Toyota owners "boring"?

[01rangerxl]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Toy4x4:
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?

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?

---

Been there, done that...but with Ford Rangers, not Toyotas.

When it came time for me to get a truck back in 2004, I pretty much narrowed my search down to the Ranger due to previous experiences with them. I went on Auto Trader's website and printed out a bunch I liked and went hunting. All of them were sold. Had I been about an hour late, the one I have now would have been someone elses (other people were looking at it...I got to it first). Mine was a fresh trade too...they had not even washed it yet or anything.

I have had people show interest in my truck, and even more interest in my mom's '02 Ranger. My dad's 1986 Ranger had both of the new ones beat though...he got offers from people wanting to buy it all the time.

Wonder why?

 

[milwaukee]

Toyota is still second fiddle to a company that is falling apart. That has to say something. I'm not sure what it says though.

Our 91 civic's suspension fell apart after 100k miles. My mom's 95 Accord interior was shot at 125K and the trans was acting up. My 94 crown vic had a better interior at 270K than the accord at 125K and was running better as well.

We had a 2005 Camry that was a nice car for the money.

I would consider a honda or toyota IF I was buying a new sedan for the sole reason that they hold value so well. Not because they are "better" because they are not IMO.

These days I just buy used American vehicles for the most part. Enough bandwagoners that think they suck to drive down the price and make them a much better value per dollar than any honda or toyota on the used market around here.

[ August 06, 2006, 01:08 AM: Message edited by: milwaukee ]

 

[ChromiumSteel]

"A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." Are you on crack Brian?

 

[Toy4x4]

01 ranger,
Touche.

brian,
I found a couple of links, one dead, but are talked about in forum: http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74190
http://www.nwanews.com/story.php?paper=adg&section=Business&storyid=121703

I can't find the exact article I read. Sorry.

 

[brianl703]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ChromiumSteel:
Are you on crack Brian?

---

No, and I don't make statements that I can't support with evidence.

Where is the 300K mile Honda Civic you've owned, maintained, and driven for it's entire life?

I mean, if you think they can get to 300K with nothing but "maintenance" (whatever you define that as), I'm sure you base this on practical, real world experience.

I expect, however, that any 300K car which has not had suspension parts replaced (among other things), even a Honda Civic, is likely to be...a car I wouldn't feel safe driving. Rubber parts deteriorate, shocks and struts wear out.

You apparently don't find that to be a problem. I guess as long as it doesn't bottom out too much on speed bumps and the car turns in the general direction you turn the steering wheel, it's all good.

I guess mandatory vehicle safety inspection programs ARE A good idea.

[ August 06, 2006, 09:51 AM: Message edited by: brianl703 ]

 

[JParrott]

Started out with:

1979 Datsun P/U 4x4
1973 Chevelle SS
1985 Dodge D50 (I believe it was an '85)
1993 Dodge Dakota Sport
2000 Chevrolet Blazer 4x4
2000 Chrysler Grand Voyager SE
2005 Chevrolet Silverado 4x4
2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
2003 Toyota Tacoma 4x4

Of all the rigs in that list, I've had the most fun in the Datsun, Chevelle, and my new(er) Tacoma. I still own the Tahoe and it's great with the family but there's no "fun" there. The 'Yota doesn't have enough balls to really get out of it's own way, but the little 2.7 has enough pep to make it fun. With a 5 speed and 4x4, I have a blast, get around 24 mpg average, and don't ever worry about it breaking down. Spark plugs cost $1.77 vs $5-7 for the Chevy. I don't believe myself to be boring at all. *** bless America.

 

[brianl703]

Datapoint: In 90 miles of driving today, the following vehicles facing stop signs pulled out in front of me. (I was going about 5 over the speed limit on the major road which doesn't have a stop sign):

Toyota Sienna Minivan
Toyota Camry
Chevrolet Impala
Toyota Camry

Seems Toyota is highly over-represented among the jerks I dealt with on the roads today.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

AH yes, Jerks are everywhere..even on the internet. What kind of computer are you using so I can judge all users of said computer?

 

[brianl703]

I'm only reporting the facts. If you choose to interpret that as I think jerks tend to drive Toyotas, well, I would have to agree that today's experience certainly did nothing to disprove that notion, did it?

To the boring jerks: Please don't take your dislike of driving out on me.

[ August 06, 2006, 10:29 PM: Message edited by: brianl703 ]

 

[jsharp]

quote:

---

Originally posted by brianl703:
Datapoint: In 90 miles of driving today, the following vehicles facing stop signs pulled out in front of me. (I was going about 5 over the speed limit on the major road which doesn't have a stop sign):

Toyota Sienna Minivan
Toyota Camry
Chevrolet Impala
Toyota Camry

Seems Toyota is highly over-represented among the jerks I dealt with on the roads today.

---

That survey would certainly influence my buying decisions...

 

[Gurkha]

In NYC, the worst drivers were those on BUICK, T/A, Camaro and Thunderbird, they would bully all, specially foreign car owners, now how is that for generalization.

 

[ex_MGB]

Yes, Toyota owners are boring, but it does no good to point it out.

 

[Amkeer]

Geez if I am boring I sure would like to meet the people of other brands that are exciting. Maybe they can show me how they can build a 3300 sf home themselves. Ski the slopes, black diamonds of Aspen, Snowmass, Beaver Creek and Vail. Thats some pretty boring stuff right there I will tell ya!

