2001 Toyota Highlander Limited from North America - Comments

If the Toyota Highlander is a "quality vehicle", my cat is a mountain lion. Anything with as many problems as the Highlander shouldn't even be considered when buying something that your family's safety depends on. Bad brakes, bad airbags, accelerators that stick on the floor and transmissions that shift erratically are NOT characteristics of a "quality vehicle".

Why would the writer of this review rush out and buy another Toyota? All anyone has to do is read it. I bought mostly imports up until 4 years ago. I refuse to get burned again and will share any info of my own experience as much as possible. Maybe I will cool down after a while, but for now I lost a lot of money.

Virtually no one keeps a car (or truck) more than 150,000 to 200,000 miles tops unless they are a company (and 99% of all companies use American cars and trucks). Any GM, Ford or Chrysler made today will easily go 150,000 miles with no problems. I don't see how you can argue that any car has better "quality" than that. Now that I'm no longer in poverty I wouldn't dream of keeping a car over 100,000 miles, and they're all under warranty for that length of time now anyway. For me to buy a car based on the myth that it might last 300,000 miles doesn't make any sense. As for resale value, that's another myth. The two imports we owned brought a lower percentage of their purchase price than our domestics did.

Ummmm, that is cause you owned a Chevy Impala Super Sport and now you wonder why it is worth more than your Civic Coupe... Compare apples to apples. 98 Accord = 04 Malibu. I have shopped around at Honda's and Toyota's and it was not uncommon to find one with 200,000-275,000 miles in my market. (Minnesota where we have piles of salt all over) You might not keep it over 150,000 miles, but someone is bound to buy it after you and drive it safely and easily another 100,000-150,000 miles. I bought my Honda with 200,000 miles and at 245,000 miles I have had no trouble at all except normal maintenance you would do to a car at around 60,000 miles.

Guess what? The "myth" is true. And there is no way in hell that if you actually owned imports that they brought a lower resale than your domestic cars. That isn't how things work in reality.

Add Timing Belts, modules and a multitude of other parts, rust repair, repaint etc on high mileage dubious beater vehicles... and see why people sell...I'll take a nice new SS any day of the week. I drive to Florida and want something unquestably reliable

Imports almost always bring a lower percentage of their new purchase price than domestics do. Import buyers are mathematically challenged in figuring resale values. It isn't the LIST that determines percentage of return when you sell a car, it's ACTUAL PURCHASE PRICE. One of our Japanese imports lost 50% of its purchaser price in ONE YEAR, while one of our domestics (a Dodge truck) returned over 80% of its bought new purchase price after 5 years. I looked up the private party resale value on my 1-year-old Ford truck and it is worth $1080 MORE today than I paid for it. I also looked up the Totota Prerunner I negotiated a (much too high) price on before buying my Ford, and if I'd bought it, it is worth over $600 LESS now than the asking price. If I'd bought it I'd be over $1600 WORSE OFF than with the Ford, so just how is that "better resale value"?

I had a Chevrolet Caprice with the LT1. Not quite as beautiful as the Super Sport, but she was dam fast. I would have to say though that it cost a lot to keep her running. It was in the dealer a lot its first 5 years having trouble with build quality issues and paint. At 125,000 when she was 11 years old, we had to get rid of her; she has a terrible engine knock, and rust was coming from all over the place--especially behind the rear wheels. If we take into fact all the parts that did not work right and all the money spent on gas and repairs and maintenance, you would find that it was a nightmare. We got 3000 on trade in and those filthy men at the Honda dealer some how sold it in poor condition for 6500 dollars advertising it as a Impala Super Sport. SOME KIND OF WAY TO SELL A CAR! Someone else now has all our problems, and now we have a new Accord. We needed a small car for my sister-- heads up: please do not insult me for trying to save a few thousand dollars and trying to protect my sister by trading the LT1 for an I-4.

