Out of curiosity...Toyota

[cruelpupet]

How many here would consider buying a Toyota in the next 2 years?

[InfiniteNothing]

Totally... if they had something that I wanted. My reasoning is that they are no less reliable than they were 1 month ago and while everyone else is wary, the prices will be more attractive

[DarkFury]

Nope...

Honestly, I just don't care for the "style" of them. That and they seem to be on the "small side" as far comfort goes.

[MrGreg]

I don't plan on buying a car in the next 2 years. But the current issue doesn't really affect my opinion of them or their quality.

[Nija]

If I hadn't already bought a car I love, I wouldn't have a problem considering Toyota.

[Jeffbx]

No. Not that I have anything against them at all, but seeing as how GM & Chrysler pump more into my local economy than just about any other company, I'm sticking with them.

Plus I can usually get a GM discount ;-)

[VTGreg]

Not sure if I'll be getting a new car in the next 2 years but the recent events wouldn't sway my decision. In fact, I think there will be lots of deals to be had on Toyota's for the next few months/years.

[attgig]

i notice that with american's view of toyota as well as honda, but nobody is forgiving of american brands... why is that?

my old roomate had to have his tranny replaced in his 02 accord, but he went and bought another accord. everyone's the same with toyota... thinking that they're going to be just as reliable in the future....

but, for american car makers, there's no forgiveness or even a chance given... what gives?

[Jeffbx]

Because people still believe Consumer Reports

[mcs328]

It doesn't sway my decision enough to not consider them but I stick with Honda. My opinion of Ford has gone up that I seriously consider their Ford Escape, Fusion or Focus if they meet my expectations of price and features.

[Airencracken]

I don't plan on purchasing a vehicle in the next two years, however I've had very few problems with my Prius and if Toyota offered something similar to my Prius (The new ones are far too large for my tastes) then I might consider it if I were in the market for a car.

If I had to buy a car today and had ~30k to do so with, I don't know what I'd buy, nothing on the market really appeals to me currently.

[ray]

i notice that with american's view of toyota as well as honda, but nobody is forgiving of american brands... why is that?


Reputation over the past few decades would be my guess. It's not just about consumer reports or what you read, it's also about what other people say about the vehicles. I own a Toyota Camry and would consider another Toyota purchase in the future if the style and features of the car fit what I needed.

I remember back when I was in high school there was all the negative press about the Ford Explorer, tire issues, and the vehicle rolling over on highways. After those stories broke, every student in my high school vowed not to drive a Ford Deathtrap. So, word of mouth certainly goes a long way. Toyota screwed themselves with their mismanagement of the recalls the past couple months, but I am guessing that most Toyota owners will be more than pleased with their product when the car is still functional a decade from now.

Like everything we purchase, there is a possibility something goes wrong. As a current owner, Toyota has been nothing but awesome from the purchase of the vehicle itself all the way down to getting my car serviced at local dealerships here in LA and in Virginia. Even with the recent negative press, I would still highly recommend a Toyota vehicle over the few other brands of vehicles I've rented. That list includes Chrysler PT Cruiser, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Chevy Impala, one of the Dodge sedans, and some oversized SUV that I didn't enjoy at all.

[cruelpupet]

Toyota screwed themselves with their mismanagement of the recalls the past couple months, but I am guessing that most Toyota owners will be more than pleased with their product when the car is still functional a decade from now.

Like everything we purchase, there is a possibility something goes wrong. As a current owner, Toyota has been nothing but awesome from the purchase of the vehicle itself all the way down to getting my car serviced at local dealerships here in LA and in Virginia.

Weird. Im in the camp of Toyota is out after how they handled this issue over the past 2 years.

From what I understand reports of acceleration started in 2007, and an interview with an ex director of NIHST (sp?)on PBS, she claimed they were the worst to deal with in terms of recalls.

Also, my personal belief has been that this was a software glitch since the first time they started blaming floor mats.

[faither]

I've had my Prius for 5 years and other than having the one light pole fall in front of me and the resulting $16,000 damage, I've never had a problem. That said, we purchased a ford Fusion Hybrid for my wife about six months ago and it's a very nice car -- great fit and finish -- but the mileage (40 MPG v. my 55 MPG) is a bit of a difference.

[DarkFury]

i notice that with american's view of toyota as well as honda, but nobody is forgiving of american brands... why is that?

my old roomate had to have his tranny replaced in his 02 accord, but he went and bought another accord. everyone's the same with toyota... thinking that they're going to be just as reliable in the future....

but, for american car makers, there's no forgiveness or even a chance given... what gives?
I've stuck with domestic brands... although I did have to switch domestics as I could no longer trust the one I was originally with.

Either way, in extended warranties I trust. :D

[ray]

Weird. Im in the camp of Toyota is out after how they handled this issue over the past 2 years.