 

[brianl703]

I've seen bad drivers in all sorts of vehicles.

Having three Toyotas pull out in front of me in a single day HAS to be some sort of record. Consider that about 40 miles of those 90 miles is on roads with no intersections (an interstate and a road that runs between a national park and a marine base). So in reality, I had someone pull out in front of me every 12.5 miles because only on 50 miles of roadway that I drove is that possible.

One of them (the first Camry) even saw me and waited, then, I suppose, decided that I wasn't getting out of their way fast enough and decided to "teach me a lesson" by pulling out in front of me at the last moment. (Probably I confused him/her by driving slow in the RIGHT lane).

The other three never bothered to stop, I'm not even sure if they looked before going.

As I said in a previous post, a driver that hates driving isn't likely to be very motivated to do a good job of it.

The worst part is, their negative attitude towards driving causes other people to start feeling the same way.

Related to that is the way drivers around here complain about traffic congestion but continue to do the things that cause it: Trying to merge across 3 lanes of heavy traffic to make their exit, stopping in traffic to change lanes because they're not in the correct lane for where they need to go, tailgating, not paying attention when the light turns green, leaving too much space between them and the car in front in the left-turn lane, etc.

 

[Toy4x4]

Brian,
You got to see that that has to be purely coincidental, don't you, and nothing do do with the brand of car? I mean, really. If I were to run with the idea that it was because they drove Toyotas, I could say "Well, THAT proves that Toyota drivers AREN'T boring, and are actually spirited drivers."

I said this a few days ago and will say it again "First, I think if a serious study was done it would prove the percentage of "boring" people would be similiar in each car manufacturer." The same could be said for bad, good, spirited, etc.

Its not the car, ITS THE INDIVIDUAL.

BTW, I also have a '69 Chevelle w/ a 396,....a Chevrolet....a GM product. I wonder how badly that messes up the "boring" graphs and charts.

 

[brianl703]

Very very rarely, I will make the mistake of pulling out in front of someone. If I do, I accelerate quickly so as to avoid forcing them to slow down, or I will pull into the other traffic lane.

None of these drivers did either. It was almost as though they were just going through the motions with their mind somewhere else.

Maybe they were all on Ambien.

Frankly, I think it's a case of Toyota being a really popular car in Northern Virginia, and Northern Virginia drivers being generally awful. (Lest anyone from Northern Virginia think I'm picking on you, don't worry, Maryland and DC drivers are just as bad).

 

[jmacmaster]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ChromiumSteel:
Sorry. A car like a Honda Civic that is made for 300,000 trouble free miles has much more value than an American made piece of crud that makes numerous visits to the dealer for warranty work by mechanics who much of the time don't immediately solve the problem. That's funny, someone using the words value and American car in the same sentence.

---

This kind of blanket condemnation of every every vehicle made by the U.S. manufacturers is simply untrue. I've had a number of vehicles made by the big three that I ran a long time with very little replace and repair expense other than the things that always wear out on any vehicle. A good example is the Ford Ranger pickup referred to above. Since they were first built they've been known as a high quality small pickup. I own one and know numerous people who also own one and I can attest to their value, quality, and longevity. They commonly go for 200,000 miles or more.

I happen to believe that generally speaking, the Japanese vehicles are of better quality and value and last longer than American vehicles. But there's been duds among the Japanese vehicles and there's been plenty of American vehicles that were not crud with no value.

 

[Toy4x4]

OK, Brian, so on the occasion that you do make a mistake driving your brand X (sorry, I've missed what you drive if it was posted), the person you might have offended could have coincidentally JUST been offended by drivers of the same make as yours. Him now saying all brand X drivers are bad doesn't fly, does it?
It sounds like you try to be a good, courteous driver. That wouldn't change if you switched brands, would it? Those three drivers would do the same thing no matter what they were driving.

 

[brianl703]

Absolutely not, I drive the same way no matter what I'm driving (of course if it's a large van or a truck I take curves slower than I would in a car, and I am mindful of the fact that other drivers often do not want to be behind a vehicle they cannot see around).

And I do agree, those three (actually four-let's not forget the Impala driver) drivers would have done the same thing in another make/model of car.

 

[CBDFrontier06]

I think certain types of drivers gravitate towards certain brands. I have no reason to 'pick on' Toyota as a brand, as I have tremendous respect for their repuation as an auto maker...but I also have a lot of disdain for the drivers of some of their vehicles. People that seem to be in no particular hurry to be anywhere, or have nothing they have to get done ususally plant their *** in a Corolla and toodle down the highway, all the while people are flying past them on either side (or in most cases, going around them on the right, as they're glued to the fast lane) and they seem totally unaware that they're going 45 in a 60. They're in no hurry, and I guess they assume that nobody else is either, as they haphazardly fling their cars out onto a busy road and assume the people they've pulled out in front of are more than happy to accomodate them by slamming on their brakes.

It doesn't help Toyota's case that there are 2.5 million Corollas within every square mile of road in a given city, but there are certain other brands and types of cars that I never seem to get stuck behind. I can't remember the last time I got stuck behind a slow-moving Maxima. After having this happen repeatedly, and each time you get an up-close view of the "Corolla" letters on the trunk, you find yourself wondering if all Toyota drivers aren't like this.