince a swap vs rebuild. If not I'll dump it.

Supposedly the failure rate is low (no one knows the actual failure %) but there have been a few reports of high mileage bearing failures, and at $26k for a short block rebuild from Toyota, I don't plan to keep after the extended warranty is up. Thankfully I bought a 10 yr 100k warranty from Jerry.

With two Land Cruisers and another Tundra, I'll likely hit 10 yrs before I hit 100k. I purchased exactly 3 yrs ago, so 7 years left.

I put down a deposit on a Scout pickup with harvester generator since my last post. It will probably replace the 23 if it ever comes to market. 350 mile range on gas generator and 150 on electric is awesome.

 

[GrouchyTech]

Nope, the TRD Pros are all hybrid. Same engine, same issue, but Toyota claims the hybrid will have motive power to get off the road if there is a failure so no recall.

Hybrid failures result in a short block rebuild at a dealer, and there are a lot of horror stories with leaks, failures, etc. after getting short block warranty rebuilds back. Techs just arent paid enough to be able to take the time and do it correctly. And Toyota won't supply long blocks for non-recall repairs.

The V35 recall pays us 13.6 hours to pull/replace the non-HV motors. We were doing about 3-5 a week, and management had to start padding that with 5 extra hours just to keep people from walking out. The young guy next to me can do one in about 7 hours—I take about 10-11 because I’m twice his age and a little more meticulous.

The short blocks are a different pain all together. But I think they pay about 25-ish hours. To pull the motor, tear it down, rebuild it, install it. You can imagine how paycheck-destroying that job is.

It is what it is, I guess. The typical customer doesn’t understand we get paid next to nothing for warranty and recall work. Some of those recalls (ECU reflashes, for instance) are great because you can set that up and continue doing another job in parallel.

But then there’s the 12.1 hour warranty electric water pump I have sitting in front of me at this very moment that takes me less than an hour… “remove engine and transaxle assembly”… nah I’m not doing that. Unbolt engine mounts, scoot engine over, r&r pump, that’s it.

 

[sedole]

it’s because of the placement of the muffler. It’s right underneath the driver side 2nd row and it just makes the cabin miserable. I’ve experimented and lost.

Same. I tried 2 different setups including a helmholtz resonator (I can weld myself) and both droned a ton at certain RPMs. It does sound shweet though.

 

[40Man]

The V35 recall pays us 13.6 hours to pull/replace the non-HV motors. We were doing about 3-5 a week, and management had to start padding that with 5 extra hours just to keep people from walking out. The young guy next to me can do one in about 7 hours—I take about 10-11 because I’m twice his age and a little more meticulous.

The short blocks are a different pain all together. But I think they pay about 25-ish hours. To pull the motor, tear it down, rebuild it, install it. You can imagine how paycheck-destroying that job is.

It is what it is, I guess. The typical customer doesn’t understand we get paid next to nothing for warranty and recall work. Some of those recalls (ECU reflashes, for instance) are great because you can set that up and continue doing another job in parallel.

But then there’s the 12.1 hour warranty electric water pump I have sitting in front of me at this very moment that takes me less than an hour… “remove engine and transaxle assembly”… nah I’m not doing that. Unbolt engine mounts, scoot engine over, r&r pump, that’s it.

Yeah, 25 hours for a new short block rebuild R&R on an engine this complicated is ridiculous.

Just curious, does the extended warranty reimburse at the same, better or worse than the factory base warranty rates?

 

[GrouchyTech]

Yeah, 25 hours for a new short block rebuild R&R on an engine this complicated is ridiculous.

Just curious, does the extended warranty reimburse at the same, better or worse than the factory base warranty rates?

Depends. Aftermarket warranty usually pays quite a bit better than Toyota’s extended warranty.

One problem with the bull**** warranty time pay is sometimes the technician just “doesn’t see anything wrong” because they don’t want to be ****ed. But if they paid better, that would be passed on to the customer as usual. I’m standing next to a new SR5 Tacoma that ALREADY stickers just under $50,000.