Toyota, GM, and Ford differences

Surely you don't think your vehicle is the only one to has problems? The point is no manufacture makes a perfect vehicle, they all make some that are not up to par, that is why they all offer a warranty. Every manufacture statically makes between 1% to just over 2% that are problematic. Buying a particular brand hopping you will not get on of the 2% is an effort in futility. The odds are far greater one will get one of the 98% that are great vehicles, not matter whose brand in on the hood.

mike hunt

Idiot. Brake dust on the wheels is NOT a sign of over-heated or inadequate brakes. Many cars use softer pads for better performance and feel - look at any BMW that hasn't had it's wheels recently cleaned.

I'll take the 1% choice, thank you. That will be half the likelihood of difficulties compared to the 2% choice.

In addition, when you get that 1% or 2% failure, what does the manufacturer do about it? I don't have any sludging problem with my Toyota 3.0L V6 engine. However, about a year after I'd gotten the vehicle, I received a letter from Toyota warning me that people had reported problems with this. The letter said not to worry about it, maintain the engine normally, show a good-faith effort to keep it up and Toyota would fix any engine problems that came along.

A marked contrast to my Ford experience with 3 transmission failures. From Ford, I got a phone call that said "too bad."

Not that I believe your figures, anyway.

I assume mental midgets do not know how to or care to distinguish fact (i.e., country of ownership, balance of payments for debtor nation (US) versus non debtor nation (Japan), manufacturer country of origin, real estate property tax abatement for non domestic manufacturers, rice steel versus real steel, rice glass versus real glass, when will the Japanese call in our debt) from opinion (i.e., GM, Ford and Chrysler designs and executives are bad), and the popularity of any brand of vehicles doesn't change opinions about it to facts or vice-versa.

Like we believe your stories

manufacturer

fixed?...and

Correction; it's now when will China call in their debt. China has been supporting the USA deficit for some time by buying USA treasury bills. Several hundred billion and counting.

I didn't give a reason just then but just an explanation of fact vs. opinion and also stated some facts that indicate how GM is inferior.

You said Toyotas are overpriced but that other people feel they're the best value for the money. Why do you and the other people differ on this criterion? Is it because the other people feel Toyotas are superior enough in other respects to make them better values despite higher price? I actually agree with you that Toyotas cost more than comparable GM and Ford vehicles.

Defect rates and the hours per vehicle are not opinions but facts, and GM, Ford, and Chrysler are inferior to Toyota, Honda, and Nissan in hours and inferior to Toyota and Honda in defect rates. On the other hand, GM cars being ugly or beautiful or the Honda Civic deserving or not deserving a "Car of the Year" award are opinions. So are Ford's, GM's, and Chrysler's beliefs that Toyota and Honda are the best car makers.

GM has about 15% of the world market, and some time in 2006 so will Toyota. Show me where GM or Ford is gaining on Toyota, either worldwide or in North America alone.

Chrysler was saved by a federal loan guarantee and the minivan. Iacocca wanted to build the FWD minivan while at Ford, but the board refused to fund a FWD chassis, something Chrysler already had in development (K-car) by the time Iacocca joined the company. Minivans gave Chrysler a profit of $1500 per vehicle from the beginning, and currently each one nets $5000-7000.

Ford greatly improved in the 1980s mostly because of a very good chairman, Donald Petersen, the decision to copy the Audio 5000 FWD sedan, and by not overly increasing production capacity. Ford was also helped by GM's stumbles.

Actually GM, Ford, and Chrysler ("Chrysler is American!") owners are more likely to insult Toyotas, calling them "rice burners" and thinking Japan is still a Third World country. This is particularly common in areas where a high percentage of Pontiacs are on blocks in the front yard.

MAJOR FOREIGN HOLDERS OF TREASURY SECURITIES (in billions of dollars)

My statement concerns the aggregate sum total of economic issues from the past to the present.

What correction?

The US may be be able to solve many problems by simply export Wally World The Big Box Store to China!

Totally agree

They buy Toyota because it is best value for money, best customer care, best quality

Why isn't Treasury's own site more up-to-date? Since January, estimates are that we're giving the Chinese an extra $30 billion per month. Not all of that will be in t-bills, of course.

This is in the Washington Post:

The Washington Post

Move Would Probably Push Currency Down

By Peter S. Goodman Washington Post Foreign Service

SHANGHAI, Jan. 9 -- China has resolved to shift some of its foreign exchange reserves -- now in excess of $800 billion -- away from the U.S. dollar and into other world currencies in a move likely to push down the value of the greenback, a high-level state economist who advises the nation's economic policymakers said in an interview Monday.

True. Look at Volvos as well. My the crap that comes out here in an attempt to be negative about "so called" imports.

Really? I never said it was a problem exclusive to Honda or imports. Why then does this condition only occur on the front wheels of certain vehicles, like those mentioned, and why only on the front wheels on vehicles with four wheel discs? LOL

mike hunt

Why do all the Bush haters always see what they perceive to be the negative side of every issue? Chinas purpose is to reinforce its controlled currency which is over inflated, by slowing the GROWTH.of the dollar. ;)

mike hunt

That is what I said, but far more buyers buy GM, Ford, and Chrysler vehicles because THEY obviously believe the brand THEY buy is the best value for money, best customer care, and best quality ;)

mike hunt

Go into the various NG and you will discover my observation is right on. Toyota owners are always bashing other brands, particularly domestics. You seldom hear that in other NG. I think Toyota owners are trying to justify to themselves why they paid way to much for a vehicle that in reality no better than any other. LOL

mike hunt