24th Nov 2008, 20:11

12:30's answer... that the import dweller went to a car show and saw people walking around cars. Maybe they were looking for something cheaper to drive that burned less gas.

I would like to see more detailed comments such as 12:30. They have yet to ever comment on consumeraffairs.com catastrophic Toyota engine issues. Maybe everyone else got a chance to absorb that illustration however. I will not be in line for another import replacement myself.

25th Nov 2008, 09:32

I think most of the comments here are off topic.

I honestly don't understand why this has to turn into a debate about Imports vs. Domestics.

I also don't understand why so many people take it so personally.

If you have a make or model that you like and have had good luck with - Good for you! Enjoy it! Whether it be a domestic make or an import.

25th Nov 2008, 09:59

We will never see an answer to 12:30's challenge to address the serious issues Toyota, and Tundra especially, have had in recent years. All we have seen is opinion and comments about car shows where people were looking for cheap basic transportation. We have yet to see a single frequency-of-repair study, nor any justification for why Toyota does not have the confidence in their vehicles to provide a decent warranty. We have also never heard from one single individual who has bought a SECOND Tundra. Every Tundra owner I know has traded back to a domestic well before 100,000 miles due to major issues with their Tundras.

25th Nov 2008, 10:08

For the guy who keeps posting the links as "proof" of how supposedly bad Toyotas are, I suppose I could owe you an explanation, but on the other hand, I could just as easily do the same and post the rotten reviews from just two models Chevrolet makes alone, and just on this site. I in no way even came close to posting even a small fraction of the numbers of bad reviews for these models, but here are just a few for you to gaze at:

Chevrolet Silverado:

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_111793.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_103160.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_112330.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_98836.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_111355.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_117352.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_76336.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_110024.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_78376.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_23398.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_17465.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_98161.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_89593.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_43962.html

Malibu:

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_104376.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_112325.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_94578.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_100845.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_77066.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_102557.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_95426.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_112437.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_32204.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_34791.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_57022.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_51921.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_17310.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_28570.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_115175.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_36386.html

So you go right ahead and post all the "horrible engine failures" from the cherry-picked reviews you've found. That still doesn't change the overall fact that Toyota and Honda still build better cars and trucks. Sure - they've had some problems, and some still do. The important part is what manufacturer has LESS problems, and by far, there's no contest here. Toyota and Honda still come out well ahead in every aspect.

25th Nov 2008, 14:27

If there is a comparison regarding new full size truck any make or manufacturer it remains on topic. Its when it drifts off to cars or small trucks that it loses relevance. Individuals that own or are contemplating ownership of a full size truck can certainly benefit from actual first hand ownership within a few years at least of the original commenters review.

25th Nov 2008, 19:04

10:19 I don't know who mentioned any 20 year old domestic with 200,000 miles on it.

The only domestic that I know of that has made it over 200,000 miles WITHOUT major engine work or a tranny rebuild or replacement (or a ton of minor work) is a Dodge Ram with a 318. ONE truck.

Your blessed timing chain is a perfect example of just how outdated your domestic is. A Toyota with a timing BELT will in almost all cases run for 100,000 miles more than your Ford or Chevy. Change it every 100,000 or so. If you want. Most people I know don't even do that with their Toyota's.

The most recent problem I have encountered with that was an S-10 with a timing CHAIN that broke and tore the engine to pieces. It had about 70,000 miles on it if I remember correctly, which for a GM meant it was at or near the end of it's productive life anyway.

You may have 40 years experience, but this isn't 1970 anymore. The timing chains are fine.

26th Nov 2008, 11:40

2 Durango company vehicles; mine is a 2003 with 228,000 miles and a co worker with 260,000. We also have a smaller V8 Dakota touching 200,000. Same engines.

Universals and 1 one had a trans replacement, but run great. The Dakota 4 door handles the best and we alternate driving it when we service our larger SUV's.

If they gave me a Tundra to drive as a free company vehicle I would be unbiased as well. But the Chryslers we have are nice and the V8's are the way to go.

26th Nov 2008, 13:50

It's easy for commenter 10:08 to find lots of examples of defects in the Silverado. I suspect that that has a lot to do with the fact that there are about 1000 Silverados on the road for every Tundra. When you have 1000 times the number of vehicles, finding 10 times the number of problems is pretty easy. It still leaves the Silverado AHEAD by a factor of 100 to 1. Nice try, but sorry, no prize.

I'm not surprised that an import fan would regard a cheap, flimsy RUBBER timing belt as superior to a STEEL one. It seems that anything cheaper that is put in a Japanese car is "better quality" no matter how unreliable and troublesome it is. I don't know of anyone who has gone over 100,000 miles in a Toyota without having to replace the flimsy rubber belt. Of course, I only know of TWO people who have actually gotten over 100,000 miles out of a Toyota anyway. Only ONE of our domestics ever required a timing belt. It was a Dodge with 192,000 miles on it, and it DID have the flimsy rubber belt like Toyota and Honda use.

26th Nov 2008, 15:13

The only problem I have had with my new full size domestic truck has been a flat tire. I am glad I do not have to cherry pick with sludging, engine failures, trans issues, and flimsy tailgates. I would love to go into a new dealership and hear my flimsy import concerns were just cherry picked after being towed in. Just what you want to hear.

27th Nov 2008, 04:19

14:38 drives a 2002 Tundra and a Ford prior to that. I do not see how they can comment on newest models. If your vehicle spends most of its life in the garage or going to a park, it's not like many of us that truly use our full size trucks.

My GM Silverado is driven daily and weekends towing up to 4 hours... a better testament to full size truck comments.

If I keep repeating full size it's because this is the topic of this specific review. I would like to see full size truck comments across the board... Ford F-150 250's, Silverados, Titans, Ram ownership comparisons gas and diesel more relevant to Tundra's size.

28th Nov 2008, 11:51

I came across some information in an article on the U.S. auto industry this morning that I found rather interesting:

Ford outsold Nissan, Honda, BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Mitsubishi COMBINED last year by approximately 1.5 million vehicles in the U.S.

Overall, Ford ranks tops in quality as rated by J.D. Powers and Associates.

Ford sold approximately 1,000,000 F-series trucks last year. That's more that all other comparable truck lines COMBINED, and about 20 times as many as the Tundra.

Japanese auto makers in Tennessee, Alabama, Texas and Mississippi have ALREADY gotten billions in government bail outs in the form of tax abatements.