Topic: Toyota tops for longevity: DesRosiers

[Gardiner Westbound]

So the Toyota image rehabilitation offensive begins! Few doubt old Toyotas are reliable and durable, as are very old Mercedes, BMWs and maybe even Chevrolets. The 1997 and newer Toyotas are the problem.

Hubris bites! Toyota's beancounters squandered its gold standard image for quality and integrity. Its reputation has been hammered by recalls and a firestorm of negative publicity the result of downgrading engineering, materials, content, build quality and customer care. Millions of vehicles have been recalled for throttle issues, faulty brakes, flawed steering, bad engines, broken transmissions and frame corrosion. Even Consumer Reports, which long held Toyota up as the exemplar of automobile quality, dumped on it. It dropped from sixth to 21st place in the J.D. Power initial quality rankings. A subsequent survey put it at 32nd, just ahead of last place Jeep.

Bad things happen to companies that chisel on quality. Once high-flying Toyota has seen its business gutted. Market share is down 2.4 percentage points. The wheels even fell off the "Relentless Pursuit of Perfection". Lexus may lose the luxury sales crown to BMW. Oh, what a feeling!

http://www.canadiandriver.com/2010/12/21/toyota-tops-for-longevity-desrosiers.htm

 

[No H2O]

The one thing that nobody has ever addressed is why all of a sudden did these so-called issues come to light?

Was it because some other automakers were in big trouble and they had very good connections to drag another company into the sewer?

Let the conspiracy theories begin.

I'd buy a Toyota in an instant, if they made what I was looking for. We've had four of them in the family since 1990...hardly needed to spend a dime on them.

[Mitlov]

I'm glad the first two posts in this thread managed to highlight the two radical extremes of this debate.

Now that that's been settled, would someone mind telling me who DesRosiers is and why they're a meaningful authority on the subject?

[tpl]

He is a Canadian "Automotive industry consultant"  a sort of Canadian John McElroy  the guy who does   Autoline Detroit on SPeed.

[PJungnitsch]

From what I remember both CR and CR's arch-enemy, True Delta, still rate new Toyotas as tops in reliability.

As Winston Churchill said "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated".

[tpl]

From what I remember both CR and CR's arch-enemy, True Delta, still rate new Toyotas as tops in reliability.

As Winston Churchill said "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated".

it was Mark Twain who said that!   Don't they teach anyone anything these days!

[safristi]

..."TOPS IN LONGEVITY".........another thumbs down then..............ya have to be BORED LONGER................ ..and by the way i'm sure I saw Mark Twain and Sir Winnie in VEGAS at the Stratosphere........... but Elvis had just left the revolving restaurant....lookin' slimmer tho;........

[PJungnitsch]

From what I remember both CR and CR's arch-enemy, True Delta, still rate new Toyotas as tops in reliability.

As Winston Churchill said "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated".

it was Mark Twain who said that!   Don't they teach anyone anything these days!

Very true sir, very true. In my defense, I am working off an iPod on the beach!

[TopGun]

Very true sir, very true. In my defense, I am working off an iPod on the beach!

Isn't it' kinda chilly on the beach in Alberta?

Oh...you must be getting ready for the Polar Bear swim!   

[Ex-airbalancer]

From what I remember both CR and CR's arch-enemy, True Delta, still rate new Toyotas as tops in reliability.

As Winston Churchill said "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated".

it was Mark Twain who said that!   Don't they teach anyone anything these days!

Very true sir, very true. In my defense, I am working off an iPod on the beach!

Dont rub it in, 

[dr_spock]

Very true sir, very true. In my defense, I am working off an iPod on the beach!

Who's defending your house right now?

[PJungnitsch]

Very true sir, very true. In my defense, I am working off an iPod on the beach!

Isn't it' kinda chilly on the beach in Alberta?

Oh...you must be getting ready for the Polar Bear swim!   

That chopping through the ice is warming!

[PJungnitsch]

Who's defending your house right now?

Landlord. There are some advantages to being a poor former student.

[kicker]

pj . I completely agree with you about toyotas still being reliable despite their troubles
Mind you , they started decondenting cars and cutting costs in 1997 .
But in your defence here is proof of your statement

Cars that last at least 320,000 kms and longer . 5 of the 10 cars are made by Toyota

This is from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2010/12/08/most-reliable-cars-2010-business-autos-reliable-cars_slide.html?partner=ctv

I was just going to use this as a topic heading but put it here first .

[Frontier1]

toyotas are now equipped with STAR

vehicle stability control
traction control
anti-lock brakes
brakes assist
electronic brake force distribution
smart stop technology (let`s bury that one in there, no one will notice )

honestly, how revolutionary!!

[CatsEye68]

toyotas are now equipped with STAR

vehicle stability control
traction control
anti-lock brakes
brakes assist
electronic brake force distribution
smart stop technology (let`s bury that one in there, no one will notice )

honestly, how revolutionary!!

Weren't the ones that careened off cliffs or into trees equipped with all the same stuff, just not the name?

[Frontier1]

toyotas are now equipped with STAR

vehicle stability control
traction control
anti-lock brakes
brakes assist
electronic brake force distribution
smart stop technology (let`s bury that one in there, no one will notice )

honestly, how revolutionary!!

Weren't the ones that careened off cliffs or into trees equipped with all the same stuff, just not the name?

Actually all along they were just missing the smart stop technology, but heck let's just package it with all the others and make it look like were giving the world 

[Seafoam]

toyotas are now equipped with STAR

vehicle stability control
traction control
anti-lock brakes
brakes assist
electronic brake force distribution
smart stop technology (let`s bury that one in there, no one will notice )

honestly, how revolutionary!!

Weren't the ones that careened off cliffs or into trees equipped with all the same stuff, just not the name?

Actually all along they were just missing the smart stop technology, but heck let's just package it with all the others and make it look like were giving the world 

Really.I wasn't aware all base model toyotas came equipped with  traction control and vehicle stability control last model year.

[Frontier1]

toyotas are now equipped with STAR

vehicle stability control
traction control
anti-lock brakes
brakes assist
electronic brake force distribution
smart stop technology (let`s bury that one in there, no one will notice )

honestly, how revolutionary!!

Weren't the ones that careened off cliffs or into trees equipped with all the same stuff, just not the name?

Actually all along they were just missing the smart stop technology, but heck let's just package it with all the others and make it look like were giving the world 

Really.I wasn't aware all base model toyotas came equipped with  traction control and vehicle stability control last model year.

http://www.toyota.ca/cgi-bin/WebObjects/WWW.woa/25/wo/Home.WhatsNew-SiuUDqY7OZpoi9SbQlet9M/0.9?fmg%2fnew%2fn210000e%2ehtml

[tenpenny]

I love the criticism of Toyotas as boring.

I have a Subaru Outback.  It's boring:  I start it up, it goes (except once).  I can drive it where I want to go.  I can drive it up my driveway when it's icy.  It needs very little maintenance.  It holds 5 people and my daughter's hockey gear.  It does what I want it to do, reliably, and comfortably.  It does everything I need, with no weirdness or unexpected actions.  That makes it boring, which is exactly what I want in a car.  I used to have a Camry.  It was similarly 'boring'.  It did exactly what I wanted it to do, for 300,000 km, then I gave it to my brother.

What's wrong with that?  I assume that people who don't want a 'boring' car, don't actually have to get anywhere in particular.  Me, I do.  I want reliability.  I don't need the excitement of being broken down in LowerRatsAss, NS, on a Monday night, when I'm trying to get home.

You have your needs, I have mine.  Sales figures suggest that Toyota caters to a large market share.