Flying the flag...

Sorry, this isn't the 'where to put a flag holder for my truck' thread that you may have been looking for.

No, this line of thought came about whilst perusing a 2022 thread (sssh, don't tell anyone I'm not in the market for one, gimme ten years or so before I start looking for my 22 model...). The topic had swung towards delays at ports and then, just like that, 'Jaxport is the regional port for shipments from Japan...' is mentioned. I didn't understand half the abbreviations used in the post and can't be arsed to spend half the night googling them so I would like to make clear that I don't know if the poster knows Tundras are built in the US or was just throwing that one into the mix to make a point but it got me thinking.

For example, I'm sure we are all aware that Toyota is Japanese but did you know that the Tundra is one of very few pick-ups actually assembled in the US? Or that our trucks contain more US built and produced parts than any other modern truck out there? When I read the aforementioned post I did a bit of a doubletake and had to go make sure that Toyota hadn't shifted production of it's new Tundras to one of it's Asian plants.
Now, I'm sure I'm not the only one of us who has had the occasional snide remark from the, usually older, owner of a big four truck wanting to know why we aren't supporting home industry etc. I don't like getting into set to's with cranky old coffin dodgers and I'm sure my giving them a lecture on my truck's origin and why his spanking new F150 is less 'American' than my 'Japanese' truck because of capitalism and it's reliance on globalism wouldn't go down too well.

Truth be told, when I bought my Tundra the very reason I bought it is because I thought it was built in Japan and, quite frankly, there is good reason why every Tom, Dick and Mehmet's truck of choice in a war zone is a Toyota, albeit a Hi-Lux (great vehicles but that's for another time). In my defence, I was reasonably fresh off the boat when it came to knowing much about vehicles in the US.

So, a couple of questions. Is there anyone out there, under 80 and with a citizenship status marginally longer than my few years, who didn't know that Tundras are assembled in the US?
And secondly, did anyone buy a Tundra specifically because of it's home built pedigree? I mean, it's pretty slim pickings out there unless you want a RAM (it and it falls apart)1500 or a 1950's classic...

And just for the record, I'm a firm believer in supporting my local and national firms... but I'm not going to buy any old shit for the sake of it.

 

Where Are Toyota Tundras Made? (Solved & Explained) (motorandwheels.com)

I agree for the most part, they are assembled here..

Over the years coworkers rag on me about my jap truck, 2005 and 2014 Tundra.
Come to find out their Big 3 trucks were assembled in Mexico or Canada.
But as far as Tundra parts, you forgot about our friends in Canada and how many parts they may provide.

2007 Tundra..



My 2021 Tacoma rental.
Funny how there are fewer USA/Canada parts 15 years later.



As well some parts are made in Mexico.
At least our engines and transmissions are made here.


I wish the catalytic converters were made here, I've been waiting 189 days for mine to be delivered to my dealership, since they were stolen 11/15/2021..

 

I bought my truck because it was made in the US and it's a reliable truck. If I wanted an unreliable truck with lots of baubles, and shinys on it I would have bought a F150. I bought my 4Runner because it was made in Japan. I know it's not going to take a crap on me. I don't like buying vehicles built in Mexico, China, Korea or France. It's about quality of design and build. My preference is the US however.

 

My 1997 4Runner was made in Japan, never had an issue with it in the 8 or so years I had it.

I've owned 11 vehicles in my lifetime.
2 Fords, 3 Chevlolet, 1 GMC, 1 Nissan, 3 Toyotas, 1 Honda

Out of those the best were Toyota, Nissan, and Honda.
Imagine that.

Eventually, those Gen 3 Tundras will grow on me.
When the time comes to let my 2014 Tundra go (5 to 7 years), I can't see buying anything else.
Maybe a Nissan Titan, but they are uglier than the Gen 3 Tundras.

Some will bitch that Tundras are made in the USA by non-union workers.
Even as a 36 year Teamster, I have NO problem with that.
Many union workers are lazy, I'm surrounded by it every day I go to work.
Look at the USPS and the shape it is in, union workers.

I know it's Wiki, but it looks like the 2022 Tacomas are now made in Mexico.
That's a step up for Tundra..

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas - Wikipedia

 

Are you kidding, that's all we do on your forum..

Some of that is just buddies talking shit to each other.
I've never had a stranger on the street talk shit to me because I drive a Tundra.
I actually get compliments on it.

My BIL works for a major highway construction company in DFW.
Part of his benefit is the company pays for his personal/work pickup truck (insurance and fuel), and replaces it every three years.
Tells him he can have any truck he wants, then it goes to an accessory shop for strobes and any add-ons he wants.
Years ago I told him to look into getting a Tundra.
He said the company would frown upon a Japanese vehicle.
I'd bet the tundra is more American than the last 2 Chevy trucks he got...

 

The funny part about the big 3 guys is they wanna rip apart my truck in the areas where it actually is better than theyrs. Wanna talk shit, fine, do it about my payload or fuel mileage, places where they have an advantage... And "jap crap" makes me die laughing, half the time that comes from some fool whos wifes honda has outlasted 3 of theyr trucks.

 

I must admit, that in hindsight, any negative remarks came from extended family members in FL, usually the rural brigade who'd driven x brand of truck all their lives because daddy had. I think Toyotas are more widely accepted here in upstate SC, I certainly see a dang sight more of them here than I recall seeing in FL.

I certainly get far more compliments from strangers although, curiously, there is a common theme among my truck's admirers.
I'd say that I field positive comments on roughly two week intervals, almost entirely coming when she's between her bi-annual wash, off the pavement parked in the nails, splinters and mud indicative of new build homes, from members of the groundwork and framing crews.

