Prices...buy now or wait?

I buy my tequila from Mexico, not my Toyotas.

 

Yes, but regulations...

 

A question popped up in my mind when I read your comment. How many vehicles are being sold today that are in their 15th/16th year of production, virtually unchanged? I imagine they're out there, I'm just not thinking of any. As you indicate, the longevity of the 4Runner is probably a target that every automaker strives to hit. The longer they can produce a vehicle with few changes, the more they earn on each one sold. That's a good thing. And while I see scattered complaints (not you, just in general) that the 4Runner is 'outdated', it continues to demonstrate its staying power year after year. So to those who do complain about the dated nature of the 4Runner, I say this: give Toyota a meaningful reason to change it.

 

It was my understanding that cafe regs said each manufacturer had to get xx mpg across the board. Toyota has lots of vehicles hitting those marks and the 4R sales just offset that number a bit. So they are free to sell without penalty.

 

Thanks yes. It makes sense if you already designed, all your engineering is paid for, all the equipment to make it is paid for years ago so all the cash from current sales for many years is mostly profit.

I’d be willing to bet the Tahara plant is attributable for a large portion of Toyota profits.

 

100% this. Everything used to produce the 4R has also been fully depreciated by Toyota. This thing is likely one of the highest profit vehicles they have. Dealers know loyalist will trickle in to buy the “last one”. Had the same conversation with my Lexus dealer. They were selling every GX before it hits. Even with the news and release of the new style. Loyalist were upgrading to the last year before they are gone.

OP - buy now. Some dealers around me are offering 2k off sticker. These things are great on depreciation. Buy and move on. Don’t look back.

 

No one said this but buy used. Used prices on many vehicles I follow are falling at a rapid clip. I watch the lx570 market and suddenly we are seeing nice 10 year old trucks selling for $25k. A year ago they were $35k. My wife’s expedition now has a value of $18k. A year ago it was $25k.

Also, if you can, wait another year. Inflation is hammering the consumer. My natural gas bill went up 50% yoy. Electric utility bill up 20% yoy. Groceries up 50% since 2018. Regional banks are reigning in consumer loans. Car insurance is set to rise 25%. I think you will see lots of people offloading their $50k vehicles because they can’t afford em anymore.

 

Possibly, but 4R’s typically hold value pretty well. Also, unless you’re paying cash, the difference between new/used loan rates would make buying new potentially a better deal.

 

This is exactly why I bought new. The price difference was negligible for newish models vs brand new.

Now, there might be more of a price difference if you start looking higher mileage or older 4R's... I mean some are close to 15 years old now.

 

The average MPG they must hit continues to rise each year. The goal posts keep moving hence pressure to keep their fake mpg claims higher.

 

And?

Toyota’s probably the best equipped legacy automaker to hit them since they’ve spread out a competent, reliable hybrid powertrain pretty much across the lineup and they’re doing it well. The Camry Hybrid is beating 50 MPG (EPA test cycle) and the Highlander Hybrid is in the mid-30’s. The country uses less fuel? I’m all for it.

I’d bet half the bellyaching with the moving target is American automakers wanting their dessert first, skimping on competitive smaller “light truck” (see: EcoSport and previous gen Trax) options and A) pinning all their hopes on a couple electric models or B) scrambling to eek out every fraction of an MPG across the board rather than do it right the first time and oops, now I’ve got collapsed lifters!

these targets when being put together move at the speed of government and aren’t a surprise. GM had a solid PHEV powertrain in the Voltec they could have expanded on but ditched it in hopes of riding the pure EV lightning for reasons. but I think Toyota’s measured and steady approach will continue to win out.

 

I couldn’t be happier with my 4Runner purchase and owner experience 5 months later. I really enjoy driving it. Does the gas mileage suck? Yeah but knowing it’s going to be reliable for a very long time offsets that.

 

I don’t worry about the gas. I have a lot of people out there doing carbon offsets for me