Are they all made in Mexico?

[Grizzly]

i disagree, i think some of the gm's and fords are just as good or better then the toyota stuff... also while it would be nice for the competition, for toyota and nissan to make a real truck... not a car with a bed. . and a diesel to boot.

I don't know what your talking about, because anything you read, plus opinions of car and truck owners say Toyota and Honda have a better reliability record than any of the big three autos. Look at Consumer Reports. Don't consider anything Motor Trend and such others say because they give credit to those that advertise more in their magazines.



You must not have ever owned a Toyota or a Honda or you wouldn't feel the way you do.

 

[Regcabguy]

My '98. 5 CTD and my '85 Toyo 4wd truck had identical track records: awful. My '98 Honda Accord's manual transmission was going at 90,000 pampered miles. Our current '05 Honda Pilot and '07 CTD have been issue free. I think it's the luck of the draw.

 

[robertyoke]

I don't know what your talking about, because anything you read, plus opinions of car and truck owners say Toyota and Honda have a better reliability record than any of the big three autos. Look at Consumer Reports. Don't consider anything Motor Trend and such others say because they give credit to those that advertise more in their magazines.



You must not have ever owned a Toyota or a Honda or you wouldn't feel the way you do.

Oh I have owned a couple yota’s, and worked on enough jap cars to see the light. 20 years ago yes the US built stuff was crap. But I think you need to look at consumer reports again, ford’s fusion scored very high against its Japanese counterparts. Have you driven a new gm like the g8? I also looked for recall info, Toyota cars with hybrid problems, blown head gaskets and trucks with bad transmissions, bad camshafts and broken driveshafts. Not really any different with Honda also.



I think autos in general you can get a good one or a bad one, and a lot of it comes down to how its maintained and how its driven. Toyota hasn’t made anything that twists my shaft since the supra, fact is they offer no zoom zoom, nothing sporty at all. Why? Is it because then you may attract a different type of buyer? One that will drive like they stole it, not like some old fart.



Right now I own the two trucks in my signature and one car, a e46 body bmw m3. that car is driven hard, it sees 8000 rpm every time it leaves the garage, why because that’s what it was intended to be a street legal race car, I take it to the canyons and slide it around corners. Its hard on tires, brakes and needs 6 qts of $12 a qt oil every 5000 mile change. The car has been very reliable, but what would happen if I neglected it and still drove it like that? How long would my sisters Camry last if I took that up to the corners and pushed it to is meager 5500 rpm red line, asked for all of its 194 hp repeatedly? Well besides boring I’m sure it would break down, not really live up to the Toyota name.



I have been in land crusers and they are really nice but are they really better then a tahoe? I have a snowmobile buddy that has a gmc Yukon and it has close to 250,000 miles on it and its fine, the interior is getting ragged out but its still reliable.



My point is this, since this is a truck site, buy a Toyota truck for a nice ride, getting the kiddos to soccer and you can go to the home depot and get some flowers for the garden, but you ask that yota for daily gcwr activity and demand that 400 + hp day in and day out…. . you get a broken transmission, blown motor or you just get to see how the warrantee is while you sit at the dealer. :-{}

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I know the latest generation of Toyota Tundra pickups have had their share of issues
Toyota Tundra hit with two more quality issues — Autoblog

Car & Driver did a hybrid comparo not long ago of 5 vehicles and they gave the Fusion first place 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid vs. Camry Hybrid, Altima Hybrid, and Malibu Hybrid - Comparison Tests

I think between American & Japanese vehicles the quality and durability is pretty comparable now. Some of the offbeats like Kia and Hyundai I wouldn't consider owning. German vehicles are generally the most complex and specialized and I'd expect to pay the most for upkeep on MBs, BMWs and Audis.

 

[bheiting]

Beside a few minor problems with my Dodge, I really like the truck. I don't blame
union wages for the down fall of the US auto industry. At Toyota City in Japan, the
employees make wages comparable to the US, get complete health care, get pensions,
have housing furnished, have their kids college education paid for, and still make
excellent vehicles. The corporate culture is formed at the top. If top executives
don't care, neither will anyone in the rest of the company. Twenty years ago, the
choice for a quality vehicle led you to Japan or Germany. Let's hope thats changed.

