2002 Toyota Tundra SR5 from North America - All Comments

21:57 I've owned two Toyota trucks, and I'm not sure why you say the ride is back-breaking. I had no problem with it. Everyone knows they run practically forever, and make much better drivetrains than any domestic, so I guess you're left with attacking the SEATS??? in a Toyota?

Here's the deal: Toyota is on the way up because they sell good vehicles and always have. Deal with it. The Big 3 are not 'big' anymore and probably won't even be '3' for much longer.

Want to know what I just read on my homepage about a minute ago? Here's the headline: "GM posts worst loss in 53 years, experts say 'sell'." Why are they in that position? Because they sell junk and people are tired of it. Not a lot of people are buying trucks because of gas mileage.

Ford can't compete, we all know what troubles they've had. I'm dating someone working in a law firm that has handled some of Ford's many lawsuits, and with what I know that I probably shouldn't, you couldn't give me a Ford. In fact, they just recalled over 600,000 F-150's for some vacuum issue that could cause brake failure. Typical Ford.

Dodge... doesn't even count anymore in my book. Their recent attempts at economy cars are a complete joke, like the rest of their cars and SUV's, and, as a matter of opinion, I think they must have crazy people designing the bodies on everything they make. The Nitro? It looks completely ridiculous, just like a lot of vehicles they make now. Plus Dodge's well known reputation for gas guzzling cars and trucks. They aren't even in the picture anymore.

Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and even Hyundai are the way of the future. Because they make good vehicles. The first three I mentioned are undoubtedly tried and true reliable, and Hyundai is improving every year. I should know, I just bought one and can report that it's built more solidly than any domestic I ever owned. Maybe Toyota will buy GM when they finally go under and turn them into a reputable company by teaching them how to build something that lasts.

I read the 1979 Malibu comment that had its frame break in its 11th year of ownership. Sounds like a Dukes of Hazzard maneuver, or did you ever wash the undercarriage off with salt exposure and wet mud embedded in the frame. Even if you do not currently live in a salt belt, someone may have.

I owned a 1978 Monte Carlo, closest to the 1979, that I bought new and it was a great new car at the time. I put over 100,000 miles on it with no issues.

I wash my cars/trucks at least twice a week (black vehicles look nasty when dirty, but great when clean) and have never had a frame break. Why beat vehicles, what's the point?

I do see the advantages of a nice domestic V8 that has power and durability to haul and tow. I found the engines do not work as hard and have an easier life in a full size application. Please no more Tacomas; they are too small.

05:46 Just to clear things up, I owned the Malibu you asked about. There was no 'Dukes of Hazzard' maneuver. I fail to see how even if I HAD driven it that way, that it would have cause terminal rust.

And to answer your question, the car was immaculate. I clean and maintain my vehicles as well as anyone else you are ever going to speak to. It was spotless inside and out, as well as underneath. I just couldn't stop the rust.

The point is, this is Toyota's first frame rust issue. Don't pretend the domestics haven't had MANY. They have. The difference is, to my knowledge, the Big 3 have never had the guts to back up their product like Toyota did with my former Tacoma. You know as well as I do that Ford or Chevy never would have given me the deal that Toyota did; more like nothing at all.

So ask your girlfriend that works at the law firm if she has heard of Consumer Affairs... and Toyota sludging/air bags faults, braking and drivetrain issues. I wonder if you pick her up in a mud encrusted vehicle, but that's your issue as well.

I also have a very easy solution, especially if you live in the Midwest; it's called a garage. I have a 3 car garage; a bit unusual, but it's a newer home, and I have always had a garage. Preserves the vehicles and their finishes, and pays off at resale time. I also go through car washes and thoroughly keep my vehicles immaculate.

I would not worry about the big 3...they will no doubt re-shift and produce a large selection of fuel efficient models that have great styling and handling. If GM buys Toyota at some point... I wonder if you will buy a Ridgeline next.

"26th Jun 2008, 17:08.

