Damn you everywhere else but USA!!!!
- Thread starter Sjconnor
- Start date
voodoojk
Adventurer
yeah i love that rig...:Wow1::wings: pretty much what i would build also. If my MGM tacoma bed ever needs replaced im building that ute bed for it!
As for a 1 ton from the big 3...well if you want a fullsize truck then sure. But im pretty sure those of us who like the 70 series dont really want one. I cant see myself climbing a switch back in colorado in a f-250 superduty on a shelf road.
As for a 1 ton from the big 3...well if you want a fullsize truck then sure. But im pretty sure those of us who like the 70 series dont really want one. I cant see myself climbing a switch back in colorado in a f-250 superduty on a shelf road.
Toiyabe
Adventurer
That article is bizarrely inaccurate.
The 70 series is still very much in production in other parts of the world, like South Africa.
http://www.toyota.co.za/ranges/land-cruiser-78
http://www.toyota.co.za/ranges/land-cruiser-76
http://www.toyota.co.za/ranges/land-cruiser-79-sc
http://www.toyota.co.za/ranges/land-cruiser-79
As well as Australia, New Zealand, etc...
I think it's being released as a special model in Japan for one year as a 30th anniversary...
The 70 series is still very much in production in other parts of the world, like South Africa.
http://www.toyota.co.za/ranges/land-cruiser-78
http://www.toyota.co.za/ranges/land-cruiser-76
http://www.toyota.co.za/ranges/land-cruiser-79-sc
http://www.toyota.co.za/ranges/land-cruiser-79
As well as Australia, New Zealand, etc...
I think it's being released as a special model in Japan for one year as a 30th anniversary...
I like 70 series and wish that I had one for home, maybe just for the fact that we don't have them in the states. We used the 70 series in Iraq, mostly in B6 level armor. We also had 100 and then 200 series Cruisers, again mostly armored. I did see a few armored Hilux as well. I wouldn't have known the Hilux was armored, but the gun ports in the tinted windows gave it away. The 70's look more natural with armor than the 200's. The inside didn't need to be butchered as much.
The work horse of NTV's being used by western forces was definitely the F250. We had armored F250s for QRF and escort missions. The US bases were full of soft sided F250s being used by contractors and military alike. ISIS is using the F250 because we left them in Iraq when we pulled out. We saw very few, if any, American pickups when we arrived in Iraq. All of the soft sided F250s were turned over to the Govt of Iraq during the draw down. The only NTVs that we sent to Afghanistan during the draw down were specialty vehicles, like P19 fire trucks, ambulances, and ARFF equipment.
The work horse of NTV's being used by western forces was definitely the F250. We had armored F250s for QRF and escort missions. The US bases were full of soft sided F250s being used by contractors and military alike. ISIS is using the F250 because we left them in Iraq when we pulled out. We saw very few, if any, American pickups when we arrived in Iraq. All of the soft sided F250s were turned over to the Govt of Iraq during the draw down. The only NTVs that we sent to Afghanistan during the draw down were specialty vehicles, like P19 fire trucks, ambulances, and ARFF equipment.
Viggen
Just here...
So many not reading. It is for Japan only.
Toiyabe
Adventurer
I read it just fine.
This is what it says:
Which is demonstrably untrue.
That very specific limited edition model is being released in Japan, but the 70 is, in fact, available in many other countries.
Now, it may just be written very poorly ..
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
It's also written poorly because it makes it sound like the reason the 70 isn't imported is because of emissions or safety regulations. That's not correct - the reason it's not sold here is because Toyota couldn't make money selling it so they have no financial incentive to make a US Spec version. Toyota is in business to make money, and spending millions to import a vehicle that will only appeal to a microscopic fringe of the market isn't a good way to do that.
Arktikos
Explorer
Hard to believe that there are more old school 4x4 fanatics in Japan than there are in the US. These basic, heavy duty 70 series trucks just reek of durability and machismo. What better place to sell them than the land of Rambo? Just look at how many piece of crap Humvees have been sold here.
