MotorTrend Year-Long TRD PRO review

In the mean time, drop a LSA on the SS and have more fun. The wife can get places a bit quicker too. And don't forget to budget for rear tires.

 

The problem with the modern M3/M4 is that if you suffer a catastrophic engine failure outside of warranty, it'll cost you $35-45k to replace the long block, turbos, and labor costs. You might as well toss your car into a car shredder at that point.

Also, with the M3/M4 costing $70+k these days, most people will already have another car like an SUV. The need for a 4 door sports sedan diminishes at that point.

 

I am on track to be done at 60 years old if I want to be. The way BNSF treats people currently I can’t imagine working even one single day past my 60th birthday. In fact I will probably be de-facto retired two months before as I use up paid leave days, paid sick days, and vacation. Hopefully between my 401-K, Roth IRA, Railroad Retirement, and whatever else I can invest in I’ll be primed and ready to tell this company to get good and fucked at 00:01 on my 60th birthday.

I may also never buy a new vehicle ever again. I don’t see a lot of value anymore and government meddling and mandates have force manufacturers to build ever more complex and less durable, less serviceable vehicles if they’re ICE powered. I’m not going to be an EV buyer given current technology, and charging infrastructure plus the cost to buy one is ridiculous.

 

Nah it’s just ranting from some dude in his 40’s shaking his fist in rage bitching about something he doesn’t like, that he’s also realistically not going to change.

Honest self assessment.

Maybe I should buy a camera and start reviewing shit boxes that are readily available for under a certain amount of money. I could wax eloquent about the magnificence of the 1994 Ford Aspire myself and a friend traded into for a case of Miller Lite, put a clutch in, and drove for about 5 years at our away from home terminal.

We never changed the oil. We just put in gas, and replaced batteries. When the hood latch broke I installed hood pins in the hotel parking lot, locating where to drill the hood by simply slamming it on the pins I had already installed on the front cross member. I fondly remember doing this in front of a Gillette, WY cop who just watched me and shook his head in disgust.

 

Having worked for a BMW dealer (albeit over 17 years ago) I would never ever own one outside of warranty and over 100-150 miles from a dealership. They’re trash. 100% throw away cars.

 

Not sure what route I would go given those choices. In the case of the two 5.0L Lexus models I say the risk is super low.

 

IS500 all the way

 

There’s a guy with an IS500 at our local Cars & Coffee. It’s probably my favorite car there. I’m not a big “muh v8 sounds” guy, but it sounds amazing. Looks like a blast to drive, but probably in that typical less-insane Lexus way.

 

I retire in 90 days. 1st grandbaby due same day. Using all my paid time off over the next 3 months.

 

Good for you. I pulled the pin at 61 but had to buy my own healthcare insurance until I turned 65. Still was worth it leaving that clueless company.

 

very very good points. You are spot on.

I remember reading one article from a auto magazine complaining that "toyota missed the mark" because the new truck wasnt smaller and looked huge. Like isnt that what the tacoma is for? Some of the writers have no concept of truck usage, and probably live in a high-rise condo in the city.

 

I'm still recovering from the Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue lower lip spoiler on the front of the new Tacoma and you throw that in.

 

I've been following tundras, etc for a long time, longer than most, was on tundrasolutions.com in 2000 with a 2000 tundra I got in late 1999.

as you know, I've known your work since you started as well, we had 6 pack bets for like 5 years on when toyota was going to make some significant changes to the tundra back in the day, lol. (its been cool to watch your business grow since the beginning).

So I have read, especially in the earlier days, a ton of the bigger articles, motor trend, truck trend, car and driver, etc.

I can tell you this Tim, no matter what toyota does, or what they have, they never get a good review. To me, the big 3 bias just can't be put to the side.

So these are stupid and ridiculous, everyone that knows anything about trucks and the truck market, knows damn well the TRD Pro is not designed nor intended to be a raptor competitor, so even mentioning in the same argument shows that bias in true form. The TRD Pro should compete against the mild off-road trims like the tremor, rebel, AT4 etc, not the off-road specialists like the Raptor and TRX.

for me, they always say it "can't compete with the big 3", and Im here to tell you....

