Author Archive for Jason Lancaster
Jason Lancaster is the editor and founder of TundraHeadquarters.com. He has nearly a decade of experience on the retail side of the auto industry, and another decade of experience of the part and accessory side of the industry.
The New 2008 Sequoia Is A Tundra In SUV’s Clothing
Today, Toyota unveiled the new 2008 Sequoia. As expected, this new SUV is based on the Toyota Tundra. It bears a similar front end, the same powertrains, and a very similar option list. However, there are some key differences:
The Sequoia will ride nicer: Unlike the Tundra, the Sequoia boasts a fully independent suspension both front and rear. Also, unlike the Tundra, the Sequoia has an “Active Variable Suspension System” option that allows for electronic tuning of the ride using an air suspension system. Additionally, the new Sequoia is supposed to have a slightly different frame. Most likely, it’s a minor difference but we won’t know for sure until we can look underneath one.
The new Sequoia will be quieter: From additional sound dampening materials to a special emphasis on reducing intake and exhaust sounds, the new Sequoia will make less operating noise than the Tundra…as if we care. First thing we’d do is add a dual exhaust.
The new Sequoia has a few more interior niceties: Second row heated seats, air conditioned front seats (warm or cool air is blown thru perforated holes in the seat surface), and a new “Red Rock” interior color scheme that’s similar to Ford’s “King Ranch” package are all available on the new Sequoia. Like most SUV’s, the new Sequoia also offers rear zone climate controls and a rear seat roof-mounted DVD player. The instrument panel and dash layout in the new Sequoia seems to be pretty similar to the Tundra, but we’ll have to sit in one to know for sure.
As far as features they have in common, the new Sequoia has the same engine and transmission, brake system, integrated tow hitch, and the interior dimensions in the first two rows seem remarkably similar. Additionally, the new 2008 Sequoia is rated to pull 10,000lbs. That’s quite a bit for a full-size SUV – about 1,000 lbs more than the nearest competitor.
We’ll keep you updated on this new sibling of the Toyota Tundra, but you can expect to see them in stores as early as one month from now.
Tundra Tailgate Problems: Toyota Internal Memo
We’re not sure if this is will be old news to some of you, but Toyota released a memo to their dealers regarding problems with Toyota Tundra tailgates in the last week or so. We finally got our hands on it, and you can read the memo for yourself by clicking on the image below.
Click image to see full-size memo. Make sure to hover over full-size image when it opens – your browser may shrink it.
The memo speaks for itself, but we thought the phrase “there is no industry standard or consensus regarding tailgate load capacity” was especially interesting. The way we read that sentence, it sounds like Toyota is saying “we can make this truck any way we want to.” Hardly seems like an appropriate response, especially considering the truck is advertised as being the toughest thing on the road.
Here’s an idea: Make the tailgate strong enough so that the welds don’t split when someone loads an atv in the back.
As for the Tundra’s tailgate popping off it’s hinge if you drive with it “down” position, Toyota’s official response is that the manual states you shouldn’t drive with the tailgate down unless it’s secured in that position by the load or a bed extender. Too bad that Toyota’s stance ignores the fact they’ve advertised using the truck with the tailgate down:
Click on the picture to see the full-size image. Look at the sentence towards the bottom to see where Toyota advocates driving with the tailgate down. Thanks again to Glenn for bringing this issue to light.
As far as recalling or replacing tailgates, Toyota says they’ll investigate. Translation — if you make a big enough stink about it, you might get some consideration. If you want to know the best way to create a stink, checkout our Toyota Customer Service Tips post.
Top 10 Reasons To Join TundraNetwork
If you haven’t checked out our TundraHeadquarters social network, TundraNetwork, you’re missing out. We’ve got a bunch of cool pictures uploaded in just the past couple of days, and there are people from all over the country signing up.
Here’s a list of reasons to join:
10) Where else can you put up unlimited pictures, videos, and have your own blog in less than half an hour?
9) When a fellow Tundra owner asks if you have a MySpace or Facebook page, you can smugly say “No – I’m on TundraNetwork”.
8 ) When your kids/grandkids ask you if you know what a social network is, you can say “Do I know what a social network is?? Of course I do. I helped found a social network!”
7) If you join soon, you can probably register under any name you want – like Tundra Man. That would be totally cool.
6) You never know who you might make friends with — can anyone say Fujio Cho, president of Toyota Motor Company?? (We made that up – no members named Fujio yet, but it’s still early.)
That’s a picture of Fujio over their in the center. He’s a handsome devil, that’s for sure…
5) Everyone else is doing it. Really.
4) Start on TundraNetwork, and you can work your way up to Match.com!
3) Where else are you going to see this pic!? 
2) Did we already say that you’ll be just a little bit cooler??
1) If you join, we’ll stop talking about it on the blog. We promise.
Thanks to everyone that’s joined the community so far!
Ask Tundra Headquarters: Dual vs Single Exhaust Question
Chris writes:
Thanks for the great info regarding the Tundra 5.7L exhaust. I have a question though. The local muffler shops offer dual in dual out exhaust for the Tundra, but they use smaller crush bent 2.25″ pipes for the exhaust. Will the smaller pipes hurt the performance of my truck or break even with the OEM 3″ exhaust? I want the dual exhaust sound, but not at the expense of performance, so should I just replace the stock muffler and keep the stock single 3″ exhaust pipe or dual it out with a couple of smaller 2.25″ pipes?
Good question.
Most muffler shops will tell you that pipe size isn’t nearly as important as pipe configuration and layout, but I don’t see any reason why you can’t have both.
The Next New Toyota: A Personal Robot
Check it out — Toyota’s latest model. It’s got a sleek paint job, the latest electronics, stability control, and a near-silent electric drive system. Oh yeah – it also has two arms and hands.
It’s a robot. From Toyota.
I guess Toyota really is “moving forward.”
Some interesting facts:
Toyota’s long term business plan includes heavy investment in the development of personal robots for use as nurses, housekeepers, receptionists, and possibly killing machines. Ok, not killing machines (at least they’re not admitting to that).
Toyota is one of the largest employers of “robot workers” in the world, with Toyota’s Japanese plants suspected to have 4,000 to 5,000 robots, about a 1,000 of which have two arms that were designed to replace human workers in some of the more repetitive tasks.
Toyota’s Tahara plant in Mikawa Bay, Japan, was one of the first highly automated car plants in the world. Tahara builds some of the higher end Lexus models, and they come off the line with some of the industry’s lowest defect rates — only 63 problems per 1,000 vehicles. According to the Detroit Free Press, that’s about a third less defects per 1000 vehicles than BMW or Mercedes.
Toyota’s commitment to building robots has been challenged buy some people that think the developments are disturbing. While it’s hard for me to imagine a Terminator-like future where Toyota’s robots run amock, evidently some people got Toyota’s attention. They put out a press release back in 2005 “stressing their commitment to human workers.”
Do you think that someday historians will look at that press release and wonder how no one saw the rise of the machines coming??
