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Is Toyota quality slipping?

2,863 2,237 December 4, 2016 at 03:15 PM in Chat (2)
I've been owning Toyota autos for the past twenty years. Started with a Chevy citation, then moved to Honda Civics and now Toyotas.

However, recently I've been on several business trips to the the same town and I've been renting compact cars. I was surprised about the fit and finish of the Chevy Cruze. Just got back from a trip where I was in a Corolla and man did it just felt really cheap. Granted Corolla is 2nd to the bottom line up in the Toyota line (ahead of the Yaris).

Currently have an 09 Venza and 14 Highlander. But man between the Cruze and Corolla, I would have to pick the Cruze.

I can't speak for Dodge or Ford though.

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Bareborn
12-08-2016 at 06:55 AM.
12-08-2016 at 06:55 AM.
I have a 2006 4runner, 121k miles...zero problems. Regular oil changes, tranny fill and filter change, tires rotated, and brakes...still humming away.

I'm taking pretty good care of it, love my 4runner.

My wifes '13 as expected worry free as well, why we bought it.
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Zoe Moon
12-08-2016 at 09:52 AM.
12-08-2016 at 09:52 AM.
Quote from mrlaugh :
I have a 2006 Corolla. My engine computer died after 23,000 miles or so, which later became a complete recall. My engine block cracked at 27,000 miles, had to get a completely new engine from toyota. Despite being 10.5 years old, I only just passed 48,000 miles last week. The tire pressure monitor has been broken for at least three years, no amount of reseting by myself, the firestone shop, or even the toyota dealer keeps it from coming back on, even after repeatedly checking the tire pressures. The interior finish isn't brilliant, but the fit is good, better than the focus at the time, not quite as good as the civic (although I had other issues with the civic otherwise I might have bought it). The seal around the door has a drip every time it rains, which the dealer told me was normal (it's really only one drip when the door is open, not like an actual leak). The original OEM tires were not great, I could spin the front wheels on concrete when cold, and it's not like the car has that much power.

I think my dad's 2008 corolla has been less problematic than my 2006, but I do sort of think the idea of foreign cars always being more reliable is more hype than fact.
Back in the 1980's and 1990's when domestic made cars were suffering from a lot of quality issues, that was true. I don't think it's as accurate now though, we did wind up buying a Subaru a couple of years ago but they are made in the USA.
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Bareborn
12-08-2016 at 10:34 AM.
12-08-2016 at 10:34 AM.
Quote from Zoe Moon :
Back in the 1980's and 1990's when domestic made cars were suffering from a lot of quality issues, that was true. I don't think it's as accurate now though, we did wind up buying a Subaru a couple of years ago but they are made in the USA.
Were you aware Toyota is a minority owner of Subaru?

They are also made in the USA but a wholly Japanese owned company. Just like Toyota which also makes lots of vehicles in the USA.
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mrlaugh
12-08-2016 at 10:55 AM.
12-08-2016 at 10:55 AM.
my corolla was made in Ontario, Canada
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SpartanOneX
12-08-2016 at 01:10 PM.
12-08-2016 at 01:10 PM.
Quote from mrlaugh :
I have a 2006 Corolla. My engine computer died after 23,000 miles or so, which later became a complete recall. My engine block cracked at 27,000 miles, had to get a completely new engine from toyota. Despite being 10.5 years old, I only just passed 48,000 miles last week. The tire pressure monitor has been broken for at least three years, no amount of reseting by myself, the firestone shop, or even the toyota dealer keeps it from coming back on, even after repeatedly checking the tire pressures. The interior finish isn't brilliant, but the fit is good, better than the focus at the time, not quite as good as the civic (although I had other issues with the civic otherwise I might have bought it). The seal around the door has a drip every time it rains, which the dealer told me was normal (it's really only one drip when the door is open, not like an actual leak). The original OEM tires were not great, I could spin the front wheels on concrete when cold, and it's not like the car has that much power.

I think my dad's 2008 corolla has been less problematic than my 2006, but I do sort of think the idea of foreign cars always being more reliable is more hype than fact.
Its kind of a shame that in the race to get market share Toyota forgot the people that put them there in the first place. We want quality at an affordable price. Not cheap finishes.

That's the kind of statement I was trying to make. The materials the new generation just looks cheap compared to domestic makes.
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mrlaugh
12-08-2016 at 01:36 PM.
12-08-2016 at 01:36 PM.
Quote from arcticmaniac :
Its kind of a shame that in the race to get market share Toyota forgot the people that put them there in the first place. We want quality at an affordable price. Not cheap finishes.