Thats total BULLSHIT, I have had 5 tundras, all of them I liked better than what the big 3 offered.

I tested all of them this last time around in 2023.

The ford broke down on the test drive, yes, I even have a video of it.

The GMC AT4 6.2 I tested, the seats were such shit, I had to cut the test drive short it was so bad. But before I did, it rode like shit as well. And the stupid GM push to park shifter is beyond lame, why in the world would you make up go into reverse and then you have to push a button to shift to park.

I did not want to push my luck with another Ram.

So I have a fully loaded 23 platinum tundra, fully color matched that is a great truck, my favorite so far, so sorry motor trend, you still don't get it and never have.

TLDR: toyota trucks are the best for me so far.

 

It's like when people put the Mustang into a head-to-head with Corvettes and talk about how terrible Mustangs are comparatively. Like uhhhhh, they're not even the same class of vehicle and haven't ever been since they were conceived, so why are we comparing them?

 

I still wish they would compare the TRD PRO to the Tremor line, a much more in-line comparison. They'd stack up very close to each other as well. Both very comfortable trucks.

 

7th generation Mustang sales have been pretty disappointing which is to be expected. They are too expensive for what they are. The price of a Dark Horse Premium with the Handling Package + Recaros is not all that different than a C8 1LT Z51. C8's are being heavily discounted now.

 

If it helps, Car and Driver just published a pretty positive long term review.

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a43603508/2023-toyota-tundra-hybrid-reliability-maintenance/

Our 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid Leveled Up
The reinvented Tundra shed its also-ran status versus domestic rivals.

 

This is how I saw it. Those with shiny unscratched never dirty skid plates will never know about the suspension shortcomings unless they go over a curb, trying a u-turn in the Starbucks parking lot. New trucks are now the luxury station wagons of years past.

 

If you can trust them, local dealer has a bunch of 6.4L V-8 Challengers and Chargers for less than $45K, a couple below $40k. 485hp/475 ft lbs for that price!

 

Or, maybe, Toyota’s trucks are just not as good after only owning a year. You have to appreciate the reliability and durability to want to own one and thats not really something you would get from a 1 year magazine review.

Of course, thats not even true anymore.

 

This is spot on. If I recall correctly, Motor Trend's long term Ram TRX sheered off several lug bolts and severely warped the brake rotors. That is a major major safety issue. However no big deal they still gave it Truck of the year because "It's bad ass yo!"

PS. No Alfa Romeo's wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

 

Consumer Reports is the only one I regularly read. They track real world reliability and are highly critical of every vehicle they test. Here is their take on the prior generation. I don't think you could possibly sum it up better.

The recommended Tundra has remained almost unchanged since its second, bulkier generation was revealed for the 2007 model year. CR’s testers liked its powerful 5.7-liter V8 engine and high towing capacity but also felt that the Tundra’s lack of refinement and ride comfort made searching elsewhere a good option. Fuel-economy numbers aren’t good, even for a big truck. But CR members told us in our Annual Auto Surveys that they’re highly satisfied with their Tundras, despite the fact that the trucks are a bit outdated compared with full-sized models from other manufacturers. The Tundra has been the most reliable full-sized pickup on the market for years now.

 

I think there are tangible benefits to the Raptor.

1. The 4Auto tcase, which is absolutely useful driving to Lowe’s.
2. It’s lighter and makes better power, also noticable driving to lowes. This advantage is amplified by the 4Auto tcase’s ability to put power down better.
3. As a recent purchaser of an LX570 with the fully adjustable suspension from the cabin, I could certainly appreciate the Fox Live Valve shocks on my way to Lowe’s, and then on the way home with a load in the bed.

If they are close to the same price, it’s an easy answer for me

 

Let's hope Toyota turns that around for the Gen 3 model.