Yes, and why does Toyota have the market share that it does? For one thing, I've driven my 93 Corolla to 220,000 miles with a lot less maintenance than any American vehicle I've ever owned. I've never even rolled the odometer on ANY american vehicle. In our family we've owned or driven:
37 Olds (Engine was so worn by 100,000, the owner was using 50 weight oil.) 52 Chevy (Threw a rod at 4 years old.) 55 Plymouth Belvedere (Body was rusting out at 90,000) 63 Chevy II 300 (Body was rusting out at 67,000) 62 Corvair 700 coupe (Body was rusting out and the engine was having some major issues at 92,000) 66 Chevelle SS 396 (Body was rusted through the floor in back. And the engine was not what it used to be.) 95 S-10 (Body was starting to rust at 50,000 and the engine was in 4 times for repairs and still didn't work right.)And I have a friend who owns a Ford Escort that she has driven exactly 2 days in the last 6 months. It's earning it's Fix Or Repair Daily badge the hard way. Actually I think that one is an F***d Over Rebuilt Dodge. I'm not even going to start the litany of what has been repaired on it in the last 6 months.
American cars, in the main, just don't hold up like our little Toyotas. Not without a lot of help. That's why Toyota has made such inroads into market share. If America wants their market share back, we're going to have to do something besides business as usual. They should have got that message in
1959, when VW hit 10% of the market.Charles of Schaumburg