Toyota- Build Quality

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Talkin about high qaulity. One of fleet accounts has a 2002 Chevy 2500 HD, yes I said HD. Guess what I had to replace on it today? The left front hub assembly. Flat worn out. Only 72k Miles. The part was $340.00. Just for the kicks, I called Toyota parts. The hub assembly was 153.00 and the bearing was 52.00. GM does not sell just the bearing, so you have to buy the whole assembly. So basically, The toyota would have cost 52.00 plus a new seal.
 
Guy's the gap is closing. But remember, not everone wants a Toyota. There are other factors involved when buying a car. For me, I'm not expecting Toyota quality but I'm confident enough that the domestics are closing the gap. They might not ever reach Toyota's level, but who has? Point is, other things like looks, total feel of vehicle, performance all play a role too. But to address this thread more directly, my interst has been what exactly does Toyota do to keep that edge? I think the thread has answered that as it has always been thought that the parts used and manufacturing process that Toyota uses is a cut above the rest. There are certain domestic cars that are bullet proof too. I have a lot of respect for Toyota bc for over 30yrs they have made good cars. Very consistant. If this where 5-15yrs ago, I'd say buy a Japanese car if your looking for reliability. But now, I'd say take your pick of any bc there isn't the difference their once was.
 
Let me get this straight. It is better to buy a Canadian or Mexican assembled Dodge, from a German company, Daimler, than it is to buy a US designed and assembled Toyota? If I want to be geographically selfish, Toyota contributes many times as much to the California economy than GM, Ford or DaimlerChrysler.

From a personal perspective I am a Ford stockholder, but I rent a house to a Toyota employee and my kid makes a living repairing Toyotas.
 
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Let me get this straight. It is better to buy a Canadian or Mexican assembled Dodge, from a German company, Daimler, than it is to buy a US designed and assembled Toyota? If I want to be geographically selfish, Toyota contributes many times as much to the California economy than GM, Ford or DaimlerChrysler.

From a personal perspective I am a Ford stockholder, but I rent a house to a Toyota employee and my kid makes a living repairing Toyotas.

Well said and your absolutely right.
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Jimbo hit the nail on the head!

We have been brainwashed as I have said for years with the "average acceptance", its good enough attitude. Buy American Myth! Well let me tell you if it wasn't for Toyota we would all be driving crapheaps that fell apart before the last payment was made. We all should commend Toyota for their accomplishments and their ability of their product to make the big 3 held more accountable. I for one choose to support a company that tries hard to provide a product that is very good and not just "good enough".
 
quote:

Originally posted by Amkeer:
Jimbo hit the nail on the head!

We have been brainwashed as I have said for years with the "average acceptance", its good enough attitude. Buy American Myth! Well let me tell you if it wasn't for Toyota we would all be driving crapheaps that fell apart before the last payment was made. We all should commend Toyota for their accomplishments and their ability of their product to make the big 3 held more accountable. I for one choose to support a company that tries hard to provide a product that is very good and not just "good enough".


Where are all the great Japanese cars from the seventies and eighties now? Has not been that long ago. Fact is American cars last long after the imports have rusted to powder and the owners get tired of spending at least twice the money for parts. I guess this argument can go on forever.
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They live on! My old truck a 85 Toy 4x4 was purchased by a gentleman in Louisiana. I could have pawned to the exporters that wanted it badly, but this gentleman wanted it so I sold it to him.

Here is some of your old rust buckets:

http://www.4x4wire.com/cgi-bin/gall...gs/Toyota/Mini&image=David_McKee.jpg&img=&tt=

http://www.4x4wire.com/cgi-bin/gall...s_rigs/Toyota/Mini&image=j_heard.jpg&img=&tt=

http://www.4x4wire.com/cgi-bin/gall...Toyota/Mini&image=John_Honcoop.jpg&img=12&tt=

http://www.4x4wire.com/cgi-bin/gall.../Toyota/Mini&image=Mark_Bailey.jpg&img=48&tt=

[ September 02, 2004, 10:20 PM: Message edited by: Amkeer ]
 
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Why is hard plastic any better or worse than spongy soft rubber/plastic?

Both seem to age pretty well. Both seem to do their job.

I wear my seatbelt, so slamming into it during an accident isn't a consideration.

So what's the difference?

The difference is in price and what you get for the $.

Heck, I'll compare a top of the line Acura 3.5 RL to a Cadilac Deville and you'll still have that "I've just paid more for hard plastic paneling" feeling.

If I'm riding around in a nice car, I want everything to feel like it was worth the $ I paid to purchase it. That might not be the case for you and I can understand that. Different strokes for different folks.
 
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Originally posted by Chris B.:
In time if things keep going the way they are GM will be way ahead of Toyota.

Your dreaming and dillusional Chris!

said Joe Ivers, J.D. Power’s executive director of quality/customer satisfaction. “However, while the domestics continue to outpace the Europeans, the Japanese continue to dominate.”

