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In fact, getting that brand new Tacoma with the manual won’t be easy


There’s some big news in the trucking world, Toyota launched a significantly upgraded Tacoma. The truck looks incredible and with a hybrid engine available, it won’t be too thirsty. Another good news is you can still buy a Taco with three pedalsbut actually scoring a point can be a challenge.

I’ve assisted hundreds of new Toyota buyers, and many of these are factory “ordered” vehicles. But Toyota’s ordering system isn’t like some other brands, and just because you ask for a specific make, model, and transmission doesn’t mean you’ll actually get it.

To explain this correctly, it is best to compare the ordering system of a brand like Jeep with that of Toyota. For example, if you wanted to manually decorate Gladiator Willy, you would configure your Jeep to your liking and send the build to any Jeep dealer. The dealer then sends that request to the factory, and usually, your custom-built Gladitaor arrives in a few months.

Toyota’s system, on the other hand, is not so simple. As an automaker, Toyota prides itself on efficient vehicle manufacturing, and custom orders reduce that efficiency. Over the years, I have talked to several Toyota dealers and even Toyota group representatives about their “ordering” process, and I have received mixed responses. What I’ve put together is an allocation process that works like this.

The Toyota factory will periodically issue an allocation to the dealer. In the case of the Tacoma, the factory will tell the dealer – “You will receive 12 Tacomas.” If a dealer has a customer who wants a particular Tacoma, they tell the factory that they want a certain build and this is where that gets interesting, if that build is in production. scheduled for that round, usually the dealer will usually take the order. However, if someone requests instructions for using the Tacoma TRD Off-Road Double-Cab w/5ft Bed 4×4 in Luna Rock and that combination is not on the schedule, the customer is out of luck until the distribution. The next mod is released, and maybe the perfect truck will be in it. Otherwise, they have to keep waiting until their configuration happens on schedule.

Basically, if you want a Ford, Ram, Jeep, or GM truck, the dealer will tell the factory “Make us one of these” and as long as there’s space available, ask. The request is usually approved. Meanwhile, a Toyota dealer will say to the factory, “Please give me a truck like this,” and the factory responds with “Yes…we will look into that.”

Where things get tougher is that Toyota will schedule the most popular configurations based on previous sales data, so without a lot of manual truck buyers over the past few years, the factory wouldn’t Produce tons of craft trucks. Of course, this can create a cycle where Toyota doesn’t produce because people don’t buy them and people don’t buy them because Toyota doesn’t make much.

Does that mean it’s impossible to get a stick in this next-gen Tacoma? Not at all, but your odds aren’t great. Currently, there are about 1,000 brand new current generation Tacoma for sale out of about 175 listed as manuals. Your 17% chance of getting your three-pedal Taco isn’t bad, but you might want to start talking to your local dealer now to get on that waiting list.


Tom McParland is a contributing writer for Jalopnik and runs AutomatchConsulting.com. He has no trouble buying or renting a car. Have a car buying question? Send it to [email protected]

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