I would like to add something as the author of this post. Of course there are going to be domestics that rack up miles w/o problems otherwise those companies would be long since out of business. Likewise, there will be Toyotas & other imports that have their fair share of issues. There are also preferences as well-some people simply prefer one make over another for other various reasons whether it is durability, horsepower, torque, fuel economy, comfort, etc. I prefer Toyotas simply because they offer me everything I need in a vehicle & have proven to be highly dependable vehicles for me. As with most people, it only takes one incident to get on my s-list. Ford & Chevy have put a very bad taste in my mouth. I expect vehicles to have problems & if I bought a new Toyota lemon tomorrow then I would be rather upset & disappointed; however, since I've owned 5 prior Toyotas with high mileage with no problems I would be less likely to deviate from the brand. If your domestics work for you then by all means stick with them.
Moreover, what bothers me the most is that the democratic media has pounced on this error like none other! It is completely ridiculous that they are badgering Toyota especially while GM & Chrysler has been the nuisance on the American economy. GM & Chrysler have cost American tax payers billions! We, the American people, bailed out the domestic auto industry's poor practices & management-MY OPINION HERE is that a portion of the American auto makers' failures are a direct result of their production of inferior automobiles. Detriot lacked the cutting edge innovation, quality & fuel economy that foreign manufactures had been & still are producing-domestic cars are failing because Americans desire & can afford foreign cars. This can't necessarily be denied either-just like elections, the majority wins. When the majority of America chooses to drive imports then domestics lose...basically that is saying that for every domestic auto support there are at least 1 import auto supporters. During this bailout time, you didn't see imports suffering as badly, did you? No. This, coupled with the dominance & power of labor unions is a bad combination! When uneducated assembly line workers are being paid $30-60+ per an hour ($62,400-124,800+/year) we have a problem! They make more than I do with a Master's degree! When you go to your Ford or Chevy dealership, you pay for that on your MSRP. After import taxes on foreign cars, there shouldn't be a single comparable domestic car on the market with a higher sticker price but somehow Detroit has managed to do it! I must say, I do respect Ford for declining the bailout money that GM & Chrysler took-class act in my book. It just goes to show that with some restructuring, the others could have rebound the same.
I'd like to respond to a few of the comments here:
Anon 11:34,
1. You shouldn't let your kids play in the street.
2. Unless somebody removed it, my truck has what's call a "brake pedal" on it. It's to the left of the gas pedal. If my truck would to suddenly accelerate due to malfunction I would simply press the brake pedal it will magically come to a stop. There is no vehicle manufactured that has more accelerating power than braking power. Try it sometime, put the gas pedal to the floor & press the brake with your left foot-I bet you come to a stop quicker than you think...
3. Yes Toyota is thriving financially & yes they got the best car & truck of the year awards. Know why? It’s because they don't have ridiculously powerful labor unions, consumer companies like Motor Trend & JD Power don't belly up to democratic views and they are simply quality vehicles. Imagine that-actually EARNING an award? That's unheard of!
Anon 11:48,
I have a hard time believing that you even had a Toyota, especially since you can't spell TACOMA! Maybe your truck was just pissed at you because you kept spelling its name wrong!
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
14 comments:
Gotta agree with you, Joe. Personally, I think the reason this Administration is demonizing Toyota is to discourage people from buying their product, thereby "encouraging" them to buy American -- specifically GM. After all, we now own GM! Don't want the foreign competition getting in the way!
As for the sticking gas pedal... if what I've heard is true, some people claim they "stood on the brakes" and still couldn't get their vehicle to stop. If that's the case, ever heard of throwing the car into "neutral"? I know that's what I'd do.
Most of the time I can't stand you.....but this time I feel like giving you a HUG! You are so right on this. I will always buy Toyota!
TO THE GUY WHO HAS OWNED 5 TOYOTAS, KUDOS TO YOU FOR DEFENDING THEM. I AGREE WE ALWAYS GOTTA BE BASHING SOMETHING HERE IS THE GOOD OLE USA...UNFORTUNATLY TOYOTA HAD TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN AT THE TIME THAT IT DID.