To each his own. If I didn't trust brands that ever mismanaged a failure, I would have no brands to purchase and that is the truth.

[attgig]

I've stuck with domestic brands... although I did have to switch domestics as I could no longer trust the one I was originally with.

Either way, in extended warranties I trust. :D


Moe: All right, tell me when I hit the sweet spot.
Homer: Deeper, you pusillanimous pilsner pusher!
Moe: All right, all right. [with a small hammer and chisel,
taps the crayon further up Homer's nose]
Homer: De-fense! [woof-woof] De-fense! [woof-woof]
Moe: Eh, that's pretty dumb. But, uh ... [taps once more]
Homer: Extended warranty? How can I lose?
Moe: Perfect.

:hehehmm:

[clutchy]

I don't plan on purchasing a vehicle in the next two years, however I've had very few problems with my Prius and if Toyota offered something similar to my Prius (The new ones are far too large for my tastes) then I might consider it if I were in the market for a car.

If I had to buy a car today and had ~30k to do so with, I don't know what I'd buy, nothing on the market really appeals to me currently.


didn't your whole battery blow up to the tune of like $6k, which toyota repaired?



i don't care for toyotas, i do like honda's though. I've had my eye on the fusion for awhile but i think my next car is going to be a diesel wagon or a 4wd wagon of some kind.

[Chgoman]

I had a problem with the Nav screen on my '04 Prius which cost me $500, but other than that I'm at 125,000 miles so far and it still runs like new. No complaints here!

[renovation]

No. Not that I have anything against them at all, but seeing as how GM & Chrysler pump more into my local economy than just about any other company, I'm sticking with them.

Plus I can usually get a GM discount ;-)
im the same here - i did come close to getting a toyota tunda once. but that was when i got a factory employee discount. but i also priced out the truck the way i wanted it. the price was way out of my range for what i was getting.
(it is hard to compare apple to oranges due to packages and add-ons in pickup trucks from one company and the next.
I priced a chevy and ford up to it with the same equipment.
I can also say toyota employee discount is not as good as what ford and gm give employee.

toyota employee discount is true dealers cost of a car or truck. also toyota deals dont car to sell a employee a car . becouse the dealer is payed $$$ for there efford and has to wait for a rebate from the company.

[Jeffbx]

Since the late 80s, between my wife & I, I have purchased probably 20 or more domestic cars - mostly GM, but also Ford & Chrysler. Of those 20 cars, I only had a major problem with one of them - bad engine on a Saturn SL1 (which was repaired under warranty). With Ford the dealer just pissed me off, but the car was fine (Taurus). Boring as hell, but fine.

The car that impressed me the most was the Saturn Aura - I would buy that car again in a second. The only thing that caused me to trade it in was I wanted AWD since they don't plow my neighborhood anymore. But man, that car had a list of features that rivaled Acura & Lexus for about $15k cheaper.

But point being is that I have never been disappointed with any of the domestic cars I've owned in the past 20 years. I see no reason NOT to buy domestic, unless I hit it big & can finally afford that Aston Martin I've had my eye on.

[Jeffbx]

Weird. Im in the camp of Toyota is out after how they handled this issue over the past 2 years.

From what I understand reports of acceleration started in 2007, and an interview with an ex director of NIHST (sp?)on PBS, she claimed they were the worst to deal with in terms of recalls.

Also, my personal belief has been that this was a software glitch since the first time they started blaming floor mats.

Looks like you're right on: (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704820904575055733096312238.html?mod=igoogle_wsj_gadgv1&)


On Jan. 19, in a closed-door meeting in Washington, D.C., two top executives from Toyota Motor Corp. gave American regulators surprising news.

Evidence had been mounting for years that Toyota cars could speed up suddenly, a factor suspected in crashes causing more than a dozen deaths. Toyota had blamed the problem on floor mats pinning the gas pedal. Now, the two Toyota men revealed they knew of a problem in its gas pedals.

The two top officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration "were steamed," according to a person who discussed the meeting with both sides. As the meeting closed, NHTSA chief David Strickland hinted at using the agency's full authority, which can include subpoenas, fines, and even forcing auto makers to stop selling cars.

Toyota had known about the gas-pedal problem for more than a year. Its silence with U.S. regulators, and other newly uncovered details from the crisis enveloping Toyota, reveal a growing rift between the Japanese auto maker and NHTSA, one of its top regulators. Regulators came to doubt Toyota's commitment to addressing safety defects, according to interviews with federal officials and industry executives, and accounts of Toyota and NHTSA interactions the past year.

The heart of Toyota's problem: Its secretive corporate culture in Japan clashed with U.S. requirements that auto makers disclose safety threats, people familiar with the matter say. The relationship soured even though Toyota had hired two former NHTSA officials to manage its ties with the agency.

