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Tundra Ad misconceptions
Most of us have seen the TV ads where a Tundra pickup pulls a trailer up a steep grade (a see-saw) and then barrels down hill and locks the brakes up just before the end of the ramp nearly going over a cliff.
The voice over says, "It's tough pushing 10,000 lbs up a steep grade". Myth: Toyota would like the audience to believe the trailer is 10,000 lbs. Fact: It's a 5,000 lb truck pulling a 5,000 lb trailer. Many of us think this is a slight of hand and misleading creating an image with the public that this truck is rated to pull 10,000 lbs and this is the performance to expect!
Then, on the way down the grade, the camera zooms in on the brakes as the vehicles comes to a screeching halt just prior to diving over the end of the ramp. Next time you view the ad, look for the tiny type below the picture. It indicates the trailer is equipped with electric brakes. Fact is the electric brakes stop the trailer-not the truck. Again, a slight of hand!
They do advertise that they have bigger brake pads. They need them because it is a heavier truck. The stopping distance of all trucks in this range of vehicles is nearly identical.
Toyota does have a 6 speed transmission for improved fuel economy. Actually their mileage rating is about 2 mpg less than Chevy and Ford.
Another feature option with the Tundra is to get a V-8 you automatically get a 4.3:1 rear end ratio (no other options) which sucks more fuel. Ford, GM and Dodge offer optional rear end ratios.
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Tundra Ad misconceptions
Hmmmm..... couldn't help but notice that NOWHERE in the Toyota sales brochure or on-line do you find the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight(GCVW).
So yesterday I found a sales chat thing on the Toyota web page and posed the question. It took them 1/2 hour to cough up the answer....... 16,000 GCVW.
Translation: 5600 pound curb weight(4x4 extra cab), plus the fabled 10,200 pound trailer leaves you just enough weight left over for a 200 pound driver.
Whoops! I forgot to add in the weight of the 26 gallons of gas.......... Lets see...26x6 equals.......
Are there any 44 pound truck drivers out there?
And throw that sandwich and coffee out the window! You're overweight!
It is exactly what they call it in the sales brochure, a powerful 1/2 ton truck.
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Tundra Ad misconceptions
A few years ago Chevy had an ad showing the "Powerfull new Silverado" apearing to pull a completly stuck in the mud full size backhoe out of the mud hole, "WOW" what a truck. I found an 800 number that surprisingly got me to the head shed of the adveretising dept. I asked the fellow seemingly in charge if he was at all familliar with a backhoe, well no, he had saw them working along the road, so I kind of rambled on about how anyone who had spent more the an hour running a backhoe could have got himself out of the mudhole without anyones help in the first place, "OH I did'nt know that" says the top dog exec. Then I kind of entered the fact that a hoe of that size probably weighed 18 to 20 thousand pounds, belly down in the mud that nobody would be dumb enough to belive that the mighty Silverado would pull it out, finally after a big half hour of discussion the man did get straight up with me and admitted that their strategy was to use any means of deception to build the ego of the UNINFORMED buyer into believing the Silverado was so powerfull that it really would pull the backhoe out of the mudhole. I've wondered since if that man still has a job there if he would openly admit to me a Mr. Frank Nobody from Nowhere ville, USA what their basic sales strategy really was with that ad. Anyhow back to the Toyota thing, again another big company trying to fool the uninformed portion of the pickup buying public into believeing this truck can really do this. Worst part is some fool probably will buy a Toyota and actualy try some of their stunts and end up in the cemetary. My sermon for the day. Frank.
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Tundra Ad misconceptions
Chevy has what I think is a 3500 duallie Duramax diesel with Allison trannie pulling a freight train in response to the Tundra ad boasting their Silverado "Truck of the Year" award. Where does it end and what is the public to believe as "truth". A close friend of mine has a Tocoma and was told it is a 1/2 ton truck. I told him it is a mid-size truck at best and he got all mad at me. Salesman told him it is a full size 1/2 ton truck. When I pulled my truck beside his,and told him this is full size he became aware of the difference. Anyway, he's from California!
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Tundra Ad misconceptions
I won't go into politics, but if you look around, it's easy to see that uniformed people tend to believe anything they see or hear on TV.