 

[AKEggy]

Economists here??

I'm a heavy diesel mechanic and have been for 20+ years (union by the way). I earned a college degree (Associates) and worked an apprenticeship program en-route to my current job. I know my job well and provide quality performance and productivity for my employer... that's why I've been there 20 years... but I don't know much about economics so maybe someone here can help me out.



Regardless of why or how the manufacturing process of building our vehicles was let to slip out of our country, what are the potential hazards of doing so and who's responsibility is it to rectify the situation?



My thinking is that letting any industry slip beyond our borders compromises our national integrity. Any time we as a nation rely on another nation to provide goods or services for us, I fail to see how it does anything but weaken us and strengthen the other nation economically and economic strength seems to play a huge role in over all global strength today.



My theory is that the whole process from development to manufacturing and distribution is self fulfilling. In a perfect world, the money the worker in the manufacturing plant earns is spent in the society in which he resides. The benefit package his job provides pays the doctors his family visits, provides vacation time for him to spend with his family, and the money he earns goes to the company of the product he purchased. That money is then used for further development, testing, improvements, etc. In this scenario, everybody wins.



Whenever one step... any step... of the process is removed from our borders, we as a nation lose. If the jobs go out of country, our population suffers because the individual loses one more opportunity for gainful employment. If the corporate level goes out of country, the discoveries realized during the development and testing stages remain in the nation the corporation resides (think military and space development).



Remember the economic stimulus checks we all received awhile ago? How many of us bought goods made in the USA and how moany of us went out and bought a new flat screen TV? The GM and Chrysler bailout... Why wasn't a stipulation placed upon them to use American steel as part of the package? Sure, it would have taken longer to "ramp up" and re-open some mines and mills, but wouldn't our economy as a whole have been stronger for it? As far as I can tell, China got most of our economic stimulus money in the end.



So my questions are these:



As a person who considers himself a patriot, how is my money best spent this summer when I buy a new truck? Buy a Toyota built in the USA (providing jobs for my countrymen, but strengthen corporate Toyota in Japan), buy a Dodge and provide jobs for someone in Mexico and strengthen corporate Dodge in the U. S. , or buy a Ford builth in the U. S. and provide jobs for my countrymen as well as strengthen corporate Ford?



How much of the liability of the current state of our economic situation lies with the average Joe and his failure to purchase U. S. made goods instead of something manufactured elsewhere?



In order to maintain what is left of the economic strength of our country, do we not, as citizens of the United States, have an obligation to go out of our way to purchase goods made in the U. S. thereby helping to ensure decent jobs and quality products are available for our children and grandchildren?



Seriously, is it not that simple? The more money the people here make here, the more they can buy here making corporations here more money and provide a more stable economic future for our offspring?



Yeah, the truck built in the U. S. may cost more (I haven't found it that way where I live by the way), but I think it is our responsibility as a U. S. citizen to "man up" and pay it to strengthen our country.



I'm using the automobile idustry as an example, but it applies to all industry in my mind.



What say those of you smarter than I?

 

[rscurtis]

I would say you know more about economics than most of the so-called "experts".

 

[JWadford]

well said !!!

 

[Dieselnut59]

I have to say my 95 built in St Louis was a better truck than my current 02 built in Mexico... . Jeff

I have to agree with that one also. My USA made '96 has been damn near flawless. Can't say the same about the '98 work truck and the odds are stacked against the '03 (blend doors, ball joints, transfer pump), both of which are made in Mexico. I do agree with the post about the more we can employ there, the less come invade us here... I would rather support non terrorist breeding Mexico than China, Pakistan or some other cesspool of a place.

 

[Dieselnut59]

AKEggy, you must have learned a LOT in college economics class because that kind of logic is NOT taught in our country's pathetic government run schools!

VERY well said and a HUGE reason I do my damnedest NOT to support countries that are our enemies. China is NOT a friend to the USA, but USA manufacturers continue to send their manufacturing processes and jobs to china. If we do not support our country, who will?

