8th May 2012, 21:39
I can't believe any truly informed car owners would actually recommend that anyone buy a Camry or Accord, instead of a much more reliable, better built GM or Ford. My family has owned both Hondas and Toyotas, and I can assure you they are not one iota more reliable. The Honda never even made it to 100,000 miles before being scrapped.
My boss had two Hondas 2 years ago, a CRV and an Accord. He traded both in on Fords (a Fusion and an Escape). He says there is no comparison. The Fords are much more solid, reliable cars. Many of our friends have traded their trouble-prone Accords and Camrys in on Fusions, Malibus, Focuses or Cruzes.
We now own GM and Ford vehicles. The GM is 10 years old with well over 100,000 miles. It has not had a single repair yet. Just two batteries and one set of tires. Not even brake pads yet. The Ford is 7 years old, and has had only one battery and one set of tires.
Honda sales are dropping like a brick in spite of higher discounts than domestics, and Toyota is still trying to recover from becoming the recall king of the automotive world. I'd hardly be recommending either of them. If you want a really good car, opt for a used Fusion or a post-2008 Malibu. Both are awesome cars.
9th May 2012, 15:22
I can believe why people would recommend Hondas and Camrys: They're reliable. Plain and simple.
Out of the MANY people I've known who have owned either Hondas or Toyotas, and to much of an extent Nissans, hardly any of them have ever had a major issue with their cars. Usually they keep them for at least 200,000 miles, and then trade them in, not because they're in bad shape, but more because they simply get bored and buy another one.
We have owned a total of 10-12 different Toyotas and Hondas in my family, and my brother now owns a Subaru after he sold his '98 Avalon with well past 300,000 miles on the clock. That car was amazing. We didn't even bother to change the timing belt until it had close to 270,000 miles - wayyyyy beyond the interval suggested. None of the cars, and I mean none, have ever had a serious problem, other than the occasional starter motor, wheel bearing, or brake pads.
So how is it that my experience, along with basically everyone I know who has owned these brands, totally contradicts the claim that was made earlier - that every single one that was owned was bad? There doesn't need to be an explanation: Just look up the latest quality reports and see how that the Top 3 reliable marks are basically the same as has been for years: Honda, Toyota, and Subaru. Easy. There's your answer.
10th May 2012, 17:11
Well if that's your experience, then go post them on Honda, Toyota or Subaru threads, where there are many unhappy owners with bad experiences.
10th May 2012, 19:28
Yeah, so what does a timing belt that wasn't changed at 270k have to do with anything? It just means that it was overlooked, neglected, and you were lucky it did not break. I have seen many timing belts unserviced WAY past the recommendations, along with other things like spark plugs and fuel filters. Things like that are more along the lines of the luck of the draw; it does not at all mean the vehicle is so reliable.
11th May 2012, 15:19
The fact that the car already had close to 300,000 miles on it I believe, is proof enough of anything: The car was virtually problem-free, even with a huge amount of neglect.
11th May 2012, 23:57
I read all these comments on here about these miraculous Toyotas and Hondas with 300,000 miles on them, yet I have never, ever seen one. Even the Honda Civic featured in Consumer Reports "Longest Lasting Cars" issue (Oct. 2009) had less than that. The Ford featured in the same issue was just 12,000 miles shy of half a MILLION miles.
12th May 2012, 12:52
You're right. I fail to see all these supposed Toyota's and Honda's with this 300,000 miles. I do however see more high mileage Crown Victoria's on the road than anything. Mine is still a baby with only 123,000, but I have been in many high mileage taxi Vic's. The one with 470,000 miles with the original engine /transmission was amazing. Ran perfect except for a slightly slipping diff, and it was beat like hell every day.
13th May 2012, 21:35
It's not at all unusual here to see old Crown Vics, Olds 88's, Pontiac Bonnevilles and Chevy Impalas (the old rear drives) with over 300,000 miles on them. One of my co-workers drives a gorgeous 1973 Olds 88. It still looks and drives like new.
14th May 2012, 10:21
Crown Vics aren't made anymore. Hardly a comparison when the cars aren't even available at the dealer today. I guess the question would be is if they were so fantastic... how come they stopped making them? It's because they were ridiculously outdated. Given that they made those cars forever and ever, with hardly any changes, I surely hope they were reliable. But that's besides the point.
As far as not ever seeing a Honda or Toyota with 300k or more, I just find such a comment interesting, given that in just my family alone we have had several that made it that far or further, and so too have many of my friends and co-workers. We represent what is typically expected from these brands, and everyone else knows it.
15th May 2012, 13:45
Now it's just too bad Toyota's and Honda's were not made anymore... now that would be a nice world.
16th May 2012, 20:39
High mileage Toyota's, Honda's and Subaru's? In my area, they are everywhere. My own Toyota (a 96 Corolla) has 204,000 miles on it. Never a major issue with it. While I'm at work I use the company vehicle, a '99 Subaru Legacy with 285,000 miles. It runs wonderfully, doesn't use a drop of oil and has never left anybody stranded. A coworker of mine has an '01 Accord with 205,000 miles. It just had its first timing belt replacement at 199,000 miles.
The big one though would have to be the '98 Toyota Tacoma we use for small deliveries; 667,000 miles on it. Had its original clutch replaced at 400,000 miles. It has never had a single major repair.
In my household we have 3 Toyota's and 1 Honda. Our '06 Corolla has 67,000 miles, our '09 Camry has 71,000 miles, our '06 CRV has 93,000 miles and the '96 Corolla has 204,000 as I stated above. The '96 is just broken in, and the others might as well be brand new!
17th May 2012, 19:41
I'm still waiting to hear what magical mystery land all these miraculous 200,000 mile Hondas and Toyotas are residing in. Must be a LONNNNNNGGG way from here!!
18th May 2012, 00:20
Why is it not a comparison if the Crown Vic is not made anymore? The Panther platform may be discontinued, but there are still millions of the 3 brands on the road today, where they belong and will be for a long time. Sorry about that.
19th Dec 2012, 09:22
Where do you think Camry parts come from? If you think it isn't Mexico, you are dead wrong.
9th Jun 2023, 02:36
Why are Honda and Toyota buyers repeatedly going on this site to state that you should buy that brand of car? If you don't like Chevy's, Chryslers, Fords, etc. and think they are not well made, reliable cars, so be it, but PLEASE just STOP mucking up the reviews of a specific car with your opinions on another brand. That is NOT what this site is for. It is to give informed reviews of specific cars, so that those of us interested in that specific car, can get some information on whether that car is reliable or not.
7th May 2012, 22:10
Rotors don't have anything to do with your car... it has to do with your choice of rotor brand...