http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/engineering/article7058007.ece That my friends is how ford/gm/chrysler got a crap reputation for quality back in the 80's... now toyota is trying the same thing in order to save a buck and they are getting called on it like the big 3 did years ago...
Sadly that's the way manufacturing has gone. My boss calls it the "Walmart Philosophy of Business." It's ruining us. The shoe company didn't ask us if we wanted to pay more for our shoe, they just demanded that the manufac. make it for less. Sooner or later, corners get cut to meet company demands or it's on to the next manufac, that thinks they like volume at the expense of low margins. To the thread, I didn't start looking at Toyotas until they had the recalls. Frankly, they were just too proud of their used Tundras for me. I am no longer looking at them, not from the recall standpoint, but they really weren't what I expected. After driving a bunch of trucks, I will likely settle were I thought I would 04-06 Chevy 2500 with 50,000-80,000 miles. Just haven't found the right one yet. Came darn close with an 06, but they apparently traded it to high, cause they are 1500-2000 too high.
you owe it to yourself to consider the F150's in the 05-06 time frame as well... when I bought mine (new) I spent a lot of time test driving silverado/ram/f150/tundra/titan, test drove each 2-3 times, the ford was hands down the best truck in that time frame... though I really liked the Ram as well, that hemi/5spd is an absolutely intoxicating combo and probably the best driveline among all of them... the chevy interior is the cushiest but also the most busy yet also the biggest by far (a huge issue cuz at the time I needed to fit 3 car seats in mine occasionally), the 5.3 wasn't particularly impressive and teh ride quality just wasn't there probably due to the wet noodle they call a frame... my decision came down to the Ram and the F150 and the f150 won because of ride quality and rear seat room... looking back I still know I made the right choice and plan on keeping it long enough to hand off to my now 9yr old for his first vehicle... :D
Did you drive a 2500 with the 6.0 in it? I'm not even considering a 5.3. That's my main prob with the Fords(other than the looks), I've driven the 5.4 extensively and it's not enough for me.
so you're lookin for a 3/4-1 ton then?? carry on... I'm not a big fan of the 5.4 in the SD chassis... but, I will say this, my 5.4 pulls everything as well or better than my brothers 1500 ram with the hemi even though he's making about 40ish hp more... the older 2v 5.4's were very weak, only like 235hp, the newer 5.4's with the 3v motor are MUCH better, smoother, stronger and more reliable... hits the 300hp mark
I would never purchase a Toyota, ever, over a domesticly owned and operated manufacturer. The only reason "imports" are now being built in the US is for politics. Maybe some of you guys would like it if a foreign company came into this country and took your job because your fellow Americans didn't support your domestic goods or services. One day this country will be strictly a "service" orienated workforce because there will be so few domestic factory / manufacturing jobs from outsourcing. Everytime you buy foreign goods, you are outsourcing yourself and fellow American's future.
my direct experinece was an 2002 tacoma and i have been through a 93 bronco, 97 f250, and i currently have an 05 silverado( which i love very much). that tacoma was the best perfroming truck ive have owned and if i werent so big or it so small id still have it. it went everywhere i wanted and was a pretty good riding truck.. my family has owned 2000 sequoia (great vehicle), 2002 seinna (great vehicle), 2002 tacoma (great vehicle), 2005 matrix ( great vehicle), and a 2010 Rav4 (great vehcile and very impressive so far). out of all the toyotas we have had the tacoma had a water pump go bad, the sienna had the gas shocks on the rear door go bad, and a rock broke the fog lamp on the matrix. all of these things happen. we have had great experiences with all of them and i will never buy anything other than toyota and fullsize chevy trucks (mainly because tundras are so $$$$) but the one i own now only has 40,000+ on it and i only drive it to hunt and BS in here and there. i would like to get a single cab tacoma 2x4 to drive around to school and work so i dont look so gay in my moms old matrix. and toyotas do have US factories.... and i think all these gas pedal problems while serious might be somewhat overplayed.... if my gas pedal sticks would i keep driving like a dummy??? no put it in neutral would work in most cases i would think.... but i will not lie i do not know what has been going on other than the headlines i see.
There is no such thing as " foriegn or domestic " anymore. After working years for a domestic dealer you will find out that about 60% of the domestic parts come from other countrys, the same for foriegn cars. All electronics are coming from Japan now. Most engines,trannys and drive trains for GM come from Mexico. Most drive trains for Ford come from Mexico too. When we rebuild drive trains, ALL the parts are imported, including bearings and gaskets, even though there are bearings and gaskets made in USA. They buy mass quantities cheaper by importing. Thus said, even though I worked for a "domestic" after driving Fords and Chevy, I got tired of calling tow trucks so I went to Toyota 6 years ago, and said goodby to tow truck drivers.. Theres now 4 Toyotas in the driveway, the oldest has 160000 miles and only has front and rear pads changed, the discs are still original . Would I buy another Toyota- definitely. The other 3 in my driveway have only had oil and filter changed in them .
I can see the reasoning behind not buying a new (fill in the blank foreign vehicle) but once its on the used lot, isn't the buy american damage already done?
Not true- Just got done with a Mustang, all the rear end parts came from Mexico...even the bolts that sheared off were from Mexico. The drive shaft bearing came from Japan too. The drive support was from Mexico. The last 10 years all bearings I have taken out of boxes have been from China or Mexico. The boxes have American names on them but the parts have stamps where their from.
i got laid off after a record breaking year at lincoln electric.... they have since i left moved 7 lines to mexico, and are on pace to break more record..... if the Ceo had taken a 50% paycut (which with his assets would still have him well over 1 mil a year) i could have kept my job, and everyone in the plant could have gotten a 6 dollar pay raise.... dont let american companies lull you into thinking they give a **** about the worker, or the consumer, because they dont. Its all about profit. Build the best product. I will buy the best product.
f150 doesn't use a 9" AFAIK for what its worth... http://www.cars.com/go/advice/Story.jsp?section=top&subject=ami&story=amMade0808
actually the parts for the f-150 are about 75% domestic. Tundra has 80% domestic parts, and another with another good chunk from canada and a small percentage from japan I know the money is still being shipped overseas. But embracing Global economy is not a bad thing
how is that when in the link provided above f150 is like 3-4 spots above the tundra in the domestic standings?? explain that to me:D
