DOTS: Television Bling Edition! *repost*

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2) 10/04/2020 at 22:29 • Filed to: Dots, TV

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While walking in Atlanta yesterday, I stumbled upon a small film crew who had just finished loading up a VW Type 2 passenger van. Apparently they were with a show called Painting The Town With Eric Dowdle .

It’s a relatively obscure Amazon Prime exclusive where he experiences the culture of a famous town and then paints a piece of folk art to symbolize it. I’ll definitely be watching the Atlanta episode when it drops though this sort of program rarely interests me.

Also, when you’re a very minor celebrity, all of a sudden you don’t need license plates. ‘Murica.

I asked about what role the van plays. It is basically a stage prop as I suspected. It’s a pretty eye catching livery though.

I get the feeling it’s pretty low budget though. It was just Dowdle and some other guys in the van with a Ford Expedition (just barely in frame) loaded up with not all that many equipment cases. Seemed like a lean operation.

I’m pretty sure that’s Eric Dowdle driving in this photo. He wasn’t very good at letting out the clutch. The guy who handed me the pamphlet I’m about to show you had to stand behind the van and hold it to avoid him smashing into the Impala SS parked behind it. I get maybe wanting some extra insurance but it took over a minute for him to pull out into an empty street. It was uphill but not that uphill even with 50 horsepower.

This is the “television bling” I was given. It’s a neat little notebook designed to look like a passport with a picture of many cities he’s visited printed on the pages just like a real one.

So now here’s the other stuff.

I seem to notice many more Trailblazer SSs than Impala SSs. This one was clean though.

I can’t think of a single reason why you’d want to drive a big old military truck through downtown yet this guy is just going for it. And with a trailer nonetheless!

Does anyone want to identify the truck for me? I couldn’t quite read the poster on the side but it has a picture of someone on it.

And finally, a random traffic altercation involving an Accord wagon. The person in the Jeep Commander just barely visible on the right was screaming out the window about these people running a red light. For some reason, the Accord has just wandered out into the intersection and the impatient Escape driver was just trying to run a red but was getting blocked in. It was pretty funny.

Noodles > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/04/2020 at 11:28

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The truck is a modified 5 ton. They came with 3 axles.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Noodles 10/04/2020 at 11:30

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Oh hey, I see that now. They did a third axle delete for ease of use I guess. And looks like the took the opportunity to put larger fuel tanks on it too.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/04/2020 at 12:06

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I’m not surprised that it’s pretty light. Having watched a handful of these lightly scripted travelogue shows, I’d guess that with modern equipment you’re probably looking at 2-3 support people per person on camera and 2-3 suitcase sized Pelican cases worth of equipment, including 1-2 small drones, 8-10   action cameras, 1-2 smaller 4K cameras, and a handful of grip & audio equipment. Hire a minor celebrity with a half-decent concept and you have a travelogue documentary for $15k-25 k an episode . I’m sure this is why Netflix makes so much of their own content - it can be done very cheaply with modern equipment.

Gone are the days when it took an army of support people and super expensive cameras to produce TV-quality programs. Hell, I’d argue that a lot of this stuff massively surpasses the production quality of higher budget TV programming from 15-20 years ago and there were plenty of movies well into this century that have poorer production quality.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 10/04/2020 at 12:25

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Yeah, it is amazing how easy it is to create professional grade content nowadays. They had just two cars, the VW and the Expedition, and none of them were even that full of cases. I estimate 8 people tops. It’s basically a documentary style travelogue so not very budget or equipment intensive. They mentioned they were in Atlanta for an episode so I might want to watch it when it comes out. Not really my kind of program but I’m curious.

With just some good editing software, a go pro, and an external mic, you can surpass the quality of some TV shows from just 20 years ago. It’s incredible. 

They sure chose a crappy time to come though. Atlanta’s homeless population has absolutely exploded. Before COVID, we were leading the nation on that metric but it was largely driven off of charity organizations and volunteer labor and they mostly shut down during the quarantine. It’s all rather sad to see what it has come down to.

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/04/2020 at 12:27

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It’s a good thing they had that American flag there though, otherwise the vehicle could’ve been registered anywhere... or nowhere...

