Don’t forget GR-86 oil starvation related engine failures. Yes, a Subaru engine but on Toyota to back the warranty.
What is going on with Toyota?
- Thread starter PWMDMD
- Start date
Don’t forget GR-86 oil starvation related engine failures. Yes, a Subaru engine but on Toyota to back the warranty.
That was because DANA Corp made the frames improperly. Toyota won a 25 million dollar lawsuit against DANA Corp, and replaced lots of frames, or bought trucks back.
JHZR2
Staff member
i never felt that tacomas were very good trucks. Too small, rust prone, failing frames, etc.
Anything after mid 90s is… meh.
Anything after mid 90s is… meh.
Mine is fine. No rust at all. Failing frames? Please be factual and fair. Don’t just repeat the crowd junk.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
My BMW was a Pennsylvania car. Underneath, it is like it spent life in the CA desert.
Now I am looking at Sequias, and all of them from the Northeast have rust on the pictures: rusty tow hitches, rusty bolts that hold plastic pieces in the trunk, regardless of whether they are exposed to outside elements, and rusty bolts holding seats. I am looking for cars after 2018, up to 50,000mls.
It is sketchy. For example, I found one that I really like, 2018, in NY state. I would have to fly there just to find out that some critical parts are rusty. I really cannot understand what is with Asian manufacturers and rust. Everyone complains about how Europeans use plastic pieces in cooling systems. This rust thing in Japanese vehicles is the same thing, just more dangerous.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2025
Mine was a brand new fully loaded 6 speed 98 z28. I was 23.For me it was a 2002 Nissan Maxima SE with the new 3.5L VQ and a sunroof (but no deflector)!
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2025
To be fair, nothing rust out here. I couldn't believe it when I moved out here from New York. Frame rust on them is a real thing in other places. Especially NY, PA and New England.
We are talking Tacoma. Gen II TRUE. Not gen 3. I just dislike generalizing but you are correct salt road places are nasty
But park a car by the Pacific Ocean and it will rust
Any brand neglected log enough in a highly corrosive environment, will eventually rot away.
IIRC, this was a 10 year old Explorer, that had to be scrapped due to extreme rust.
IIRC, this was a 10 year old Explorer, that had to be scrapped due to extreme rust.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
Not sexy and build them the same has it’s place. Look at Chevy cargo vans. They pile up the years and miles doing hard work - but they change very little year on year to keep that going.
JHZR2
Staff member
Ok… rotting frames?
My FIL who went heavily to Fords because Toyotas couldn’t handle the severe terrain loading had a tundra and Tacoma at different times in parallel. The tundra had frame rot, Tacoma was just plastic and uncomfortable. I drove both. In severe terrain. But frame failure on tacomas is legendary. Don’t pretend it isn’t. What isn’t factual about it?!?
FWIW, I’m not a fan of his ford trucks for other reasons. I’ll keep my Chevy and Dodges, thanks.
But this goes way back. I remember sitting in early Tacoma models. With the t handle parking brake release that was pointed into my left shin, in a cramped cab. So again, I just don’t find them that great.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
It was the same working them in slush and mush overseas - the Ford SD held up - But, couldn’t keep up with drive-line parts on the Toyota.
The engines did fine - the rest did not like being in 4WD every day hauling equipment around … (no dog in fight, Chevy guy)
JHZR2
Staff member
Ok that’s fair… so as we cross generations we go from one issue to another? Yet folks will keep buying it because… Toyota.
Others have said, all things will face issues. I stilll have and drive my 98 S-10. It’s like new. I did the LiM gasket when I saw the slightest sign of weeping. It has required nothing else. Yet guess what generalizations people will give? Why? Because it’s a domestic made in NJ?
Maybe they’d like to meet my Dodge which is heading for 500k and everything still works perfect? Or is that an anomaly because it’s not Toyota?
I chuckle at the eBay sellers who say early 80s MB diesels are all million mile cars that will give 40 MPG… no. We all have our examples of generalizations and mistruths. Including for brands we like.
The issue I have is as I said. I never thought they were particularly great trucks, and now all this…
That's a bit ironic, my 1988 S-10 Blazer was the largest piece of junk car I ever owned. Rattle fall apart master random shifting waste of money I ever bought new.
My 1985 SR5 Pickup out lasted it, also bought new. The frame on that old thing was fine. It was pretty cheap though. Around $6000 new as I recall.
But I will agree, my Tacoma decently equipped in 2019 was around $30K out the door. Reasonable. Now over $50K? That is completely nuts, but again how much are the new fancy USA trucks? I'm 66. I'm keeping my Gen III. I maybe can drive up to 80. Dunno yet!~ But there are no reports of any kind of frame failures that I know of. I am curious though, if you have links. Yes I know Gen II rotted like a compost pile. And yes Toyota did something really really stupid. They moved away from stuff that works with Gen changes, so that's why I brought it up. Verifiable difference in suspension and apparently the front diff set-up as well. I mean come on Toyota!! Stupid. People should be fired IMHO
Those are the total of two Toyotas I have owned. Neither let me down.
Anyway this thread is a steaming pile of hate. I have seen zero hard evidence that Toyota is worse than other Japanese autos.
We've had comparison to BMW. That seems like a premium brand. Good for them!
But does anyone have actual statistical evidence Toyota is the worst car maker? Or the best, or in the middle as I stated. You know, @JHZR2 real statistically verifiable data?
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
Well, maybe that’s the issue - folks have grown to expect more - but are suddenly paying more without even getting what they had from Toyota before. As a former production machinist - I struggle understanding these “swarf” story lines from several levels … The process to de-bur and clean is pretty darn intensive - and as tight as bearings are - what exactly is the correlation? So, let’s understand what gets changed 1st - seeing if there will be something else noticeable …
All the compacts had severe cons. The Toyota were very reliable uncomfortable rust buckets. GM/Chevy just a mess in reliability but comfortable . Ranger seemed to be okay . They all rotted eventually, Toyota was just first.
When I was a kid in high school as I mentioned I worked at a small town GMC dealer.
The boss brought in a 454SS - he always got one of the specials just to get people to come look. It arrived, and one of the younger guys working there just had to have it. They figured out a way to finance him to buy it, so he did. Even the salesman that sold it to him said the price and financing was crazy.
So I looked up and original MSRP was under $20K in 1993 - and in todays money according to the CPI thats $45K now. $45K is a pretty basic Tacoma these days.
The boss brought in a 454SS - he always got one of the specials just to get people to come look. It arrived, and one of the younger guys working there just had to have it. They figured out a way to finance him to buy it, so he did. Even the salesman that sold it to him said the price and financing was crazy.
So I looked up and original MSRP was under $20K in 1993 - and in todays money according to the CPI thats $45K now. $45K is a pretty basic Tacoma these days.
That's kind of it.
No one really has hard facts, just YouTube. Remember we are talking about Toyota, not just NEW (GEN 4) Tacoma.
I'm waiting.
Overpriced - agree, Gen 4 Tacoma
Worth a premium over other makes - meh, not really, all cars
Strut nut - wow. Did supplier use wrong alloy or.........Gen 4 Tacoma
Loss of front axle - Gen 4 Tacoma (but remedied???)
Less engine output for 6MT - Gen 4 Tacoma
Feel free to add.
Similar threads
