Can Anything Stop Toyota?

We heard you the first time, and we also know you speak for a small of you. They are #2 on the planet, apparently, folks want dull and uniteresting. Of course, trying to get out of a burning car is far from dull and uninteresting, maybe you need a Ford?

VLJ, next time, dont hold back and tell us how you feel. Hey, I bet you can get a new Suburban for about $3000 less than a Sequoia, using Mikes logic, its a good value, but he doesnt keep anything out of the 3/36 warranty.

They actually hold their value as USED vehicles quite well. It's just the first 2-4 years that they depreciate fast due to all of the fleet sales and used taxis and police cruisers(most of which are totalled/salvaged - likely half of 1-4 year old cars)

This of course drops their value, but the cars are quite decent used. Buy for $10K and sell for 6-7K a few years later.

I am not so sure the 'Toyota Premium' actually works out in the end. I think it depends on your area, dealer mark ups, and how long you will keep the vehicle. For example, in Northern Calif, dealer mark up appears on most Accords and Camrys. When my neighbor bought his Camry, he bragged that the dealer mark up was "only $2000". This sets the price differential of about $4,000, or $5,000 OVER a comparable Taurus (actual sales price, not MSRP). Now, over the 'ownership period', I do not think the Taurus will have $4,000 worth of maintenance, or repairs vs the Camry never needing anything. So, that leaves re-sale value as the comparable 'gap'. I think the Toyota will bottom out at probably $3,000, and the Taurus at maybe half that, so I am still not totally convinced it is worth the premium for Toyota quality.

Having said all this; I have read the the LOWEST cost of ownership per mile is to buy a plain, 1 year old Detroit 4 door car, keep it three years, and trade for another 1 year old Detroit car. The theroy here is that you have 2 years remaining if the 3/36 warranty to protect you, so no repair costs impacted there, the 1 year old Detroit car is a bargain, selling at 30% off MSRP, and you have peice of mind of newer car ownership. I'll let you know how I make out doing this with my Impala. Bill

88 Lancer Shelby 91 LeBaron Convertible 01 Chevy Impala LS

As are your views..... at least Eds make sense. Bob

I always get inexpensive cars 10-26 years old and rarely has one started much past 90,000 miles. The first--1969 Dart 225 six was a Grandma's car (I had the documentation to prove it) at 69K. I bought a 1968 Chevelle 4dr

230something six with 136K and it went to new owners with 171K two years later. I got reports of sitings at least three years later, so I'll bet it hit 210K.

I've never had a Ford as bad as the Toyota I owned. I only wish the Toyota would have burned up. As for claiming that Toyota is #2 on the planet. I think you have that wrong as well.

Ed

There seem to be a lot of Toyotas and othe Japanese vehicles on GM dealers used car lots. I wonder what stories they could tell, as well?

mike hunt

vlj wrote:

Problem is trying to find a non-smoker's car. I was looking at used Lexus's and everyone stunk of cigarette smoke. These were certified pre-owned Lexus vehicles.

bellicose

used.

I'd have to agree. I've test driven Toyota's but always thought that they sucked. I mean the Celica I test drove was as slow or maybe even slower than my 1995 Escort and it cost a whole lot more. And the Celica GT version cost several thousand more than the regular version but had almost the same amount of torque, so of course it was equally slow. Plus when you keep a car forever like I do things like insurance costs and replacement costs matter more to me than "initial quality". For the difference in insurance costs alone you should be able to pay for all the extra parts you'd put in a Ford or Chevy. I wouldn't even consider buying a Chrysler (or Mitsubishi, or Mazda, or Isuzu, or Nissan).

top posts:

Well mike, I suppose its like what kind of foods other people like to eat or what kind of sexual proclivites they have. I don't know and, frankly, don't care as its outside my scope of interest.

Being a mechanical engineer that has wrenched all of his own vehicles since my first Honda Supersport 125 twin in 1966, I'm underwhelmed with the design and quality I've found in my Suburban. I find the Asian marques easier to work on, designed and assembled with more though about how someone might have to do "on the vehicle" maintenance, the quality of the metallurgy and fasteners to be superior and the gasket/sealing material of better quality and less leak prone.

Sure, a sample of 1 is not statistically significant but that is immaterial. When it comes to what I like or don't like, I'm the world's most consummate expert and my personal hands-on experience with my G(enerally) M(ediocre) product has left me not wanting any more of it nor future experiences.

VLJ

Simple, 1. they got the most money for their Toyota, Honda ect car on a trade-in perhaps for a truck, 2. the dealers have picked up the Toyotas at auction, 3. many of these dealerships are owned by one company which may own a dodge, ford and Toyota dealership and pass the trade-ins around. They know what sells.

Dale

I have no personal opinion of Subaru but I would suggest you do a little research. You will find Subaru is a division of a Japanese corporation, only 20% owned by GM. You might check the first digit of you VIN, as well, before declaring all GM products as sub standard and Japanese products without fault.

mike hunt

vlj wrote:

dealers used car lots. I wonder what stories they

1A Having spent many years in retail as a Sales Manager I can tell you they would have been allowed just as much or more on another Toyota, Honda etc. car on a trade-in, but they bought a GM or Ford for a reason. 2A Used car dealers buy used cars not new car dealer. No new car dealer worth his salt buys three year old used cars, particularly those of other brands. They may buy one year old of their brand from the manufacture, but they need to get rid of their used cars not buy more. 3A They also know that any brand sells for more on the lot of that brand, less on other brand lots. They move the GM trades on Toyotas to their GM lots and vis versa

When you see a Toyota on a Ford lot it is there for a reason, the same reason one sees a Ford on a Toyota lot. The buyer didn't want another Toyota or Ford. ;)

I visited different Toyota dealers over the years.

I was ready to buy, but I couldn't get past their snotty additude.

Basically; This is the ( list ) price and, this is our "markup" ( ADM ?? ) and, this is for dealer prep and here's "shit" for your trade in......

Take it or leave it !

I left it.

Hmmm. Your guys buying used Toyotas to resell because they can turn a buck? Bottom line! ;-)

I've been out to the Fontana auction twice in the past three months (friend is a reseller). Sorry, but C/V's have an -average- resale record. Not plunging ... and not steller. Auctions are where the _real_ -market- value of cars is discovered. A model line's popularity, mechanical history, and durability are reflected in the sale price. What happens at the retail level is dictated by salesmanship and financing.

Give you a example

MSRP on my 04 Sienna LE is $24260.

I'm looking at todays paper and I see a 04 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT, MSRP $30205. I betcha I got more standard stuff on my 04 Sienna LE than that Caravan SXT.

Here's another, 04 Dodge Grand Caravan SE, MSRP $27365.

So who is less money?

Dale

Sorry, (and I wish I had the link to prove it...) but Toyota has overtaken Ford as the global #2 selling marque in the auto world, behind GM.

Vuarra

Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur. (That which is said in Latin sounds profound.)