People trying to sell something simply take advantage of that fact. Do I agree with it, of course not. Yet people need to take responsibility for themselves. As was already mentioned here, call, question and probe for the truth.
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Tundra Ad misconceptions
I guess I just don't really believe anything I see advertised anymore. Too much slight of hand and purposely tricky lingo is used. But not everyone does research like I do when it comes to big ticket purchases.
A 5,000 lbs trailer with electric brakes? So they got pretty cheesy with that one. Don't get me wrong, but the electric brake thing is very misleading especially if the stock truck isn't equipped with a brake controller. I think if anyone pushed it with a letter from a lawyer, Toyota would back down.
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Tundra Ad misconceptions
I did not believe the see saw ended over a canyon. Think you have combined two ads. (If that is a true picture the driver must be nuts.) I drive a Tundra and have had Ford and Dodge I would never think that anyone's ad is anything more than to get your interest. How about Chevy saying the reason their 1/2 can pull so much is the boxed material used to make the frame. Wow, no drive train needed, just a great frame. I think all reserve the right for specs to change without any notice.
As to what is a full size 1/2 ton, there may be Federal Specs on that. I know my 1/2 ton Dodge had a much larger bed than the 1/2 ton Ford or Chevy of the same year and was 3 or more inches wider in the bed and cab. So were they not a full 1/2 ton?
The only tv I ever beleive was the General Lee making the jumps on the Dukes of Haazard and it never bent...
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Tundra Ad misconceptions
One of my friends from work found out this weekend how not to haul stuff. He was trying to haul a small payloader on a tandem trailer with his 1500 Silverado while having it strapped down with (2) 10,000 lb. straps.
He had several misconceptions. He thought the payloader only weighed about 12,000 lbs.
My thoughts are: I have yet to see a payloader that "light" yet. Never haul anything like that without connecting and using trailer brakes. Never use anything less than a 3/4 ton truck for stuff like that. Always use several big chains and load binders and a couple of straps for extra security if you are a rookie.
Ford says they can tow more than Chevy as was stated above because of a box frame. Ford also says you need two Chevies to tow 11,300 lb.
Anyhow they don't know for sure what went wrong first. They went up a very steep drive before getting on the highway. It(payloader) may have slipped back some shifting the load. They heard a hissing noise on the way up. Truck tires were spinning as they crested the steep drive.
At less than 30mph and driving about 1/8 mile on the highway, the trailer came around causing them to do a 360. The trailer flipped, ripped the bumper and hitch off, bent the truck frame, broke the pendle hitch and a trailer tire got flat somehow. A big tree stopped the truck from going down a shallow ravine. The payloader ended up down the (hill) ravine on its side about 15-20 yards down. No body got hurt and it only took two wreckers to pull it out.
My feeling is the truck manufacturer's are pushing too hard to outdue each other while using 1/2 ton trucks. People should be forced to have training before being allowed to pull heavy stuff down the road.
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Tundra Ad misconceptions
Yooper
Yep, I agree! Last week I hauled my wifes town an country van. I have a ext. cab 1500 chevy 4wd. I have a 1K trailer with brakes on all 4 wheels. I would nver consider (safely) hauling something even as light as that, with out brakes. (in the right condition and traffic load I would though)
I haul my TC40 loader and brush hog with thew same truck.
Both of those (the van and the tractor) pull very very nice, infact I commented on how little I could tell I have the van behind me.
On the other hand, I hauled some electric pole a few years ago. They hung out and over the back of the trailer about 6 feet. I beleieve I had 2-3 too many on there too. At 55, it pulled decent but anything faster was very risky. I could of lost it faster than you could shake a toy poodle off your leg! Positioning the load plays a large role in what and how you haul anything.
A payloader???? 1500 chevey??? Cmon, I cant beleive it had any problems!! Ehemmmmmm Do I here a Darwin Nomination?
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Tundra Ad misconceptions
For a few grand more than a Tundra you can get any diesel and the 3/4 ton to boot. Plus fuel mileage is better. I know undras are good but I really think they are over priced for a truck that's a 1/2 ton at best. The big three are at war with diesels and are putting out awsum trucks.
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