2007 Toyota Tundra SR5 from North America - Off Topic Comments

"And to the person who is impressed with 260,000 on their Dodge; so what? Every Toyota on the road is capable of doing that, it's to be expected when you buy one. Big deal, if it's even true."

Does that include the Toyota 4Runners that people are complaining about on this site that blew head gaskets between 75,000 and 120,000 miles? Funny how you say every Toyota will routinely go 260,000 and yet they only reached 1/3 to 1/2 the mileage of the Dodge. Please explain.

"Do you know anything at all about assembly plants? I guess Toyota has it's own steel mill on site and pours casts or machines their own camshafts now?"

Just keep making excuses for Toyota. The fact remains that other manufacturers are not having this problem, but Toyota is. Whether they have a supplier or not, is that any excuse? I guess if any car has a problem now, we should not hold the manufacturer accountable, just blame it on any suppliers they might have used. Would you be that forgiving to a domestic brand?

By the way, not everybody is as clueless as you think they are. I have a masters degree in engineering, and a large amount of professional experience is in Industrial Engineering, so I know a little bit about manufacturing. Clearly, there are separate facilities where components are manufactured/cast and where they are finally assembled. I do not know, nor ever claimed to know, every single aspect of how Toyota conducts their operations, and neither do you. But, it is a well known fact that Toyota casts its own engines, so it is not unreasonable to assume that they might just cast their own camshafts as well. That is not far fetched.

I ask you again, why won't Toyota name their supplier (if there is one)? Could it be that, if the problem is a metallurgy problem, as Toyota claims, then it could potentially effect camshafts from other model Toyota's, not just the Tundra. Naturally, that is assuming Toyota is telling the truth about it even being a metallurgy problem. But it could also be (and my guess is this may very likely be the case) a mechanical design problem, wherein the metal is fine, but not engineered in the proper proportions to withstand the loads it is subjected to. There is a lot more than just a foul up in alloying the metal of the camshafts that can cause them to fail. Toyota has been having major mechanical issues across its product line (engine sludge, suspension component failures, brake system design flaws), so they do not inspire confidence.

Speaking from experience, I know for a fact that I can buy a domestic truck, as I have done several times, and have it give me several hundred thousand miles of trouble free driving. And, as an added bonus, I can do real work with it. Yet the people I know who have Toyota trucks all have problems with them. Every single person I know who has ever had compact Toyota trucks, including both four and six cylinder models, has had head gasket failures.

So far, I have only known two people who have had Tundra's, because they are still relatively new. The first person I know bought his Tundra new, and then almost immediately it started making loud upper engine valve train noises. You always knew when he was coming down the road; you could hear that pile of pot metal coming a block away. That truck was sold within two years, and replaced by another Ford, which is the type of truck the person had owned previously - I guess the grass isn't always greener... Then, the second person I know who has a Tundra (and so far still has it), is fortunately not having engine problems, but has to take it back to the dealership constantly for suspension problems.

With all of these problems I see everybody around me having with Toyota's, while I have never had a problem with any of my domestic vehicles, what is my opinion of Toyota supposed to be? I have not even mentioned (nor do I care to because I am sick of writing all of this, and we are talking about trucks anyway), all of the disastrous problems I have seen with Toyota cars. I have had to personally pick up the pieces, both financially, and with my repair labor, on several of them. Based on my direct real world observations, I just think this myth of Toyota's being superior, or even good vehicles for that matter, is absolutely preposterous, and I simply cannot believe so many people are so enamored in it.

10:51 Well, I guess all it takes to knock GM out of the top sales spot is a 'flash in the pan' then. Actually, your description is the way YOU think it is, but not in reality. I guess the Accord and Camry, which have been beating the life out of GM, Ford, and everyone else for years, are flashes in the pan too?

I would not be using anything from JD Power as a yard stick in terms of comparing quality. There's a pretty important word in that report, and that word would be "Initial". In other words, it has nothing to do with long-term reliability and longevity.

All I can say is that if anyone thinks anything Buick makes comes even remotely close to being on par with Lexus, then they're only fooling themselves. Buick is STILL using old-fashioned 4 speed automatics, while Lexus is producing 8 an speed.

