2002 Toyota Tundra SR5 from North America - All Comments

Our family has owned at least a dozen or more Honda models, all purchased new, and now drive new GM's due to repetitive mechanical issues.

Our youngest driver (just got his license) in our household has a 9 year old low mileage Civic 5 speed sunroof coupe. He liked his mothers Honda's in spite of recurrent issues. I would not buy him a newer Honda. After 2000, unless they were lemons or all bad luck, I feel otherwise with your statements.

I'm all for what people like, and was still open minded to allow my child to drive a Honda.

As far as large trucks, I just saw the new Sierra has better MPG than Tundra, and a 100,000 mile warranty to address the repair concerns. I can hit 50,000 miles in 2 years, and quite frankly having no warranty is a major problem. I refuse to buy a new import with anything less. If my sons older Honda breaks, it's less of a hit. And I could have bought new.

Isn't it interesting that commenter 08:08 refers to these frequency of repair records, but doesn't bother to cite WHERE such records exist that he has "read".

Do a little more expanded reading if you have not seen issues on Hondas/Toyotas. Saying domestics have issues instead of addressing why lots of imports are seeing unheard of major issues is a cop out. And it's not isolated; ones both on here and consumeraffairs.com will enlighten. I know it's hard to believe in 2008 one would ever see low mileage engine failures, sludging, trans failures, air bag failures, braking for openers. My fuel expense has risen and fortunately not repairs since leaving imports.

Well its true, there are records that show which cars are the most reliable.

Here are various links to them:

http://www.baileycar.com/CReliability.html

http://autos.msn.com/advice/CRArt.aspx?contentid=4023544&vv=600

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/02/28/038601.html

The 3rd links shows which auto maker produces the most reliable cars, which are as follows

1. Toyota

2. Honda

3. Scion

4. Acura

5. Lexus

Hmm, the top five are Japanese... not quite a shocker for me.

Well there is your proof... I don't know what more you guys could want me to show you that the Japanese are the top automakers, and although they said lexus slipped to fifth place, that's still much better than domestics. And again, although they said domestics have improved, they still are not in the top five.

Comment 16:39 is very much correct. The average American knows virtually NOTHING about cars except what they read in ads, and base their buying decisions not on knowledge or a desire for a sporty or exciting car, but rather on a need for a cheap, basic transportation appliance.

Boring imports sell mainly due to their often exaggerated mileage figures, and the long-perpetuated myth that they are more reliable. If they were, in fact, more reliable they would not be afraid to offer a decent warranty.

The data shown in the sites listed in comment 11:32 are NOT frequency of repair records (the ONLY real determination of a car's reliability). They are based on OWNER SURVEY's, which are FAR from reliable data.

As we have seen repeatedly on this site (and others), import owners are oblivious to the problems their cars have. I've read comments on the Camry site by people who have had engine and transmission failures, but would still buy a Toyota because "They're better". One had TWO transmission failures and part of the bumper fall off in the first 8000 miles, yet raved about what a "great" car it was!!

People who get taken in by ad hype and pay exorbitant amounts for cars that are junk are loath to admit they got taken.

I'm sure that the Tacoma owner, whose truck BROKE IN HALF due to frame failure would still list everything as "perfect" if he were filling out a survey form.

My friend who owns a Tundra that has been in the shop more times than I can count, still swears by Toyota and bought a 2007 Camry (which has also been in the shop repeatedly).

Please stick to FACTS, not OPINIONS. Only frequency of repair records can be used as a TRUE indicator of reliability, and I can guarantee you, Japanese companies are NOT ABOUT to release those.

To 11:32, Thanks. I didn't bother to list some of those sites or that information myself only because I've been reading and writing here long enough to know that the Ford/Chevy owners that comment here on a Toyota thread will insert their own opinions instead, and assert them as fact, just because they'd like what they believe to be true, when it isn't.

Like the person who claims that domestics have lower cost of ownership, and feels that his/her opinion that they are 'more comfortable' really means anything when we're talking about facts.

I realize this is pointless; as I have said it many times, but I still get a kick out of the attempts to prove otherwise: Japanese automakers have long been holding all the top spots, as rated by automotive experts, in regard to quality and reliability in automobiles. That's all there is to it. It IS a fact, and nothing a Ford owner can say will change that.

As usual, a domestic owner will no doubt mention one specific example of a Ford being rated higher than some Toyota, which does occasionally happen, but what doesn't change is that OVERALL, Japanese vehicles are rated higher and have been for many years. And these facts will be realized even by the diehard Ford owners when they trade in their Fords, knowing that if it were a Toyota or Honda of the same purchase price, that their Ford is worth less. That also is a fact, across the board.

Japanese automobiles hold their value more over the years, because they are better built and therefore more valuable than a domestic as they age. Period.

Please refer to comment 18:21. Owner surveys and 20-minute test drives by magazine writers DO NOT constitute a shred of proof that a vehicle is or is not reliable. Only the never-produced frequency-of-repair records can determine that.

I had 3 trans in just one Acura alone... I agree we were naive for years, walked into the same Honda dealership without comparing. Spending over $30k at a time is pretty dumb, but we did and it's the past.

I am all about quality and performance, and now drive more much more reliable domestics. Miss the VTECS, and it takes a V8 now to have the performance, but it was a great move.

