Experiences With Other Toyota Cars

B) All Toyota's
1982 Starlet (standard);
1987 Camry (standard);
1992 Kingcab 2/WD pickup;
1995 Camry XLE (auto);
1996 T-100 kingcab p/u (auto);
2002 Avalon XLE;
2003 Avalon XLE;
2004 Prius,
2005 RAV4 AWD.

What can a person say is that Toyota make a very good car.

B) Ben

 

My Prius is my 6th Toyota

1986 Red Pick up Bought it new . . . . box rusted out in 1990 (they build them better today) replaced the box. . . . my wife rolled it over in 1992 and I still drove it to the body shop . . . (divorced that wife in 1995) totally rebuilt it and drove it until 1996 sold it for $2000 with 160000 miles on it.

1992 Camry bought it used in 1996 4 cyc standard transmission got 36 mpg on the highway. Got totalled in an accident in 1994 with 150000 miles.

1993 Camry bought it used and drove it until 1998 had 199000 miles on it when I traded it for:

1999 Toyota Tacoma bought it new and drove it until 2005 . . . sold it on ebay for $8900 with 90000miles.

2001 Toyota Sienna van bought new, still have it . . . . has 122000 miles on it

2005 Prius Pkg 3 Black just passed 16000 bought last June. Love it

Toyota does it right

 

Half a million miles in Camrys.

1985 Camry hatchback got 250,000 miles. Replaced transmission at 168,000; replacement transmission went at 250,000; engine still OK.

1994 Camry station wagon just passed 275,000 miles yesterday. Replaced transmission at 206,000. Engine still OK.

2006 Prius ... ? (Ask me 10-15 years from now.)

 

Our experience with Toyota cars has been very positive. This is our 3rd Toyota. First one was a 1996 RAV4 bought new. Our second Toyota is a 2004 Sienna XLE Limited, also bought new. And the Prius is the 3rd one, also bought new. The Prius replaced the RAV4, which at 147K miles was still running fine, but it was 8.5 years old and I needed a commute car that got better gas milleage.

We bought our Prius from the same dealership that sold us the Sienna, so we've been fairly happy with the sales and service department. The few issues we've had have been quickly and satisfactorily resolved.

We used to have a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan (which is what the Sienna replaced). Somehow or other we managed to buy the one year that Dodge didn't have transmission problems with the Caravan's. The transmission lasted 170K miles before the car was totaled in an accident. The only transmission problems we had were a leaky side-pan gasket that was easily fixed. The car was otherwise fine except for a habit of eating front disc brake rotors and the brakes only lasting 20K miles (after 60K miles, I have yet to have the brakes done on the Sienna).

Overall, we've been very satisfied with Toyota vehicles...

 

5 Toyotas, 0 Problems.

Paseo, RAV4, Camry, Sienna, Prius. Currently we drive the Sienna and Prius.

 

No one here had an MR2? I loved mine. An '86 I think, maybe '87. Awsome little car. Quick and nimble. Kept me out of the middle of more than a few mishaps. Right up until some guy lost control of his car (said someone cut him off) and slammed into the back of it. Totaled. Hadn't been paid off for more than 6 months.

That was the same year C&D named the Ford Probe GT car of the year. That was what I replaced it with.

 

