Toyota owners "boring"?

[jmacmaster]

"Certainly a misnomer. Nothing sporty or utility (functional) about them."

This was said about the SUV, by someone who obviously misunderstands (and probably does not care to understand) the term and the vehicle.

The word "sport", in SUV, does NOT refer to a sporty look. It refers to the use of the vehicle for sports purposes. Originally, and to this day, this means primarily sports off the beaten track, such as hunting, fishing, camping, and other outdoor recreational uses, for which the SUV can get you places that a 2WD can't (or get you there and back easier) because most SUV's are 4WD.

As to their utility. This refers to the fact that, in addition to hauling people around, it has more capabilities than a 2WD sedan, such as: (1) the hauling ability and capacity, especially if you fold the rear seat(s) down; (2) it can be used by people who live in the country to haul things that they wouldn't haul in their car; (3) its (usually) 4WD gives you added traction when needed and allows driving off-road and on very poor roads; (4) it usually has a higher towing rating than a sedan; (5) you can add a snowplow to the front end, especially useful for country people; and (6) you can modify the vehicle for numerous uses. One of the first SUV's was England's Land Rover, which at one point in time could be ordered from the factory in over 150 different configurations for, among other things, various farming, emergency vehicle, fire-fighting, sporting, and military, uses.

Yes, I know, many people, for various reasons, drive an SUV even tho they don't need one, but that's not the fault of the SUV and in no way detracts from the value of the vehicle for sports and utility purposes.

 

[Greaser]

http://www.4x4review.com/feature/50...Most-Useful-Machine-Jeep-Willys-Hurricane.jpg

 

[CBDFrontier06]

I first learned how to drive a stick in one of those, but what a horrible vehicle to learn on!! No synchros. Grind, Grind and more grind..but man was that thing fun. I learned on some open cattle acreage and got to laughing so hard I could barely drive because me and my uncle kept bouncing out of our seats and hitting our heads on the roof. Definitely tough....and could really take the bumps and abuse (as opposed to ABSORBING them). This was an era of vehicle in which you rarely worried about what you were running over...just plow over it and keep going. If the hill looks too steep or slick, try it anyway...you'll probably make it. LOL Not something you'd want to try in your $60K Eddie Bauer Expedition.

 

[Greaser]

http://www.4x4review.com/feature/50-years-Jeep/AD-Two-Business-Ends-advertisement-willys-BIG.jpg

 

[i]

quote:

---

Originally posted by JHZR2:
i, every post you make I like!

I agree totally... but lest we get into another fight over the 'need' to have more than, say, 160 or 175 hp... Ill just say - I think youre exactly right!

JMH

---

Thanks. Most folks just get angry at me.

 

[KieferS]

hey- that new expedition is no joke. Does any one here watch the Mischief street racing videos? they put an expedition against an H2 against each other on a dirt course- the Expedition did everything the H2 did- and this course was no joke. At the end the expedition looked like ish, broken grill, bumpers leaning to one side, the usual-the humor looked like it had an expensive mud bath- nothing broken or anything- just dirt. That made me respect the new expeditions- they truly are built tough, I don't think any other SUV in its class during this model year can top that.

 

[GreenMachine]

alot of people say my 98 Deville is boring, and when an 80 year old is driving it...yes it is. With me driving it I enjoy fooling people who forget what 300ft-lbs of torque can do.

The engine has been super, had the waterpump done at just under 85k, thats it for engine repairs. Since there is no timing belt, but a chain, I don't have to worry about changing that, just checking up on it. The "headgasket issue" with the Northstar usually turns out to be simply poorly maintained cooling systems.

Smooth idle, smooth shifts, smooth ride, and can even take those on ramps pretty quick for being a land yacht. Great car and heck 24MPG highway at 75mph is fine by me

Nearly 90,000miles and shows no signs of stoping at this point, knock on wood.

 

[TheTanSedan]

I still need a winning lotto ticket:

http://www.autogalleryofcarmel.com/images/AutoGallery_Jul20/photo3.jpg

Toyos and Honders, in general, are as exciting as hair dryers and coffee makers. The ride motions and interior room, full-size Lexus or beater Camry, are short, uncomfortable and undesirable after 100 miles. They work, then one day they don't. Fits someones mentality, just not mine.

Whatever their virtues, they'll not be what we dream of after they've gone.

 

[The Critic]

quote:

---

Originally posted by CBDFrontier06:
I expected the Scion tC to sell well to the teenage crowd, but all I ever see driving them is 30-ish men. I drove it when I was shopping for a new car in late 2004...its driving dynamics reminded me of a short wheelbase Camry. You can tell they're related. I ended up with a Mazda 3.

---

I only see Asian chicks driving them around here.

 

[The Critic]

JMH,

Remember that 75% (IIRC) of all Camrys sold in the US are 4-cyls, with the V6 making up the remaining 25% or so. Now, I'm sure cost was a driving factor for choosing the 4-cyl, but at the same time, some perhaps agreed (with you) that the additional power is unnecessary.

However, to me, aside from cost, there's no reason to stop me from buying a V6 especially considering that the fuel economy differences are minimal, at best. More passing power, faster acceleration, etc...

For you to say that no one "needs" 200HP (or whatever) in a family sedan is quite one sided. There are many who enjoy the added power and are willing to pay the extra $$$ (minimal) for the enjoyment. So what? Its their money, not yours, but for you to force your opinion with a blanket statement suggesting that no one needs such power in a family sedan is just ridiculous and your opinion only, and should be presented in a more humble way. JMO

 

[javacontour]

I haven't read all 8 pages yet, but I have to say that I have enough personality. So I don't need a car to make up for what others may be lacking

I do like some performance with my commuter appliance, so my Geo Prizm and my Scion tC both are manual tranny variants.

