Why does SE Toyota mess stuff up?

[LandCruiser]

Got to visit Alabama before the quarantine and lockdown and saw one of the XSP 2WD 4Runners with the TRD grille, wheels and tires, predator rails, and some interior baubles.

With the pin stripes--who the hell still pin stripes vehicles--the entire package is 10k over MSRP and comes with ugly ass XSP model designation.

Clearly people are buying these things, but is it so hard for them to sell unmolested vehicles?

Even the relatively "factory" trucks have pin striping on them, and it looks as bad as you can imagine it.

I thought that dealers couldn't make their own model designation without express approval of corporate? Maybe I'm wrong?

 

[Dynamo]

My '19 TRD ORP had the black TRD wheels, black roof rails, and emblem black out package when I bought it. I see a lot of T4R's around like this so I assume it's a Gulf States Toyota port installed package deal similar to what you described. Given the choice I would've picked an unmolested one off the lot but they had to find me a red one so I took it. I've since grown to really like the look and am glad that's what I got but also glad that that's all that was done to it.

To answer your questions, you know why they do it. They sell and are high profit margin items. Same deal with all dealer added stuff (pin stripes, window tint, protection packages, etc). I assume SET and GST have some sort of agreements with Toyota since they kept their distributor status.

 

[LandCruiser]

My '19 TRD ORP had the black TRD wheels, black roof rails, and emblem black out package when I bought it. I see a lot of T4R's around like this so I assume it's a Gulf States Toyota port installed package deal similar to what you described. Given the choice I would've picked an unmolested one off the lot but they had to find me a red one so I took it. I've since grown to really like the look and am glad that's what I got but also glad that that's all that was done to it.

To answer your questions, you know why they do it. They sell and are high profit margin items. Same deal with all dealer added stuff (pin stripes, window tint, protection packages, etc). I assume SET and GST have some sort of agreements with Toyota since they kept their distributor status.

Back when the FJ Cruiser was still around they had the FJ CRAWLER package with an OME lift, ARB bumper (good luck if they matched the bumper to the lift), TRD wheels and 285s for the low low low price of $14,995 over MSRP!

 

[Rapid_Amble]

The SE Toyota region and dealers are weird. Crap window tint, nitrogen in the tires, strange cosmetic packages. . . You have to go to a dealer in another region to get an unmolested Toyota.

 

[LandCruiser]

The SE Toyota region and dealers are weird. Crap window tint, nitrogen in the tires, strange cosmetic packages. . . You have to go to a dealer in another region to get an unmolested Toyota.

I once did an oil change at an Alabama dealer and they told me my tires were low (I keep them at 36) and they need to air them up with Nitrogen (I don't even use that shit in my Porsches) for the low low price of $100.

I told them if any are lower than 36 PSI to use compressed air and they said that "modern performance tires are designed for nitrogen and using room air can cause water to form inside and dry rot them."

 

[mteolus]

I once asked a used car salesman how he sold some of the POS's on his lot. He said "there is an a$$ for every seat".

 

[speedrr411]

At least SE Toyota sells the 4runner with KDSS. But the other packages, protective package, nitrogen, key replacement... is just wrong. I do like the job SE Toyota did on my window tint though.

 

[kelkins]

I once did an oil change at an Alabama dealer and they told me my tires were low (I keep them at 36) and they need to air them up with Nitrogen (I don't even use that shit in my Porsches) for the low low price of $100.

I told them if any are lower than 36 PSI to use compressed air and they said that "modern performance tires are designed for nitrogen and using room air can cause water to form inside and dry rot them."

Where in Alabama? My dealers don’t do anything like that. They do sell a ton of XP packages though. I see at least 2-3 every day.

 

[LandCruiser]

Where in Alabama? My dealers don’t do anything like that. They do sell a ton of XP packages though. I see at least 2-3 every day.

Mobile.

 

[sn_85]

It's a real thing here. I was lucky enough to get one unmolested from Hoover Toyota before I moved to Utah. Now that I'm back in AL I certainly notice just how many of the XP package 4Runners there are on the road. The XSP ones are even worse as they typically have some sort of grill insert and more bling. Certainly makes you wonder why but enough people are buying them out here to justify it. Another thing I notice in general are a lot of bullbars with LED lights on them.

