Sunday, Jun 17, 2012 at 17:34
Wamuranman - So - because the Toyota 200 series is so good, a bloke puts up a complete website (which Toyota have not insisted on taking down) - which promptly fills with literally hundreds of reports of major problems, from dozens and dozens of owners - some of whom speak of class action against Toyota, for producing a less-than-satisfactory product?
There were a substantial number of people who reported problems with Toyota QC in America, too - and Toyota refused to acknowledge any problems, until a class action was mounted.
Toyota then buckled and admitted - yes, there was a number of problems that should have been addressed.
What about the record that speaks loudly for sub-standard Toyota QC, when worldwide warranty claims against Toyota jumped from 200,000 in 1999, to over 1.9 MILLION by 2004??
Toyota formed a whole new dept just to deal with warranty complaints, due entirely to the massive increase in warranty claims.
My last Landcruiser was a HDJ80 and I have refused to buy any Landcruiser wagon since, because they have "lost the plot". One can go a long way on a reputation built 20 yrs ago. I have purchased over 50 new Landcruisers, Hiluxes, & Camrys personally for my business operations in my lifetime. Get some Toyotas up.
Why do so many websites with owner reviews, complain about Toyota problems? V6 engines in RAV's and Hiluxes blowing up within 400kms of leaving the factory? Large numbers of Camry engines seizing because the too-narrow oilways blocked up? What about the 200 series steering vibration, the injector problems, the driveline clunk problems, the starter corrosion problems, the dust ingress problems, the alternator problems? What about the exhaust restriction problems of the V8 diesels?
Why does a $92000 vehicle need a transmission ECU upgrade? Because they didn't do enough testing? Sure sounds like it to me.
A mate has just had the brakes fail on his near-new Lexus. Why? Because the lousy, improperly-tested design, has wedges behind the disc pads that vibrate and fall out! He put his foot on the brake, and the car wouldn't stop because the pads never contacted the discs any more!
I'm sorry, you may be a mouthpiece for Toyota or a repeat sucker buyer, but I can assure you the groundswell of anger against the substantial lowering of Toyota quality is rising.
The simple fact is that Toyota has been chasing company growth, not quality, in the last 12 years - and it has cut costs ruthlessly.
Few people know that Toyota sought - and achieved - a $3000 cut in build cost of the Camry in the late 1990's - and it shows, even 12 years later.
Why did Toyota report the companys first loss in 59 yrs in 2009? - a staggering US$4.4 BILLION!
Was it due to falling sales, or major increases in warranty claim costs, or a rise in recall costs? - or all three??
No, I'm not a Nissan owner, and no, I'm not another Brand X seller. But I do have substantial personal experience of seeing the Toyota problems up front, as an owner, and in the workshops - unlike some people who never even pick up a spanner - and who consider anyone who cannot afford a 200 series, as a lesser mortal of no consequence.
http://www.ruthlessfocus.com/uncategorized/has-toyota-lost-its-mojohttp://academicwritingtips.org/component/k2/item/2714-toyota-labor-cost-and-competitiveness-problems.html
Cheers, Ron.
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