30th Mar 2008, 00:40

Well, if Toyota is dropping in quality, they still have a LONG way to go before they hit rock bottom in quality, with the likes of such generic automobiles as GM and Ford make.

30th Mar 2008, 20:14

I have 2 new GM's and they are exceptional. I owned imports prior, and that word could not be used after 2000... I do see the downward spiral in years past; the care and attention that was once evident kept dropping in our experience with imports. I believe people are rushing out buying the economy oriented vehicles due to gas pricing, without researching what it actually costs to keep them running with major mechanical engine trans issues... with half the warranty. I am not going down that road again.

I have been pleasantly surprised with our new GM's; not continually in the dealer service shop as before with low mileage imports.

1st Apr 2008, 11:41

Our experience with our 2 GM vehicles has been exceptional. One is 8 years old, and one is 5 years old. Neither has ever had a single problem of any kind, and both drive as well as they did when brand new.

9th Apr 2008, 21:32

I have to laugh at these people who enjoy claiming that Toyota quality just all of the sudden dropped in the year 2000 or whatever.

The fact is, nothing has changed. They make them the same way in 2008 as they did in 1998. And those same people think that GM has somehow started making a good product. Nope. I know people that work for GM, on the assembly line. I KNOW what goes on there. The same old sloppiness and shoddy assembly. It's worse now than ever. GM is just trying to push them out the door so that they can hire new people in for half the wages they pay the people who work there now. And some of you believe that somehow they've miraculously IMPROVED?!? in light of this? Yeah, sure. They haven't.

Oh, they're a little better by design than they were in the eighties when they were absolute garbage, but they're still nowhere near the standards that Toyota sticks to. And by the way, GM's 100,000 mile warranty is there only because you have to offer something like that when you make junk, or NObody will buy it. People buy Toyota's with a 36,000 mile warranty because they know they're getting a top notch product and aren't concerned about the transmission or the head gasket failing, like they would if they were suckered into buying a GM.

I've owned them all, stuff from each of the Big 3 and a few different imports. The imports were and are worlds ahead of the domestics. It's their philosophies that make the difference. The Japanese look into the long term, so they make a good product that will last, and by doing that they have built a customer base that are loyal to them.

American companies, such as GM, churn out junk as fast as they can in an effort to make a quick buck, and it's caught up with them. That's why they are losing customers left and right and suffered the biggest loss in their history last year.

It's not rocket science; spend the money to make a good product, such as Toyota has done, and you have a company with a solid foundation that will have repeat customers. Or, like GM, do things as cheaply as you can, make a bunch of money right NOW, and then suffer the consequences when people start to realize that they are junk. Hence GM's losses in the past decade.

If you need something like an F-350, you're forced into buying a domestic, because Toyota wisely avoided that market, because there's not a lot of money in it; if you need anything smaller, the only smart choice is an import. Especially cars; if you're buying a car in the $15,000 - $45,000 price range, and it's NOT a Honda, Toyota, or Nissan, then you have made a mistake. Especially if you buy something the Big 3 makes. All you have to do is do a little research and you'll find this out; although Big 3 fans are too stubborn to admit it.

9th May 2008, 15:41

To 21:32. since when were they (Toyotas) any good in 2000? They were just as poorly built and unreliable then as they are now.

9th May 2008, 16:13

I would rather believe the original commenters clear disgust with 14 bulleted comments on this model. I disregard widespread bias on an entire manufacturer however. When buying a car or truck I read specific issues on the specific make and model. With imports I do feel however that when there was lower production the quality level was significantly higher... so yes 10 or 15 years ago the manufacturers were geared better and the quality level was better. Domestics have had more years of high production and I am seeing much better quality. I doubt the negative commenter has owned anything new the past few years or did extensive driving comparisons as I know many are doing. You are spending a lot of money for transportation and then fueling it... makes sense to get out, drive, examine the warranty, then bicker about 10 year old vehicles as if there are no advances especially warranties. 100,000 miles; everyone should be offering it rather that lacking the confidence to offer it today.

10th Jun 2008, 22:39

Thank god for this review. People thought that I was crazy when I told them that my 2006 Camry was flat out junk. Just last month, I traded my Camry for a 2008 Dodge Avenger. Im finding that Dodge (As well as Ford and GM) has gotten a bad rap in the 90's, but this car honestly feels MUCH more solid than the last two Imports I've owned, one being the Camry and the other a 2003 Nissan Altima. Plus I got a Lifetime warranty. I have only had the Avenger a month, but I really feel that this car is in it for the long haul. It is kind of sad though that so many people are brainwashed from Toyota, but I guess everyone learns the hard way. Thanks for the honest review.

25th Aug 2008, 21:28

To comment 22:39: Sorry you got taken in by ad hype, but you made the right decision in dumping the unreliable Camry.

We've owned several Dodges, and I sold a 1990 Dodge a few years back that had just under a quarter million miles on it with NOTHING done except for one hose and routine maintenance. The A/C still blew ice-cold and had NEVER been serviced, and the car still did not use a drop of oil even at that high mileage. My family still owns a Pontiac with 258,000 miles on it.

Domestics are definitely better than imports. We've owned several imports over the years, but I am an aggressive driver and they just can't take rough treatment the way domestics can.