That's the kind of statement I was trying to make. The materials the new generation just looks cheap compared to domestic makes.

in the 2004 to 2006 era, I thought the plastics in the Fords and Chevys looked worse. I drove a work Ford Taurus, the plastic had seems like a toy press would leave behind and felt crazy cheap. my Toyota may not have been good enough to hold up that well, but it looked better than the American cars of that year.
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SpartanOneX
12-08-2016 at 05:28 PM.
12-08-2016 at 05:28 PM.
Quote from mrlaugh :
in the 2004 to 2006 era, I thought the plastics in the Fords and Chevys looked worse. I drove a work Ford Taurus, the plastic had seems like a toy press would leave behind and felt crazy cheap. my Toyota may not have been good enough to hold up that well, but it looked better than the American cars of that year.
Yeah, even my 09 Venza the plastic looks cheap but its a good car so far.
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Bareborn
12-08-2016 at 06:12 PM.
12-08-2016 at 06:12 PM.
Quote from arcticmaniac :
Its kind of a shame that in the race to get market share Toyota forgot the people that put them there in the first place. We want quality at an affordable price. Not cheap finishes.

That's the kind of statement I was trying to make. The materials the new generation just looks cheap compared to domestic makes.

youre experience is pitting a corolla vs a cruze. quit talking outta your ass
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Zoe Moon
12-08-2016 at 07:16 PM.
12-08-2016 at 07:16 PM.
Quote from mrlaugh :
my corolla was made in Ontario, Canada
My Subrau was built in SC (or was it NC?) Indiana and they made a big deal about the factory being a 'Zero Landfill Waste' factory. Then when we went out to inspect the car they pulled a ton of shipping plastic (don't know what it's really called) off the bodywork of the car and tossed it in a trash bin. Facepalm
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Last edited by Zoe Moon December 8, 2016 at 07:26 PM.
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Bareborn
12-08-2016 at 07:57 PM.
12-08-2016 at 07:57 PM.
Quote from Zoe Moon :
My Subrau was built in SC (or was it NC?) Indiana and they made a big deal about the factory being a 'Zero Landfill Waste' factory. Then when we went out to inspect the car they pulled a ton of shipping plastic (don't know what it's really called) off the bodywork of the car and tossed it in a trash bin. Facepalm
Those are recycle totes Smilie
I worked there.
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Zoe Moon
12-08-2016 at 07:59 PM.
12-08-2016 at 07:59 PM.
Quote from Bareborn :
Those are recycle totes Smilie
I worked there.
No, it wasn't. It was the trash bin outside where the customers park, they were full of trash, not recyclables.
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Bareborn
12-08-2016 at 08:00 PM.
12-08-2016 at 08:00 PM.
Quote from Zoe Moon :
No, it wasn't. It was the trash bin outside where the customers park, they were full of trash, not recyclables.
I never finagled with the peons(customers) too busy being cool.

end of the day Subaru is Japanese, just like Toyota is American, just like chevy's parts are Canadian made. Truth be told Toyotas are the most American cars you can buy.
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Last edited by Bareborn December 8, 2016 at 08:02 PM.
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SpartanOneX
12-09-2016 at 06:07 AM.
12-09-2016 at 06:07 AM.
Quote from Bareborn :
I never finagled with the peons(customers) too busy being cool.

end of the day Subaru is Japanese, just like Toyota is American, just like chevy's parts are Canadian made. Truth be told Toyotas are the most American cars you can buy.
who pissed in your cheerios this morning

you work at the indy plant in lafayette?
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Bareborn
12-09-2016 at 06:23 AM.
12-09-2016 at 06:23 AM.
Quote from arcticmaniac :
who pissed in your cheerios this morning

you work at the indy plant in lafayette?
I'm just being overly sarcastic. I interned and did case studies at the plant in Lafayette, yes.

I just disagree with alot of the statements in the thread Smilie
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SpartanOneX
12-09-2016 at 11:04 AM.
12-09-2016 at 11:04 AM.
Quote from Bareborn :
I'm just being overly sarcastic. I interned and did case studies at the plant in Lafayette, yes.

I just disagree with alot of the statements in the thread Smilie
LOL, just kidding.
They (Subaru) supposed to be a well run organization. Small and nimble, basically what Toyota used to be but now Toyota has become fat and bloated like GM used to be. And WTF who's brilliant idea to bring out the Scion brand. That was the most retarded move by Toyota. I wished they would have spent all that resources into building the pocket rockets like the celica and supra line. Hell, they even had a decent corolla back then that folks in Cali used to soup up.

Purdue grad?
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