I think they'd consider sharing the one year release with us if it were easy enough to do it. These trucks will have airbags and ABS, and although Japan also has stringent safety and emissions standards, they're not quite the same as ours. So, it would take more effort and money to get them set up to US spec, as you suggest. That's giving Toyota the benefit of the doubt, I guess. A cynical way to look at it would be that they're pandering to their fellow citizens while ignoring us.
twotwentyswift
New member
4Rescue
Expedition Leader
Yeah... The JDM has certainly been very "selfish" with all kinds of vehicles in the past, esp. performance cars, but the 70-series IS available most everywhere but N.America and I'm not sure what's "different" about this 70 compared to the others...
The USDM is a strange market indeed, and I feel like we have a LOT of lazy and poorly equipped/trained drivers on our roads for whom the "modern" trimmings in cars are not a good idea (IMO it should be illegal to update your "Facebook status" from your drivers seat or your car in general and I'm not sure what purpose - aside from I guess tracking your movements and potential advertising - TV's/internet connections serve in cars besides massive distractions, and I'm not talking about Mini-vans with a TV for the kids...). Cell phones are bad enough, but lots of modern cars are more like my living room then a place to DRIVE from. Comfort is one thing, that dangerous junk is another.
Unfortunately the USDM's "certification process" for the DOT/EPA is also very costly/prohibitive to many foreign company's and it's more of a Corporate-protectionist TAX then anything done out of concern for driver safety/the environment (or they wouldn't put TV's in front of drivers in the first place or exclude 'certain vehciles" that they know aren't being used as commercial vehicles from emissions testing). Sadly for some of us, Toyota (and many others) can't see the cost benefit in paying for all the BS and then having to charge $50K+ for a somewhat bare-bones, fairly rudimentary truck/4wd, esp. with some US consumers obsession giant POS SUV's/trucks regardless of their actual needs in a vehicle. I understand the "why", but I do think it's funny/sad how some US consumers have paid exorbitant prices for a chincy, poorly made H2, Cadillac Escalade or a Lincon Navigator etc. (or whatever the hip thing is now) cause it "looks nice" but they won't even consider buying a vehicle that's MADE well and will last them many many years just because it doesn't have the requisite TV's and "gee-gaws" everyone thinks they "need"
. That alone says more about the USDM then anything I think... And it's not a "good" something.Having owned a 70-series in Australia, I can honestly say that along with the Patrol and Glandewagen 461, they are hands down some of the best trucks on the planet, and the smaller size sure never seemed to slow down the tradesmen in Australia, and those folks work/live out of their trucks in a way that less and less USDM FS truck drivers do anymore. For every FS truck driver that actually uses his truck, I see ten more who just bought it cause it's "compensating" for something with it's 12' lift and 20" rims/low-profile Mud-tires that have never seen dirt not to mention the "Soccer-mom + one kid + Starbucks + FS GM SUV phenomenon" I have to deal with on the roads every day.
Toiyabe
Adventurer
Yeah... The JDM has certainly been very "selfish" with all kinds of vehicles in the past, esp. performance cars, but the 70-series IS available most everywhere but N.America and I'm not sure what's "different" about this 70 compared to the others...
The USDM is a strange market indeed, and I feel like we have a LOT of lazy and poorly equipped/trained drivers on our roads for whom the "modern" trimmings in cars are not a good idea (IMO it should be illegal to update your "Facebook status" from your drivers seat or your car in general and I'm not sure what purpose - aside from I guess tracking your movements and potential advertising - TV's/internet connections serve in cars besides massive distractions, and I'm not talking about Mini-vans with a TV for the kids...). Cell phones are bad enough, but lots of modern cars are more like my living room then a place to DRIVE from. Comfort is one thing, that dangerous junk is another.
