Why doesn't Toyota do this?? (1 Viewer)

[Jwoodywild]

I read recently where Porsche has created modern touchscreen infotainment options for older 911 models. Given all the talk on here about the antiquated systems - i have a 2003 for example - seems like Toyota should do the same:

Porsche Launches New Infotainment Systems For Mid-2000s Boxsters, Cayennes And 911s | Carscoops

Infotainment system with 7-inch touchscreen available for 987 Boxster and Cayman, 997-gen 911s and firm’s first-generation SUV

www.carscoops.com

 

[nissanh]

My 2 cents:
Landcruiser is made to be simple and driven with confidence. I am interested in reliability and going places with confidence over fancy infortainment centers. Toyota makes LC's for people who has the courage to venture into remote places. My 21 taco has all the fancy screens, but I have NEVER used it... not sure why everyone is obsessed with these modern screens, but that is the main reason why people like I had to wait to get the car in front to move when green light turnes on. A lot of accidents are also due to these useless infortainement centers. If I can control the world, I'll ban all these screens!

 

[suprarx7nut]

That's super cool Porsche is doing that.

I think there are a few reasons Toyota might have trouble offering something like that:

1. Very few old Toyota owners are going to spend $1500 on a retrofit anything. This is not the case with Porsche owners.
2. It looks like Porsche used the same infotainment "thing" across 3 models for a generation. I don't think Toyota did that. Porsche sold way more 911s than Land Crusiers. They also sold way more Boxsters and Cayennes. The applicable market is much larger for Porsche, oddly enough.
3. If a Toyota owner were to spend $1500 on an audio interface upgrade, they could get a pretty sweet aftermarket setup. In a Land Cruiser, people are less likely to care about maintaining Toyota "purity". In the Porsche world, OEM parts mean more.


HOWEVER: Toyota recently ramped up their Toyota Heritage parts program and has already released a bunch of awesome parts for the 200GT, mk2, mk3 and mk4 Supra with the 80 series starting now. 100 series parts seem likely to follow in another 5 years or so.

 

[BullElk]

^^^ ...to add....The fancies are a big reason any American made autos are actually sold.

 

[87warrior]

The infotainment system in the 200 series is terrible. Better than what the 100 had, but still awful. That would probably be the generation of tech a retrofit system would have. Nobody with any sense would buy and install a retrofit Toyota infotainment system. Plus, it would probably cost a cool $5k.

 

[Jwoodywild]

Whether they would be good at making it or not - or if the price is reasonable or would be paid by buyers or not is not really the point. The point is that Porsche values the fact that so many of their older models are valued and on the road - and they want to help those owners.

And while LC "purists" may not want to have a modern nav system or a way to play music most people use their phone and suction cup to do this now in a way that is both annoying and inelegant.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Whether they would be good at making it or not - or if the price is reasonable or would be paid by buyers or not is not really the point.

All of these things are exactly the point for Toyota. Install an aftermarket system that does what you need it to.

 

[Asanka]

Porsche customers will pay for it regardless how expensive it is. But most LCs and, in general all old Toyotas are owned by people who spend less on vehicles. Most of those old Toyotas on road are running well but poorly maintained, cosmetically in bad shape. It's a different customer base globally. So not worth the effort for Toyota.

But, Toyota CEO said recently they are looking into improving old Toyotas to reduce carbon footprint by converting older Toyotas to EV and hydrogen.

Back to the future: Toyota sets sights on old-car upgrades in zero-emissions drive

In an eye-catching bid to show that cars can be clean while appealing to old-school petrolheads, Toyota Motor on Friday showcased zero-emission versions of its 1980s sports range, which still boasts a strong global fan base.

www.reuters.com

 

[suprarx7nut]

Whether they would be good at making it or not - or if the price is reasonable or would be paid by buyers or not is not really the point. The point is that Porsche values the fact that so many of their older models are valued and on the road - and they want to help those owners.

And while LC "purists" may not want to have a modern nav system or a way to play music most people use their phone and suction cup to do this now in a way that is both annoying and inelegant.

It's exactly the point.

Porsche is a business. Their customer base values resto-mods far more than Toyota owners. Offering resto-mod options for a Porsche owner is more profitable proposition than offering the same to a 20 year old Toyota buyer.

Those of us (myself definitely included) that are willing to drop $$ on an old Toyota are unusual in the Toyota world. In the Porsche world, it's much more common for people to spend lots of extra $$ on their aging cars.

If Toyota offered a 2022-tech-equivelant for my 06LX, I'd probably consider spending $1500 on it. But I realize I'm a very rare case.

 

[hoser]

We mostly just want the climate controls to be divorced from the Stereo/navi/infotainment system.... as is/was available in other parts of the world.

 

[krispykritter]

It's exactly the point.

