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PostPosted: Mon Aug 17, 2020 8:07 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:16 pm
Posts: 1181
Location: Ansonia, CT
Scotty Kilmer is one of my favorite "do it yourself" auto mechanics on YouTube. I just watched this fascinating video that he created on the history of , uhum.... yes Toyota. Most of us know just how reliable those cars are and many of us have owned one or more of them (we love our 2004 Rav4). I wish more U.S. based companies would model their manufacturing practices and business culture similar to what Toyota has done and continues to do.

Sit back and enjoy this informative video. I know I did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zgYh04a0OM

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John Kish
1971 240Z - original owner


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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2020 2:59 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
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Location: CT
That was fascinating and I learned a lot about the Japanese approaches to problem solving which I wish I had known earlier. Thanks for that!

I've only ever owned one single Toyota, but it became the very best car deal of my lifetime. in 1974 I was stationed in Hawaii, working for a fiery Major who had little patience with failure. One day he came in livid and barking complaints about his 1973 Corolla he had just paid off, which had quit in traffic the night before and left him stranded on the wrong side of the island. He had the car towed to the parking lot outside our company headquarters, where it sat when I came in. I was the first to arrive and he arrived in a taxi just minutes later, so I had the good fortune of being the first person to hear his complaint.

He swore he would never buy another Toyota and ranted that he would sell it for whatever he could get for it. We arrived at $100 ($530 today) for the 10 month old car with fewer than 5,000 miles on it. I gave him the $45 I had on me as downpayment and he actually signed the title over to me before anyone else even reported for duty.

At the end of the day I went out to the Toyota and it fired right up! It drove well for about 5 miles while the temperature rose, then sputtered to a stop outside my condo. A quick compression check showed two low cylinders and I correctly diagnosed a blown head gasket.

The next day I bought a gasket kit and changed the head gasket by myself that Saturday. The engine was so clean I hardly got my hands dirty. I drove it directly to a used car dealer who handed me $1,000 for the car ($5300 today).

I took my girlfriend to dinner at the best local restaurant to celebrate, where I spied my major sitting with friends at another table! I sent them a bottle of good wine and told him the whole story on Monday. 8)

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2020 9:32 am 
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Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:38 pm
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Location: rhode island
I love Datsun, but when it comes to everyday cars and trucks, Sorry, but I love Toyota. Mostly I love the Toyota Tundra. On my second one now, only because first one was in a accident, with 355,000 miles and still running strong. No oil leaks or burning, oil still golden at 7,000 miles. Love my new Tundra even more and right now lifting it 2" and have custom leaf springs that hold 1,000 lbs more than stock. As far as cars, it's mostly Lexus, but older models. Not impressed with the styling of most of these new cars these days. BTW, Lexus is not a name, it's abbreviations, and stands for 'L'uxury 'EX'ported cars for the 'US' The 1993 Lexus Ls400 was declared the best car ever made. I still have my 92. I'm also not seeing alot of my customers anymore, because they took my advice and bought a reliable Toyota. My step son just bought a 2012 Tundra. :thumbs_up:


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2020 6:53 pm 
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Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2016 7:11 am
Posts: 678
My experience with Toyota has always been good. I've found that the cost of ownership over the life of the vehicle is little more than just the cost of the vehicle and the usual routine things, like tires and gas. Ultimately rust is what takes them out. I have a Tacoma now actually, that I bought new in 2017 and plan on keeping until the frame inevitably rusts out.

My father commuted 140 miles a day for work all my life. He ran just about every brand of vehicle at one point or another. He found over the years that the best running, most reliable vehicles are the Toyotas and Hondas. They really hold up very well.


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2020 8:11 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:16 pm
Posts: 1181
Location: Ansonia, CT
Our little 2004 Toyota manual 5-spd AWD Rav4 will turn the clock over the 200K mile mark this week with only 40 more miles to go. My wife just loves that little SUV's solid feel and visibility. And to Jay's point I agree that both Toyota and Honda seem to be building the most reliable cars/vehicles today. Our 2014 CRV AWD has been trouble free and has 60K miles on its original brakes! It was a real "comfy cruiser" for our trip out to Colorado 2 years ago and got us a remarkable 32 MPG :shock:.


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2004 RAV4.jpg
2004 RAV4.jpg [ 63.45 KiB | Viewed 2445 times ]

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John Kish
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2020 8:54 pm 
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That's a clean Rav4 John, and you get extra points for the manual transmission! Wish those weren't getting so hard to find.


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2020 11:22 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
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Location: CT
Your wife drives standard?

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 4:30 pm 
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Location: Ansonia, CT
Yes Frank, she does and prefers driving a "standard" especially in the winter. She feel she has better control in the nasty weather. Can't argue with that! :)

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