Well....I finally caved-in and bought a Toyota.

[lloyd3]

We've had pretty good luck with several other Japanese makers (Mazda & Honda) over the years but I could never warm up to the styling on the Toyotas.  Fast forward to last weekend, sitting in a car dealership (for the 1st time in many, many years).

I've needed a full-sized SUV (well, that's what my wife told me we needed anyway) and when I considered the maintenance and repair costs associated with the more modern 4x4 stuff (& some of my now lengthy cross-country trips) I finally settled on the Sequoia. After several months of internet searches for perfection (I would have travelled for the right deal) I actually found one right here in the Denver Metroplex.

One owner, low miles, no accidents 2017 model out of New Mexico (Carfax?) and seemingly well maintained (garaged, and the non-smoking previous owner averaged only 6k miles per year in it). It was the right color (Silver) and it had the preferred interior (Light Grey) so...I bit.  Paid a small premium over what the Bluebook says it's worth but...that's the price of "choice" here.  A trip to Florida or California would have cost all of that, easily.

FWIW...car dealers still suck, as they snuck-in a non-negotiable "dealer service charge" of almost $850, after all of the price negotiations and just before the final paperwork. That would normally have killed the deal for me but we were so-far down the road of their silly processes that my wife & I let it slide. This car is also "Toyota certified pre-owned" (meaning a free 1-year drivetrain warranty for this 9-year old vehicle) which is not commonly encountered and that is of significant value in my mind.

It barely fits in our garage but it seems to be pretty nice. Our first really "fancy" car in a very long time. I just hope that these Toyotas hold up for as long as they are reputed to?

[Kern Dog]

The "right color" is silver ?
Come on, man.....the colors of new cars are SO boring.
Some shade of silver/gray
Black
White.
For a guy with a beautiful classic car, that is a really "mainstream" choice for a car.

[lloyd3]

KD: Sometimes mainstream isn't so bad.

Thank you for the compliment, but dark colors and dark interiors don't age so gracefully out here in the high and dry of Colorado. What I was really looking for is lightly-used but big, sold, and dependable and this one should fit that bill. It'll suck gas mightily so...it won't be for everyday stuff, but when we need to haul family to and from the airport or go shopping on a bad snowy day it'll be perfect.

It'll also be quite "useful" (ie., big, safe, & comfortable) when hauling tons of non-flyable stuff across the country to our little doublewide hunting & fishing camp up in Nowhere, Minnesota.

[Kern Dog]

If you're happy, that is great.
I just find the freeways and parking lots looking so mundane with a sea of white, silver and black cars. The reds, blues and greens really stand out nowadays. 20 years, maybe 30 years ago it was not like this.

[lloyd3]

Took a little road trip in the big Toyota yesterday.

Impressive comfort, quiet and real sense of security (feels very big & solid).  Fit two other rather large-sized men into it without any effort or inconvenience, went to lunch, talked shop, and went home again.  Crossing the country with it this summer with it will be a breeze to pull off, hauling guns, ammo, chainsaws, tools, clothing and foodstuffs this Fall will also be incredibly easy to do.

Will we use it every day(?)...probably not. My old Dodge pickup and my wifes old Volvo S60 will continue to serve nicely in those roles (because this thing really drinks gasoline).  If we ever get an actual winter here someday (nothing so-far this winter) it'll be nice to have another real 4x4 to use. It's not as thirsty as my '68 car but it's not too-far off of that (7mpg versus 12 mpg). 

I am a little surprised by how about badly I was shocked by that.

[Mike DC]

 
I used to be more brand-loyal than I am now.  These days modern stuff is too far removed from my old-car sensibilities.  Different category of machine entirely. 


My extended family has a couple of modern Toyotas.  All decent experiences so far.  No bad ones. 
     

[Kern Dog]

It's not as thirsty as my '68 car but it's not too-far off of that (7mpg versus 12 mpg). 

Holy crap, 7 miles per gallon ? Really?
How is it that I got 11 mpg at freeway speeds with a 440/493 and 3.23 gears?