Porsche is a business. Their customer base values resto-mods far more than Toyota owners. Offering resto-mod options for a Porsche owner is more profitable proposition than offering the same to a 20 year old Toyota buyer.

Those of us (myself definitely included) that are willing to drop $$ on an old Toyota are unusual in the Toyota world. In the Porsche world, it's much more common for people to spend lots of extra $$ on their aging cars.

If Toyota offered a 2022-tech-equivelant for my 06LX, I'd probably consider spending $1500 on it. But I realize I'm a very rare case.

While I agree there are options out there for those of us with Nav screen - they all kinda suck. You can patch/bandaid something together that is okay, but every system comes with a ton of caveats, unfortunately.

I'll probably end up with a Teyes system sometime in the near future but even spending $1500 dollars wouldn't allow me to plug in most any other aftermarket system.

While I agree that some sort of updated Toyota based system would be ideal (while not Ford sanctioned, you can upgrade lots of Sync 2 systems to Sync 3), I also agree the market is so small that Toyota has zero motivation to do something like this. It would be 100% an expensive good PR move for a tiny minority of their customers.

 

[Jwoodywild]

The Porsche system is $1500 because their customers will pay that much, as many have noted. A Toyota version could be $400.

And as far as the market being "small" just look at the size of the community on this site alone. Not everything has to make a huge profit. Helping the community has a lot of intangible value too. Anyway, just thought it was an interesting piece.

 

[hoser]

FYI, the stock multi-display retailed for $4500.

 

[UltraFJ40]

We mostly just want the climate controls to be divorced from the Stereo/navi/infotainment system.... as is/was available in other parts of the world.

LOL, I just typed that in another thread about the nav limitations "maint. reminders for 2022" then I came here and read your post.

That's what I want to do. Plain Jane, simple............ period. I need to research more on that. I really hate this integrated crap on these trucks. Nice but a PITA.

 

[onemanarmy]

Toyota should just leave the center stack open and let you install whatever you want. The HVAC controls should be simple round dials.

Want a $200 simple radio? You got it.

 

[jLB]

My 2 cents:
Landcruiser is made to be simple and driven with confidence. I am interested in reliability and going places with confidence over fancy infortainment centers. Toyota makes LC's for people who has the courage to venture into remote places. My 21 taco has all the fancy screens, but I have NEVER used it... not sure why everyone is obsessed with these modern screens, but that is the main reason why people like I had to wait to get the car in front to move when green light turnes on. A lot of accidents are also due to these useless infortainement centers. If I can control the world, I'll ban all these screens!

Simple and reliable…
Toyota (Lexus) would’ve never installed the Nakamichi 6 disc in dash changer, if that was their priority. I had 3 units replaced in my 98 under warranty. When I acquired our used 99, I wasn’t surprised that the CD changer didn’t work. I disassembled the broken unit out of curiosity, and I’ve got automatic Swiss watches, that look simple compared to to Nakamichi in dash changer.

 

[trdcorolla]

The NAV on the 02/03+ models is the reason why I got a 2001 without NAV. Going in, I knew I lost the 5 speed tranny (which I missed even more when I got 33's, but mitigated that with regearing), but kept ATRAC, tunes/modern stereo are more important to me.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

And as far as the market being "small" just look at the size of the community on this site alone.

And most of us on MUD don’t give a $hit about fancy touchscreens, nav, etc. The last thing a 40/60/80 series owner desires is a monstrous iPad blinding them when they can barely see through their cracked windshield to begin with…

Toyota (Lexus) would’ve never installed the Nakamichi 6 disc in dash changer, if that was their priority.

In Toyota’s defense, the Luxury Crossovers were intended for a different buyer than Land Cruisers; namely the moneybags who wanted all the bells and whistles, not simplicity.

 

[peneumbra2]

Toyota should just leave the center stack open and let you install whatever you want. The HVAC controls should be simple round dials.

Want a $200 simple radio? You got it.

How about an 8-track?

 

[jLB]

In Toyota’s defense, the Luxury Crossovers were intended for a different buyer than Land Cruisers; namely the moneybags who wanted all the bells and whistles, not simplicity.

Seat presets, tilt/telescope steering wheel, projector headlamps, folding mirrors, and a “beep” on alarm arm/disarm were considered “cutting edge” bells and whistles, in the late 1990s?

I probably shouldn’t mention that my son’s 00 LC factory stereo was only partially functional when we acquired it, but AM radio should be just fine for “manly LC owners”.

And here I thought, that my 99 LX felt closer to my old 80 series than my son’s 00 LC….

What was I thinking!?!?

Insufficient application of Early Times BIB?

You’ve just reminded me, that I may be out of Grey Poupon in both LXs

Maybe I should just trade the two LXs in on 300 series LCs… Oh yeah, they don’t import those here