Clearly I voted based on my personal bias. 
I need your help ONSC - Poll
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First Gen it is! I'll see if we can do one of the stickers with a 5th Gen (or upcoming 6th Gen) 4Runner later on.
Thank you to everyone who gave me their feedback. Thanks to T4R I found an image of the upcoming 6th Gen 4Runner.
Thank you to everyone who gave me their feedback. Thanks to T4R I found an image of the upcoming 6th Gen 4Runner.
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No offense intended toward 4runner owners, but if TLCA is actively recruiting FJ Cruiser, Tacoma and 4runner owners, why not print up some Jeep stickers too? Tacomas are made in Mexico anyway and probably have about as much in common with a Land Cruiser as a Jeep JK.
This is what happens when a manufacturer decides to ignore its enthusiast market. There hasn't been a solid axle cruiser in the US since 1997 and even then, the trucks were less about capability than comfort. It's sad. Ford attempted to do the same thing with the Mustang in the early nineties. The Mustang was to be replaced by the Probe. At least Ford was smart enough to listen to their enthusiast buyers who wanted the Mustang to stay around.
If the TLCA wants to grow in the US, they will have to lessen their standards, just as Toyota has. How low will they go? Will the TLCA become the TA (Toyota Association)? Should the TLCA limbo down to (gulp) Jeep low to grow their membership?
As we contemplate the latest Toyota gee whiz ATRAC technology and how we might increase the capability of our newer Toyotas by retrofitting drivetrain parts scavenged from 20+ year old trucks, Fiat continues to pump out millions of new Jeep JK's and will be releasing the JL soon. As always, Rubicons will have F&R solid Dana 44 axles 4:1 transfer cases, elockers, electronic sway bar disconnects and the ability to go topless.
TLCA might as well change their name to JTA (Jeep Toyota Association). That way everyone gets a trophy and at least they bring the newer and much more capable offroad vehicles (Jeeps) into the fold.
This is what happens when a manufacturer decides to ignore its enthusiast market. There hasn't been a solid axle cruiser in the US since 1997 and even then, the trucks were less about capability than comfort. It's sad. Ford attempted to do the same thing with the Mustang in the early nineties. The Mustang was to be replaced by the Probe. At least Ford was smart enough to listen to their enthusiast buyers who wanted the Mustang to stay around.
If the TLCA wants to grow in the US, they will have to lessen their standards, just as Toyota has. How low will they go? Will the TLCA become the TA (Toyota Association)? Should the TLCA limbo down to (gulp) Jeep low to grow their membership?
As we contemplate the latest Toyota gee whiz ATRAC technology and how we might increase the capability of our newer Toyotas by retrofitting drivetrain parts scavenged from 20+ year old trucks, Fiat continues to pump out millions of new Jeep JK's and will be releasing the JL soon. As always, Rubicons will have F&R solid Dana 44 axles 4:1 transfer cases, elockers, electronic sway bar disconnects and the ability to go topless.
TLCA might as well change their name to JTA (Jeep Toyota Association). That way everyone gets a trophy and at least they bring the newer and much more capable offroad vehicles (Jeeps) into the fold.
Pretty sure All Toyota 4x4 have been membership eligibility of TLCA since the beginning take a look at the pics on the TLCA history page and some of the old articles there is a pic of a mini truck section of Toyota Trails from as early as 91 and a hand written flyer from the very beginning asking for all Toyota 4x4 enthusiasts.
The Hisotry of TLCA | TLCA
Jay,
I understand. In the latest issue of TT, Ross specifically wrote about increasing TLCA membership by including more Tacoma and 4Runner folks. I suspect this has a lot to do with the new stickers. I wonder how many Tacoma and 4Runner drivers will take TLCA up on their offer? Maybe a few.
My point was that TLCA finds itself in a quandary. How do you, as a 4x4 enthusiast club, with LAND CRUISER as your name, grow membership when the LC name has become a luxury vehicle that only the elite can afford? You change your focus to other, more affordable vehicles that are driven by off-road enthusiasts. Jeep probably fits that genre better than some of the latest Toyota offerings and there are likely more Jeep drivers than Tacoma drivers who care about the outdoors, treading lightly and keeping trails open...the kinds of issues that TLCA champions.
Maybe it's time to take LC out of TLCA...and maybe it's time to quit pretending that the T is synonymous with off-road prowess. It's not anymore...not here in the US anyway.