Unfortunately the USDM's "certification process" for the DOT/EPA is also very costly/prohibitive to many foreign company's and it's more of a Corporate-protectionist TAX then anything done out of concern for driver safety/the environment (or they wouldn't put TV's in front of drivers in the first place or exclude 'certain vehciles" that they know aren't being used as commercial vehicles from emissions testing). Sadly for some of us, Toyota (and many others) can't see the cost benefit in paying for all the BS and then having to charge $50K+ for a somewhat bare-bones, fairly rudimentary truck/4wd, esp. with some US consumers obsession giant POS SUV's/trucks regardless of their actual needs in a vehicle. I understand the "why", but I do think it's funny/sad how some US consumers have paid exorbitant prices for a chincy, poorly made H2, Cadillac Escalade or a Lincon Navigator etc. (or whatever the hip thing is now) cause it "looks nice" but they won't even consider buying a vehicle that's MADE well and will last them many many years just because it doesn't have the requisite TV's and "gee-gaws" everyone thinks they "need"
Having owned a 70-series in Australia, I can honestly say that along with the Patrol and Glandewagen 461, they are hands down some of the best trucks on the planet, and the smaller size sure never seemed to slow down the tradesmen in Australia, and those folks work/live out of their trucks in a way that less and less USDM FS truck drivers do anymore. For every FS truck driver that actually uses his truck, I see ten more who just bought it cause it's "compensating" for something with it's 12' lift and 20" rims/low-profile Mud-tires that have never seen dirt not to mention the "Soccer-mom + one kid + Starbucks + FS GM SUV phenomenon" I have to deal with on the roads every day.
But why would it have to be $50k?
Let's not kid ourselves Toyota doesn't bring it here because of draconian EPA/DOT regulations, but because they don't think it will sell well enough to justify the cost of bringing to market.
There are-and have been-cheap imported light trucks, especially as emissions and safety regulations are less strict than automobiles, but it just isn't worth it in their eyes.
There's got to be a reason no one, including the big three, makes a Jeep competitor....
Also to put it out there 70 series here in australia are very expensive, in the us I would expect them to be more expensive than the full size trucks, given the choice between a full size truck with cheap parts available or a 70 series I jnow which one id be getting. Most tradies and business I know of dont use one because there are cheaper options just as reliable which are cheaper to run and more comfortable. My guess is the mining industry is the reason they are still in production because there is not much competition to it. Solid axle front and rear, high load capacity and easily modified for a roll cage. But even they use a lot of other vehicles now such as hiluxes, navaras etc for places the dont need the capability. Id also like to point out they arent unbreakable as people like to make it look. They are well built and are reliable im not debating that but they still break down and I wouldnt say they are much more reliable than any other well built vehicle.
As above grass is always greener. Id love cheap jeep parts and an lj and being able to buy a cheap truck with a huge towing capacity would be awesome. id like an ultra 4 buggy too well im at it.
Also on the topic of price products in australia are worth a lot more than in the US even after the exhange rate. So they can sell a 70 series here for say $70k aud (a guess) and make however much profit. This would transfer to maybe $65k usd but domestic trucks might be worth $50k usd with a higher capacity more luxuries. Given the choice 95% would go buy a domestic truck. To sell them they would have to be priced equivelant or probably less than these trucks which would not be profitable. As an example chev silverados converted to aus spec costs $100k or more.
As above grass is always greener. Id love cheap jeep parts and an lj and being able to buy a cheap truck with a huge towing capacity would be awesome. id like an ultra 4 buggy too well im at it.
Also on the topic of price products in australia are worth a lot more than in the US even after the exhange rate. So they can sell a 70 series here for say $70k aud (a guess) and make however much profit. This would transfer to maybe $65k usd but domestic trucks might be worth $50k usd with a higher capacity more luxuries. Given the choice 95% would go buy a domestic truck. To sell them they would have to be priced equivelant or probably less than these trucks which would not be profitable. As an example chev silverados converted to aus spec costs $100k or more.
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