For Fellow 70-Series Lovers

[XXXpedition]

we made friends with those guys in morocco....

very nice setup!

 

[Zorro]

Toyota should at least offer those truck through specialtly channel, commercial equipement dealers and such. Sell 1-2 trim and let the dealer accessories them. I know they will be expensive but at least available. I'm sure they would sell a couple hundred per year at least in Canada, imagine in the usa.

There you go, right here in Québec, parking lot full of them, unfortunately no ABS, no air bag, so not road worthy, they are mine truck you cannot get them on the road.

Whoa! Where is that? Do they still have some in the parking lot? How much were they? I wanna go and check them out!

 

[Zorro]

Though surely not as profitable a market, I don't buy the argument that it isn't "worth it." I think that is a subjective stance.

If you were a grocery store and only made 1% profit on jelly and 50% on peanut butter, would you simply decide to not sell jelly?

Let me point out several mistakes in your analogy.

#1 - Everyone likes jelly. Only a few demented idiots like us love the Land Cruiser

#2 - the LC isn't complementary to anything. It's not even a necessity, it's a toy, a third+ car.

#3 - you don't make 1% profit, you make minus a lot.
You see, the LC needs to be certified by the DOT and the engine must be certified by EPA, CARB and whatnot. That process costs tens of millions. The 30mil figure isn't an uncommon one.
Now spend that amount, plus yearly marketing and network expenses (all dealers will need the specialty tools and knowledge to work on a diesel LC) ... for a low volume niche vehicle. Hardly a wise decision, as much as I/we hate it.

 

[BiG BoB]

Let me point out several mistakes in your analogy.

#1 - Everyone likes jelly. Only a few demented idiots like us love the Land Cruiser

#2 - the LC isn't complementary to anything. It's not even a necessity, it's a toy, a third+ car.

#3 - you don't make 1% profit, you make minus a lot.
You see, the LC needs to be certified by the DOT and the engine must be certified by EPA, CARB and whatnot. That process costs tens of millions. The 30mil figure isn't an uncommon one.
Now spend that amount, plus yearly marketing and network expenses (all dealers will need the specialty tools and knowledge to work on a diesel LC) ... for a low volume niche vehicle. Hardly a wise decision, as much as I/we hate it.

Yeah here in Aust it's different...

1# If you don't own a Landcruiser you know plenty who do

2#Plenty of these as daily drive vehicles, see mums dropping kids off at school in troopys. A lot of tradesmen use traybacks instead of I assume an F truck or similair in the states.

3# Don't know the in's and outs, but the new V8 diesel was introduced to meet emission requirments

 

[Rallyroo]

You see, the LC needs to be certified by the DOT and the engine must be certified by EPA, CARB and whatnot. That process costs tens of millions. The 30mil figure isn't an uncommon one.
Now spend that amount, plus yearly marketing and network expenses (all dealers will need the specialty tools and knowledge to work on a diesel LC) ... for a low volume niche vehicle. Hardly a wise decision, as much as I/we hate it.

Toyota North America should of spent the money on getting the 70 series up to DOT, EPA, CARB spec instead of spending the money on making the FJ Cruiser.

 

[4Rescue]

Toyota North America should of spent the money on getting the 70 series up to DOT, EPA, CARB spec instead of spending the money on making the FJ Cruiser.

ZING!!!!!!!!


Oh and I completely agree with you.

Cheers

Dave

 

[eleblanc]

Whoa! Where is that? Do they still have some in the parking lot? How much were they? I wanna go and check them out!

Accès Industriel Rouyn-Noranda, Québec

Picture from this thread

http://forum.ih8mud.com/diesel-tech-24-volts-systems/269985-vdj79-canadian-soil.html

 

[Aggie]

Let me point out several mistakes in your analogy.

#1 - Everyone likes jelly. Only a few demented idiots like us love the Land Cruiser

#2 - the LC isn't complementary to anything. It's not even a necessity, it's a toy, a third+ car.

#3 - you don't make 1% profit, you make minus a lot.
You see, the LC needs to be certified by the DOT and the engine must be certified by EPA, CARB and whatnot. That process costs tens of millions. The 30mil figure isn't an uncommon one.
Now spend that amount, plus yearly marketing and network expenses (all dealers will need the specialty tools and knowledge to work on a diesel LC) ... for a low volume niche vehicle. Hardly a wise decision, as much as I/we hate it.