 

[RichinRidgewood]

I found a map of the Toyota regions and I searched the inventory with zip codes from that region.

The Southeast Region -- North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida had a lot of add ons, doo-dads and options.
They also had the light color interior I originally wanted.

The New England Region -- Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island had almost no gee-gaws and options and the best prices. They do not have ANY light colored interior 4Runners. I bought my truck form this region.

 

[T4RUNNER02]

Southeast Toyota is the only (1 of 2) middleman in the Toyota system in the USA. SE Toyota gets about $700 to $900. per vehicle for simply being a middleman. Good to be SE Toyota. The dealers in the Southeast USA cannot stand this because it adds to vehicle cost that dealers outside of Southeast are burdened with.. All options ordered are installed by SE Toyota in Jacksonville. and packages.

 

[02SE]

I once did an oil change at an Alabama dealer and they told me my tires were low (I keep them at 36) and they need to air them up with Nitrogen (I don't even use that shit in my Porsches) for the low low price of $100.

I told them if any are lower than 36 PSI to use compressed air and they said that "modern performance tires are designed for nitrogen and using room air can cause water to form inside and dry rot them."

You should've told the 'genius' you're already using 78% Nitrogen in your tires. Unless the tires were mounted to the wheel in a vacuum (which they weren't), there isn't 100% Nitrogen in the tire anyway.

Apparently SET and GST distributor dealerships, like lots of Dealers, like adding on 'extras' for a hefty ADM (Additional Dealer Markup).

The Dealer I bought my 3rd gen from over 22 years ago, apparently has gone that route. They had their ADM sticker next to the Monroney, with all sorts of crap added. Super special 'paint sealant', tacky pinstripes, VIN etching on glass, etc., etc. I think they'd add undercoating to the floor mats if they thought sucke.. ahem, customers would buy it.

Needless to say they didn't get my business when I bought the 5th gen.

 

[Wolfman’s Brother]

Purchased a CPO ‘14 Trail Premium, and between two dealers in Alabama it took countless phone calls and like 3 trips in before they could even figure out what the warranty was. Another couple of weeks to sort of if it would cover the seat motor that was failing and the rest of the work.

All because of the regional dealer networks supposedly. I think I was told CPO isn’t even a thing down here.

 

[Mudhorn]

Alabama...that is your first problem.

No hate, I’m in Lower Alabama (FL panhandle).

 

[00Sebby]

At least in the SE network they order them with sliding cargo deck. It takes a miracle to get one with that option up here in Tennessee. And since no miracle happened I'm gonna have to find someone who would like to sell theirs.

 

[david05111]

Mine was a SE Toyota truck. And yeah, they made me pay some exorbitant amount for the stupid nitrogen, key plan, tint, and mats (thought they already came with the truck?). But they made it up to me by taking a bunch off sticker.

I wouldn't have paid it if it wasn't exactly what I was looking for

 

[T4R2014]

Can confirm SET has been pulling this crap for years. They tried to sell my dad some Enkei wheels in 1996.

 

[Sky]

I read somewhere along the lines of Toyota themselves aren't really pleased with the way SET operates and in fact tried to buy them out- but IIRC they had some iron clad agreement where they could tell Toyota no.

I knew SET were jackasses when they stuck $73 worth of Apple phone cords on my sticker-I don't even own anything Apple.

I also do not like their crappy workmanship on some of the installed items- the lights under the doors have exposed wiring stretched tight- just begging to get ripped out if you ever drive through any brush. Can't even tuck them up out of the way better because they stretched them tight.

I was also concerned to see a bunch of POS Scotchlok type connectors on the remote start crap under the dash.

I'm old and this will probably be my last new car ever- If I had it to do over I'd hunt one down where they didn't do all this crap and drive it back home- from anywhere in the USA.

 

[m0ondogy]

I'm the clear outlier, but I like the XP 4Runner.

It comes stock with all the cosmetic stuff I would ever really want to do. Its ~95% a daily driver and the rest is simple overlanding down a rutted road at job sites.

I understand its silly expensive for what you get, but the time/effort savings are more than worth it, imo.

Judging from the amount on the road in the Gulf states says that's the same for others too.