Toyota's troubles spread Tuesday when it recalled all Priuses to address a braking problem, even as executives suggested the step was unnecessary.

[guiseppewv]

If I was in the market for a car I would consider a Toyota.


Nope...

Honestly, I just don't care for the "style" of them. That and they seem to be on the "small side" as far comfort goes.

Interesting. I have a friend who is 400 lbs+ and > 6 ft tall and he wouldn't think of ditching his Avalon b/c he loves it so much. He says it is one of the most comfortable cars he has ever owned. :shrug:


i notice that with american's view of toyota as well as honda, but nobody is forgiving of american brands... why is that?

my old roomate had to have his tranny replaced in his 02 accord, but he went and bought another accord. everyone's the same with toyota... thinking that they're going to be just as reliable in the future....

but, for american car makers, there's no forgiveness or even a chance given... what gives?

You cannot fix your reputation overnight and it is very difficult to completely tarnish your rep overnight. The American car manufacturers pumped out garbage for decades and now they are having to deal with that even though they are mostly putting out good products now. The foreign companies had to put out great products for years before people thought highly of them. I would almost go as far as saying had the American companies never pumped out so much crap the foreign companies would not have been able to get their foot in the door.

In my experience, I have had 2 Chevy dealers screw me over and when I wrote to GM three times (two letters and one e-mail) I didn't even receive a response from GM. At the time I owned 2 GM vehicles. I now own a Honda (3rd one) and a Nissan. I wouldn't buy another Nissan but I would buy another Honda. My mom had an issue with a dealership. She wrote Honda a letter and within a week of sending the letter she had the regional Honda manager call her and the GM of the dealership to get it straightened out. Couple the high reliability with the customer service and that is why I continue to be a Honda customer.

[Airencracken]

didn't your whole battery blow up to the tune of like $6k, which toyota repaired?



i don't care for toyotas, i do like honda's though. I've had my eye on the fusion for awhile but i think my next car is going to be a diesel wagon or a 4wd wagon of some kind.

A part of the electrical system went haywire and I was far out of warranty. Toyota paid for most of it and they took care of me. I was very happy with the customer service at that point. They didn't need to pay for it, but they did. I was really pleased.

[LPMiller]

It doesn't sway my decision enough to not consider them but I stick with Honda. My opinion of Ford has gone up that I seriously consider their Ford Escape, Fusion or Focus if they meet my expectations of price and features.


It's funny that the 3 fords you list are the Mazda Tribute, the Mazda 6 and the Mazda 3. Ford (and Mazda) really benefited from that partnership.

I wouldn't buy a Toyota, but that's because I find them boring, for the most part. I feel the same way about Honda, and I've owned a 4 of those over the years. I liked Subaru, but their new style that is selling so well for them loses a lot of the quirkiness I liked. So currently we are driving Mazdas. I can't help it, I like quirky.

I've had fords, an isuzu, a '74 super beatle, many hondas, a kia, 3 subies and 2 mazdas. There haven't been too many domestics I've been interested, mostly because I don't tend to like the design.

[cruelpupet]

Right now Im looking to buy a 2010 Golf TDI, though there are a few quirks with VW I dont like, I still love their cars.

They are also one of the few that produce diesel engines.

[Yossarian]

Interesting. I have a friend who is 400 lbs+ and > 6 ft tall and he wouldn't think of ditching his Avalon b/c he loves it so much. He says it is one of the most comfortable cars he has ever owned. :shrug:



its tough to find a vehicle that i fit in. 6'8" 320. i actually fit better in my first car, a 94 pontiac 2-door prick than i do in my work van, a '06 chevy express van. that said, the only way i fit in the fiance's cobalt is by basically laying down. and malibu's, which are the next size up, are even more cramped for me.

if i could afford it, i'd drive a sprinter tho :P

[renovation]

i just heard they are having a new recall on there 2010 TACOMA pickup .it like under 10,000 units but just not good news for them ~

[LPMiller]

well to be fair, every car company has nickel and dime recalls going on at any given moment, which is what the Tacoma recall is. Still, it doesn't help when they have such a high media presence right now.

[clutchy]

Right now Im looking to buy a 2010 Golf TDI, though there are a few quirks with VW I dont like, I still love their cars.

They are also one of the few that produce diesel engines.


did you see the A3 diesel? pretty bitchin.

I test drove a golf before i bought my SI but couldn't handle the suspension... it was just too rough. Fast car though, wow.

[renovation]

clutchy if you lived in china and could hold off from buying a new car for lets say 6 months. I say go and buy this one VW will be offering there . it's to sell for about $600 american and its a diesel.
also it should get about 258 mpg.
:kawaii:

http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/supermileage.jpg

http://www.examiner.com/x-8310-Trendy-Living-Examiner~y2009m7d6-Volkswagens-600-car-gets-258-mpg