Toyota Tundra. A Flop?

[Igottamiya]

I love the Tundra.

Longer chassis and the double cab looks good to me.

I'll be getting one - not at the moment though. Hoping for the dollar/pound situation to improve.

[mongoose1983]

...The Tundra sell just fine in the USA...

You mean the 1:1 truck? I am curious about the selling situation of the Tamiya scale model of the Tundra. So far the only notion one can have is what is happening on eBay. I wonder if there are any numbers for the kit sales in the States? The riders section for the Tundra on TC looks like a Ghost town by now.

[mobias]

The riders section for the Tundra on TC looks like a Ghost town by now.

Does it? There's about 40 or so Tundra owners as far as I can see. not bad for an expensive kit. I wouldn't call that a ghost town. There's a fair amount of Tamiya models that have fewer owners here.

Also as some other people have pointed out TC isn't always indicative of the outside world. I've seen plenty of Tundra's on my visits to other websites.

Because of its size it seems to be highly popular amongs those who enjoy pimping their trucks.

[JYCM3]

You mean the 1:1 truck? I am curious about the selling situation of the Tamiya scale model of the Tundra. So far the only notion one can have is what is happening on eBay. I wonder if there are any numbers for the kit sales in the States? The riders section for the Tundra on TC looks like a Ghost town by now.

JAnderson meant the Tamiya Model not the 1:1. I notice alot of Tamiya Tundra owners are post other sites but not here. Also ebay is not necessary always good indication, there're so many of them. Smart buyers will buy one from

certain online stores or local stores domestically they will end up cheaper than buying on Ebay and pay those epensive shipping rates. Also Tamiya Tundra looks better in person than in the pictures IMO.

[WW-nut]

I enjoy mine

http://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/feature.php?article-id=378

The Tundra sell just fine in the USA

I really like your build, especially as you didn't just follow the instructions and make a standard box art Tundra. Nice clear pictures too.

The UK importer also produces similar articles --> http://www.hobbyco.net/scripts/cgiip.exe/W...p;catSrch=Radio Control&cType=Products&iDataGrpId=278674

Oh, hang on a minute, they don't. Actually they do absolutely nothing, it's even hard finding their website.

[bruiserbuilder]

personally, I believe that Tamiya should have just put the bruiser bed onto the hilux high lift kit rather than molding a complete new tundra body.

[mongoose1983]

personally, I believe that Tamiya should have just put the bruiser bed onto the hilux high lift kit rather than molding a complete new tundra body.

Personally, I believe that Tamiya should have never put another body onto the high-lift chassis rather than the original Ford F-350.

[JAnderson]

You mean the 1:1 truck? I am curious about the selling situation of the Tamiya scale model of the Tundra. So far the only notion one can have is what is happening on eBay. I wonder if there are any numbers for the kit sales in the States? The riders section for the Tundra on TC looks like a Ghost town by now.

I do not work for Toyota, so "How would I know their sales?". Tamiya Toyota Tundra's sell just fine in the USA.

[mongoose1983]

Thanks, JA!

[lee172]

Personally, I believe that Tamiya should have never put another body onto the high-lift chassis rather than the original Ford F-350.

Thank god you dont work for Tamiya.

[mongoose1983]

Thank god you dont work for Tamiya.

Well, I'm happy you don't work for them, either.

[highflyer]

The (1:1) Tundra is a popular truck like the F-series and GMC/Chevy trucks here in the USA. Tamiya may have targeted the North and South American audience with the Tundra, who knows? Would I buy this kit, NO! Personally I would prefer a late model (3500) GMC/Chevy body instead.

my 2 dirty cents

[WillyChang]

Would've loved to see a Chevy Avalanche or Escalade ... but then someone is bound to comment it'll be too small on the chassis like 1/12th scale

[JAnderson]

Well, I'm happy you don't work for them, either.

Me too!

[WW-nut]

The (1:1) Tundra is a popular truck like the F-series and GMC/Chevy trucks here in the USA. Tamiya may have targeted the North and South American audience with the Tundra, who knows? Would I buy this kit, NO! Personally I would prefer a late model (3500) GMC/Chevy body instead.

my 2 dirty cents

Just found this --> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6247479.stm

So the 1:1 Tundra is designed and built in the USA, so Tamiya's smaller version is likely to appeal mainly to the same American market than the rest of the world.

[highflyer]

Just found this --> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6247479.stm

So the 1:1 Tundra is designed and built in the USA, so Tamiya's smaller version is likely to appeal mainly to the same American market than the rest of the world.