I understand. In the latest issue of TT, Ross specifically wrote about increasing TLCA membership by including more Tacoma and 4Runner folks. I suspect this has a lot to do with the new stickers. I wonder how many Tacoma and 4Runner drivers will take TLCA up on their offer? Maybe a few.
My point was that TLCA finds itself in a quandary. How do you, as a 4x4 enthusiast club, with LAND CRUISER as your name, grow membership when the LC name has become a luxury vehicle that only the elite can afford? You change your focus to other, more affordable vehicles that are driven by off-road enthusiasts. Jeep probably fits that genre better than some of the latest Toyota offerings and there are likely more Jeep drivers than Tacoma drivers who care about the outdoors, treading lightly and keeping trails open...the kinds of issues that TLCA champions.
Maybe it's time to take LC out of TLCA...and maybe it's time to quit pretending that the T is synonymous with off-road prowess. It's not anymore...not here in the US anyway.
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Someone was in a ranting mood.I'd rather see the TLCA appeal (at least a bit) to newer 4Runner folks if it means keeping the TLCA alive. Like Jay said, the TLCA has it's origin with the Land Cruiser, but has, for a long time, been accepting of all Toyota 4x4s with low range.
I get what you're talking about, but the fact is that even the old Land Cruisers are once again becoming affordable only for the elite. It used to be easy to find a 40 for a few grand, put a few grand in building it up and have a good wheeler for under $10k. That's not the case anymore, so the TLCA will die out over time unless we encourage newer, and already qualified Toyota 4x4s, into the TLCA.
I ONLY own a TUNDRA NOW.
It is rough - the looks, the feeling of no longer being accepted in the club . . . no longer being on the high school football team and only being in the band - - tough I tell ya!
I tell people now that I am in TLCA, but that I don't really belong . . that TLCA is really for Land Cruisers, but that someday I will get another . . .
Until then, I will just cry a lot and look forward to my participation trophy and accept my fate of being kicked out of TLCA when it happens . . .
. . . and drive my MF'ing Prius a lot, too.
Edit: And maybe shop for a classic Jeep.
It is rough - the looks, the feeling of no longer being accepted in the club . . . no longer being on the high school football team and only being in the band - - tough I tell ya!
I tell people now that I am in TLCA, but that I don't really belong . . that TLCA is really for Land Cruisers, but that someday I will get another . . .
Until then, I will just cry a lot and look forward to my participation trophy and accept my fate of being kicked out of TLCA when it happens . . .
. . . and drive my MF'ing Prius a lot, too.
Edit: And maybe shop for a classic Jeep.
I'll lend ya one Jamie, just to keep you in good standing 
Yeah, I was in a ranting mood. I'm good now. I put some spare TLCA stickers on my Avalon and Dodge truck. Now I'm reppin' the TLCA like a boss!
I'll lend ya one Jamie, just to keep you in good standing
So kind!
We do need to get a Land Cruiser
Also wanted to add: 4Runners have always been made in Japan - - unlike the Tacos. And I am sure that everyone knows that the Land Cruiser Prado has shared a lot of similarities with 4Runner/GX platforms in the past.
I tried back in the day to get them to change the name. They said it would piss off the old timers and the diehards. I even went to BMW's of america's club and sat down with the president and vp here in Greenville. They have 60-80k members. I talked to them for hours about how they run their club. A went back a made a huge post to TLCA. Basically I was ignored. So I gave up. I quit promoting TLCA for our club. Hell we were one of the biggest or the biggest clubs in TLCA at one point and I couldn't even get the editor to come to a meeting in his own town or any event. I told them they need to focus more on the clubs because they are the core. They insisted the individuals were where they needed to focus their resources. I kept telling them that they needed to embrace the FJ Cruiser more. They never did. Though that was partly because the mud chat ran every potential member away. Now we have very few FJC's in TLCA or on mud. They went over to the blue forum and now probably have more members in their club than we do. But all it takes is a few bad apples to ruin it for the whole group.
I'll also say this. You guys really need read the insurance they provide. Last time I checked it covered poker type runs not wheeling events.
I'll also say this. You guys really need read the insurance they provide. Last time I checked it covered poker type runs not wheeling events.
Not to stoke the fires here, but the editor of Toyota Trails magazine has nothing to do with decisions regarding TLCA. We'll talk at Logan's Run instead of here; I'm interested, as always, in what you have to say.