Im guilty of it, are you? It seems in the past few years, all I here is people comparing "Toyota vs honda", and other, pointless topics as the such.
Most of us care too much about what auto maker is more reliable.
- Thread starter drive it forever
- Start date
- Status
All i gotta say is tha tI love my Hyundai. Not the most reliable.. but my most favorite.
You mean its a matter of attitude towards domestic vs foreign. I bought foreign, hence I need to keep my 'investment' up and spend the bucks at the dealership because I will keep it a long time. VS. I bought domestic for the short term, I don't expect it too last, and will beat the **** out of it, and not spend any money on maintenance?
We had a 2000 Ford Taurus...reliable...NOT. My wife bought it new to replace her 1995 Dodge Neon that had 2 or 3 heads and one complete motor replaced in 55k miles. The Taurus had a torque converter replaced within 20k miles, then a new transmission about 3k miles later. 2nd transmission replaced at 25/26k miles. Third transmission at 32k miles. The front rotors were replaced 4 times while under warranty. When we traded it for our new 2005 TOYOTA Sienna it had 82k miles and the transmission was slipping and bucking. The Ford transmission man told me that those transmissions were generally good for 50k miles and that Ford just "didn't have their game on when they built automatic transmissions". I had a 2001 Ford F-150 Supercrew 4wd loaded that the exterior door moulding FELL OFF 3 times. Also the rear window moulding popped out 3 or 4 times. The 4R70 transmission in it always felt "mushy".
I've owned 6 Toyota's (currently a 2004 4wd Tacoma Double Cab and the SIenna). I've never had the quality problems with them like the Ford's. I do all my own maintenance except things like timing belt, transmission and coolant flush.
I may be wrong, but until I am proven wrong I FIRMLY believe that Toyota definately has their act together regarding reliability and quality. Never owned a Honda...so I can't comment.
All manufacturers have both good and bad model-years. Some years the Taurus is great car, some years it's junk. Same as for Honda and Toyota; some Toyotas are sludge monsters and some Hondas blow transmissions, among other examples. It's been that way for the past 50 years and I don't expect it to change.
However, it is true that quality, overall, has improved greatly so one is less likely to get a lemon now than in years past.
However, it is true that quality, overall, has improved greatly so one is less likely to get a lemon now than in years past.
JHZR2
Staff member
Exactly!
As far as reliablity is concerned, I think it is a huge issure. There are some design features of my 02 Cavalier I dispise, but it is over 3 years old and close to 60K with nothing except oil and gas. I really don't care about some of the stuff American cars are beat up on like ''switch feel'' and uniform gaps between the panels. I think JHZR2 made some good points. Also, I wonder if the techs at the forigh dealer are better trained and supervised than the american makes. Treat a Honda like many people treat a Ford, and it might lay down and die.
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2003
- Messages
- 23,587
I guess, different people look for different things in cars. What do I look for in car?
1. How's it feel when I drive it? I don't like dull cars.
2. Mechanical design and features: What features does it have, are they practical, how have they been executed, fit and finish, quality of materials
3. How's it look? Pretty important to me. If I don't like the looks, especially the interior, I won't buy it.
4. rep of the carmaker/experience with the brand
PS. Reliability is unpredictable. Every carmakers makes "Monday cars." Ack.
1. How's it feel when I drive it? I don't like dull cars.
2. Mechanical design and features: What features does it have, are they practical, how have they been executed, fit and finish, quality of materials
3. How's it look? Pretty important to me. If I don't like the looks, especially the interior, I won't buy it.
4. rep of the carmaker/experience with the brand
PS. Reliability is unpredictable. Every carmakers makes "Monday cars." Ack.
Have any of you ever noticed that German cars just have a certain "feel" that other cars don't?
Everything from a lowly Jetta to a BMW 7-er, they all have a particular feel that I've never been able to accurately describe...but I've never felt it in anything but a German car.
I'm not in the position right now to buy what I really want, so I unfortunately have place reliability as a very high priority when buying a car. I think your right though and that most cars are the same. I would love to have an Audi, a few BMW's and a Vette.
To a degree I agree with you.
IMHO modern cars are all pretty good, so it's come to "splitting hairs" in many such discussions.
I think it's often tough to differentiate many cars from others, as some classes of vehicles are almost commodities, that is, there are few differences from one to the other. So we tend to magnify those differences in our disussions.
IMHO modern cars are all pretty good, so it's come to "splitting hairs" in many such discussions.
I think it's often tough to differentiate many cars from others, as some classes of vehicles are almost commodities, that is, there are few differences from one to the other. So we tend to magnify those differences in our disussions.
JHZR2
Staff member
In my opinion, you get more educated or caring people buying toyota and honda because of their reputations earned some time back, when it was VERY valid.
Still today, youyr alternator on a GM may only last half as long as the toyota's or you may not like the switchgear used on a gm product, or the palstic chosen on a ford, but thats about it.
I am convinced that if you took your car into the GM or chrysler dealer for PM and routine service as often as the schedules from toyota reccomend, and shelled out the bucks the same as toyota wants you to for the services they reccomend, that those cars would last every bit as long and run every bit as well. However, most folks think buying a chevy gives them direct access to the pep boys service desk, and not much else.
PM is key. Toyota and honda push it, the rest dont.
JMH
Still today, youyr alternator on a GM may only last half as long as the toyota's or you may not like the switchgear used on a gm product, or the palstic chosen on a ford, but thats about it.
I am convinced that if you took your car into the GM or chrysler dealer for PM and routine service as often as the schedules from toyota reccomend, and shelled out the bucks the same as toyota wants you to for the services they reccomend, that those cars would last every bit as long and run every bit as well. However, most folks think buying a chevy gives them direct access to the pep boys service desk, and not much else.
PM is key. Toyota and honda push it, the rest dont.
JMH
IMHO, there seem to be more differences in reliability from model to model as opposed to manufacturers.
For example, a 2000 Ford Focus may have multiple reliability issues while a 2000 Taurus is extremely reliable and a 2001 Focus is also very reliable.
Every manufacturer has had one vehicle that is known for problems and has also had another that is known for reliability.
Overall, I would say the imports are still holding their lead, but the US maufacturers are closing in. Subaru is a very reliable line of vehicles that really hasn't been given the recognition it deserves, always taking a back seat to Toyota and Honda fro some reason.
For example, a 2000 Ford Focus may have multiple reliability issues while a 2000 Taurus is extremely reliable and a 2001 Focus is also very reliable.
Every manufacturer has had one vehicle that is known for problems and has also had another that is known for reliability.
Overall, I would say the imports are still holding their lead, but the US maufacturers are closing in. Subaru is a very reliable line of vehicles that really hasn't been given the recognition it deserves, always taking a back seat to Toyota and Honda fro some reason.
- Status
Similar threads
