5th Jan 2007, 16:48
The fact that import owners refer to "V-4" Toyotas and Hondas is a great example of how totally car-illiterate they are. There are NO "V-4" Hondas or Toyotas!! There is NO SUCH THING!! I guess that lack of knowledge explains why these same folks brag about paying full list on cars they know absolutely nothing about.
10th Jan 2007, 17:24
Obviously what they are talking about is a 4 cylinder engine, which is not a v configuration. I agree that most people who buy Toyotas and Hondas know absolutely nothing about engines or cars in general. If they did they would not buy these completely boring and underpowered Japanese products.
10th Jan 2007, 19:39
This model appeals mainly to the mid 50 crowd. The new competition is coming out with great new designs according to Detroit... that should appeal to a broader group.
11th Jan 2007, 08:49
No, those are American car buyers. They totally ignore any sense of reality (including this site, Consumer Reports, and such) and buy the crap and then whine when it breaks down again and again.
And I really really need you people to explain the concept of "underpowered" since that does not apply to Japanese cars unless you are talking about an automatic Aveo (which isn't even Japanese).
11th Jan 2007, 11:58
I would think Honda and Toyota, Especially Honda would know how to build an exceptional engine. I think it is you who does not know anything about engines. What kind of engine do you have in your car? OHV Chrysler or GM engine? Sounds full of technology don't they??? I bet you have a Taurus and love your 3.8 liter engine. Well anyways, my 3.0 VTECH engine is very nice and to have 244 horses is plenty for my car at this time. I cannot even here it running! Must be a bad engine right? Only to an over patriotic Ford Wixom employee would think it was a bad engine.
11th Jan 2007, 13:23
I Sold A 260 HP VTEC in my TL for a new GM with 345 hp... you can hear it run with the new dual cat back exhaust. Before it was too refined and quiet.
11th Jan 2007, 17:54
Who cares about engines so quiet you can't hear them?? I LOVE the sound of a nice exhaust note and put Flowmasters on all my trucks.
As for "high tech" import engines, that only means they are more problem prone and MUCH more expensive to fix.
Those old push-rod V-6's will run for hundreds of thousands of miles, have ample power and cost TONS less to repair if they do have problems. I know. I'm a mechanic. That's why I drive Ford, GM and Chrysler.
My current Ford truck has the 3.0 engine that is all cast iron and has no timing belt to replace. It requires ZERO maintenance until after 100,000 miles and there is NOTHING on it to break down. Maintenance costs, other than oil changes and filters, is ZERO for the first 100,000 miles. I installed a million mile K&N air filter, so I won't even have to replace that (just clean it).
I drove my last Ford truck for 7 years with not one repair, not even a tune-up or brake job. Try that with an import!!
12th Jan 2007, 05:15
I all fairness I liked the power of my TL, but its was unreliable. I was not willing to give up the performance when I went to GM.
12th Jan 2007, 09:00
OK people! Start with the facts!
Toyota is the most dependable, longest lasting, and the best engineered vehicle in existence. This is fact, backed up by research and real world proof. Toyota is a company that takes pride in their vehicles, and leaves nothing to chance. I am always amazed at how Toyota continually designs every detail of a vehicle to last for generations.
I have plenty of experience in owning American cars. They are designed to make it out of the factory in one piece, and then self-destruct minutes later.
A 25 year old Toyota is as solid as it was when new, because it was designed to last a lifetime, and then some.
12th Jan 2007, 09:30
<<It requires ZERO maintenance until after 100,000 miles and there is NOTHING on it to break down. Maintenance costs, other than oil changes and filters, is ZERO for the first 100,000 miles. I installed a million mile K&N air filter, so I won't even have to replace that (just clean it).>.
Which is it? Zero maintenance or actual maintenance. I know the answer, do you?
12th Jan 2007, 10:03
MY 63 SS Impala is as well. It is actually better than new and still on the road today. Please focus on 2000 and newer imports on your comments... you will see why we are flipping the newer vehicles as the mileage accumulates. Its too costly to hang onto them in my opinion as the mileage accumulates on the imports. The ones that were made in Japan I would keep running as long as possible however.
12th Jan 2007, 10:50
You, first. All I see here are a lot of unfounded, biased opinions. Not one fact, unless you think that a fact is something that you really believe with all your heart. Wishing it doesn't make it true.
12th Jan 2007, 11:11
My 2002 Toyota Tundra 4.7 was ANYTHING, but the "world's best". After 8 trips to the shop in 24,000 miles I decided to go back to domestics. My 2005 F-150 has not had a single problem and is far better built than anything Toyota has ever made. I regret having fallen for the Japanese car myth.
12th Jan 2007, 13:07
I have bought many new imports since 1969 and a lot of domestics as well. I maintain that the mechanical issues on the new imports since 2000 have diminished in my opinion on the last 3 vehicles my family has bought new. We are going with domestics now. There are plenty of comments in the Toyota forum attesting to this... and a lot of us are not dreaming its costly! If you have an older than 2000 model maybe you don't know this yet.
12th Jan 2007, 14:34
Thank you commenter 11:11 for an HONEST view of a Toyota!! If bad brakes, bad air bags, bad transmissions, peeling paint and premature engine failure (see Corolla reviews) constitute the "world's best", then the world is in pretty sad shape!!!
12th Jan 2007, 19:23
10:50...I use to say my Mercedes Diesel Sedan was the longest lasting. What Toyota do you own that lasts longer (you indicated longest) than a Mercedes Diesel and what engine?
13th Jan 2007, 11:44
Comment 10:50 is about the most unfounded and silly comment I have seen on here: "start with the FACTS??"
The FACTS are that Ford is now rated as HIGHER in reliability than Toyota or Honda. The FACTS are that despite countless rants and unfounded claims, not ONE SINGLE IMPORT OWNER has offered a single "FACT" to back up their claims!!
As I read thru various comments on the various sites, I see comment after comment from people who actually own domestics and have ZERO problems with them.
I also see plenty of comments like comment 11:11 from people who have had anything but reliable service from imports, but now are VERY happy with a domestic.
Maybe if you had actually owned a domestic you might be a little wiser.
4th Jan 2007, 23:41
Honda Accord and Camry have V4 Models, I own a 2003 accord and I agree, it is much better to get a V6 cause the fuel economy is not as advertised on the V4 and there is a small difference between the 4 and 6 cylinder.