I have 2 family members who work at Toyota dealerships - my mom working at 2 different dealerships for over a decade combined. My family is a Toyota family as a result. My brother, who deals with customers daily as a lot boy, and sometimes drives a customer shuttle , always tells me about his dealings with customers. One of the things that stands out in my mind from talking to him about his daily customer relations, as well as other people I know who own Toyotas, is this sort of fanatiscism - a Toyota "-ism," that seems to be prevalent. My brother says it seems to be especially noticeable amongst the 4runner and 1/4 ton/compact (IE Tacoma, 3rd gen, etc) truck owners he deals with, but it is also obviously very common in Toyota car owners as well (there's gotta be a reason why the Camry is the number one selling car in North America!). I have been bitten by this bug heavily and I seem to forecast a healthy objective fanatiscism on the other boards I choose to partake in on the 'net.

My next vehicle will be a '92 to '95 Toyota Ext'd cab 4x4 3rd Gen Pickup. I am not sure whether to get the 3.0 liter or the 22RE. I like the many stories surrounding the durability of the 22RE - it's legendary in my mind - and I'm not one who cares for beating anyone off the line so I'm leaning towards it right now being someone who looks forward to long drives up north for fishing trips - but I know the head gasket "issues" with the 3.0 liter are more of an ancient myth now a days as I believe firmly that Toyota fixed the head gasket problem with the recall (some people needed 2 fixes) and the 3.0 liter from what I've seen/been exposed to is every bit as durable as the 22RE, aside from it's gas loving tendancies if not maintained, and it has reasonable low end Torque. And my uncles expierience seems to compliment what I just said. He owns a '95 Toyota Ext'd cab 4x4 3.0 liter V6 in Grey which currently has 270,000 Miles/430,000 KM's on it. This truck was the last of 2500 trucks of this model ever built (the last 2500 ever built in Japan for the North America market - after that the Tacoma entered the market). This is significant b/c those last 2500 built of the 3rd Gen had the right head gasket. My uncle never expierienced the supposed problem that the recall fixed. And as a result he's only needed 1 clutch and 1 engine rebuild (his rebuilt engine is going STRONG and SMOOTH right now - rebuilt by a good 2nd year apprentice mechanic at Toyota) and just regular maintenance to keep his truck going as well as it is today. The thing about my uncles truck that especially impresses/influences me into deciding on this gen as my next vehicle, is that he uses his truck as a truck. He has been a faller/logger for many years with his own company in the Interior or British Columbia. He has winter tires on it 6 monthes of the year and getting out to put chains on is something he's familiar with. He is also a hunter/fisherman as well. So suffice to say his hubs are locked and his 4wd shifter is warmed by his palms fairly consistently and regularly in his ventures to work sites and hunting/fishing haunts.

And I see this fanatiscism is very prevalent on this discussion board. There is more talk of mods and upgrades than any other discussion board I've ever visited - telling me that people LOVE their Toyota's and would rather mod/upgrade or fix them then change, and discussions about which vehicle to buy involve buying a 4runner or truck, or changing from a 4runner or truck, to another 4runner or truck and rarely of other brands. I'm sure there are other manufacturers with just as many fanatics, but, I think Toyota builds a special brand of Toyota-"ists," and this site seems to really help garner and mature this enthusiasm to the many enthusiasts we hear from every day in the various postings we see. I'm really happy to be a part of this discussion board.

Are you a Toyota-"ist?"

Tell us about your expierience.

 

I've owned 2 trucks so far... was stupid and sold the first one (93 4wd), was forcibly relieved of the second one (92 4wd) by some moron Taurus driver, and have a 3rd one on order, should be here in 4 weeks!

 

Never liked imports. Hated anything that wasn't built by GM.
Thought everyone with an import was a trader. That is until
I was offered a job at a Toyota dealership right out of college.
Completely changed my attitude and way of thinking. I spent my
first year in disbelief that these vehicles could be this nice,
reliable, and easy to work on. I just bought a 97 4Runner which
is my first Toyota. Not because I didn't want one before, but this
one just presented itself at the right time like I was meant to have
it. I started that job 7 years ago and I'm still at the same place.

Toyota Rocks!

 

I was really against all foreign autos as well, until I had my honda. I realized that japanese products were simply made better than most. Then when I got my 4Runner, I dont think I will ever change to a different kind of car. I love toyota, and I get to brag to my friends about it having 120,000 miles and never being in the shop unless i put it in there from abuse. The only other auto that I will own would be a Lexus, but who makes lexus again... thats right...

 

Since I have been alive(21 years) my parents and myself have had the following toyotas:

Mom:

82 Celica
86 4Runner Turbo
94 4Runner
98 4Runner
98 ES300
00 RX300

Dad:

84 Longbed
92 Ex cab
96 Taco Ex cab
97 T100 SR5
02 Tundra SR5 TRD

Me:

86 Pickup
91 4Runner
99 Taco TRD



All the trucks were 4x4. Hopefully I can add one to my list soon.

 

hmm, with all the toyotas i have owned, i probably should have set up a used car dealership!

87 corolla
91 corolla
94 corolla wagon
93 mr2 turbo
86 4runner (soon to be parts supply truck )
89 4runner ( ditto )
93 4runner (current)

hopefully, the 93 will last for quite a while. learning from the people here on how to make sure it does!

lee