On Topic (2) | Off Topic (65) | All (67)
Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-65
I'm really perplexed as to how a camshaft in a Toyota can "not be Toyota's fault". Who installed the thing?? The truck fairy??
Commenter 10:01 obviously is not a mechanic (I am). Toyota replaced the entire engines in the ones in which they had installed defective camshafts because it is far less time intensive to simply unplug electrical connectors and hoses and yank out the entire engine, rather than removing piece by piece all of the components necessary to remove and replace the camshaft alone. They saved thousands in labor costs by simply dropping in new engines. Believe me, Toyota isn't about to do ANYTHING out of the goodness of their hearts. It's simply a matter of saving money.
That's a very good point. If Ford or GM had a bad camshaft, regardless of who made it, import fans would loudly cry that it was because Ford and GM build "crappy" cars and trucks (and nothing could be further from the truth). I'm also seeing comments about how "generous" Toyota was to replace the WHOLE ENGINE, rather than just the camshaft. Never mind that they saved tons of money in labor costs by simply pulling the engines rather than going the long and labor intensive route of totally dismantling the engine to replace just the cam. It was a cost saving matter, not "generosity".
"None of them run as smoothly or reliably as any Toyota engine. "
This is what you call smooth?!? A guy at work had a '98 Tacoma, and I rode in it a few times. At idle, the engine was so rough that the stick shift vibrated so badly it kept hitting me in the knee. He had to downshift and tromp it to get up the smallest hill, and going up a 7% grade the engine was chugging along barely able to maintain 55 mph in 3rd gear. If this is your idea of a smooth running vehicle, I just have to dismiss the rest of your comments as well. Maybe you should drive something made after 2000. Seeing as how your Tacoma is 10 years old, I think you'd be surprised at how much better the new cars are.
Too true!! Dodge was hammered and its reputation never recovered when wheels kept falling off their Durango in the late '90s. The problem was with ball joints made by a contractor. Of course, all the comments were "Typical American junk made by Dodge" with no mention of the contractor. But Toyota has engines that seize up, and it must be somebody else's fault because "everybody knows" that precious Toyota was anointed by Jesus to create divinely perfect cars that will never fail. Oh, please!
The mechanic is correct. Toyota engines are a dime a dozen, and can be replaced as a unit in a few hours, as opposed to tearing the car down just to replace the camshaft -- an all-day job. Toyota did themselves a huge favor by replacing the whole engine by saving millions in labor costs.
When is my GM supposed to fall apart? My last new Silverado no issues sold at over 75,000 miles and it towed and carried up to a ton at times in its bed. (Overloaded... my call but absolutely no issues) I would love to see how many weeks a Tacoma would hold up to the strain of a routine towing/loads carried by my GM on a regular basis. I have no plans running up hills empty besides myself as an occupant... your evaluation off road may have some bearing to whatever segment of the population that does so. I suspect there is a great deal more individuals that want a fully functional full size ready to tackle any task thrown at it without hesitation. Besides hill climbing what is the maximum load or towing experiences you have had with your truck now approaching 10 years old?
I can rev my engine with the chip, aftermarket intake and freer flow exhaust system that is still sedate and done to increase performance with an empty bed. Not for looks but for better drivability, which is where the bored comment is coming from. I cannot stand boring cars with little styling thought and minimal performance or handling.
Although not hopping rocks, I suspect there is much more strain and heat generated than your off roading.
I still feel and am extremely pleased to have only invested in tires, brakes and mild engine upgrades on my past 2 trucks rather than pay out for unforeseen premature mechanical issues on imports.
If you truck has 90,000 miles in 10 years running empty and going up and down hills, I do not see that as an extremely durability test. Run your truck over 30,000 miles a year in extremely hot weather for 2 hours straight bumper to bumper with a heavy trailer behind it every weekend, and then rave about the fantastic engine and trans you have.
I am raving about mine as it does so with no complaint and no breakdowns... the warranty is there; at any rate in less than 2 years I would have no engine/trans warranty with your import vehicle and I doubt the factory would even care other than present me with a bill whilst in the shop. That is in fact the same reason I have no new imports strictly over repairs.......
You have a 1998 vehicle; I submit it's better than a 2008. I have a 1999 Honda; in my opinion I'll take it before a 2002, 2004 or even a 2006 model.
We have 4 cars in our household; only 1 now is an import and it is old... but better mechanically than any newer one we have had. You might want to keep your old one and throw old rebuilt engines in it, rather than face the music someday as many have had with new ones.
This the mechanic again with a comment on those "smooth" Toyota engines.
Last year I test drove a number of cars before deciding on another Ford. I drove a Chevy Cobalt one day, followed by a Scion Tc coupe (which is a very well equipped car at a good price). The Cobalt engine was so smooth and quiet that I did not realize the salesman who brought the car around for me had left it running, and I turned the key (and got that whirring sound you get when you kick a starter drive into an already spinning flywheel!!).