My ears are bleeding schleup03
Sure, go ahead and throw that car into neutral and blow your engine because it's revved all the way up!
Geesh!
Just turn off the ignition! Or are you so spoiled by power steering and power brakes that you've forgotten how to operate the car to a safe stop without them?
You won't be able to turn the vehicle in a circle very easily but you'll be able to turn that steering wheel enough to get you off the side of the road!
Technology is good only when people don't forget how to do it the OLD way!
So what you are saying is Toyota can make a car cheaper because they dont have to pay union wages *never liked the unions anyway*. If this is so why is it the Toyotas tend to cost more than a Ford?
Where is that extra money going?
2:38 it has already been clarified to take the car out of gear and apply the brake not pump the brake but press down hard on the brake. also it specifically said not to turn off the ignition, as this act will immediately lock the steering wheel in place. so the technology of the car is what is stopping you from doing it the " old " way, not the driver.
anonymous 3:11, I would hope in their pockets. They deserve more profit because their cars last longer and they're mechanically sound. Oh, that's right, you're one of the liberals that thinks companies should only make but so much and give the rest to a holes like Taylor mooching off the taxpayers.
I've owned GM products, Chrysler products and Ford products. Never owned a foreign car or had the desire to own one. Ford is the only vehicle I have owned that has held up over 250,000 miles and still keeps running. I don't trade cars every 5 years, I run them until they won't run anymore. The last Ford I owned we bought brand new with 22 miles on it and that was from me test driving it. It cost us 5 cents per mile to own it. That includes purchase price and all maintenance over the years of ownership. My current Ford, we bought used for $5,000, it was 5 years old with 47,000 miles on it. Today it has 287,000 miles and still running strong. We have put no real money into it. Replaced water pump, tires, brake line, tuneups and regular oil changes. This vehicle owes me nothing. We'll keep it until it won't go anymore and move on to another Ford.
As for the sticking gas pedal, were not trying to reinvent the wheel. If your gas pedal sticks, apply the brake and turn off the ignition switch!
Its funny though. Hundreds of thousands of people come here to Salisbury News and NOT ONE has claimed they had a single problem with the gas pedal sticking!
Of course now that I've said this, (I waited days to see what everyone would say) some jackass will try to come on here and anonymously make the claim.
Nevertheless, its all BS. Obama is a BS artist and our Federal Government and MSM are liars. Comments are living proof of that.
Turbo vehicles need a vacuum pump to keep the power accessories running, and yes, you might accidentally lock the steering column by turning it off, but mine won't lock until the shifter is in "Park". So, if we all remember neutral it would be the best, safest option for "all" vehicles. If this blows your engine, it should be covered in the recall and you will still be alive and well to fight it out with the manufacturer. Any other choice may kill you, and it's really hard to hire a lawyer when you're dead... they think you may not pay them.
remember the swine flu epidemic? just the latest in one lie after another.
Don't believe anything our government ever tells you!
I had a conversation with a major in the military many years ago about what our government was doing in another country, it wasn't pretty. mind you these where innocent civilians and we where in the process of destroying that country's economy. When I brought this up I said to him we are no better than the russians when it comes to doing bad things to others! that's why the rest of the world hates us so much!
His response.... We do it for all the right reasons and the russian's do it for all the wrong reasons. Personally I believe there is never a right reason to destroy an innocent person's life!
notice i did say innocent!
remember the Iowa incident where the military claimed it was one of the crew who caused the explosion? turned out it wasn't. Of course this was only after the family worked to disprove what the government was telling everyone.
our government has the time and money to bury anyone. All they do is lie to us!
As many in this current and previous administration's have repeatedly said "never let a good crisis go to waste"! they use them, and manufacture them to chip away at our liberties! It is sad to see how many americans roll over and surrender their liberties without even a wimper, all in the name of national security!
Don't know what all the fuss is about, the Tacoma and the Corolla are both Union made in Toyotas CA plant. if you like Toyota and want to buy union, you have a choice.
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