I don’t know why, but the first instinct I had when I saw the wagon was Mercedes. I think my mind blended together an E320 and a M-Class from 2000 in a cacophony of beige.

Nice finds  though! You’ll have to let us know how that Dowdle show is.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 10/04/2020 at 12:34

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So, what, a really boring beige Volvo XC60 lookalike from Germany?

Accord wagons are so uncommon I can’t really fault you for that. They are simultaneously very uncommon yet viscerally mundane. 

I can already tell you I’ll find the Dowdle show to be a bit boring and shallow but it’ll be more interesting when I see so many places I know on-screen.

Haha, yeah, it could have come from basically anywhere if it just had nothing there. Now an American flag earns you a free pass.

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/04/2020 at 12:41

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Hey, my dad had one of those boring SUVs, it’s the car I learned to drive in. And it wasn’t just boring, it was electrically terrible. Every little piece of technology on that car, the sensors the rearview camera the touch display, it all went out to the point where my dad had to go back to the dealership on a weekly basis. Got rid of it and replaced it with the car I drive now. It accelerated pretty quick, and gave me a taste of AWD... I can take it or leave it honestly, but despite how tall it was, the car felt planted.

I think I just saw the bubble rear glass and thought M ercedes. I’m not sure why though, because not a single Mercedes wagon has wrap around glass like that. Could’ve been the taillights too, who’s to say.

Also, I’d imagine you’d be making this face as you watch the show:

Hope it doesn’t lull you to sleep though.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 10/04/2020 at 13:06

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My mom has a FWD turbo I5 Volvo XC90 and it is indeed eclectically terrible. It’s very 2008 base model luxury in the worst ways possible yet it is very comfortable. You just don’t really want to be behind the wheel. For how quirky it is on paper, it’s a very boring car.

So a turbo I5, Swedish designed, near luxury behemoth of a FWD SUV with a rear mounted battery, proper split folding tailgate , unusual interior touches like a flip up child seat, and all I can say about it is that it is peculiarly terrible to drive in every way. Unlike your Volvo XC60, it is not at all fast . 5000 pounds and like 220 hp through some massive front tires is not a recipe for an engaging driving experience. It’s slightly faster than my Cruze but about 1/10 as engaging to drive.

Yeah, IDK why it looked German to you.

That’s actually me whenever I watch anything . Suspension of disbelief is not my strong suit when watching movies and I treat TV shows as an opportunity to pick out everything not true to life, which is most of the run time usually. It’s fun but not to everyone’s taste. I still enjoy them, just perhaps more selectively than most. What’s that photo from?

Noodles > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/04/2020 at 14:01

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I believe it's pretty common to delete the third axle for civilian use. 

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/04/2020 at 15:00

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YIKES! That’s a wimpy amount of power for a car that’s over 2 tons. I don’t know exactly how many horses were under my dad’s hood, but Google tells me it’ s somewhere between 240 and 300, and for 1000 pounds less that would be faster even if it were just FWD. But there is something to be said about being a big, safe vehicle, because even if the XC90 is dull in every way, it’ll kick ass if it ever gets in an accident. And it’s very practical for children it seems, with a big trunk and child seats (my dad’s car had those too).

I’m the worst to watch movies with, especially films of the horror genre. I like to commentate my way through it, make a bunch of lame jokes, all that good stuff (though never in movie theaters, because people who talk in theaters are the spawn of satan) . I recently watched Hereditary and if you’ve never seen it, minor spoiler ahead... or should I say no head because a little girl gets it slammed off by a telephone pole. Gross, bloody imagery, enough to make a grown man queasy, and the first words out of my mouth as if I were programed to say them were “talk about a headache.”

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 10/04/2020 at 15:35

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Wait a minute, I was wrong. It’s a 2005 turbo I5 and with the 5 speed it makes 208 horsepower at 5000 RPM. This one has the 6 speed automatic so it is bound to be less than that. That’s 24 pounds for each horse to lug! And with the terrible FWD launch and tremendous rolling resistance from its brick-like form and huge tires the driving dynamics are terrible.

