Another New Car Buying - TOYOTA Questions

[woodsltc]

Ditto with the Tacoma, a 2023 with V6. Did it purposely as I NEVER buy 1st or 2nd year of any new design.

My thoughts on new vehicles mirror what Caj said. I bought a 2023 Tacoma this past November for the same reason.....the Toyota V6 is a proven engine, all the "bugs" have been identified and worked out. I don't trust any new design until it has had time to prove itself. Don

 

[Mike0251]

We bought a new 2023 4 Runner Limited last year. Beautiful vehicle in all respects except one area. And I believe this holds true for all the new ones.

Throttle by wire is pitiful, won't get out of it's own way or merge out into traffic safely, seriously.

However we fixed that by me installing a Pedal Commander! Now the truck goes like it is supposed to. Even our salesman suggested this (he did it too). It does not affect the warranty. Wife is thrilled, husband happy lol.

So if and when you test drive, don't be surprised, there is a solution.

 

[Telecaster]

From what I read, turbos will shorten the life of the engine. Losing the Toyota V6 is a tragedy for those who want cars that last 500k miles. but if you only plan to keep the vehicle for 100k it should be ok.

 

[raljr1]

Not a fan of 4 cyl turbos in bigger vehicles. Just sold a BMW X3 with 4 cyl turbo and it was fine. We just bought a Cadillac XT6 and opted for the 6 cylinder.

Another point of interest, the government is forcing EVs down our throats. The dealer told us they had over 60 Lyriqs in stock and GM was paying salesmen a bonus to get them sold.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Not a fan of 4 cyl turbos in bigger vehicles. Just sold a BMW X3 with 4 cyl turbo and it was fine. We just bought a Cadillac XT6 and opted for the 6 cylinder.

Another point of interest, the government is forcing EVs down our throats. The dealer told us they had over 60 Lyriqs in stock and GM was paying salesmen a bonus to get them sold.

How much of a bonus is GM paying to the buyer??

 

[Telecaster]

How much of a bonus is GM paying to the buyer??

LOL

 

[WR Moore]

I double checked the description of a plug in hybrid. While you're driving, the ICE keeps the battery/batteries fully charged. The system demand will tap the battery bank for extra power as necessary. Or, if you're just doodling around town, it does/may run on battery until the charge gets low and the engine will fire up to keep the batteries up or provide extra grunt.

I guess if you're an eco enthusiast, you'll plug your ride in at home to maximize the battery charge when you decide to motivate.

I try to watch F1 racing where the cars are hybrids. While it doesn't happen as often anymore, there are occasions when the car loses power and stops. After a few coached attempts by the race engineers to restart, the driver gets told to shut it down and step clear of the car and NOT BE TOUCHING CAR AND GROUND AT THE SAME TIME! Not reassuring.

If I outlive my current ride, I expect the only thing available will be a hyrid or an EV. That said, if they can put a sequential manual tranny in an F1 car, why can't we get one in OUR hybrids?

 

[LVSteve]

Throttle by wire is pitiful, won't get out of it's own way or merge out into traffic safely, seriously.

However we fixed that by me installing a Pedal Commander! Now the truck goes like it is supposed to. Even our salesman suggested this (he did it too). It does not affect the warranty. Wife is thrilled, husband happy lol.

So if and when you test drive, don't be surprised, there is a solution.

It's funny, but the 4.0 Xterra I owned needed a Pedal Commander type device to moderate the throttle response. It was way too jumpy/non-progressive from the factory, probably to satisfy the American need for an instant shove with a small pedal movement. Every car maker should be required by law to use the Jaguar throttle algorithm, smoooooth.

 

[rockquarry]

We bought a new 2023 4 Runner Limited last year. Beautiful vehicle in all respects except one area. And I believe this holds true for all the new ones.

Throttle by wire is pitiful, won't get out of it's own way or merge out into traffic safely, seriously.

However we fixed that by me installing a Pedal Commander! Now the truck goes like it is supposed to. Even our salesman suggested this (he did it too). It does not affect the warranty. Wife is thrilled, husband happy lol.

So if and when you test drive, don't be surprised, there is a solution.

I've never heard of "throttle by wire" nor do I know what it is. Is this a fairly recent development? I have a 2016 Forerunner that I bought new and have never had any such problem as described. I wonder if mine has this feature?

 

[LVSteve]

I've never heard of "throttle by wire" nor do I know what it is. Is this a fairly recent development? I have a 2016 Forerunner that I bought new and have never had any such problem as described. I wonder if mine has this feature?

Throttle by wire (TBW) has been around for over 20 years. The gas pedal is just operating a potentiometer, the voltage output of which is measured by the engine control unit (ECU). Based on a number of factors programmed into the ECU, a signal is sent to a stepper motor attached to the throttle spindle which does the turning of the spindle. There no direct connection between the throttle pedal and the throttle body. I would guess that your 2016 4Runner has it as my 2005 Xterra certainly had it.

 

[IAM Rand]

Can't go wrong with a Toyota. I have owned a FJ40 (which I wish I still had), a FJ80, and a 2007 Camry Hybrid. The later 2 were donated. Still wish I had them.

An internet Youtube guy I watch is not a turbo fan. He thinks they are good for about 100k +/-. He does like the Toyota though.

I am a big fan of Toyota's Hybrid vehicles after driving the 2007 Camry. Great car and fantastic on gas. I live close to work but still would go 1 month on a tank. Still trying to get my wife to trade in her Subaru Impreza for a new(er) Hybrid Camry. Some of them get 55mph+ in town. Loved the styling and handling. Never had a problem with it in the cold. We did have to get a new battery in 2020 but after 13 years, no biggie.

I am driving the F150 Ecoboost 3.5 and love it. Hoping the guy is wrong about turbos. I am doing everything possible to keep it running in tip top shape. Put a catch can on it hoping that the turbos won't get too dirty.

 

[soFlaNative]

I thought throttle by wire was the cable from the pedal to the carb.

 

[LVSteve]

I thought throttle by wire was the cable from the pedal to the carb.

Only on the walls of ancient Egyptian temples.

 

[Tom S.]

From what I read, turbos will shorten the life of the engine. Losing the Toyota V6 is a tragedy for those who want cars that last 500k miles. but if you only plan to keep the vehicle for 100k it should be ok.

Turbos will shorten the life of an engine IF the engine wasn't designed to be turbocharged. GM recently replaced the V6 in it's midsize truck with the same turbo four cylinder it is using in it's fullsize truck line. The engine puts out a tad over 300 hp and doesn't need to rev like the V6 did. Coupled to a 10 speed transmission, people are surprised at how well it propels the vehicle down the road. And GM designed the engine to be extra beefy, similar to what a diesel engine would be, so it would stand up to the strain. It would only make sense if other manufacturers did the same to their turbo - 4's.

 

[raljr1]

How much of a bonus is GM paying to the buyer??

Not seeing any special from the manufacturer, but all the cars on the dealer website are listed at about 12% below MSRP

 

[Muley Gil]

If Jan advertises it, I would be interested.

 

[LVSteve]

If Jan advertises it, I would be interested.

Down, Tiger!