My family always had American cars when I was growing up, a variety from each of the Big 3. My dad told me often how Japanese technology was inferior, yet his Chrysler, GM and Ford products were always in the shop, or when out of the shop they were always breaking down and stranding us frequently. But that was the norm so it was ok. I continued that American tradition when I purchased my first cars. The Fords and Chevys I bought were as crappy as my dad's (oxidized paint in 6 months, fire in dash, standard wooden floor hidden under the carpet, total loss of power on the highway in rush hour, electrical meltdown, things just falling off, …the usual stuff), so I decided to move to Dodge. I went to a dealer to test drive three new cars. Two would not start, the third started but died so many times in the dealer's lot that I could not even test drive it. I left and finally bought another Chevy. That new car started crapping out at 4 months. In and out of the shop. They would keep it a week, return it, and I would be back in two days. This went on and on and on. I decided to get wise and checked out Consumer reports. Hmmm. What's this? All those black circles on American cars and solid lines of red circles on Toyota's. I hesitated though. It's anti-American to buy Japanese cars. But then I realized what's really anti-American is getting taken by the Big 3. I bought a Corolla, the early 80's boxy sedan. I put almost 200,000 miles on that car with only two brake jobs and some new belts. I finally traded it in simply because the styles change and it was old and ugly. I got my wife a new Corolla and I got 4-speed 4 cyl basic, no-carpet Toyota truck (this is pre-Tacoma days). Again, I drove the hell out of that truck. I even abused it off road, and it ran, and ran, and ran. Got over 200,000 miles on it and traded it in. I took the wife's Corolla and bought her a Land Cruiser. Again, both racked up over 200,000 miles and traded them in. The dealer kept the Cruiser to use as a "workhorse" on his ranch. I then got a Tacoma and the wife got a Highlander, then I traded the Tacoma for the Prius. Somewhere in there I also had a Mazda (before Ford got their hands on Mazda and screwed them up). Passed it on to my son and it had over 270,000 miles on it when he traded in on a Tacoma. Sons #2 and 3 have a Celica and Corolla. So why can't the Big 3 match the Toyota quality? They can, but they won't. It’s a totally different philosophy. Toyota designs its car for reliability and customer satisfaction. The 3 Stooges design their cars solely for profit. Over 80% of the Big 3's profits come from parts and service. Still, the Stooges are counting on us thinking, "It's anti-American to buy foreign cars." Well, Big 3, we are a new generation. The generation you are counting on is either too old to drive or dead from rollovers, exploding gas tanks, and being catapulted out of Luminas. Big 3, you just don't get it.

 

Well, my first and only Toyota is the 2007 TE Prius I just bought last weekend. My only other car of course is the Olds, and its still running strong at 186K miles.

Given the strong reliability Toyota has, that just may convince me to look into Toyota vehicles from now on.

 

One of my very first cars was a used Toyota Corolla. Since it had been in the hands of both my parents (both erratic drivers for totally different reasons) and my brother (who had been a stereotypical college-age male driver at the time), it was pretty much on its last legs by the time it got to me. I was not happy with it.

The last car I owned before getting the Prius was a Toyota Echo which I loved.

 

OK...let's see...

1985 Toyota Van...the one where the driver sat on top of the front wheel. Drove that for 10 years.

95/96 Toyota Sienna Van....our first Toyota paint forest Green.

96 Toyota 4Runner....Forest Green...love this car...my son still drives it...had the engine replace on it once though it needs to be painted.

2003 Toyota Tundra Stepside Extended Cab. still have it...it's getting ready to make a run from Northern Virginia to Texas and back in the next two weeks.

2006 Toyota Prius.....My wife wanted forest green...(Or as she puts it...toyota green) however we got the barcelona Red one....this is our commute to work car....currently averaging 48.9 MPG....85 mile round trip commute...

 

1974 Corona - loved it!
1986 Tercel - loved it!
1998 Corolla - loved it!
2006 Prius - LOVE IT!!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ravenlocks @ Apr 16 2006, 09:07 PM) [snapback]240693[/snapback]</div>

I still drive my 83 sr5 tercel. I drive it like i stole. I've run it through forest service roads full tilt. I beat the living crap out of it at least once every week. 250K miles and counting. I do ALL the maintence. all parts on this puppy are fixable: Alternator only requires brushes, Starter requires 50cent copper contact. Carb drilled to reset idle screw to pass emissions...and the list goes on. This car freakin rocks. I even did a wash crossing while the river was flowing and it floated(seriuosly, the front wheels were spinning(front wheel drive)) to the other side and it never even stalled( water did come in the door seal though). The paints long since faded and the seats are for trash, but 27+mpg(tweaked the carb) kills. A/c still blows cold for the better part of an AZ summer. Zoooooom. It mocks the Prius.."cabin filter!?HID!Air bags!!, haa I, SR5, don't even need oil!!!"
But so far the Prius rules. Filters were a bit pricey, but Jr. is way safer.