The fact of the matter is that Buick still produces an old-fashioned, outdated, incredibly boringly styled econo-sedan that in no way will have the same long-term reliability or longevity of anything Lexus produces. Even you who used the JD power reports as "proof" fully realize this.

In regards to Tacomas... again, Ford and Chevy lost that contest. Obviously neither company can compete with Toyota because Toyota makes a better, more solid, more capable truck. Again - the Ranger will be no more. Get it? No more small trucks from Ford. GM barely makes a scratch in that market either, and I'd be real surprised if they don't discontinue their small trucks as well. I think that just about validates the argument that Ford and GM built inferior small trucks for years. So I guess the only small trucks left to do either real or as you call it "Playing in the mud" will be Toyota and Nissan.

Also - why don't you come and check out the farming situation in CA? You obviously have no idea what you're talking about, because despite what you think, there are way more farmers and huge farms here doing more farm work than anywhere in KY or the Southeast for that matter. There are literally hundreds of miles of nothing but farmland out here. They use trucks for serious work. Fords, Chevys, and Toyotas.

Also - if we're going to have a recall contest, the facts still remain that GM and Ford have had many times the number of recalls over either Toyota or Nissan. We can single out all the technicalities all day long, but the simple fact that GM and Ford again take the cake for defective products, I think the argument can be summed up with that single fact.

Lastly, these little comparisons keep being made about "how my truck will haul a 2 story house up a wall" and so forth, as if to say that by owning a domestic truck, that automatically makes it beefier and stronger than any import. About a year ago, I went to a Chevy dealership and looked and some brand new Silverados. The interior of the truck was very nice and comfortable. But I'm a mechanically minded person, so I'm more concerned about the business end of the truck.

First of all, the whole engine was covered in a rubbermaid plastic shield. Secondly, there was a lot of welding splatter on the frame.

The hardware used in many places was already rusting. The frame towards the bed was somewhat thin looking for a full-sized truck. The handles were flimsy and felt like they flexed as I opened the doors.

Bottom line- the truck was a big full sized truck built like an econocar. I think all these comments about those "puny" toyota trucks are ironic since many of the domestics are pretty much fluff and looks versus actual heavy duty. At least the new Tundra has a real frame and modern engine.

I could have very likely attained that mileage 260,000 miles plus on my new Acura in time, but would suspect at least 6-8 transmission replacements with that mileage level. Not bad for a $34,000 car.

I read mileage on motors, and they can be rebuilt many times and still be the original drivetrain. It gets expensive; I lost a/c, electronic problems.

My father use to rave years ago about his great VW beetle with high mileage, but he was in the dealer constantly with struts, clutch adjustments, no heat on and on, but he was a diehard keeping the car. It would be cheaper and a lot nicer to buy something decent instead of an old rust bucket. I never keep them over 50,000 miles, and yet my last imports were the worst cars I ever owned. No more imports...

17:11, Sure, I'd be glad to explain; none of these comments may be true, anonymity online tends to make people bold and/or exaggerate, if not make up complete lies altogether.

And on the off chance that all of those comments are actually true, then that is an extremely rare case of a Dodge outlasting a Toyota. That would not be the norm, Toyota's reputation is one of quality and longevity, because that's the experience that practically everyone that owns one has with it.

Personally, I've never met one single person who was less than thrilled with their Toyota's performance. Keep in mind, that's in REAL life. It's that simple.

My old Honda had 260k when I traded it and so what? It still had the power to go another 100k... I do not need no stinking facts about DoDges going over 60k miles. OOOOO my Dodge has 100,000 miles beat that!!! It's only had like 4 paint jobs and the engine is a mitsubishi, and did I add that mine was not really built by Dodge, but by the government since they bailed out my beloved Chrysler.

"There's a pretty important word in that report, and that word would be "Initial."

Funny how you seized on the word "initial" and glossed over how Buick, Lincoln, Mercury, and Cadillac still have higher quality than Toyota, Honda, and Acura after three years.

10:24 What Silverado were you looking at? Must have been an old work truck 1500 V6 stripper... I have a new fully loaded Silverado Vortec Max model that is great. I remember a new Accord I had years ago that when it hit 100,000 miles had the heater core fail in the interior and numerous other expensive repairs at 100,000 miles, timing belts, trans problems etc. I was also wise to trade it in. I cannot see the sense in keeping very high mileage imports with high repair costs.

