toyota tundra quality

If I could tow my boat with my bicycle, I would sell all my money pit vehicles. They’re just like electronics.. depreciation nightmares. money money money. Necessary evils.

On November 6th, I received an email notification of over 50 service bulletins & recalls for all types of vehicles A-Z. The next day, another 57 different notifications. All manufacturers have issues. The next day, same thing. Multiply that by the whole year so far & it’s thousands.

I think I just vented. I hate vehicles (unless it’s a boat). Have you hugged your Ranger today ?

No I can’t afford a Ranger but I occasionally hug my Alumacraft and my Johnzuki.

I thought I would be a good samaritan and pass this on in case Honda’s beloved truck falls into the 1.8 million recall. I would hate to have your truck stall when you are pulling all that corn.

Ford recall

The biggest hurdle, that the 3 American manufacturers face, is the healthcare and pensions they are paying former workers, from up to 30 years ago. I read a statistic in a Auto publication a couple of motnhs ago, that every GM vehicle sticker price, has an extra $1500+ to pay for benefits to former employees. This is something Toyota does not have or had for the last few decades, Union workers. Although, to buy a Toyota, costs thousands more than a comparable GM, Ford or Dodge pick-up. Hope the Toyota workers have a good 401K going….

I agree, all vehicles break, have recalls, and every dealership I have ever seen, has a service department attached right where they sell em.

big g

A guy that goes by the name HONDA that’s from Iowa ripping on Toyota? Corn must be picked and now there is nothing else to do?

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but the point is all cars and trucks have recalls.

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Yes they do. The nice part about having a GM, Ford, or Mopar product is it can be fixed in any small town in the sticks whereas the foreign vehicles have fewer dealerships and parts aren’t as common in the parts stores. So being stranded with a Toyota, Honda, etc. is worse off than their American counterparts.

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This also is a issue that the American Auto companys produced themselves. I work at a dealer in St. Cloud, there is Albany CJD, Brandl Motors in Pierz, AM Maus in Kimball, Monticello CJD all within 30 miles of our store. This then causes each dealer to sell less vehicles, making it harder to crack the nut every month. There is 1 Toyota dealer in St. Cloud, and I believe the next closest is Coon Rapids, over 60 miles away, and to the North Brainerd, over 60 miles away. I believe the new Chrysler will be addressing this, as it makes it hard for the dealers to stay in business like that.

big g

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The biggest hurdle, that the 3 American manufacturers face, is the healthcare and pensions they are paying former workers, from up to 30 years ago. I read a statistic in a Auto publication a couple of motnhs ago, that every GM vehicle sticker price, has an extra $1500+ to pay for benefits to former employees. This is something Toyota does not have or had for the last few decades, Union workers. Although, to buy a Toyota, costs thousands more than a comparable GM, Ford or Dodge pick-up. Hope the Toyota workers have a good 401K going….

I agree, all vehicles break, have recalls, and every dealership I have ever seen, has a service department attached right where they sell em.

big g

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That is an interesting point about the pension stuff. I wonder if some of it isn’t over-paid union workers? My dad is a union guy all the way but he admits that the union does protect less-than-stellar employees. I know it was 20-30 years ago and I’m sure it doesn’t happen much anymore, but I like the stories he tells me about guys coming in drunk or sleeping in a semi trailer all day (just to clarify he was in a paper mill, not the UAW). Sounds like some overhead to me.

I don’t know how Toyota works, but I assume they take care of their employees?? You don’t need to be in a union to get a pension. I don’t know about the Toyotas costing thousands more these days? If you take a fully loaded tundra and a fully loaded Silverado, I believe the Chevy is more expensive. I’m sure someone will dig out the exact figures, but when I did some window shopping…I mean dreaming…I was seeing the Chevy was more expensive. I have no idea on the Ford because I have no interest in that (although my wife called me this morning to say she stopped by to look at the Edge ). The Rams get pretty spendy too, but it always seems like it is ‘Truck Month’ and have 10k in rebates. That is why I have a Ram.

I bought a 2007 5.3 Silverado in Sept. I millaged the truck on the last tank full without pulling my boat. With my boat I averaged 15 mpg. Without my boat on and driving mostly in rural areas like down to the river and into Rochester going 58 mph I got 22 miles per gallon! Wow! Just great. My ’99, 2002, and 2005 with the 4.8 got 19 to 21 mpg. on highway driving. I looked at Tundras and they looked like a good truck. However, I am glad that I bought my Silverado. Just a great truck and they finally have paid attention to detail just like Howie says they have. I’m happy and that is what counts! By the way I have a 4×4 estended cab Silverado.

Ford Recalls 1.7 million vehicles for engine flaw

Now look what you did, you went and jinxed Ford.

A few quick things,

1. I don’t understand how Gary’s math is wrong. 1000 bu. of corn weighs 56000lbs. He may be a little light on the estimation of the pickup and wagons, but if you are trying to say that your pickup and two gravity boxes weigh 44000lbs I will throw the b.s. flag right now.

