2002 Toyota Tundra SR5 from North America - Off Topic Comments

"18th Jun 2008, 21:45.

Your Dodge; any Dodge, absolutely could not stand up to the years and years of merciless off-road abuse that my Toyota trucks, and every single other one I know of, have taken and are still running. No domestic truck can. Their engines simply can't handle the abuse. Plain and simple.

If you've put your Dodge through the same kind of abuse that I've put my Toyota trucks through, over the same number of miles and years, then you've done work on the engine or transmission, or replaced one of them, when, in the Toyota, I've never had to."

This is without any proof whatsoever. You simply think that you have the best truck ever made, like 3 million other guys. How many years of use? What do you call "merciless?" Spinning donuts in a hayfield? Please!

I suspect the truth of the matter is that you've owned an old Toyota for a couple of years, and you've taken it out in the hayfield a few times, and driven through a mud puddle or two.

Yeah, I know your truck -- not an undented panel on it, the marker lights are busted out, the bumpers are off, the tailgate fell off years ago, four mismatched tires, the grille is busted, and the vinyl seats have disgorged their stuffing, but it has "unparalleled quality" and "runs like new". The same line in every used car ad; that is the best that can be said about an old piece of crap.

You offer no data, no real life description of use, it's just the same old "my truck is better than yours!" line. I'll be chuckling about that when I drive my Dodge to work tomorrow, just like I've been driving it to work every day for the last 260,000 miles.

The recall issue has been dealt with probably hundreds of times, but no one from the import camp ever really seems to understand.

OF COURSE Ford recalls more cars than Toyota. They have a FAR BETTER customer outreach and deal with VERY MINOR issues a Japanese manufacturer would never DREAM of recalling a car for.

I've had two Ford recalls. One for an ignition part that might fail (it HADN'T, and the car had over 75,000 miles on it) and one for a for a piece of TRIM on the interior that MIGHT warp in the sun (it hadn't, and that was at 100,000 miles).

Our GM vehicle was recalled at 50,000 miles because a BRAKE LIGHT BULB MIGHT WORK LOOSE!!! None of these are exactly life-threatening issues (and NONE OF THEM HAD HAPPENED!!).

When I hear of a recall of a JAPANESE vehicle after the warranty is out for something that minor I'll be very shocked... but I'm not exactly holding my breath because it will NEVER HAPPEN.

"19th Jun 2008, 15:37.

Some people just can't accept the fact that the Japanese build better automobiles than we do here in the U.S.

Sometimes it hurts to accept the truth, but American auto manufacturers simply don't care enough to design, build, and sell cars and trucks that can match the quality of a Japanese product. Sorry if some people out there don't like that, but it's unfortunately true."

You can say this or that about your beat-up, 10-year-old Toyota truck, and make whatever unverifiable claim that you like. The FACT is that J.D. Power gave five "circles" for dependability ONLY to Cadillac, Buick, Lexus, Honda, and Mercury. Sorry, but Toyota did not make it. Accept that hurtful truth.

08:56,

Are you aware that Toyota recalled more vehicles than it sold in 2006?

To my knowledge Toyota has not won ANY awards for best vehicle status from ANY of the ratings sources most often referred to.

In 2007, when I was looking for a new car, I checked J.D. Powers and Consumer Reports ratings very carefully. In the sport coupe category, Mustang beat out the Toyota Solara. In the large sedan category, Pontiac Grand Prix beat out the Toyota Avalon. The Ford Fusion beat out EVERYTHING (including Honda).

Recently Consumer Reports stated that they could no longer recommend the Camry or Tundra due to "an uncharacteristic lapse in quality". On the flip side, there are 2 GM vehicles in the "Car of the Year" choices and 3 on the Car and Driver "10 Best" list.

Domestic car ratings have never been higher and import ratings (including European cars) have never been lower (except for British cars). None of this could conceivably be regarded as indicating that Toyota is superior to ANYTHING.

I was born in the USA. I would prefer to buy a vehicle from Taiwan before I threw my money away on a Ford, GM, or Chrysler product. I hope Hyundai builds a truck soon.

19:23 Uhhh... Lexus IS a Toyota. And Lexus has had the award 14 years running now, sharing it with Buick for the first time in the last 13.

18:22 The fact that you claim to have not heard of Toyota or another 'import' auto-maker recalling for small issues does not mean it doesn't happen. In FACT, it does happen, and I am proof of it.