You’re right about the accident part. You see those beefy plastic bumpers? It has by my count been rear-ended over 5 times, possibly closer to 8 times and it still looks perfect. Pretty much every side of it has been involved in a shunt several times (it has taken out many mailboxes) but you wouldn’t know it. Even though one of those shunts necessitated replacing the front subframe (cue wallets screaming)

Mechanically, it’s not as tough. You simply don’t want to overtax a turbo engine from the 2000s that badly. It’s on its second engine and that engine is on its second turbocharger. The engine would be much more reliable in something like a Volvo C30 and might even make it quick but not in this behemoth.

And for all that it is a profoundly boring car. The XC60 is about as dull but seems like it had an driving dynamic. And none of them are a TSX wagon. 

As for horror movies, I like physiological horror but detest bloody and gory horror. As long as I’m not in a theater I’ll make similar jokes haha. I find great joy in watching really terrible movies too.

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/04/2020 at 17:03

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208? That’s painful dude. M y car has 201 and is a ton lighter (like a literal ton), and that power to weight ratio is mind boggling. I can imagine the C ruz e felt like an upgrade speed wise, b ut to give credit where credit is due, Volvos are built like tanks. I t’s the reason my mother forced my father to get it, though I never dinged and scratched that one even though they thought I would.

In terms of reliability, I only trust the Volvos from the ads that say they’re built to last. Think 80s and 90s, before fancy technologies were slammed into the cars to make them safer and more modern.

These literal blocks of cars, the 240 and the 740, or even the 850, they’re the Volvos I trust. None of the oddball AWD system and preferably no turbos (because that’s just an extra thing to go wrong). Oh how the mighty have fallen...

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 10/04/2020 at 17:21

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Yeah, it has 24 pounds to lug per horse. That’s only 1 better than a Mitsubishi Mirage and that didn’t cost 35k new in 2005 (like 48k now). My Cruze has a nippy 22 pounds per horse but has the handling to make that fun. Like, my car is slow but not s l o w .

But what they don’t tell you is that the real fun comes when you have a really slow but good handling car and a fast and/or torquey car that likes straight lines. Going from my car to my dad’s V8 2002 Tundra TRD is a blast because it’s basically the exact opposite of it in every way. I prefer low seating positions but it skips the intermediary “command seating” for “look upon me and shrink in terror” levels of upright seating high off the ground. It’s a really tall vehicle but from before high beltlines cancelled out the visibility advantage. It’s much less confidence inspiring around a corner but not as bad as you might think even with an unladen bed. I love that truck.

Ever had a chance to really get to know a pickup truck on the road ? This one str addles the line perfectly between modern convenience like power steering, ABS, and cruise control (actually never used it) and old school charm and simplicity. It’s a great truck.

My mom’s car is a frequent visitor to the Volvo specialist shop nearby that’s so good we take our non-Volvos there. They have tons of Swedish bricks of all eras sitting around but the Ford era Volvos preserved the quirky Swedish construction with none of the durability. You really have to have someone who knows these cars inside and out. A regular mechanic would have a hard time even finding the battery on these (it’s under the third row because reasons). 

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/04/2020 at 17:39

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I can totally understand the appeal of plentiful torque and acceleration, and if I ever get a torquey car I’ll certainly have fun gassing it (up to the legal speed limit) from stoplight to stoplight. It’s always fun to mash on the gas and be rewarded with immediate speed.

I think my car does that really well. Whenever I could get away from the Volvo , I drove my moms 2017.5 Nissan Altima solely because I was sick of riding high. That may answer your question in regards to trucks, the only time I drove one was when my cousin helped me with stick in a newer Tacoma (no clue what year it is, but it had a big black plastic grilled and Toyota etched into it). It was high and unusual, though maybe I haven’t spent enough time behind the wheel of tall vehicles to see other cars quiver in my presence . Nothing against trucks though, especially your dad’s smaller truck, I’m sure it’s an absolute hoot!

But to get back to the subject of t orque, my mother’s car was all electronic and fancy and modern (can you tell I’m not a fan of tech), which meant that when you stomped on the pedal, and I mean stomped, the car hesitated to speed up even a little. I’m sure there was a way to turn that off, but I couldn’t figure it out. So the switch to my TSX was night and day, and when I stomp on the gas, the wagon responds almost immediately .