 

I had a 1994 Camry Le (automatic) with a 4 Cyl. engine which I drove for 6 years and 132,000 miles. During that time, the only major part replacement (other than brakes) was the timing belt and that was a scheduled maintenance item.
Up until the time I sold it, it still didn't need any oil added between changes. I believe this was a combination of Toyota quality and Mobil 1. The only item that wasn't working properly was the power antenna, which wouldn't go up automatically any more (my fault)

As far as Toyota dealers were concerned, every one of them was "the scum of the earth". It seemed that all of the slime-ball fast talk operators that had formerly sold American cars and didn't fit in anymore had migrated to Toyota, Honda, and Nissan.

That was the one reason that I hesitated in starting the purchase process for my Prius. The dealer that I finally used, Westbury Toyota on Long Island, NY, was everything I could hope for in a car dealer. This was quite a turn around, because before they were bought out by the Penske Organization, they were the poster child for sleeze.

 

No nightmare stories...all good.

Years ago, I bought a Tercel, hubby bought a Starlet.

We kept them for years, sold them privately..then hubby bought
the 1991 Camry (which we just sold for $1800, after 15 years ...it had 85,000 miles on it).

We had all maintenance, except inital required maintenance, done by our local mechanic...who is great!!

Now...

The Prius!!

Yay!

I am having all service done at Toyota. So far, great!

They will arrange for a loaner if I need one. The waits are short.

terri

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ravenlocks @ Apr 16 2006, 10:07 PM) [snapback]240693[/snapback]</div>

Although I like my 2005 Prius a lot, I have a 1990 Camry that has required 5 (count them!) automatic transmission replacements.

When I mention this to dealers they just smile and change the subject quickly.

HH

 

My first NEW car was a 74 corolla. Blew the head gasket several times.... other than that it was a great car! It may have been operator (or mechanic) error that caused the problem-

 

Wife's 1996 Camry LE - 4 cyl. Bought new, currently 112K miles. Routine maintenance (oil & filters) 2 sets Michelin tires, radiator replaced 2005, auto antenna stays up, won't deploy properly.

We also had an '88 Camry LE wagon bought used (45K miles) in 1998. Minor electrical problem (short in dome light), replaced the hydro cylinders on lift gate, tires replaced. Just kept running. One Air Cond. recharge. Finally gave to her son. Still running well.

We're sold on Toyota quality. Wife won't hear of replacing her '96 Camry - I tried to get her interested in a Prius, but she doesn't like the "differences."

 

Very high opinion of Toyota products.

1990 Camry 4-cyl (150k mi) excellent until another vehicle ran into it.

1991 4Runner 4-cyl (190k mi), 5-speed manual, 4WD. Earned 23 mpg. Very reliable, except manual transmission had to be replaced 3X (no off-road use, they just died).

2005 Prius (30k mi) excellent until another vehicle ran into it.

2007 Prius (450 mi) even better! 2002 Toyota Echo (75k mi) - 38 mpg, great vehicle.

My extended family also owned a 4Runner and Celica - both excellent vehicles. My father current drives a 2006 Highlander and is very satisfied.

 

Not so very good openion on toyota so far
1994 Camry LE: Ran good. Dahboard started showning cracks last year. got me a good value back. (sold it @ 90K miles for prius.)
06 prius: I am not so happy. I have seen color cracksn near the door hinges in first four months. Dsahboard material looks cheap.

Mostly will not buy another toyota. (that is my current openion)

1996 Honda civic: no problems ever. running smooth for 127 K miles now. still gives me 32-33 MPG.

 

I was a Volvo mechanic in my former life and felt that they were very good cars, safe too, but expensive. I was a Volvo man through and through. Then, I had kids who cared nothing about cost, care, and a waxed paint job. I bought an inexpensive 86 Toyota pickup. It was, by far, the best, most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. It now has 330,000 miles on it and my daughter drives it now back and forth to UCSB. I just put in a new alternator for it. It was stolen twice from in front of Cal Berkeley and recovered both times and put back in service. I put brakes and tires on it and 3 clutches. It still is my favorite car. I also have a 96 4runner that has also been excellent but lousy milage. Now, my oldest daughter drives a Ford Taurus that has been problematic despite only having 70,000 miles on it. I have a Dodge Cummins diesel pick up that the motor is fabulous but I am on my 4th tranny. My wife and I both drive a Prius now. Hers an 05 package 4 mine an 06 package 8 both ,so far, have been completely trouble free.
-Paul R. Haller-