Wow a 125,000 mile Chevrolet Caprice that was running badly and 11 years old yet still brought $6500. With financing likely... the ultimate buyer paid likely even more in the end. I am so glad I bought some new GM's. I would have also have made efforts to at least sell privately on this one.

I think the 14:53 poster on Dec 15th needs to explain how a Dodge truck could possibly return 80% of its price in five years when Chrysler has nearly six months worth of unsold NEW trucks sitting in fields. The only possible explanation is that you live in one of the few areas of the country with zero competition and no Dodge dealers, making your truck "rare".

And your Ford truck claim is just internet fantasy, just like homebuyers today thinking their houses went up 50% in a declining market. The only Ford vehicles possibly generating such return would be Mustangs (soon to dissipate with more available) and the now-discontinued GT40.

It's no secret that people grossly exaggerate the resale values of imports. The private party resale value of a 2006 Toyota Prerunner SR-5 IS $600 LESS than the negotiated price of the one I looked at in January 2006. The Ranger I actually bought is worth $1080 MORE than I actually paid for it, according to Kelly Bluebook. If you want to argue with them, go ahead, but you should check your facts before calling people liars. As for Mustangs, I just saw a 1969 Mustang (NOT a Shelby, I might add) bring $75,000 at an antique auto auction. Considering it cost less than $5000 new, I'd say that's pretty good resale value.

As for my Dodge truck, it was purchased new in October of 2000 for $10,899. It was sold in January of 2006 for $8800. Do the math. That is 80.74% of its purchase price (excluding tax, title and license). It was absolutely mint and had 50,000 miles. There is no shortage of Dodge dealers here, and the Dakota is very popular. I just didn't care for the styling of the new ones or I would have bought another one. Everyone I know who has ever owned a Dodge truck says they have the highest resale value of any truck made. That's why I bought one to begin with. In my case it was certainly true.

And I will take your Dodge comment one further. I am fortunate to be able to drive my sons Dodge Viper. What a vehicle! 60 mph and you have 5 gears left to go. Outstanding performance power and braking. He grew up around my GM's... Camaro SS, Impala SS and a couple Vettes. I drive a new GM SUV and a SS pick up today, but I have tremendous respect for his. I also respect the modified twin turbo Supra on the dyno board actually ahead of his Viper. But it only has more hp. Dodges new SUV by the way is very cool looking I may check one out down the road...

Any Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, or Mitsubishi will almost always bring a better resale than any Big 3 vehicle. It's because they have more life left in them at any mileage, and people know this; which is why anyone with at least half a brain would feel more comfortable buying a Honda with 100,000 miles on it than a Ford or Chevy.

Checked my fact:

1) My friend's 3 year old Ford Focus was listed in Kelly Blue Book as having a resale value of $9,700. After two months of advertising it finally sold for $6,500, and it was in mint condition and under warranty. So your KBB claim has no relevance until you actually sell the vehicle.

2) You cannot compare classic Mustangs in this discussion. If you do, then please tell me how many 1970's era (Charlie's Angels') cars are selling for $85K at auction.

3) It is a well known fact that American cars and trucks of all types have horrible resale values because buying a new one is so cheap. That is one reason imports are more expensive and use less discounting - it helps retain their resale value.

4) Your Toyota claim is obviously dependent on what part of the country you are in. Here (California) it would have an extremely high resale value and your Dakota would sit looking for a buyer.

5) You lucked out on your sale. It is simply illogical that someone would pay so much money for a 5 year old vehicle without a warranty when they could go into any Dodge dealer and get a better vehicle for just a little more. And just one major repair (which will happen with any car) would wipe out the price differential.

I am not sure Mitsubishi has shown it can hold all of its value yet. With the uncertainty of bankruptcy and hidden recalls, I am not sure they have bounced up with the likes of Honda or Toyota. I do not know what to say about Hyundai. Have they in 3 years bounced up in resale value like a Toyota or Honda? I do not think it is likely, but hey, maybe it's true.