 

My first new vehicle was a 1981 Dodge 024 with the Detomaso package. I wanted to buy American made yet sporty. It wasn't long someone keyed the car and left a note that said "Buy American next time."

 

I thought I'd get the best of both worlds. The mostest made American truck (I mean, c'mon....it rolled out of a factory in TEXAS for God's sake!) and the reliability of Toyota. I've owned Dodge, Chevy/GMC and Toyota trucks and by far, the Toyota's have been the most reliable and smoothest driving of them all. I spent as much on my Dodge keeping it on the road across a five year span (transmissions, oil sucking in the intake, dashboards caving in, paint peeling, plastic "chrome" peeling...) than I have spent on repairs for ANY of my Japanese or Korean made cars. All I've done for my Tundra is replace the AC condenser ($875) last month and it has 187k on the odometer. When I retire next month I'll be putting it to serious work driving up and down the beach surf fishing and I won't worry one bit about it....

 

FWIW, I’ve seen many “Good Ole’ Boys and Girls”in the south driving many Toyota’s…especially older ones that have earned their keep….Florida, Alabama, Georgia, etc. …

 

My first vehicle was a Corvair. I hated that car with a passion. It always ran great until I really needed it. I have had 1 Dodge, 1 Plymouth, 3 Chevy trucks, 2 Ford Mustangs, 1 AMC Matador, 1 Datsun 200SX. We have had 3 4Runners. We still have two of the 4Runners, 1 Tundra, a 1997 F250 and an old AMC Jeep. The F250 and the Jeep are going to be sold.

I am older now. I want shit to do what it's supposed to do when I need it to do it. If I work on a vehicle I want it to be because I WANT to work on a vehicle, not because I HAVE to.

 

I’m almost 40 and grew up in a GM family, my grandfather was an Army WW2 veteran and hated the Japanese (Japs) also a retired GM machinist and growing up and into my early 20s I remember calling Toyota/Honda ‘jap crap’ no one with a foreign vehicle was even allowed to park in the driveway. I owned an ‘01 Silverado which was great then after that things went down hill, new ‘05 GMC Canyon crap, new ‘08 Jeep Wrangler crap…then as I aged I learned a lot more about vehicles and bought a new Subaru Impreza, WRX & a BRZ, all Japanese built and great vehicles and now I have my ‘19 Tundra. The only domestic I will ever consider is a new V8 Mustang, anything else Toyota, Honda, Mazda. The Japanese build better vehicles now a days and you get more for your money. I did buy my Tundra because I did my research and these are the best trucks on the market. I was okay with it being built in America but would have preferred a Japanese built truck. The Japanese have better quality, assembly and work ethic in my opinion along with their culture and the way they do things. I did work in a Union assembly shop and wow lots of lazy entitlement there. Do I really want these people making my vehicle, I’d prefer not.

 

My grandfather was also a WWII vet and despite the fact that his service was confined entirely to the European mainland I well remember his dislike of the Japanese for their treatment towards POW's, which he never forgave them for, he'd long made peace with the peoples of the other Axis countries by the time I was old enough to shoot the breeze with him.
For my part, growing up in the 70's the British motorcycle industry was in it's last death throes and the Japanese were coming up with some great machines. Datsun were still knocking around, each one rusting out a bit more whenever you dared to cast a glance at one, and then just like that they were gone, renamed Nissan and that was the turning point, I think they'd learned that people wanted reliable stuff, funnily enough just as the rest of the world was about to embrace the throwaway culture, but they've pretty much stuck to maintaining build quality.. There have been the odd WTF, Honda CG125 motorcycle production relocated to Brazil and it was a pile of poo despite the model's hard won reputation for reliability.
In the UK I once owned a British built Ford (Escort) in the early 90's. It lived up to it's reputation of Fix Or Repair Daily and suffered from the dreaded rust issues and I swore to myself that I'd never buy one again, which was all well and good until some twenty years later I convinced myself that Ford would never sell that kind of crap to its home market and bought a Sport Trac. The chipped 2010 F150 that followed it was nice and comfy, returned better gas mileage but it still needed an eye kept on it (what is it with Ford MAF sensors?) and in retrospect, the drunk a'hole running a red was the best thing that could have happened to it.

 

I'd rather buy a vehicle built in Japan than one built in the US.

 

It wasn’t a deciding factor, but I’m proud that my Tundra was built in Texas, my Sienna in Indiana, and my Camry in Kentucky.

I’ve owned 2 Japanese built Toyotas, and despite what people tell you, I’ve noticed no substantive differences in Japanese and American built Toyotas.

 

Both my Dad and my FiL were WWII Navy vets. My dad pretty much grew out of his bias against Japan but my FiL never did. I think a lot of us Boomers naturally assimilated a lot of the biases and predjudice of our parents.

Thankfully, many or (hopefully) most of us learned to eventually shape our worldviews about people and cultures based on our own life experiences and education.

IMO, much of the remaining bias against "foreign" cars revolves around Union vs. Nonunion rather than where the vehicle is made. "Union made" is often surrogate term for 'American made' it seems to me.

Now if I can just ever figure out why strangers never compliment my vehicles like they do everyone else on the Internet. They ask questions about my kayak all the time but never my trucks.

 

I don't even know where mine's made. Don't even know where to look or how to check.

It's a Toyota, that's all that really influenced my decision to buy.

 

Perhaps the furrowed brow and yelling "no soup for you!" is making you seem difficult to approach.?

Perhaps I should adopt this technique.

 

The VIN on my '07 starts with a 5. Made in the USA. Case closed.

A lot of base model trucks are made in Mexico. Ford, Dodge, Chevy, and Toyota all build trucks and source parts from there. Check the first digit of the VIN.