2002 Toyota Tundra SR5 from North America - All Comments

Some of the comments insist that instead of buying those "imports" that we should be buying "exciting" cars like the Aveo, Focus, or Caliber. All of those were designed overseas, and use imported components or made entirely in another country. I fail to see the difference in buying a non-domestic brand and a domestic brand put together somewhere else.

If you spent another grand on your old Mustang Fox body instead, you would up the HP from the slow 215 hp or so. Not a real dramatic claim. Don't forget you don't have to limit yourself to just remaining stock.

Funny experience, today I saw a Toyota truck pulling a Dodge truck. The Toyota was much smaller than the Dodge truck. I don't know if it was an older Toyota Tundra or what.

Cosmetically both looked terrible. But I guess Toyota trucks aren't as crappy as people make them. I do think dodges are crap though.

I also saw a Ford pulling a Chevy truck one time. That was a surprise. I don't much care for Fords either.

Before I get labeled as an import fan, I have to let you know I'm a GM person. But I'm not biased toward car reliabilities. Toyota's are very reliable cars, but they come with their faults; my mom owns a corolla, I know.

Domestics aren't as bad as people make them out either, period.

The world is a global market and car manufacturers are going to make cars wherever they are cheaper to make. Face it, almost everything we buy is made from China. If they were made in the USA, we wouldn't be able to afford many things.

People should respect other people's opinion to buy what they want and like what they want.

"The world is a global market and car manufacturers are going to make cars wherever they are cheaper to make. Face it, almost everything we buy is made from China. If they were made in the USA, we wouldn't be able to afford many things.

People should respect other people's opinion to buy what they want and like what they want."

First and foremost, I agree we should respect other people's opinion, and it is good that you provided that reminder on this sometimes contentious thread.

However, I have a huge problem with the "global market" concept you mention. That whole idea is a neocon sceme (not saying this applies to you), pushed by industry groups under the craftily worded (as all neocon schemes are) guise of so-called "free trade," simply to give them access to cheap labor. As a result, American industry is falling apart because nobody here wants to work for less than third world wages. In fact, they cannot even legally do it, because it would amount to people having to work for less than minimum wage.

But, that is what it would take for companies to operate here under current circumstances. Or we could just continue to get illegal aliens to do all the work for those wages, while the government looks the other way. Either way, America suffers and the third world benefits in neocon fantasyland.

If our government would put a protective tariffs on imported goods - which is largely how we used to survive before the income tax was unconstitutionally implemented - and stop taxing/regulating them to death, this would no longer be a problem. We could keep our industry here and maintain our standard of living. But then the neocons would have to admit there whole "free trade" scheme was misguided, and it is obvious they would rather see our whole economy collapse than do that.

I could not agree MORE with comment 07:42. It is so well written I can think of little to add except "THANK YOU!!"

7:42 sure beats the import total generalization tirade "It's the best, simple as that, and I said so and that makes it true"

18:45 Well, despite the 'world market' economics lesson, when it comes to automobiles, the imports generally are better made than anything the Big 3 put together. Practically all of them, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan without a doubt.

Not because I said so, but because they put more thought and effort into the materials they use, the design of those materials, the way they assemble them, and quality control in general. Heck, even my new Hyundai Accent is a better built car than any Ford or Chevy. My Toyota's were all much, MUCH better.

I don't even factor in Dodge anymore; their lineup is so ridiculous that they barely deserve mentioning.

21:26 I feel the complete opposite. When there was low production and true imports, ours were better at the time. But that was over 10 years ago. I have had no problems with domestics the past 5 years since we switched. I am basing that on 2-3 vehicles purchased new and some imports and domestics sharing our garage. We are not commenting om anything other than new Japanese/Domestic vehicles that we tracked new since inception. Not someone else's used vehicles; that is not a clear indicator of proper maintenance.

"28th Aug 2008, 15:44.

Funny experience, today I saw a Toyota truck pulling a Dodge truck. The Toyota was much smaller than the Dodge truck. I don't know if it was an older Toyota Tundra or what.

Cosmetically both looked terrible. But I guess Toyota trucks aren't as crappy as people make them. I do think dodges are crap though."