Want to know what I just read on my homepage about a minute ago? Here's the headline: "GM posts worst loss in 53 years, experts say 'sell'." Why are they in that position? Because they sell junk and people are tired of it."

Sorry, but economic profitability has little to do with product quality. There have been a number of auto makers that made great products, but they just could not make money. Bantam Cars (who designed the original Jeep) ; Packard (luxury cars that exceeded Chrysler and were comparable to Cadillac) ; Cord (made the first front wheel drive, fuel injected car with hidden headlights, 50 years ahead of its time) ; Studebaker (made simple, dependable cars that are still on the road) ; Plymouth (made the iconic Barracuda and Roadrunner) ; Wisconsin Traction Company (made the first 4x4 vehicle). They all went bankrupt, and yet they all made good products. They went out of business because their good products cost too much to make, and they didn't sell enough of them.

When I first started reading the comments on this site some years ago, I really wasn't all concerned about imports or domestics. However after reading all the "We hate American industry, let's put people out of work" rants from import owners I can assure you I will never buy another import as long as I live.

17:08-

You think Nissan produces great vehicles? Look up the reliability ratings on the Armada and Titan some time, they are a joke. And then you run down Dodge? Guess who is supposed to produce the next line of Titan's in 2011? Let me spell it for you, DODGE. Go figure - The Titan will then finally be a good truck.

Here's how I see this domestic/foreign argument: let's assume somewhere there exists a mechanic; a very good one who somehow has never seen a Ford or a Toyota. Let's also assume that you've parked any 5 Fords/GM's/Chryslers next to any 5 Toyota's, and removed all markings of any kind that denote the brand of vehicle; and asked this mechanic to choose which one's were better built by crawling all over, under and through them: he or she would undoubtedly choose all 5 Toyota's.

Once you get past all the flag-waving red, white and blue domestic advertising, and look at the vehicles objectively, it is obvious to anyone who has a firm grasp of automotive mechanics that a Toyota is put together better than the rest. Period.

17:04 Just because I'm a Toyota owner doesn't mean I hate American industry.

Camry's are made in the states, and they're great cars; it's just that Toyota actually employs something called 'quality control', where the Big 3 apparently don't.

It just means I hate spending my money on cheaply made vehicles put together sloppily (think Ford, GM). I've owned them so I know. And just the opposite of you, you can rest assured that I will never buy another one. Apparently a lot of people agree with me: GM is in the worst shape they've been in financially in the last 53 years.

If you parked a long row of vehicles and covered the emblems, what would you expect a 2008 consumer to walk directly to in a weak economy and huge leap in oil prices? My speculation would be small cars, crossovers and hybrids, less so import or domestic sport utilities and trucks.

Is quality the specific reason or lack of the determining factor in why they buy these vehicles in 2008 as new vehicles? The economy is very weak and fuel is very high... even mfrs including Toyota were not prepared to have sufficient extreme high mpg vehicles; one dealer is sold out until November.

This is a car survey and here's my choice. If I could walk up to a line of vehicles and not be scared about mpg... the very last vehicle I would choose is a Prius. It gets you to A and B, but it has to be the ugliest vehicle I have seen in years. Sure there was the VW Thing and others and some domestics too. But cover the emblems and not have gas pricing only in mind, I would walk up to a stylish, comfortable, well handling vehicle that is a joy to drive.

I have a lot of pride in what I own and drive, and if not for the current conditions of the economy and high fuel, I suspect others share my viewpoint. It's not quality specifically on why people are buying and not holding off in 2008.

On full size trucks, having a large variety vs such a limited scope of import full size trucks is why domestics sell so much more. But now sales are off because of high gas on all larger trucks, including Toyota. I may even go out and buy yet another new small high mpg car, only because of gas pricing. If I do it will likely be a Solstice Convertible for running around solo, and not a Prius. I have a friend with a black Solstice Convertible; better styling than the Skye, gets high mpg and as most people travel solo as he does on a long commute to our work... it seems like the most enjoyable, high mpg and I love its styling.