 

[Grizzly]

I know the latest generation of Toyota Tundra pickups have had their share of issues

Toyota Tundra hit with two more quality issues — Autoblog



Car & Driver did a hybrid comparo not long ago of 5 vehicles and they gave the Fusion first place 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid vs. Camry Hybrid, Altima Hybrid, and Malibu Hybrid - Comparison Tests



I think between American & Japanese vehicles the quality and durability is pretty comparable now. Some of the offbeats like Kia and Hyundai I wouldn't consider owning. German vehicles are generally the most complex and specialized and I'd expect to pay the most for upkeep on MBs, BMWs and Audis.

Don't put any weight on anything Car & Driver or Motor Trend say because they will alway say the best things about the cars and trucks that advertise the most in their magazine. I trust Consumer Reports, they don't advertise any brand of cars and trucks.



I just received the latest issue of Consumer Report today and they still say the most reliable cars are Toyota, Lexis and Infinity. They didn't say a thing about the Fusion



george

 

[Jeff Knight]

I personally don't care for Consumer Report. I think their just as bias as the rest of them... Jeff

 

[CBlack]

This is yet another reason why we need the FairTax.

 

[bheiting]

I'm a heavy diesel mechanic and have been for 20+ years (union by the way). I earned a college degree (Associates) and worked an apprenticeship program en-route to my current job. I know my job well and provide quality performance and productivity for my employer... that's why I've been there 20 years... but I don't know much about economics so maybe someone here can help me out.



Regardless of why or how the manufacturing process of building our vehicles was let to slip out of our country, what are the potential hazards of doing so and who's responsibility is it to rectify the situation?



My thinking is that letting any industry slip beyond our borders compromises our national integrity. Any time we as a nation rely on another nation to provide goods or services for us, I fail to see how it does anything but weaken us and strengthen the other nation economically and economic strength seems to play a huge role in over all global strength today.



My theory is that the whole process from development to manufacturing and distribution is self fulfilling. In a perfect world, the money the worker in the manufacturing plant earns is spent in the society in which he resides. The benefit package his job provides pays the doctors his family visits, provides vacation time for him to spend with his family, and the money he earns goes to the company of the product he purchased. That money is then used for further development, testing, improvements, etc. In this scenario, everybody wins.



Whenever one step... any step... of the process is removed from our borders, we as a nation lose. If the jobs go out of country, our population suffers because the individual loses one more opportunity for gainful employment. If the corporate level goes out of country, the discoveries realized during the development and testing stages remain in the nation the corporation resides (think military and space development).



Remember the economic stimulus checks we all received awhile ago? How many of us bought goods made in the USA and how moany of us went out and bought a new flat screen TV? The GM and Chrysler bailout... Why wasn't a stipulation placed upon them to use American steel as part of the package? Sure, it would have taken longer to "ramp up" and re-open some mines and mills, but wouldn't our economy as a whole have been stronger for it? As far as I can tell, China got most of our economic stimulus money in the end.



So my questions are these:



As a person who considers himself a patriot, how is my money best spent this summer when I buy a new truck? Buy a Toyota built in the USA (providing jobs for my countrymen, but strengthen corporate Toyota in Japan), buy a Dodge and provide jobs for someone in Mexico and strengthen corporate Dodge in the U. S. , or buy a Ford builth in the U. S. and provide jobs for my countrymen as well as strengthen corporate Ford?



How much of the liability of the current state of our economic situation lies with the average Joe and his failure to purchase U. S. made goods instead of something manufactured elsewhere?



In order to maintain what is left of the economic strength of our country, do we not, as citizens of the United States, have an obligation to go out of our way to purchase goods made in the U. S. thereby helping to ensure decent jobs and quality products are available for our children and grandchildren?



Seriously, is it not that simple? The more money the people here make here, the more they can buy here making corporations here more money and provide a more stable economic future for our offspring?



Yeah, the truck built in the U. S. may cost more (I haven't found it that way where I live by the way), but I think it is our responsibility as a U. S. citizen to "man up" and pay it to strengthen our country.



I'm using the automobile idustry as an example, but it applies to all industry in my mind.



What say those of you smarter than I?

You are absolutely right about manufacturing providing healthy economic

strength to the local economy. There are many fine products made in

this country and I go out of my way to support local industries. I don't

know about you, but back in the 70's and 80's I began to feel like I was

being taken for a sucker buying an American car, and that the big three

were using patriotism to cover the lack of quality. I'm all for buying

quality US products, not the ones that insult the integrity of our country.