What year/trim is your Cruze, because while it’s slow it might not be much slower than my car (if it’s a 2011 Eco, it may be .1 second faster according to 0-60 times ). I love my car, it’s peppy and fun, but it’s not very powerful (granted, it only has to lug 19 lbs per horse, but that’s still blistering ). It’s responsive, and it handles brilliantly, but the speed isn’t there. However, you’re absolutely right about handling: it’s one thing for a car to drive beautifully at high speeds, but it’s another thing for it to drive beautifully at all speeds.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 10/04/2020 at 18:29

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It is also fun to be able to rev it up at a stop light and go flat out and still be within the speed limit and still be beaten off the line by the driver next to you. The world is your racetrack, legally!

And pickups are fun because there is so little weight on the rear end. Though you mistake the Tundra for a Tacoma. It is a large vehicle in every dimension. Not modern chonky but very large still.

Especially with high gear count automatics, the gearbox sometimes really had to think. I like to use the tiptronic mode to downshift when I want it for acceleration given u really need all the room I can get for top end acceleration.

Mine is a 2012 Cruze LS (base) trim with the 1.8 liter NA 4 pot. Most had the dumpster fire of a 1.4 liter turbo that made the same hp at more RPM and much more torque that got incredible fuel economy. With the 6 speed automatic my car is the slowest possible combination. It handles all speeds and g forces you’d expect in regular driving with ease but actually getting to the higher speeds can take a hot minute. Not in an unpleasant way.

I just love the feel for the road you get with a lower seating position. I usually sit as low as I possible can. You can see the road the same and parking is easier with a low seat and low beltline. Crossover command seating is kinda gimmicky. You actually see WORSE!

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/04/2020 at 19:01

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Oh I know your trucks a Tundra, I was saying my cousin had a manual Tacoma that I drove all of once, just to practice shifting again. And because his truck was newer, and very high, it has the modern chonk that it doesn’t look like your dads Tundra had.

That being said, your car is only a second or two slower than mine, which isn’t terrible since you have around 600 less cubic inches of displacement. And on top of that, you have an extra gear, so even if the 2012 TSX is a tad bit faster, all in all your ride is going to be quieter.

It looks like your Tundra is a 4x4, but I imagine it’s still fairly easy to fling the rear end out and about (I trust you haven’t tried, and you certainly shouldn’t... but if you ever get the chance...). Also, it’s not speeding if you go the speed limit sooo...

I’ve never driven a crossover, so I can’t attest to how good they actually are. I’m sure some are fine, but I get that it’s trying to have its cake and eat it too with command seating.

According to The Stig, the best driving position is to have either your nose or your chin a little higher than the top of the steering wheel (can’t remember which right now) . I think I sit a little higher than that, but it’s a good rule of thumb.

Don’t sit like that guy though, no matter how cool he looks...

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 10/04/2020 at 22:46

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Tacos aren’t too chonk. Fun that it was a manual. I once stalled a 5 speed FWD Jeep Patriot (terrible in every way including clutch feel I’m told) but I didn’t actually drive it.

The first gen Tundra is really easy to see o ut of actually. Even though you’re high up the sightlines to things low down aren’t really that bad at all. In a lot of modern crossovers you don’t get those sightlines to things low down like curbs, small children, bollards, and road markings. So you sometimes actually get worse visibility in the areas where it counts. I’d much rather be able to see the road around me than the dubious advantage of seeing somewhat over the shrinking percentage of people driving lower cars so, what, you can tailgate more? I don’t care for that level of command seating. I didn’t know I was really following a guide but I usually drive exactly in the position you said. Minus gangsta slouch.

The Tundra is indeed a 4x4 but it’s not functionally different than a RWD because you only use it off-road. And I’m not sure the electronic diff lock has ever had to be used. The front driveshaft probably has less than 20 miles travelled out o f the 300k the truck has done.

Pretty sure you forget how slow 9.4 0-60 is. That's with the 1.8 and automatic and I'm shocked it is that fast. What's the TSX do?

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/05/2020 at 09:57

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I don’t know, the Taco looks kinda chonk to me. Though maybe I haven’t been around enough trucks. Basically anything that stands taller than I do is big to me, which means the Tacoma is too.

So i t’s a matter of seeing lines on the road rather than the roofs of cars, and I too would rather be able to see things... T hough I can understand why they call it command seating. Anytime I see roof racks through the windscreen I feel a little more powerful (though it’s veeery rare I’m driving a vehicle tall enough. Chances are I’m riding it it). Glad the Tundra can have it s cake and eat it too, tailgate and have good visibility so you don’t slam into pedestrians cause you couldn’t see them due to your magnum grille.