2. If you have actually done this (went down a public right of way with 100,000+ lbs, using a 3/4ton pickup as the power unit, you clearly aren’t one of the smartest around. In many states you can’t even legally weigh that much with a tractor trailer combination. Just because the pickup would do it doesn’t make it safe, right, or smart. Especially if you are admitting that there you rely on the electric brakes, what are you gonna do when someone mistakenly pulls out in front of you on their way to churh and you kill a family of innocent people because of your extreme irresponsibility. Just because many states don’t make farmers follow the same laws as commercial carriers doesn’t mean that you should go out and do this and then brag about it. If I were you I would be ashamed of myself for even attempting to do this, This is what Tractor/trailers are made for.

3. Who the he77 cares, and who asked to be notified whenever there was a recall problem with Toyota. At least they are recognizing the problems and fixing them. To each there own, you drive a Ford…..so what who cares. I drive a GMC….who cares, millions of people drive Toyota Tundra’s….who cares. It is a personal choice and each person has their own tastes, and their own purpose for owning a pickup truck. And so what your dad and brother are UAW auto workers, why should anyone else adjust their buying decisions because of that.

Nuff Said

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This then causes each dealer to sell less vehicles, making it harder to crack the nut every month.

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You are probably correct being more foreign vehicles are being sold today than years ago.

If dealerships were owned by the manufacturer, there would possibly be more of them. Like Walgreens, there is one on every corner.

You are safer in the service department than on the sales floor. Regardless of sales, there will always be a need for service.

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That is an interesting point about the pension stuff. I wonder if some of it isn’t over-paid union workers?

I don’t know how Toyota works, but I assume they take care of their employees?? You don’t need to be in a union to get a pension.

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I wouldn’t say union employees are overpaid these days. They do make good wages.

Hard to say if foreign automakers take care of their employees. Walmart doesn’t, they could possibly use a union.

I believe Toyota pays comparable wages and bennies, just like the others, apples to apples. Problem is the 3 american companies, have a bunch of retired oranges…

big g

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Problem is the 3 american companies, have a bunch of retired oranges…

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Someday the foreign automakers will have the problem the Americans are having now. Its just going to take a long time.

Actually, they don’t have it near as bad now. Back when the automakers were unionized, it took highly skilled workers to build a vehicle that actually worked. You hear it everytime, a contract comes up, there are concessions. It takes alot of negotiations, to get something off a contract that has been there forever. Nowadays, people that build vehicles, can be pulled off the street and trained very easily, that was not the case, when contracts were drawn up decades ago. If your workers walked out, you built no cars. As long as Toyota can keep the union out, they will be OK. The other three will take years and more contracts, to level the playing field.

big g

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That is an interesting point about the pension stuff. I wonder if some of it isn’t over-paid union workers?

I don’t know how Toyota works, but I assume they take care of their employees?? You don’t need to be in a union to get a pension.

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I wouldn’t say union employees are overpaid these days. They do make good wages.

Hard to say if foreign automakers take care of their employees. Walmart doesn’t, they could possibly use a union.

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Yes, Walmart should get a union so they can double the price tag on everything in the store to cover labor cost.

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Actually, they don’t have it near as bad now. Back when the automakers were unionized, it took highly skilled workers to build a vehicle that actually worked. You hear it everytime, a contract comes up, there are concessions. It takes alot of negotiations, to get something off a contract that has been there forever. Nowadays, people that build vehicles, can be pulled off the street and trained very easily, that was not the case, when contracts were drawn up decades ago. If your workers walked out, you built no cars. As long as Toyota can keep the union out, they will be OK. The other three will take years and more contracts, to level the playing field.

big g

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Toyota has been around since the 1930s and if I recall in Japan, you have that whole employee for life concept. So they have a few retirees to take care of too. I wonder what percentage the retirement cost is of the total cost for the automakers? Interesting stuff. Not something I really thought of when looking at the price tags on new cars.

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Yes, Walmart should get a union so they can double the price tag on everything in the store to cover labor cost.

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Apparently you haven’t heard the Walmart stories about cheating the help. But then again, if you are dumb enough to work there.

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So they have a few retirees to take care of too. I wonder what percentage the retirement cost is of the total cost for the automakers?

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Probably not much, they work for next to nothing over there to begin with.

I think that Nissan Titan is a nice looking truck.

I’m a tech for the largest Toyota dealership in the state.
On an average day, there are 300 vehicles that come through for service.

Since all of the new Tundras should still be under warranty, customers should be bringing them back to us for any problems.
Where are they at? — Send them my way if you see any.

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Yes, Walmart should get a union so they can double the price tag on everything in the store to cover labor cost.

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Apparently you haven’t heard the Walmart stories about cheating the help. But then again, if you are dumb enough to work there.

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I remember there were some complaints about something. I had a buddy work at Sam’s club while in college. When he graduated, he was able to take all the company stock he had accumulated and put 20% down on a new house. Sounds like he was cheated horribly!

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So they have a few retirees to take care of too. I wonder what percentage the retirement cost is of the total cost for the automakers?

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Probably not much, they work for next to nothing over there to begin with.

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Interesting…where did you get your facts from? I did some looking around. I found that UAW averages $27 per hour. The non-union US workers earn about $30 per hour. Part of that is profit sharing. The UAW would be higher if the US automakers made a profit…

About all I could find is labor cost is about 10% of Toyota’s total cost. For the US automakers, it is about 17%. I found that the average salary for Japanese domestic workers is between 3k and 4k a month. I’m not sure how that compares to other careers in Japan?? Plus I see they get bonuses worth of about 6 months salary.

I think they get paid a little more than nothing.