I started buying Toyotas back in 1987 and have owned them ever since.

I wasn't proud of buying a foreign car, but I felt that if I and thousands

of others didn't vote with their wallets, the quality would just keep

getting worse and worse. The Japanese and Germans have increased

market share for good reason, but the competition has improved the

quality of US vehicles immensely. I bought a Dodge truck because it

had a Cummins, and I love diesels - well built diesels. I just hope the big three and Cummins don't let the quality slide in the name of short term profits.

 

[Grizzly]

I personally don't care for Consumer Report. I think their just as bias as the rest of them... Jeff

I don't agree with you. Consumer Reports have been right on target for the many years I've subscribed to them. They're not bias like Car & Driver or Motor Trend and other magazines that advertise the product they test.



Do you think that Ford, GM and Chrysler would continue to advertise with Car & Driver, Motor Trend and such others if they said anything bad about them? They'd drop their ads like a hot potato.

 

[Jeff Knight]

Grizzly, Thats one thing we can agree to disagree on... . Jeff

 

[Dieselnut59]

This is yet another reason why we need the FairTax.

AMEN!!!! I could not agree more! I also must say I do not totally agree with Consumer Reports about vehicles. Most of their other testing seems fair, but on vehicles, I use my own knowledge and use word of mouth recommendations to get an opinion. The auto magazines are VERY biased, as mentioned, based on who pays them off with advertisements. Basically, if someone builds what I want/need, I get that. None of the Japanese companies build a truck that will compare to my 3500s. I am not really a car person and the only reasonable SUV at the time with a diesel engine was the Liberty CRD. I have been happy with most of my vehicle purchases. Every company out there has some good and some bad ones. They must build decent vehicles that people want to buy in order to survive. With the exception of full size 2500 and 3500 trucks, this is where the "big three" have failed. Only way they have really survived there is because there is no real foreign competition to the trucks we love on this website.

Wanna see the "big three" start building their vehicles here (using USA components)? Enact the FairTax!

 

[Dieselnut59]

You are absolutely right about manufacturing providing healthy economic

strength to the local economy. There are many fine products made in

this country and I go out of my way to support local industries. I don't

know about you, but back in the 70's and 80's I began to feel like I was

being taken for a sucker buying an American car, and that the big three

were using patriotism to cover the lack of quality. I'm all for buying

quality US products, not the ones that insult the integrity of our country.

I started buying Toyotas back in 1987 and have owned them ever since.

I wasn't proud of buying a foreign car, but I felt that if I and thousands

of others didn't vote with their wallets, the quality would just keep

getting worse and worse. The Japanese and Germans have increased

market share for good reason, but the competition has improved the

quality of US vehicles immensely. I bought a Dodge truck because it

had a Cummins, and I love diesels - well built diesels. I just hope the big three and Cummins don't let the quality slide in the name of short term profits.

I buy diesel vehicles. If Toyota would offer us the choice of a diesel, like it does for the rest of the world, especially in a small truck, I would consider one. Currently, nobody is building a vehicle I need and even though I would LOVE to have a new Ram 3500-5500, I do not need it. I will not buy a gasoline powered vehicle. If someone offers us a little truck with a fuel efficient diesel engine, it WILL sell! Same for SUVs!

 

[JRS]

Every manufacturer has their idiosyncracies.

 

[Turbo Thom]

Just to throw in my little bit of opinion, my 96 3500 has the first number 3 in the serial number and I feel lucky it is. 356,000 miles and I'm still towing my fifthwheel with it.



But you folks need to go back just a bit and look at when we started being made to fit into the world economy. And do you remember when all the scrap steel going to Japan. Do you remember on the back of all the WalMart trucks a line that said "made in America". Now the trucks probably aren't. Anyone remember the steel mills shutting down the and the selling of them to China. This has been going on for 50 to 60 years and we have done nothing. So enjoy your life as best you can, keep your powder dry and handy, and watch it get worse.



By the way, these new truck look awesome. I may have to put my 96 to pasture.



preston