James hadn't told me about the Ford sticker on our 2007 Toyota Tundra, nor had I seen his blog entry. I drove around for two days before noticing the sticker on the rear tailgate while refueling. I felt a bit like a kid who finally finds the "kick me" sticker taped to his backpack. Not offended, mind you, as I like the F-150...
But there's just some things you just don't do: never mess with a man's truck. I peeled the thing straight off and wadded it up. Sorry, James.
About 100 miles further down the road, after bouncing along narrow dirt tracks in Joshua Tree National Park, I noticed a second Ford tag while posing the Tundra for a photo. This one fits real nice over the Toyota sombrero. Seems our prankster was more thorough or determined to make a point than James realized.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 16,644 miles
sadbuttrue says:
11:05 PM, 04/25/08
Hah - I can't believe I didn't notice that myself. I took the Tundra to the car wash before it was delivered to Dan, and I stood there staring at it for 20 minutes while Mr. Slowest-Hand-Washer-Ever did his thing. In fact I inspected the front fascia quite closely, as we've got some water spots on the paint and chrome up there that remained after the wash was complete.
I guess I should give the prankster some credit for placing the Ford logo so precisely on top of the T. The edges seem to line up perfectly -- maybe that's why it didn't jump out at me.
Josh
louiswei says:
11:34 PM, 04/25/08
I would find that prankster and put a rainbow sticker on his/her car. Well, that's given if there isn't already one on it...
pengwin says:
11:37 PM, 04/25/08
obviously some ford fans in cali want their trucks to be more like tundra's
SubyTrojan says:
12:51 AM, 04/26/08
Maybe I should try to slap a Subaru six star logo on the Tundra. j/k
After all, Toyota now owns 16.5% of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., Subaru's parent company. Some Toyota Camrys are also assembled at the zero waste Subaru of Indiana Automotive plant where Legacys, Outbacks, and Tribecas are also assembled.
http://www.autoobserver.com/2008/04/toyota-daihatsu.html
cx7lover says:
01:51 AM, 04/26/08
obviously some ford fans in cali wants toyota to stop trying to be Ford
toyota4life says:
04:24 AM, 04/26/08
obviously some ford fans in cali wants toyota to stop trying to be Ford
And to do that ,you would put a ford logo on a Toyota? Toyota trying to be ford?good one.
tlcruz says:
07:48 AM, 04/26/08
Personally, I'm not a big fan of Ford (never have, never will) and whomever's attempt to "try" to make this Toyota into a Ford obviously has nothing else better to do.
louiswei says:
09:44 AM, 04/26/08
No Suby, that means I'll need to slap a Toyota badge on your WRX...
tahoe77 says:
10:18 AM, 04/26/08
please dont mind me going off topic, but would someone please verify this:
http://www.angelnexus.com/o/web/5225
tahoe77 says:
10:20 AM, 04/26/08
disreguard the millionare oppurtunity crap on that page
jriz says:
10:24 AM, 04/26/08
Wow, I definitely did not check the front of the Tundra. If this was actually my car I would be beyond furious. I would probably buy a dog to patrol the car to prevent it from happening again, or invest in a "Tomorrow Never Dies"-style 750iL security system. But in the end, the old NaMCaB rule applies here (Not My Car Buddy), and I find it funny.
But it's great/disturbing that everyone who drove the Tundra missed the front one, Josh missed it while watching it get washed, and it survived getting washed. That's one tenacious sticker.
-Riswick
firstwagon says:
11:41 AM, 04/26/08
"obviously some ford fans in cali wants toyota to stop trying to be Ford"
Can't blame hime really. I miss the old days when Toyotas didn't break down all the time too.
louiswei says:
12:58 PM, 04/26/08
Toyotas break down all the time now?
Really?
firstwagon says:
07:30 PM, 04/26/08
Yep, some have sludge problems, some have transmission problems but most just die of boredom.
toyota4life says:
03:42 AM, 04/27/08
So let me see,die of boredom by toyota,or getting slow cooked by ford,and if you'r lucky it might be a ka-boom.yep,toyota4life....
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/04/ford_fires5.html
firstwagon says:
09:41 AM, 04/27/08
Sounds like Ford has done all it can to to alert people and repair the fault.
Anyone still having an unrepaired truck should be out of the gene pool anyhow.
cx7lover says:
12:48 PM, 04/27/08
Oh please, toyota has issues issues with their V6 and Aisin tranny, Ford trucks last way longer than any Japanese trucks on the road.
Toyota=recall king, but these recalls are just so people don't perceive it as the engineering issues that they are.
toyota4life says:
01:05 PM, 04/27/08
Ford trucks last way longer than any Japanese trucks on the road.
yea,if you can keep them on the road.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/03/nhtsa_ford_trucks.html
hondacura4 says:
05:53 PM, 04/27/08
I would go back to the place where the badge bandit struck, hide in the bed with a BB gun. =)
actualsize says:
06:49 PM, 04/27/08
That's just it. None of us know when or where the badge bandit struck. If you look at the Tundra posts before James' initial reveal, there's just so many tailgate-down shots.
Hmmm. The Columbo in me wants to ask James "Where were YOU when the badge bandit struck?"
jerrywimer says:
03:44 AM, 04/28/08
I'd be surprised if this wasn't another greenie protest about Toyota (and the move to larger gas hogs, using the largest pickup manufacturer's logo to make the point).
brn says:
05:48 AM, 04/28/08
I suspect this may even be an Edmunds staffer, simply playing a joke. He/she is getting the attention he/she wanted.
"never mess with a man's truck."
Yea, but it's an Edmunds truck, on rotation.
langjie says:
08:44 AM, 04/28/08
I think the purchase of the Ford Logo is good for our economy though. It was probably manufactured in the US
jriz says:
08:50 AM, 04/28/08
"The Columbo in me wants to ask James "Where were YOU when the badge bandit struck?"
I was tagging the Focus with a Toyota sticker.
730 says:
11:59 PM, 04/28/08
People who put an M logo on their 1998 3 series should be shot. Same goes for people who put R on their 1988 Civics.
greenpony says:
07:47 AM, 04/29/08
Maybe it wasn't a person at all, but a genetic mutation of the Tundra's DNA. It's slowly turning into a Ford. Sprouting Ford logos is just the beginning. Next you'll see a four-speed transmission, lower fuel economy, higher towing capacity, wider panel gaps, and saddle leather seats (I guess the Tundra wants to be a King Ranch).