Go to consumeraffairs.com, listen to others specific engine,trans problems... it seems to be the smartest way to select new vehicles. I love complaints more so than praises. Next time you are waiting in a dealer repair lounge, ask what problems they have. If it's a major repair and even some was a warranty, its all over your Carfax when you sell. Then discuss your great resale in 2008.

You're welcome 11:32

To 18:21, OK let's say what you're saying is true, some Toyota owners no matter what happens to their Toyota car, they say its perfect, don't domestic owners do that too? I am sure they do, and if it was like what you're saying, and domestic owners also did the same, won't domestics also be in the top 5?... hmmm see what I am saying?..

Well I live in Jamaica and the roads, hmm let's just keep it at "bad" to say the least, and well mostly Japanese cars are here... there are even more Korean cars and or Chinese cars in Jamaica than domestics hmm wonder why?

And well my father has owned mostly Toyota like Corolla, Camry, Tercel, and well the Corolla I don't know about it, he sold it before I was born.

Now the Camry; he still has it, and had it from 1998. He changed master cylinder, water pump and CV joints. Oh and the rack and pinion just started to leak at 200,000 miles; I think that's good.

The Tercel; well my sister drove that without coolant and it overheated, so had to change the engine... can't blame Toyota for that, and we changed the engine and also the CV joints, and we have owned that car from 2000, and now it has 180,000 miles on it.

He currently also has a Mitsubishi Pajero (not a big fan of Mitsubishi) from 2003. It has done 100,000 miles, and well we just found out yesterday that the A/C compressor went. That's the only fault.

I know he owned a Mustang like in 1980 or something, but don't have any info on that. The only thing my father told me about it that it was fast!

I trying to be honest as you can see.

We also own a 2003 Ford Escape, which my father bought on April of this year. Well when he bought it, he never knew the parts were so expensive. I guess they are so expensive because only 1 store in Jamaica sells the parts. It wanted 2 engine mounts, each costing 300 dollars US. I guess we can't blame Ford cause the parts are just limited in Jamaica, that's why they are so expensive.

Oh, and a problem with the Escape was it had a hose leak at the front where trans fluid was gushing out, but it is now fixed.

So my experience, I don't really know about domestics other than what I've heard, and most my family living in America has had many problems (don't think my family would be lying now), but overall look on consumer comments, even though some may be lies both on Toyota and Fords, Toyota is still at the top. If they were giving as many problems as you are saying, Toyota would not be at number 1.

Look at Sony?... they're making crappy products and selling them at high prices, that's why they are losing so much and may even soon become bankrupt, and although you have some die hard Sony fans it's still going down.. but I don't need to argue, I know Toyota are better and won't be wasting my money on domestics, if you want to go right ahead.

Oh and me again, 18:21 the jamaican guy:-)... Here is a web site stating Japanese cars are more reliable in the order as follows: Honda, Toyota, Daihatsu, Lexus, Mazda, Subaru and Suzuki, and here is the website http://www.shiotsu-used-car.com/blog/japanese-cars-most-reliable-uk-survey.htm

Now so many websites can't be giving misleading information. I have some home work for you find ONE, that's all I ask; one site which states clearly that domestic are better than Japanese. I found what 5 websites stating Toyota is better, now you find 1 please :-)

After repeated requests to find FACTS dealing with reliability, we are still dealing with OPINION. There is no factual data ANYWHERE that supports the claim that imports are any more reliable than domestics. Please provide FACTUAL DATA, not opinion surveys if you want your claims to be taken seriously.

14:02 Frequency of repair records DO get released, and as stated in about 5 comments on here, the domestics visit the garage more often. Plain and true.

And, GOD FORBID we actually believe people that OWN imports, or automotive magazines who test them every day, that imports are the better cars.

By the way, it isn't the writer that tests these cars. These are mechanics, professional drivers, and so forth. They may ALSO write the articles, but they are qualified to pass judgement on them. And the imports, especially all of the Japanese ones, come out ahead.

Like the last commenter stated, we can show you numerous magazines, (all the most reputable ones too) that clearly show imports being more reliable and higher quality. PLEASE try and come up with ONE article from a major magazine that says that the reverse is true; that domestics are more reliable. You can't do it, and won't find it because it's not true and that's that.

20:56 exhibits the classic pro-import bias. He presents a laundry list of problems that have had to be repaired, and yet states that the Toyota has been "pretty good" and yet if a Ford had only 1/3rd of those problems (like the single leaking transmission cooler line) it's a "domestic piece of junk!" Maybe US cars are not as popular in Jamaica for the reason he states, that parts are expensive and people are too poor to buy anything other than cheap Korean knock-offs.

As far as resale, Carfax reports are great bargaining chips both for the dealer and the private buyers when they see the issues pop up. Every little detail has popped up on mine and my worse resale ever was a 2002 Honda/Acura TL Type S. If you trade the dealer says he can buy your vehicles wholesale all day at auctions. The only vehicles I have bought and continue to rapidly escalate are domestic musclecars/convertibles. There are literally thousands of domestics going up and the values have now rapidly picked up again after a drop last year. I have owned models now valued in the 6 figures yet purchased new for under $4k at the time. I would not buy a Honda/Toyota and expect it to be a goldmine investment.