If you look at construction sites, you never see a Toyota Tundra. Invariably, contractors use Chevy's, Ford's, GMC'c or Dodges. The likely customer for a Tundra is a suburban housewife who uses it to carry groceries or soccer uniforms, which is about all the Tundra is good for.

10:24 Thank You! Someone else that finally sees the light of day.

Ford's and Chevy's are nothing more than outdated, inefficient, cheaply made engines wrapped in crappy, thin tin that isn't put together straight. Look at their fenders, with those two little rods, or braces, that are supposed to keep the whole fender from just flapping in the wind I guess. Look at a Toyota body. MUCH better made. And everybody knows that their engines and transmissions are decades ahead of the competition.

"I do not need no stinking facts about DoDges going over 60k miles."

I think you're missing a numeral there, bud. The Dodge had 260,000 miles. Let us know when your Honda Odyssey gets that many miles. It should be a memorable event, because you will have just bought your fifth transmission.

"Ford's and Chevy's are nothing more than outdated, inefficient, cheaply made engines wrapped in crappy, thin tin that isn't put together straight. Look at their fenders, with those two little rods, or braces, that are supposed to keep the whole fender from just flapping in the wind I guess. Look at a Toyota body. MUCH better made. And everybody knows that their engines and transmissions are decades ahead of the competition."

Boy have you got your facts mixed up! Everything you stated holds true AGAINST the Tundra. Need we resurrect the post 19:36, I believe, from the previous Tundra review with over 500 comments?

Or how about "the truth about trucks" video.

Oh.. I wouldn't know about NOT seeing Tundras on the work site. I actually used to be a salesman at a contractor supply center. I did this job for around 5 years. When the Tundra came out, you wouldn't believe how many contractors of ours bought them.

If you still see more Fords and Chevys at the job site, again this is mostly due to the fact that Tundras have only been manufactured for 5 or 6 years. Not long in comparison to the almost 100 years that Ford or Chevy have had to make theirs. You would think that with that many years of experience, these two would have figured out how to make a modern and reliable truck.

The Chevy truck I looked at was a fully loaded Chevy with all the trimmings. I think the biggest joke of all was when I put my finger through the grille and gave it a little tug. The grille was made out of flimsy, flexible plastic. Not that there's anything wrong with plastic, but seriously - this was the same plastic I'd imagine flower pots being made out of. Sort of rubbery. The story went for the rest of the truck.

If you've only looked at Chevys, then perhaps you don't really know any better and think that having flimsy plastic hardware on a giant truck is A-OK. I was not impressed with the build quality at all. Seemed like your typical GM product complete with a healthy supply of cheap creaky plastic inside and out. That and just an absolute mess of an engine, complete with sloppily laid out wiring and hoses.

As far as seeing housewives driving Tundras, well I can say that perhaps 75% of all full sized trucks I see on the road aren't being used for work. More like big burly dudes in the suburbs pulling their little trailers full of 4-wheelers and other toys on weekends. To be honest, the idea of having a full sized truck for non other than driving is totally ridiculous, yet I did read some report that mentioned that 70% of all people who buy them do exactly that.

I can guarantee that I use my little Tacoma for way more real work than some of the bozos driving these 15 MPG gas-guzzling wannabe trucks out there anyday. Most of these full sized trucks are just grocery getters and nothing else. Either that or they're bought with a thin excuse to do "work" - like haul an equally useless 5th wheel travel camper. Everyone complains about high gas prices, yet they go out and buy massive trucks and SUVs.

In regards to quality... well ANY car will last 3 years. Ever hear anyone brag about a 3 year old car? " Hey, my car is a whopping 3 YEARS old and it still runs!" But we're not talking 3 years. We're talking about whether a Buick will last 10-12 years or more and go at least 200k. I seriously doubt it. How about make a serious report? I can bet you anything that if there was a real long term survey, those Buicks, Chevys. and other piece of crap cars would fall right off the list after 4-5 years. Don't deny it. You know it's true.

All Honda vehicles are Honda Odysseys. In that note too, I have seen more with over 200,000 miles than I have seen a Chrysler vehicle. Everyone brings the Odyssey in, but fails to mention that a Windstar, Venture, or Caravan has more problems.