300k, that’s impressive, though some Toyotas from that era were built to last for sure. Though you say you’ve probably only worked the 4x4 system for 20 miles, were you the one experiencing the Tundra offroad? How’s it handle that kind of terrain?

My TSX does 0-60 in 8 seconds flat which, granted, is faster than your car. But when you put into perspective that SUVs from 2007 with bigger engines have no qualms with blasting past me it can be easy to forget the car has “sport” in the name. I still love driving it, but it’s not fast.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 10/05/2020 at 10:23

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Even small cars can look morbidly obese. It’s down to perceived flabbiness and ratio of window surface to overall visual mass.

But when you have a tall vehicle with a tiny glass surface area it gets real cho nk.

The Taco really has about the same glass to vertical surface area as the Tundra, which is impressive for a modern truck. When you compare it to things like this, it feels refreshin gl y upright and honest.

I too have not spent too much time around trucks. Most of that experience is first gen Tundras/Sequoias, most of which are well on their way to 300k. Those trucks are unkillable with the V8, provided they never come into contact with road salt. That chassis had such catastrophic rust issues Toyota had a full frame replacement recall. Friend of a friend has a friend that supposedly drove one to 500k.

My dad’s has gone 300k with only one major repair after the radiator failed. Add in a few perished rubber bushings that were replaced and the desperate need for a suspension overhaul and that’s still mighty impressive. Though with a V8 and a four speed automatic with overdrive the fuel economy is less than impressive. I have never driven it  across terrain I couldn’t traverse in my car and I can only think of two times the 4x4 has been turned on. Only once was it even justified. I think 20 total miles is a bit high actually. At least the bed and towing capacity is used quite often so there’s that. It tows a trailer so much better than a Ford Ranger.

8 seconds? That’s really not that quick. I would have thought the TSX sportwagon would have gotten the V6 from the Accord across the board. Is yours a 4 cylinder?

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/05/2020 at 10:56

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Idk about your glass to surface ratio equation, I have a Fiat Multipla thats cho nky even with those huge windows:

Though you’re a bsolutely right, the Buick and Nissan both looked a bit bottom heavy. It’s odd, you know when a car looks big, but you can never tell exactly why that is... until now I suppose!

I had a neighbor from way way back in my childhood who drove a Sequoia. Lived in that house for 12 years and, if memory serves, he had the car that entire time (I think it was a 2005, with the minor face lift, so he must’ve just bought it by the time I moved there). He was also a mechanic, ran a shop, worked on German cars... so in short, he was a super genius when it came to cars. Though I never saw him work on his own car at home, maybe he left all the tools at work. Regardless, it was a great car. I clearly remember riding in the trunk of that thing (which wasn’t legal, but very fun).

Yeah, my TSX is a bit disappointing on the power front. It’s stuck with the 2.4L 4cyl and a 5 speed auto (with flappy paddles though), while you can option in the 6 cylinder and a manual for the sedan... rats... I think it would’ve made the car perfect, though I’m sure there’s a way to engine swap the two. After all, the front end is completely identical.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 10/05/2020 at 11:15

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My cousins used to have both a Tundra and a Sequoia, both green and pre facelift. Another friend of mine has a hand me down top trim Sequoia his dad bought brand new. It has just about the most specious third row of a non minivan I’ve ever experienced. The interiors are just cavernous. And they’re good cars too. Seems just about everyone who has one wants to keep it as long as possible for a reason.

If you work on German cars for a living, driving one if the most reliable trucks of the decade is probably quite refreshing.

So the wagon never came with the V6? But, but, but, WEIGHT DANG IT! WHERE’S THE SPO RT?

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/05/2020 at 11:23

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Haha you’re right about being reliable. As his neighbor, my mother would sometimes ask him for advice on car shopping. She ended up getting a Toyota Rav4 because he loved that Sequoia so much, then a Nissan Rogue after that, but never anything German. There’s a reason he ran the shop, but never owned one (at least the fleet I saw him own never did).