After that test drive I went to try the Scion coupe (which is a Toyota marketed under the Scion brand name). It was so loud and clattery it could easily have passed for a diesel. There's no way I could have not noticed it was running. I found the same thing true of the Corolla. It's hard to find smoother engines than domestics, and in spite of the fact that I bought a Ford, the smoothest and quietest of all the many vehicles I drove were all GM.
More and more talk about how bad Toyota's are. Toyota has ALWAYS made far, far superior engines than any of the Big 3 have even aspired to make. They've always made far, far better vehicles as a whole. Always did, still do, and probably always will.
Toyota should have never entered the truck market. All my friends who have owned them have had nothing but problems. Perhaps Toyota should follow Honda's lead and make something simpler like lawn mowers.
17:26 an opinion. Please read about late model Toyotas on here and Consumer Affairs.com. If you are driving a 10 year old vehicle, and many of us buy a lot of vehicles, frequently all new, and are having import issues, how about acknowledging the comments?
Many new full size truck owners are even more specific and discerning on our evaluations. How many individuals pursue a full size truck for off road applications as compared to those that buy for the street? I drive 25,000 miles plus a year, not 9-10,000 as the 1998 Tacoma owner indicated. I can go off road as well, but it's not my thing.
I size up the drivetrain, bed capacity and towing characteristics pretty strongly. I do not want a high suspension or noisy hard riding off road tires when I am driving. I am picky and test drive each new truck (and thats import and domestics) and put it through its paces... my number one criteria is capability and strength, good dealer support that cares, and a strong warranty in place, a decent ride, as I do not want to be beat to death, especially going on long trips, good ride, room for my family and not being crammed in the tight import truck interiors.
Handling is also a concern, as I enjoy driving, and sometimes apply being a car enthusiast even to my truck buying. I have owned sports cars and want a good handling and above average performance.
Want room and comfort for a family as well.
Maybe this individual cruises solo most of the time... empty truck, doesn't realize how nice the newest trucks are in comparison. At any rate, it's not 1998 anymore. I suspect new vehicle buyers are looking for a specific list of elements when our topic does not sway off new full size truck ownership. They are bigger and are not like a car candidate whose primary focus at the moment is likely fuel usage. My concern with that is long term ownership costs mechanically, which many may not see only the new vehicle with the high mpg at the moment.
Anyone out buying a new 2008 full size truck today must be looking at function... unless they are just buying a Toy to play around with. I have bought vehicles myself that way in the past... however now I have put a lot more thought in each new truck I have been buying because of the distance and the value of the features and certainly of what I am towing behind me. There is a lot to consider. I am not driving what I feel an oversized truck by any means, but I expect it to be 100% functional with no compromises.
No, Toyota shouldn't make lawn mowers. Most people want to get more than one season out of a lawn mower.
17:26.
Toyota makes superior engines?
How come Consumer Affairs is overrun with complaints of Toyota engines failing at less than 50,000 miles?
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/toyota_engine.html
I have NEVER had any of my domestic engines fail and I always keep them to over 200,000 miles with no trouble. Explain to me how Toyota engines failing at under 50,000 miles are superior to my engines.
Good point 20:05. None of our domestics has ever had an engine or transmission failure at all, EVER. Some made over 300,000 miles.
In all fairness, the one Toyota we owned did hit 100,000 miles with no engine problems, but we were dying of boredom and traded it.
The determination of "superior" is very subjective. To some people an engine is "superior" to another if it lasts 50,000 miles, while the "inferior" engine goes over 300,000 miles.
`import owners love to refer to their "refined" and "sophisticated" engines. Of course, these terms are synonymous with "trouble-prone" and "expensive to fix". The "old fashioned" and "outdated" GM 3.8 push-rod V-6's are still some of the best and most reliable engines ever made. The basic engine design of our in-line 6-cylinder SUV dates back to the 1930's, yet it puts out 275 horsepower, is silky smooth, and gets 24mpg on the highway at 75 with the A/C on and a full load of occupants. In 6 years it has never had a single repair.
I'll take an "inferior", "unsophisticated" engine like that over a "refined", "superior" engine that lasts less than 50,000 miles any day.
20:05 I can explain it easily: GM, Ford, and Dodge have had, per 100 or 1000 vehicles sold, WAY more recalls and problems for failed engines than Toyota ever has. Turn your comment around completely and it begins to make sense. Toyota's are the ones that will go 2 or 300,000 miles flawlessly. GM makes the ones that blow up in 60,000 miles due to head gaskets and many other just as serious issues.
We've owned over 30 domestic vehicles from all of the Big Three. Not one has EVER blown a head gasket in up to 320,000 miles. I have no idea where such ideas come from.