I have bought 2 new large vehicles quite recently, and here's yet another. If it's going to be small, it can still have nice elements and not lose the passion of driving.

If a foreign power unleashed an attack on America that destroyed 13,000,000 lives, we'd all be up and arms and calling for revenge. Yet, every day in this country you see people on this site advocating the destruction of 13 million American lives by destroying one of our major industries. Not only are they advocating the destruction of millions of Americans lives, but they are advocating the continuing decline of the dollar, which hurts every American and many of our close allies.

The argument that "Japanese companies hire Americans" is empty. At present Japanese auto companies employ less that ONE THOUSANDTH the number of Americans that domestic makers do. The argument is made that Americans are stupid morons who cannot build anything, so we all must buy foreign, whether it be a car or a kitchen sink. The TRUTH is, current domestic vehicle build quality is HIGHER than all Japanese companies (Ford even outranks Honda now).

My sincere hope is that all those screaming for the destruction of America can afford to move to Japan, where they can enjoy the benefits of all the American dollars we've stupidly donated to their economy, while destroying our own.

I just read that Toyota is falling far short of sales goals too. I guess that means they are also building "crap". Toyota is also cutting way back on production of the gas-hog Tundra and sequoia. GM has switched to 24-hour non-stop production of the Cobalt to meet increased demand, while Ford has upped production of its world-class Focus by 30%.

Car sales are currently driven by fuel costs and a very weak economy. Build quality has NOTHING to do with it. If it did, Toyota wouldn't be selling ANY cars or trucks. As for Nissan, I found it interesting that in this morning's paper they were discounting the unreliable Titan exactly TWICE as much as Ford is discounting the F-150.

21:04... before you have your experienced mechanic actually begin his or her comprehensive comparison with other trucks with Tundras (the actual subject of this review), I am sure this experienced individual (mechanic) will be quite familiar/ busy as have many Tundra owners have experienced please see consumer affairs.com for validation on the following as well...

Warped Rotors from the factory, ball joints, excessive tire wear, slipping trans, oil leaks, sludge gel issues, starting, acceleration issues, erratic temp readings, rear propeller shaft separating at the joints, O2 sensors, paint peeling, tailgates, misc screws falling out hinges, door latches, camshaft issues, knocking, airbag issues.

I would save all receipts and I always do. My warranty went quickly as I drive a lot and now have 100,000 mile warranties only. Was this a quality comparison with the mechanic, or about fuel economy or some small truck analogy thoughts? Simply put there are small trucks and large trucks....this is a large truck review.

As for as fuel economy, the Tundra is by no stretch of the imagination "economical". That is why Toyota has suspended production of the Tundra, Sequoia, and Highlander, and delayed indefinitely the planned opening of the Tupelo, Mississippi plant that was to build them. There is no real fuel mileage advantage of the Tundra over any domestic V-8, and once you factor in the repair cost after the very short warranty expires and the aggravation of spending days or weeks with the Tundra in the shop, you are far better off with the Truck of the Year Silverado, world-class F-150, or workhorse Dodge Ram.

In 16 years of truck ownership I've spent a whopping 2 HOURS waiting on service. That was for an emission canister valve recall on a Dodge. None of my Fords EVER required ANY repairs.

07:34 Toyota HAD a camshaft issue with a relatively small number of Tundra's, long since solved. The rest of that list is just incorrect. I know a few Tundra owners and theirs are perfect.

There is no knocking of the engines unless someone changes the oil and it leaks out. I fail to see how excessive tire wear is Toyota's fault if it were to happen, much like the rest of the that list.

As far as screws falling out and engine trouble, I know dozens of people that have had issues like that with Chevy's or Fords, but never once with Toyota's.

Warped rotors are not the fault of any manufacturer either. It's usually the fault of someone who doesn't know how to drive; i.e., riding the brakes too much, braking hard through puddles, etc. Any of that will warp a rotor. It happens to any vehicle driven that way. I have seen pads/rotors get chewed up on GM vehicles because things were misaligned during the build (a Blazer specifically), but not once on a Toyota.