7th Aug 2011, 12:17

My family has owned Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi and VW. None have proven as reliable as any of our domestics.

As for the tsunami, I'm sure it will still be an excuse for falling Japanese car sales in 2020.

It isn't about hating imports. It's about correcting misinformation. Japanese car companies no longer make cars that are as well built and reliable as U.S. auto makers. That is the reason GM and Ford are outselling them 2 to 1 in the U.S.

As for singling out Toyota and Honda, I think that is basically because other Japanese car makers only sell a handful of cars here. Even Honda sells far less than Chrysler (which has also been outselling Toyota as well). All Japanese car makers other than Toyota and Honda have combined sales that are far less than any U.S. car maker.

7th Aug 2011, 16:25

It's not really that they're "wrong" about Toyota vehicles being junk. It's their opinion. Just like American vehicles being "junk" is yours.

By the way, I own an '09 Camry and my youngest son owns a '96 Corolla. My oldest owns both a '97 Saturn SL2 and a '99 Chrysler Cirrus. Both of which have been just as reliable as our Toyota's. Both the Corolla and the SL2 have almost 200,000 miles on them (194,000 on the Corolla, 187,000 on the SL2.)

8th Aug 2011, 10:37

This argument has nothing to do with reality. If the argument is to try and disprove that the reliability and quality of the makes of Toyota and Honda is a "myth", then it's not a conversation that bears any merit, because both of these automakers have the best reliability track records in the industry.

I have people in my family - primarily older folks - who would NEVER drive anything other than one of the Big 3 makes, no matter how crappy or unreliable the cars or trucks were. Their decision had nothing to do with actual reliability, and everything to do with a sort of old-fashioned ideology. Sure - their hearts were in the right place I suppose, which is that we should all buy American and be all patriotic and so forth. They have been around long enough to where at one time in their lives, the only cars available were American cars, thus anything imported seemed... well... "foreign" to them. So yes - I see where they're coming from. Things were the same way for many, many years, and sometimes it's hard to change. But frankly I work hard for my money, and can't afford to pay good money for cars from companies that have undeniably had a hit and miss track record up until recently.

Sure - the Big 3 are doing the best they've perhaps ever done, and actually make some products that people like me - who lives in a major metro area - might consider. Good for them. I'm happy they are finally getting it right.

Let me be frank and say that I am not against buying an American branded car or truck. I would even venture to say that I wouldn't mind buying some of the current offerings. But then again, I have never, and I mean NEVER had an issue with any of the Toyotas I have ever owned, and neither has anyone in my family, and neither have any of my friends or their friends and families had problems with Toyotas either. This is the universal experience most who drive Toyotas have had. Sure - there's some duds out there for sure. But overall the ownership experience of these products has been positive, of not even routine, in that you just get in and drive them, year after year, with no issues. So I have very little reason to suddenly switch.

I'll give the Big 3 a chance perhaps in the future. I am very curious about how good their current lineup will hold up long term. When I say long term, I mean cars that routinely and ordinarily make it past 200,000+ miles without major issues. If that's the case, then I will happily put them on my list. In the meantime, I am very satisfied with my current vehicles.

Either way, this topic has been exhausted on this and other sites, and clearly neither side of the fence sees eye to eye. Let's drop it and drive what we want to drive. Sound fair?

8th Aug 2011, 12:39

The whole point of the matter is that the imports have their share of recalls and problems. If certain import fans on this site who are in denial would just accept this fact, then there would be a lot less argument, and a lot less of this back and forth tennis match of mine's better than yours.

8th Aug 2011, 12:40

We have purchased new vehicles from Ford, GM and Chrysler over the past 30 years that all made well over 200,000 with virtually zero repairs. I think a myth has grown (no doubt fueled by Japanese car companies) that domestic cars are somehow not reliable. I have never seen any evidence of that. If you want to see some unhappy owners on this site, just look at the 2006 Camry reviews. And yes, we have also owned imports. Not a one of them survived 100,000 miles without very expensive repairs.

8th Aug 2011, 13:01

I just read that 25 percent cannot afford a 2000 dollar repair today. Living check to check. So if you get a low mileage trans or engine repair running 3-4k, it changes the former brand loyalty. My family bought Hondas and Toyotas... before, but not anymore.

8th Aug 2011, 22:08

To each their own. Stick with what works for you.

I have owned pretty much every brand of car and truck in the past, for personal and business use.

I have found Toyota too expensive to maintain and of shoddy quality after 2001. I generally steer clear of imports, as they are too expensive in the used market and cost a lot to repair.

I like Hondas, and have owned a Prelude that was one of my favorite cars, but they are notorious for transmission problems and not worth the price you pay.

Mazda and Nissan are junk, avoid at all costs.

Mitsubishi is worse than any domestic; I have owned a few, and they all leak/burn a ton of oil once they are over 100k.

GM is my personal favorite, as I have owned over a dozen of them with no major drive train problems to speak of. Especially the older full size V-8 cars and trucks. Absolutely bulletproof.

Ford is a close second, I have had a lot of great car and trucks from them with no problems either. I usually avoid Chrysler, as Ford and GM are way better in quality, but will admit they make the best minivans in the market. Anyways, just my opinion and experience, I don't buy Toyota any more as they are overpriced and overrated. I also love the feeling of driving a domestic vehicle and supporting our country's industries, and the autoworkers it employs.