I like cars that run for many many miles and after talking with you and viewing a recent RCR video an old Toyota could be good. Though that won’t happen until my wagon goes, which shouldn’t be anytime soon.

The wagon never came with the V6, but it also wasn ’t much heavier than the sedan. Only about 3 00lbs heavier in fact (3400 vs 3695). But it’s no rocketship (though it is a damn good wagon, and it gives some trucks a run for their money on the practicality front).

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 10/05/2020 at 11:57

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viewing a recent RCR video

This one? I’d rather have a previous gen Land Cruiser. The Lexus version of the Land Cruiser Prado made much more sense from a sales perspective simply because it had the style and prestige to back up the price tag. A friend’s mom had one and still has it simply because it’s a suburban bling mobile on the outside, near luxury on the inside, and has the attraction of capability you will never use with the 4x4.

Because the regular Land Cruiser, errr, wait, that’s a Highlander. Hold on.

Yeah, the Land Cr. . . that’s not right either. That’s a Sequoia from after they got chonky. It’s crazy you can still buy this relic from 2008 brand new.

Old Toyotas are rarely exciting though. If you properly maintain it, just about any modern car can get you well over 200k miles. How much money that takes varies wildly depending on the car and the treatment it receives. I look more into signs of how well it has been treated by previous owners.

Though 2000s Toyotas were particularly resistant to poor treatment. My friend bought a circa 2006 4Runner for $400 from a family member because one more northern winter would have compromised its structure. As of right now, it’s rusty enough to not be worth anything but not so rusty you have compromised structure or any holes in the floor. It doesn’t have AC and it is in pretty poor condition (though its life up north spared the interior and paint pretty well) but it has just kept going without any major repairs. The V6 is a bit of a dog though and the four speed transmission doesn’t do it any favors.  

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/05/2020 at 12:20

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Yep, that’s the video, and while I don’t think I need that much car ever in my life, I can admire 300k and 400k on a car, and these unexciting Toyotas of the early 2000s delivered.

I couldn’t help but laugh at your photos though because, fundamentally and aesthetically, they’ re all the same car. Luxurious enough, big enough, and reliable enough. But any car that can withstand the sort of abuse and neglect your friend’s 4Runner did, only to keep on running, earns my stamp of approval no matter how dull it is.

Toyota’ s SUVs and Trucks seem to have a long running reputation for reliability, huh?

Though I don’t know how reliable newer Toyot a Highlanders are... speaking of which, w here in the world can you buy a 2008 Sequoia brand new? And secondly, if given the option, why? By that I mean, why would you buy a brand new car from 2008 when you can buy a new car that’s ... well... newer...

Also, total sidenote, how do they measure the reliability of new cars (2020 models)? They can’t rack up a new car into the 100,000 mile range with a few months of testing, it takes years for cars to become truly reliable... and you won’t know if the new car your buying is until you get to that point, right?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 10/05/2020 at 12:40

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No modern car can quite reach the rugged simplicity of a Toyota pickup/ Hilux like the one Top Gear tortured but the aughts were a sweet spot for the faults of electronic fuel and engine management systems being ironed out but still having enough straight forward mechanical stuff that DIY repairs are feasible.

But would you really want to buy a 12 year old design that hasn’t aged all that well and hasn’t been refreshed significantly since then? And a brand new Sequoia starts at $ 50,000! For context, the 4Runner starts at $36,000, the Highlander at $38,000, and the related T undra at $34 ,000. WUT?

https://www.toyota.com/sequoia/

As for initial reliability, that’s just speculation . JD Powah does satisfaction and reliability surveys that aren’t as useless as people like to say they are. 

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/05/2020 at 12:57

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My god... the Sequoia looks exactly the same. I always thought they were put to rest and all the ones I saw on the roads were just old but for all I know they could be as new as 2020... that’s crazy.

Also I like JD Powaaaaah, but the question isn’t why, it’s how? They are all about owner feedback from the last three years and while that’s great initially, three years can make a big difference .

What we need is a time machine, that way we can go and test the cars after they’ve been driven for 100, 200, 400k miles, then come back and say how long they last. Just like that, I’ve solved every automotive problem.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 10/05/2020 at 13:16

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I think there are quite a few repercussions to using a time machine to determine which cars are labelled as reliable though. Seems like kind of a fringe use for the things too.