Well, don't base your opinion on just one observation. My father bought a Toyota motorhome with only 55,000 miles on it because of the supposed "Toyota reliability" of the 22R engine. I had to use my old '85 Dodge Ram to pull him home a good dozen times because the Toyota would die five miles down the road. The Dodge easily pulled the much larger Toyota motorhome, and was a sight to behold -- the old Dodge pulling the dead dog of a Toyota down the road.

You may have reason to think Dodges were junk in the 1990's, but they were the best trucks in the 1970's and 1980's. The Ram 2500 and 3500 series are still great for real, heavy duty work because they are used in the mines as utility vehicles, not just hauling an arbor vitae bush back from Lowe's. I would agree that the light truck Dakota and Durango are too fluffy for actual off-road use.

How many people actually off road on here? I usually take my full size truck to haul, tow and maybe take the kids to the park with our dog. Actually I could take my car there as well.

I bought my truck specifically for its bed and the Class III hitch. I wonder how many Toyota tow bed/flat trucks are on the interstates? I have AAA I will have to check the nameplate on the tow vehicle if that occurs. Somehow I doubt it says Toyota.

I love the "towing" stories. It reminded me of an incident back in '95. I was on a camping trip with a group of friends and one of the guy's imports broke down. He lived about 50 miles away, but it was almost all interstate and I offered to tow him home with my 4-cylinder Ford Ranger. I was in a bit of a hurry, so we ran 80mph in the fast lane all the way. My little Ranger never broke a sweat. He bought a new F-150 the next month.

07:42,

While I agree with some of your statements in regards to the " World market", your assessment is a bit simplified. It isn't necessarily the fault of the US government, but rather the fault of a number of things. For starters, the states that contained the majority of US manufacturing such as Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and so on are heavily unionized. The unions in time effectively handicapped those industries from competing on a global scale. Some say that what the unions did and do was good. I tend to agree with them. But the cold reality is that in many other countries, such unions don't exist. Without protection, workers in other countries are expendable and cheap to replace. Not so in the US, so as a result, we are not as financially competitive.

Additionally, states like MI have incredibly high taxes on their businesses and industry. I live in TN and we seem to get a new car plant every few years. The reason is for one, unions are not as strong down here. Secondly, TN actually gives tax incentives to those companies - whether they're foreign or domestic, to move in. So in that respect, this is why I think that America's inability to compete is more along the lines of being on a state by state level. Certain states offer better opportunities for manufactures, and as it is now, most of our manufacturing exists in states that are not as friendly to business. So if you want to improve our chances on a global market... move those companies to states that offer better business options. Either that or tell those running states like MI to wake up and change things for the better.

I don't really understand how paying several thousand dollars more for a car built by a foreign company (even if it's made in the U.S.) indicates that foreign companies are MORE competitive. A comparable domestic usually costs considerably LESS than a car made by a foreign company, not more, so I fail to see where our "greedy unions" are making us "less competitive". If I can buy a world-class, top rated and more reliable Ford Fusion for 7 grand less than an Accord, how have American workers made that LESS competitive?

10:27.

What you are saying is true, but industry unfriendly/oppressive state regulations only add to the problems mentioned in 7:42. Unfortunately, relocating a manufacturing plant to another more industry friendly state may in many cases be cost prohibitive. Moreover, even with all state sponsored incentives in place, you still cannot do any better than heavily discounted foreign labor and tax free importation into the US. The only thing that comes close is Japanese auto companies being given the land for their plants for free (e.g., the Honda plant in Marysville OH) and then not having to pay any subsequent taxes on them. That to the best of my knowledge was never a benefit extended to any US company.

"I don't really understand how paying several thousand dollars more for a car built by a foreign company (even if it's made in the U.S.) indicates that foreign companies are MORE competitive."

I recall looking at Chevy Colorados back a few years ago. An American truck that cost around 20k out the door. That compared to the equivalent Toyota Tacoma which cost 16k out the door at the time. Just because something might be "foreign" doesn't automatically mean it is cheaper. In most cases, domestically produced import brands are price competitive with domestically produced domestics. In fact, there are getting to be quite a few imported domestic cars (the new Saturn Astra for example) that will be a competitive small car for GM... even though it is made in Germany.