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Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

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Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#61

Post by rootusrootus »

testing22321 wrote: post #5

Because the chicken tax keeps out great vehicles so the US automakers don’t have to compete. The hilux and 79 landcruiser are run of the mill workhorses in virtually every country in the world except the US and Canada. They run rings around the Tacoma and tundra. Tariffs and old world protectionism like the chicken tax are keeping the US automakers on life support, but they’re all doomed - they’re not even trying to…

Explain why, if they are so much better than the Taco and Tundra, we can get the latter here in the US without paying the Chicken Tax?

Toyota manufacturers those trucks in the US. They could manufacture the Hilux here too, but they choose not to. So it seems like the Chicken Tax isn't the actual problem. Toyota seems to think Americans do not want the Hilux, at least not in sufficient quantities to justify bringing it to market.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#62

Post by bluGill »

linkage wrote: post #51
logancbrown wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "protectionism" you cite is due to crash regulation and emissions standards.

This is unadulterated cope. America has 40% more traffic fatalities per km driven than the European Union and has less stringent emissions standards (especially for the Hilux's category, which is actually why giant SUVs became so popular over the years). The US government doesn't even bother with these spurious pretexts anymore. They openly admit that they want to coddle local automakers to ensure that the government…

Irrelevant - they still don't meet our standards.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#63

Post by bwv848 »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #3

> It is also a very robust vehicle capable of withstanding elemental and physical extremities, as shown on the British TV show “Top Gear.”[6] If you haven't ever watched Top Gear, this is definitely one of the standout bits they did - putting that truck through absolute hell, and watching it continue to start up. I highly recommend it, even if you don't think of yourself as a Car Guy. It's basically a comedy show tha…

I don’t doubt how tough the Hilux can be, but Top Gear tended to stage a lot of things. Like they intentionally killed Hammond’s Land Cruiser at the end of the Bolivia special. Plus, they had some pretty damn good mechanics, while Clarkson pretended to fix his cars with a hammer in front of the camera.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#64

Post by rootusrootus »

linkage wrote: post #51
logancbrown wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "protectionism" you cite is due to crash regulation and emissions standards.

This is unadulterated cope. America has 40% more traffic fatalities per km driven than the European Union and has less stringent emissions standards (especially for the Hilux's category, which is actually why giant SUVs became so popular over the years). The US government doesn't even bother with these spurious pretexts anymore. They openly admit that they want to coddle local automakers to ensure that the government…

> coddle local automakers

Are you only including automakers headquartered in the US, or are you also including automakers who have a bunch of factories in the US?

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#65

Post by ericmay »

cosmic_cheese wrote: post #48
taniks1618 wrote: post #2

I wish it was easy and simple to buy the Hilux in America. Many amazing foreign vehicles have been banned or heavily taxed by the Federal Government to prevent competition.

Imagine how much nicer driving around in the suburbs would be if the majority of vehicles were town cars like Honda Fits, mini-mini-vans like Honda Freed, pre-2003 Tacomas, and kei trucks/vans instead of the usual mix of unreasonably tall and boxy crossovers/SUVs and brodozer trucks.

Well I don't think it would be that much different, truthfully. The problem of the suburbs is a matter of layout and zoning, not so much the vehicles used. If you fix the layout and zoning it'll naturally reduce vehicle size.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#66

Post by the__alchemist »

bluGill wrote: post #58
conductr wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is the mounting problem even real? I’ve shot a 50 cal rifle unmounted and I’d venture to say it could be mounted to anything. It’s mainly for ergonomic / accuracy / rapid fire stability and doesn’t need significant structural support. You could probably mount it to an ATV if you wanted to.

Sort of. A truck has a frame that you can drill a hole in and bolt the thing to. Simple and easy. A typical uni-body car is most than strong enough for the weight, but there is likely no place where the sheet metal is strong enough to support the bolt. You can make it work if you want, but it requires a more complex mounting system. (of course a truck has a nice open bed which has other advantages for mounting a gun…

Also, the guy can ride around standing in the back operating the gun; I can't see how that would work in a car.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#67

Post by TitaRusell »

linkage wrote: post #51
logancbrown wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "protectionism" you cite is due to crash regulation and emissions standards.

This is unadulterated cope. America has 40% more traffic fatalities per km driven than the European Union and has less stringent emissions standards (especially for the Hilux's category, which is actually why giant SUVs became so popular over the years). The US government doesn't even bother with these spurious pretexts anymore. They openly admit that they want to coddle local automakers to ensure that the government…

This in itself would not be so bad. After all Korea and Japan supported their auto industry.

But the American car companies are just completely unwilling to make cars that the rest of the world wants to buy.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#68

Post by HNisCIS »

avidiax wrote: post #7

While I don't think it would prevent our troops from having foreign-produced trucks in theater, we can't affordably procure such trucks thanks to the Chicken Tax. I would also guess that giving a DoD contract to Toyota for a truck that may not be registrable in the US would also face institutional resistance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax

Also, because of CAFE standards, the US can't even attempt to create its own competing light trucks as everything needs to be fucking massive to maintain the emission exemptions.

The thinking was it would make cars more efficient but instead everyone just built obscenely large vehicles that were classified as trucks instead of passenger vehicles.

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#69

Post by cma256 »

stinkbeetle wrote: post #59
cma256 wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can tell you precisely why foreign Toyotas (especially certain models) are more reliable that whats typically sold in the US. No electronics and parts which operate based on physics (pressure, gravity, etc). Both of these decisions lend themselves to a simple engine compartment and repairability. In the US, you can buy a five-speed 4runner which is about the simplest engine available on the market. Has all the bene…

The V8 in the 70 series landcruiser uses computer controlled electronic injection. It also has other electronic / electro-mechanical systems like ABS and airbags.

Fair enough!

Re: Toyotas and Terrorists: "Why are ISIS's trucks better than ours?" (2023)

#70

Post by NedF »

avidiax wrote: post #7

While I don't think it would prevent our troops from having foreign-produced trucks in theater, we can't affordably procure such trucks thanks to the Chicken Tax. I would also guess that giving a DoD contract to Toyota for a truck that may not be registrable in the US would also face institutional resistance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax

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