Dealer Repair Parts Pricing Secrets

Comments in our recent post about the Tundra-Sequoia Air Pump TSB have uncovered wild price ranges for repair parts. Some people are able to purchase after-market air pumps from their local national parts chain (Pep Boys, for example) for less than $900, while others are being quoted nearly $1200 by their local Toyota dealer…30% higher than after-market. Obviously, this is frustrating some Tundra owners.

Also frustrating Tundra owners is the fact that a relatively simple electric pump costs $900-$1200 in the first place.

Here’s the how and why of how dealers and manufacturers price repair parts. Read more…

Chrysler Hyundai Truck Partnership – Pros and Cons

Earlier today, we evaluated Hyundai’s desire to become a full-line automaker. While that analysis showed that Hyundai can’t expect their success as a car company to carry over to selling trucks, it doesn’t evaluate the idea of Hyundai selling re-badged Rams.

A concept of a Hyundai Ram 1500

Here are the pros and cons of a Chrysler-Hyundai truck partnership (HINT: It’s not going to happen). Read more…

Hyundai’s Interest in Selling Full-Size Trucks

PickupTrucks.com, the best truck site on the Internet, uncovered evidence that Hyundai is quietly investigating entering the North American full-size truck market earlier this week. According to Reuters in Korea, Hyundai approached Chrysler earlier this year about partnering to build a Hyundai version of the Ram 1500. Evidently, Hyundai is interested in becoming a “full-line” automaker.

This is what a Hyundai version of the Dodge Ram could look like.

The question is, why would Hyundai consider such a thing? Read more…

BBC’s Top Gear Loves Toyota Trucks

If you haven’t seen the Top Gear attempt to destroy a 190k mile diesel Toyota Hilux, you owe it to yourself to watch the following video. Aired back in November of 2003, this video has become a bit of a cult classic.

Whether you’re a fan of Toyota or not, you’ve got to admire a truck that starts after spending the night in the ocean. You could also say that this is where Top Gear’s love affair with the Toyota truck began. Read more…

Toyota Unintended Acceleration Scandal Update – 255 Days Later

On Friday, August 28th, 2009, Mark Saylor and his family died in a fiery wreck, the victim of unsecured and over-sized floormats in the Lexus ES they were borrowing from a local dealership. Saylor’s story was compelling because he was a California Highway Patrol officer, and because of a panicked 911 call recording Saylor’s last moments where Saylor said that his throttle was stuck.

The crash that lead to an international scandal. Image copyright NBCSandDiego.com.

The death of Sayler and his family gained national media coverage, eventually growing into a full scandal. Groundless accusations of malfunctioning electronic throttles combined with greedy and inept Toyota execs combined to tarnish the reputation of Toyota. In the 255 days since Saylor’s crash, the following has occurred. Read more…