Thanks for the link and good post. Like I said, Toyota has targeted Americans.

But the question remains, is the Tundra a FLOP?

[OCD]

Thanks for the link and good post. Like I said, Toyota has targeted Americans.

But the question remains, is the Tundra a FLOP?

Man, I hope so... Maybe then Tamiya will get the message and stop 'targeting' the American market and go back to releasing models that are wanted RC enthusiasts, rather than plumbing contractors.

[highflyer]

Man, I hope so... Maybe then Tamiya will get the message and stop 'targeting' the American market and go back to releasing models that are wanted RC enthusiasts, rather than plumbing contractors.

Speaking of 'targeting' Americans, how is the TRF801 truggy and buggy selling? Not a fair comparison to Tundra sales but I wish to have an answer ..

[OCD]

Speaking of 'targeting' Americans, how is the TRF801 truggy and buggy selling? Not a fair comparison to Tundra sales but I wish to have an answer ..

From what I gather, they're doing well competitively, but who knows what they sell like 'on the street' - The economy hasn't really gotten any better and people just don't have the money to spring for the most expensive kits out there.

I also think it's highly unlikely that Tamiya will ever release their sales figures, so it's anyone's guess as to how successful any of the models have been. Of course now days with the tightly controlled production volumes of any line, it's only really a flop when you produce way more than you will ever sell. Just doesn't happen much anymore.

[mongoose1983]

Just found this --> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6247479.stm

So the 1:1 Tundra is designed and built in the USA, so Tamiya's smaller version is likely to appeal mainly to the same American market than the rest of the world.

Thanks for sharing the link. Very interesting!

[Guest Greg67]

I think the trucks on the high lift chassis are interesting. i don't think the price is worth it. i would rather put the money aside for a 1981 vintage hilux 3spd...which I did .

It's surprising how much people pay for the newer hilux highlift, even when they are used.

Tundra is just ugly I think and not to scale. 350 is OK looking, not to scale, and I'm not much into fords. Basically a ford is a hillbilly truck, lol, I drive one . Hilux looks too odd on the highlift chassis. Doesn;t look like a scale model too much. The vintage hilux does look like a scale model, same with the ford ranger. I'd get a ranger over a f350, even with no 3spd function.

Cool kits people made of all 3 models, but just not that into them, and too expensive. If the kits were half the price they are now, I'd get one though. even if used ones were half the price of a new kit. I'd get one.

Only endearing quality of the highlifts to me is the mfc-02 gimmick, and that gimmick costs nearly as much as the kits.

[Origineelreclamebord]

I think the trucks on the high lift chassis are interesting. i don't think the price is worth it. i would rather put the money aside for a 1981 vintage hilux 3spd...which I did .

It's surprising how much people pay for the newer hilux highlift, even when they are used.

Tundra is just ugly I think and not to scale. 350 is OK looking, not to scale, and I'm not much into fords. Basically a ford is a hillbilly truck, lol, I drive one . Hilux looks too odd on the highlift chassis. Doesn;t look like a scale model too much. The vintage hilux does look like a scale model, same with the ford ranger. I'd get a ranger over a f350, even with no 3spd function.

Cool kits people made of all 3 models, but just not that into them, and too expensive. If the kits were half the price they are now, I'd get one though. even if used ones were half the price of a new kit. I'd get one.

Only endearing quality of the highlifts to me is the mfc-02 gimmick, and that gimmick costs nearly as much as the kits.

Tamiya´s like the 3 Speed are usually modified anyway, so although it might indeed be too expensive, you do get what seems to me should be a good gearbox - the axles are nice (even though I'd make the silver diff covers black) and add a nice rail chassis and you're done!

[Guest Greg67]

Some of the modded ones can be crazy. Still, for 400+ a kit US, with full bearings and paint...that's lot of money, and without a radio. Probably similar how it was for most people to buy one of the original hilux trucks in the 80s.

[TamiyaDan]

.

[Sayer]

Tamiya's effort on the body still reminds me of these:

The tundra just doesn't lend itself to being a 1/10 plastic kit, just my opinion and thats why I don't want one.

That body is fantastic. I'm also not understanding the Tundra hate especially given what it's being compared to.

Man, I hope so... Maybe then Tamiya will get the message and stop 'targeting' the American market and go back to releasing models that are wanted RC enthusiasts, rather than plumbing contractors. wacko.gif

*facepalm* This is completely the wrong tack to take in an argument about the choice of pick-up truck models. None of them are exactly the domain of the upper class.