Sure but with their recent push to make the Tundra compete in the full size market the Toyota Diesel engine will have to make it's way to America. That would almost eliminate the problem you outlined at the end of you , now if we can just convince Toyota Number 2 and 3 aren't that big of a deal...

 

[expo80]

Toyota North America should of spent the money on getting the 70 series up to DOT, EPA, CARB spec instead of spending the money on making the FJ Cruiser.

That my friend is the smartest thing i have read in a while:ylsmoke:

 

[Martinjmpr]

Toyota North America should of spent the money on getting the 70 series up to DOT, EPA, CARB spec instead of spending the money on making the FJ Cruiser.

Yes, Toyota could have spent money getting the 70-series up to US spec.

Or they could have just taken those millions of dollars, put them into a big pile and set it on fire. From Toyota's standpoint it would have been the same thing because no way would they sell enough to offset the cost.

I don't know if Toyota's making money off the FJC or not, but I do see a lot of them around. In Moab last month they were everywhere.

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

I don't know if Toyota's making money off the FJC or not, but I do see a lot of them around. In Moab last month they were everywhere.

Last year for FJC is 2010 if it gets that far. Also heard tons are up for sale as they have poor visibility, poor fuel economy and rear door spare tire carrier hinges are too week for the weight some people put on them with bigger tires, fuel carriers, hi-lifts, etc. Recently heard efforts are going toward the 4Runner rather than another cruiser. Looks like 80s are heading that way as well so it maybe be 100s only and heard they are not doing well either.

Where have all the 70s gone, down to Australia....etc.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Last year for FJC is 2010 if it gets that far. Also heard tons are up for sale as they have poor visibility, poor fuel economy and rear door spare tire carrier hinges are too week for the weight some people put on them with bigger tires, fuel carriers, hi-lifts, etc. Recently heard efforts are going toward the 4Runner rather than another cruiser. Looks like 80s are heading that way as well so it maybe be 100s only and heard they are not doing well either.

Where have all the 70s gone, down to Australia....etc.

I never could figure out why Toyota had to offer so many SUVs. Seemed to me they were competing against themselves, especially with the likes of the newer, longer RAV-4 and the Highlander which now fill the same niche, FJC vs. 4runner, LC vs Sequoia, etc.

 

[Zorro]

Sure but with their recent push to make the Tundra compete in the full size market the Toyota Diesel engine will have to make it's way to America. That would almost eliminate the problem you outlined at the end of you , now if we can just convince Toyota Number 2 and 3 aren't that big of a deal...

Easy, we spam info@toyota.com with "we want a 70!" emails!
Can you imagine? "oh my god, we received 11,512,928 emails of lunatics who want a 70 series ... call Japan right now!" :victory:

They're probably stuck in a marketing catch-22. "Oh, no one buys basic stripped hardcore SUVs anymore, there isn't a market for it" ... welllllll maybe that's because there are none to buy in the first place! I'm sure someone will lighten up eventually.

As much as I like to call myself/ourselves lunatics or crazy for liking the 70 ... I'm sure it would be insanely popular if priced and marketed right. A lot of people are sensitive to the heritage, plus the hardcore side appeals to many. If you could have an LC at an FJ Cruiser price point ... hotcakes. Not sure that's realistic though ...

 

[Aggie]

Easy, we spam info@toyota.com with "we want a 70!" emails!
Can you imagine? "oh my god, we received 11,512,928 emails of lunatics who want a 70 series ... call Japan right now!" :victory:

They're probably stuck in a marketing catch-22. "Oh, no one buys basic stripped hardcore SUVs anymore, there isn't a market for it" ... welllllll maybe that's because there are none to buy in the first place! I'm sure someone will lighten up eventually.

As much as I like to call myself/ourselves lunatics or crazy for liking the 70 ... I'm sure it would be insanely popular if priced and marketed right. A lot of people are sensitive to the heritage, plus the hardcore side appeals to many. If you could have an LC at an FJ Cruiser price point ... hotcakes. Not sure that's realistic though ...

A stripped down tray back should be Very VERY close to that price point.

 

[ckkone]

Somebody should import this, 1984 so it's more than 25yrs. old....

http://www.tradingpost.com.au/Autom...SUVs/AdNumber=W481055773092?BackToResult=true