Oilbabe's Camry is an automatic. After 138K, the only issue she has experienced in 5 years is a torn CV boot.

Sometimes, boring is good.

 

[Cogito]

quote:

---

Originally posted by javacontour:
I haven't read all 8 pages yet, but I have to say that I have enough personality. So I don't need a car to make up for what others may be lacking

---

When you finish reading all 8 pages, please make a post telling how a thread about boring Toyota drivers could go for 8 pages so far.

 

[bottgers]

This isn't the first time I've seen a similar topic. While I do believe there are some truths behind some of these stereotypes, I think there is one thing being overlooked. I am a "car guy" and what many percieve as "boringness", I find very ineresting. I am very intrequed by the fact that Toyota has figured out how to build the most reliable vehicles in the world. What do they do differently from everyone else that makes their vehicles so reliable? Doesn't anyone else find this interesting?

 

[obbop]

Okay, time for the meek humble seldom-heard Obbop to chime in with the definitive answer.

Owned two Toyotas: 1991 Previa Van and 1978 Toyota pick-em-up for a total interval of 14 years.

I am here to proclaim, declare, assert and shout from the roof tops:

I AM BORING!!!!!

Yes, I am.

Don't party. Avoid crowds. Don't have cable TV, using rabbit ear antennae to capture 5 stations.

Don't send ANY Xmas presents or cards. Have never placed a Xmas tree in any of my adult abodes.

Would rather read a good book than almost anything.

Guarenteed to put you to sleep if we should (very doubtful) have a conversation.

I am the quintessentially boring person. The epitome of boring.

Look in the dictionary. See the pic next to "boring"? Yep.

One-hundred percent guarenteed to be boring or your money back.

And, I have owned Toyota brand for a longer period than any other brand.

Ergo........

Toyota = boring.

Of course my situation can be widened to include all Toyota drivers.

No?

Well, those udder Toyotaphiles are weirdos, then.

 

[ekpolk]

I've ignored this thread as long as I can.

I own two Toyotas, a Sequoia and a Prius, perhaps the ultimate automotive equivalent of the meatlover's pizza dinner washed down with diet Coke. Strange maybe, but not boring. . .

 

[Toy4x4]

First, I think if a serious study was done it would prove the percentage of "boring" people would be similiar in each car manufacturer.

I've owned my '93 Toyota truck since new and I have had some big repairs done...still beats a monthly payment of new and the accompanied expenses (registration, insurance). Why did I pick a Toyota? After test driving 1000s of cars (as a valet

), I could easily tell which cars felt good, rattled less, and drove better...Hondas and Toyotas. At the time I had a Honda and now I wanted a truck so Toyota it was.
These trucks seem to be very hard to get a hold of now. A friend is looking for a truck like mine for his son who just turned 16. He's told me if you don't jump on the new ads ASAP, keep looking, its already been sold. Wonder why?

When I see a disabled Toyota on the side of the road, it stikes me as an oddity as I rarely ever see that compared to other manufacturers. Wonder why?

I've had quite a few instances of people asking me to sell my truck, mostly out in public. My friend who searching for a truck for his son has had first dibs on this truck since 1996 in case I ever decided to sell it. Wonder why?

Toyota is #2 in the world for a reason. Build a reliable product (be it a bit more expensive), and it will sell itself.

Boring...no. Savvy...I believe so. Either way its better than the vanity of buying what looks good over reliability.

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

---

Originally posted by CBDFrontier06:
Don't you also own a G35? That would be your redemption.

---

Uh-oh -- count me as unredeemed. The G went when the Prius came. I really enjoyed the G35 in a lot of ways, but I was having to feed it between 1500 and 1700 gallons of gas every year. I had some issues with it, and the wty was about to sunset, and I didn't have a warm fuzzy about it. Actually, I wasn't planning to make the transaction, we went to the dealer looking to see if my wife would like an Avalon, as our need for the space which led us to the Sequoia five years ago is drastically reduced. Anyway, there were no Avalons they way she wanted one, but there was this 04 Prius with only 15k miles. . . Actually, my wife had walked over to it, and when she saw the mileage ratings, she said, "why don't you get this." Hey, when your wife tells you to buy a car, you'd best not be hesitating!

And now we're back to being a two Toyota stable.

 

[milwaukee]

Savvy? That is a real big stetch on your part.

If you like toys that is cool but don't make out like you have things all figured out and that toyota is the choice of "savvy" people.

Being number 2 in the world means nothing. By that standard GM should have better cars than toyota. I think they do have better trucks (1/2 ton and higher) but GM's cars are lacking in many areas.

 

[CBDFrontier06]

Don't you also own a G35? That would be your redemption.

 

[Toy4x4]

Yes, SAVVY. Anyone who buys a particular brand/company, whatever it is, because of its reputation to build a better product, rather than go with the crowd...is savvy >>IMO
Come on...who is stretching what here? Of course there are variables in types of people and you'll find a fair share of dunce Toyota owners who probably should never be behind the wheel. I never said I had "all things figured out". If I did, I'd be posting UOAs from several ungodly expensive cars.

Being #2 IS something...>>considering where Toyota was 35+ years ago<<! That is a huge achievment, IMO.