5th Oct 2010, 19:40
Yes, you can find many crazy arguments on the internet. However, NHTSA is a credible institution. They don't work for Toyota, and they most likely will be held accountable for what they state. They wouldn't state driver error in many driver accidents if there wasn't evidence to back it up. I don't believe they are wild or irrational.
They are not a group of conspiracy theorists writing comments about a faked moon landing, or 9/11. I guess Toyota finally beat Ford's record of recalls for their crappy Focus. They set the bar high with that car. I wouldn't want a car from a company that went bankrupt, but it's a free country. Also, the fact that there was a grand subpoena doesn't negate the fact that there is evidence for driver error, and not auto defect in many Toyota accidents.
5th Oct 2010, 22:45
There is about 321,000 hits for 'driver error in Toyota accidents'. Most of them have titles like 'U.S Government Finds Most Toyota Auto Accidents Result of Driver Error.' Also, many of the articles are from credible newspapers. A newspaper can't publish something just because they feel like saying it. They always need credible sources and evidence to back up a claim.
Also, what about hysteria? Couldn't that account for at least some of the accidents? I remember some years ago, there was a huge belief that shark attacks were increasing at an alarming rate. It turned out that wasn't the case at all. There was no increase. It's just that the media kept portraying it, so people believed it.
6th Oct 2010, 12:58
Good point. For years the media spread the myth that Japanese cars were better, so people believed it.
6th Oct 2010, 13:01
You are right, but it has been said over and over again, only to be countered by their same tired argument of ratings companies and supposed stories. I made my choice to drive what I want, based on intelligence and personal experience. For me, imports far outshine domestics, and my many many repair bills on GM cars prove it. I've never had an issue with an import except one Nissan. I never went back!
It is sad that people scour the Internet looking for stories they want to believe, and take them as the word of God. I still have met not one person that has actually needed any replacement parts on their Toyota when it was taken in for the recalls. Not ONE!
The media has created such a circus over this... just like with everything else. The domestic car companies needed a boost, and Toyota screwed up at the wrong time, and they jumped on it. The whole ratings game is the same exact thing. When the ratings were hugely in favor of imports, these same people going on about how great American cars are because of the ratings, were saying how fixed and paid off the ratings companies were.
Funny how ones opinion changes when they are fed what they want to hear, isn't it? When domestic cars rack up DECADES in overall quality at the top of the charts like the imports have, then start saying how great they are. I am thinking Toyota will reclaim the top spot soon enough, as they are now working harder than ever to get back the glory. It is actually the best time to buy a new one, as they surely won't be letting too much slip by these days!
6th Oct 2010, 15:34
Yeah it was a myth when Japanese cars topped the charts for over 25 years. but it is the word of God now that domestics are rated higher for like a year!
Yeah, okay then... I guess some people believe what they want when it is convenient, huh? Give me 25 years of domestic domination and I'll start to believe they are actually better. It won't happen.
6th Oct 2010, 18:18
The media made have played a small part, but it was personal experience that ruined the big three. They had a lock on the North American Market, but they blew it. People left them because they were bitter and angry over their bad cars. People turned toward Honda and Toyota, and were much happier with what they had. The big three lost an entire generation, so it's going to be difficult to win it back.
28th Oct 2010, 22:26
Wow! After reading all of these comments, I forgot what I was researching.
THE AVEO RULES!!! I have a 2008 with 110,000 miles on it, I commute to school and work on a daily basis, which is a little over 100 miles a day, and I have only changed tires, battery, and oil. That is it!
29th Oct 2010, 17:51
"The big three lost an entire generation, so it's going to be difficult to win it back"
Probably not that hard. Toyota just recalled another 1.5 million cars, and is facing allegations that they bought back defective cars dating back to 2006, and forced the owners to sign "confidentiality agreements" to keep the public in the dark. Honda is having more huge recalls, and Nissan just recalled over 2 million vehicles.
30th Oct 2010, 18:07
And there is lists of millions of domestic recalls if you search for them as well. Most cars have issues that are recalled. It is just a matter of who they want to focus on and who flies under the radar more in order to spur sales. The U.S. auto business is in the toilet, so they won't add salt to the wounds by heavily publicizing their flaws.
2nd Nov 2010, 21:46
There are still legions of Toyota owners who swear by their cars. I'm one of them. Of course, there will be a comment underneath this stating that all Toyota owners are foolish, and doomed in their unsafe, unreliable cars. They must immediately switch over to Ford, GM, and Chrysler. All their cars are perfectly safe, flawlessly reliable and have never had any safety issues, or recalls. They've never done anything to deceive or displease their customers.
2nd Dec 2010, 14:00
We have a 2007 Aveo 5 and have 55K. No problems. It is not a great car, but just fine for the 300 miles I drive a week. It sits 4 comfortably, and the only thing about it is its 30MPG.
We have a BMW330CI, Yukon, Subaru Impreza, and this car unless being driven really fast is just as good as the Subaru. But gets 10 more MPG, and the Subaru has takes more trips to the shop than the Aveos once.
For the 7k we paid used with air, this is a tremendous deal. I lose twice that a year in depreciation in the BMW.
3rd Oct 2010, 12:14
"I guess 'some people' includes the NHTSA. Google the words 'Someone Owes Toyota an Apology.'"
Google ANYTHING and you can find support for every wild and irrational comment ever made. Come on, all automotive experts now rank Toyota near the bottom of the barrel, WAY below Ford and GM. And facts are facts: Toyota DID have three Grand Jury subpoenas in the past year and the largest recall fiasco in the history of the wheel.