Toyota just bought my Tacoma back from me due to the frame recall. I got 2000 dollars MORE than what I paid for it 4 years ago, and after I put almost 70,000 additional miles on it. I guess you missed that one?

AS IF Ford, or GM for instance would even CONSIDER doing something that above and beyond for the customer. Toyota did the right thing here, and I know that the domestics never would have.

If Toyota trucks are so great, then why do Chevy, Ford, and Dodge sell so many more trucks??? (The only reason Toyota cars have good sales numbers is that they dump them on car rental fleets). Incidentally, my friends who have owned Toyota's have had nothing but problems.

17:33 so why have license plates, stay off road?... My friends and I also off roaded, but it was and is still called the drag strip. I guess since Toyota is the best, we will see their great engines on the Nascar circuit next.

"23rd Jun 2008, 17:12

19:23 Uhhh... Lexus IS a Toyota. And Lexus has had the award 14 years running now, sharing it with Buick for the first time in the last 13."

Uhhhh...if you want to say that Lexus IS Toyota, fine. Then Cadillac IS Chevy, Buick IS Chevy, and Mercury IS Ford. Would you prefer to lose 3 to 1 or only 2 to 1? Either way, Toyota still loses.

"23rd Jun 2008, 21:28

17:33 so why have license plates, stay off road?... My friends and I also off roaded, but it was and is still called the drag strip. I guess since Toyota is the best, we will see their great engines on the Nascar circuit next."

Toyota is the best at the drag strip??? Hmm, must have missed them at the last 400 NHRA events.

Gee, if a Tacoma frame breaking in half is a MINOR issue, then I guess Toyota doesn't have any MAJOR issues.

Again - full size trucks - regardless of the make, are going to be obsolete. Diesel now costs over $5 a gallon. Put two and two together. Most full size trucks hold at least 20 gallons. Some more than that. So yes- you will be pouring at least $100 a pop into that tank.

In regard to how much of a truck these "puny little import trucks" are, well I've owned mine for 13 years. I bought it to mow lawns. I hauled a small tractor on a trailer, two push mowers, a leaf blower, and a weed eater along with my tools and gas. I've also moved 5 times, using this truck each and every time. I have hauled firewood, rocks, motorcycles, and engines. Basically, it'll haul anything other than say - a bulldozer, large camper, big boat, or other 'toys'. In 13 years, I've never needed a large truck. Perhaps if you're a construction worker, farmer, or some huge fat guy, then yes, you might need a full sized truck. But for that matter, you can get a Dodge Sprinter, which is actually made by Mercedes: a full-size van that Fed-Ex uses. It'll haul a lot more than you're full size truck can ever haul and it gets 30MPG. But wait - it's an IMPORT and it doesn't look all manly. So scratch that.

All I can say is that I live out in Oakland, CA. Guess what most of the Hispanic contractors drive? Toyota and Nissan trucks that have been beat to pieces. Guess what truck I see commonly used by city workers? Toyota and Nissans. Guess what I see being used by all the parts delivery companies, freight delivery, and express delivery services? Toyota and Nissans. Guess what trucks I see on the Discovery Channel at a job site in Denmark out in the middle of nowhere where they're building a huge dam? Tacomas. Guess what I see when I watch TV shows about the Sahara? Land Cruisers and crew cab Hi-Lux Toyotas. Guess what I don't see outside of Rural America? Full size GM and Ford trucks.

In regards to the frame issue, this is for older Tacomas, as in Tacomas made over 10 years ago. The problem is when places in extreme climates with large quantities of salt on the roads, there is a slight chance that corrosion can damage the frame. The problem even in these environments has been rare. In reality, the frame problem is as common as any other manufacture. Doesn't matter anyway since Ford and GM have had triple the recalls over the years. I commend Toyota for being overly cautious for vehicles made a long time ago. I have a 95' Tacoma and it has zero rust anywhere on the frame, or anywhere else for that matter.

You domestic guys will probably still be here years from now long after GM and Ford stop their full size truck operations, going on and on about how much better your archaic, gas-guzzling "domestics" are compared to our "imports". I think we who quietly drive our problem-free Toyotas will be just as content.

Drop the Lexus V8 in the Tacoma, refine the ride and seating, and it may be a consideration as my second vehicle. I love the new 2008 black hybrid green car of the year Tahoe, and better mpg than Camry.