Keep in mind that these Toyota vehicles are built in the USA by Americans, using American products and American engineering.

[ September 02, 2004, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: Amkeer ]
 
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Originally posted by cousincletus:
Where are all the great Japanese cars from the seventies and eighties now? Has not been that long ago.

I seem them every once in a great while, usually belching smoke with some body damage.

They probably don't stay on the road too much longer since the emissions testing program won't pass them with visible smoke and they can't be registered unless it's fixed.

Or it gets totalled in an accident--the body damage is usually an indicator of the owner's driving ability.

Or it simply dies and the owner leaves it on the side of the road till the state comes to tow it away.
 
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Originally posted by seotaji:
Heck, I'll compare a top of the line Acura 3.5 RL to a Cadilac Deville and you'll still have that "I've just paid more for hard plastic paneling" feeling.

Acura? My '96 Ford Contour has "plush plastic" or whatever the **** you call it.

It's nice, but if you think it makes a "luxury car", we'll have to agree to disagree.
 
quote:

Originally posted by buster:
Guy's the gap is closing. But remember, not everone wants a Toyota. There are other factors involved when buying a car.

I agree. Again personally no Toyota's currently available have an ounce of excitement to them unfortunately. They try with the Celica, Matrix and Corolla with the 180HP motor with no torque. The rest are very reliable in general but basically vanilla. They used to make more sporting cars. No wonder Scion was launched, no more young buyers interested.

I however agree that are well built cars and decent cars if you could care less about sporting aspects and want comfortable/reliable transport.

Thankfully there are other large manufacturer's to fill the gap such as Ford, GM and DC besides the small guys.
 
Rjundi,

You are entitled to your opinion and thats all it is an opinion. The sales speak for themselves. Nobody says you have to like a hugely, successful company like Toyota. I hated them at one time too!

Hey they are only steel with wheels and are to get you from point A to point B. Anything else is pure fluff! If it runs and saves me a $400 a month on a car payment for 10 years, its for me! 10 years at $4,800.00 is equal to $48,000 in my pocket, I'll take it..... Looking forward to that next $48,000!
 
Amkeer, I respect you love for Toyota but you sound like your always trying to convert everyone into your way of thinking which is that we should only buy Toyotas bc they are the most reliable and they will get you from point A to B with the least amount of trouble. Thats great and while I really like Toyota, again, not everyone wants one. My recent buy was not for reliabilty but for looks, power and performance. I just like the Dodge Rams right now. I doubt I'll get Toyota reliability but sometimes the other qualities over ride the "reliable" factor. Plus, most cars today are built well. It's not the 80's anymore.


I think Toyotas are great, but their are many other great cars as well. I'm sure I'll buy another Toyota at some point but will also buy from other brands as well. All the manufactures make at least one or two great cars that I like. Many I can't afford.
 
Buster,

I could care less what people choose to drive. My preference is the majority driving GM, Chrysler and Fords in order to keep Toyota quality high and prices stable. What I take offense to is people blabbing BS about Toyota! I then get irritated! Its the Boston, Irish, Catholic in me what can I say.
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I hate BS!

Like I said its all fluff! The key is to keep more money in your pocket and my srategy has worked for me.
 
See. We will not change each others minds so arguing will not help. I said before that Toyota makes good cars as does just about every other maker. If you break it down Toyota does have a better record but GM is now right on top of them and that gap is so small now. Ford and epsically Dodge is also right up there. In time if things keep going the way they are GM will be way ahead of Toyota.
 
cousincletis - Fact is American cars last long after the imports have rusted to powder and the owners get tired of spending at least twice the money for parts.

Can you share with us the source for this "fact"?
 
quote:

Originally posted by cousincletus:

quote:

Originally posted by Amkeer:
Jimbo hit the nail on the head!

We have been brainwashed as I have said for years with the "average acceptance", its good enough attitude. Buy American Myth! Well let me tell you if it wasn't for Toyota we would all be driving crapheaps that fell apart before the last payment was made. We all should commend Toyota for their accomplishments and their ability of their product to make the big 3 held more accountable. I for one choose to support a company that tries hard to provide a product that is very good and not just "good enough".


Where are all the great Japanese cars from the seventies and eighties now? Has not been that long ago. Fact is American cars last long after the imports have rusted to powder and the owners get tired of spending at least twice the money for parts. I guess this argument can go on forever.
cheers.gif


I see them all the time. I think you're probably having a perception problem, since a half-decently maintained mid-80s Toyota does not look like what we expect a twenty year old car to look like (having been conditioned in this regard by American cars).

There's one other problem with your question that I've got to point out. At least there were some great Japanese cars from the 70s and 80s, whereas this period was the absolute dark ages for American makes. Pacer, Citation, Pinto, Vega, Gremlin, Matador, Aspen, Chevette, Omni. Those names ring a bell, by chance??? Not exactly landmarks of proud American car building. Japanese cars of the day weren't perfect, but none of them sank to the depths these gems did.
 
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