12th Aug 2007, 07:08

16:14 So, your Ford throws ball joints and falls apart because the engine weighs 200 pounds more? Wow. That's exactly the same as me having a 200 pound person in the passenger seat, and still off-roading as hard as I do, which I have done many times, and not broken anything. Funny.

How many 'thousands' of pounds do you put in the bed. 50? I can't wait to buy an F-150 so I can put 50,000 pounds in the bed. Do all Fords haul that much? Funny again.

I'm sure as a Ford owner, you have a close relationship with the Ford service department and they record your mileage each time the truck is broken and needs to go there. My Tacoma has not seen a garage yet in 10 years. I'm going to tell you a secret, get close to the screen: (cast iron blocks are completely outdated, unless you're driving a farm tractor). Anything new has an aluminum block in it, and they're proven to be superior to cast iron in every way, unless of course Ford builds it, and it overheats. See, that way, Toyota can have a strong truck that doesn't carry 300 extra pounds under the hood. That's why my Tacoma is nimble off road, and will run circles around an F-150, yet still built more rigidly than a Ford. Technology; it's a wonderful thing. Ford may look into it someday.

12th Aug 2007, 14:16

The problem with some of the individuals that post on this favour the domestic market too much, because they probably are involved in the automotive industry.

I'm offering an unbiased response based on fact. I've owned all of the old "big" 3 brands for trucks.

Chev's continue to have driveline slop and other issues (rotor problems, a design that never changes, crap interiors);

Dodge - enough said; and Ford - ditto. My 2004 F150 Lariat 4x4 sucked large for many issues; lack of power in the 5.4, COP's, and tranny issues. They look nice, but rust like mad.

Toyota has quietly come up the rankings to where they actually, after the 2nd quarter, have taken over the #1 spot on sales. This was done on a limited number of vehicles offered with no sales gimmicks.

The other 3 domestic manufacturers have gimmicks galore, a selection of vehicles that double or triple Toyota, and powertrain warranties that exceed Toyota in some cases. So, I'm not sure why this thread has become an import manufacturer bashing.

Toyota has done nothing to warrant this, but build quality vehicles. I've also had issues with past Toyota products; Supra which required a transmission overhaul on warranty and a Celica which required a new engine. Problems do exist in all vehicles, however the trend is more so on domestics vs imports.

Blame your neighbor or co-worker for choosing a quality vehicle over a standard vehicle, which is manufactured on poor parts due to customer mandated supplier cost reductions.

I'm selling my F-150 and getting a Toyota. This is my choice which is not skewed by any reports, reviews, or comments from pro-domestic/pro-import individuals. Mine is based on experiences with the domestic market and their customer service (dealerships) - and resale of course.

12th Aug 2007, 14:43

Well, how about that? My experience is exactly the opposite. The one Toyota we've owned is a piece of junk that has been sitting at the garage for a couple of months, while the Chevys, Fords, and Dodges that we've owned have all been good. Your experience may lead you to believe that domestics are junk, and Japanese cars are great, but my experience led me to believe the exact opposite. Go figure.

12th Aug 2007, 15:24

11:07, I think you hit the nail on the head.

People actually think they are doing the United States a favor by buying a U.S. built Toyota or Honda. Where do they think all of the capital goes from those purchases, the U.S.? Since when does a Japanese Company have any interest in the betterment of the U.S. If Toyota ever does have a monopoly on the U.S. auto market, which I doubt very seriously, I will just drive my Buick forever and I would probably have better reliability and comfort than the brand new Toyota.

12th Aug 2007, 15:40

This F-150 guy sounds really angry. May you should invite Mr. Roush over for a cup of tea, and talk about how you two will carry out a plan to get rid of Toyota once and for all... hehe.

You Ford, Chrysler, GM guys make me laugh.. don't hate the "Player" (Toyota), hate the game. It took years for the Japanese to pioneer themselves to where they are at today. The Tundra and Tacoma isn't the REAL reason why FORD sucks. The Tundra is clearly on a roll to take some sales away from the Drowning big 3. I mean, look through the history books..

The Taurus, which was once considered a savior for Ford, was discontinued and then brought back.

The Impala from Chevy is hardly even noticed anywhere on the streets.

Don't come on here and try to use your comments to fight off the Japanese, but fight back by simply producing as good or better products.

Toyota put high incentives on their trucks because they know that out there, are guys who "wonder" about just how a good the Japanese truck is. The incentives lure buyers and therefore they are experiencing tremendous success. Sure, they may be losing money.. but, it's getting their product out there on the market.

I was at Sears Point in California when they were testing out all the trucks and I tell you.. I don't know what the hell Ford was thinking when they came out saying that the F-150 can tow up to 11,000 lbs (total ********). While all 5 (the famous F-150,Titan, Sierra, Tundra, Silverado) trucks were tested, hauling 8500 lbs each.. both GM (6.0 liter) and Toyota (5.7 liter) trucks got up to 60 mph and back down to 0 mph before the F-150 (5.4 liter) got up to 60 mph... now THAT was funny.. I still laugh every time I think of that day... I'm still laughing...!!

13th Aug 2007, 07:43

Actually my Ford has no problems with ball joints, but some of you have been claiming that they do, so a real engine is what's probably doing it.

You have a car engine in your truck, and probably a car transmission, and if it really weighed anything like a real truck should, it would probably fall apart.

An F-150 would last double what it normally does, if it were light and fluffy, but like your Toyota, it would be useless, because anyone knows a light truck is worthless for doing work.

You don't believe I haul a lot of weight in my Ford simply because you've never hauled a lot in your Toyota, and you don't think a truck is actually able to haul a lot. That's what you get for driving a Toy.

If you ever actually did anything strenuous besides flop around in mud, you'd have broken the thing by now already. It's useless, it's a toy. That's why all you can do is play in mud with the thing.

Aluminum is a light cheap flimsy metal that melts much faster than cast iron. Cast iron is very very heavy and very very hard, and it tolerates hundreds and hundreds of degrees of temperature above anything aluminum. Cast iron is not out-dated, it's tried and true. Any real machine has a cast iron engine. Like a semi, tractor, bulldozer, tank, back-hoe, domestic truck, etc. If Toyota ever intended on their trucks being used for anything but playing in mud, they'd have to put cast iron in them.

Of course they know nothing about work trucks. So they make toys and you play with their toys. My service keeps track of the mileage every time I GET AN OIL CHANGE.