Toyota owners affected by this 2010 recall.

[AnnaG]

Anyway, the mechanic in the family says there really isn't a whole lot of difference between vehicles in North America (the same steel is used, the same electronic parts, etc.) and the biggest differences is in the assembling. Mechanically, each manufacturer has good models and bad models so it's a bit foolish to blanket every product a manufacturer markets as being excellent or worthless.
It's even getting tough to figure out who made what model, so kind of handy that each manufacturer has its own emblems.

BTW, some Harley components are manufactured in China and other countries. The forks of some are made in Showa, Japan, most of the lights are from China, some brakes are from Nissan, etc.

 

[Risus]

Another potential recall for Toyota: steering problems on the Camry (according to Global TV)

 

[countryboy]

Anyway, the mechanic in the family says there really isn't a whole lot of difference between vehicles in North America (the same steel is used, the same electronic parts, etc.) and the biggest differences is in the assembling. Mechanically, each manufacturer has good models and bad models so it's a bit foolish to blanket every product a manufacturer markets as being excellent or worthless.
It's even getting tough to figure out who made what model, so kind of handy that each manufacturer has its own emblems.

BTW, some Harley components are manufactured in China and other countries. The forks of some are made in Showa, Japan, most of the lights are from China, some brakes are from Nissan, etc.

Anna - I think your mechanic friend is right on the car part thing...it's all pretty much "global" these days. Interesting point on the "Jap Crap" (I found that term in a different post here) forks being used on the Harley, Chinese lights, etc. Sounds like Harley has caved in to globalism too!

 

[Bar Sinister]

That is why I will stick with Chevy's and harley's.....
Support your country and buy domestic

I'm sorry, but I don't understand how foreign owned Harlies and GM products qualify as domestic except in the US. So far as Canada is concerned all car manufacturers are foreign owned.

So far as defective vehicles are produced, the Toyota fiasco is mild compared to the exploding gas tanks of the Ford Pinto and various GM trucks. The defects in these vehicles actually led to hundreds of deaths. People have short memories. Give Toyota two years and almost no one will remember anything about the defective gas and brake pedals.

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/Pinto.htm
http://www.autosafety.org/history-gm-side-saddle-gas-tank-defect

 

[AnnaG]

Anna - I think your mechanic friend is right on the car part thing...it's all pretty much "global" these days. Interesting point on the "Jap Crap" (I found that term in a different post here) forks being used on the Harley, Chinese lights, etc. Sounds like Harley has caved in to globalism too!

Mechanic friend is hubby.
There are some models of "foreign" vehicles that are quite a bit superior to North American models.

I just found a mess of info about highest ranking vehicles:

Top Ranked Cars - Best Cars & Trucks - U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

Notice there is quite a mix. So much for the idea of "Jap Crap". lol

 

[AnnaG]

I'm sorry, but I don't understand how foreign owned Harlies and GM products qualify as domestic except in the US. So far as Canada is concerned all car manufacturers are foreign owned.

Not quite. Magna is a Canadian company and it makes entire vehicles, but not in Canada. The plant is in Austria.
Theree used to be a truck plant in Bangcouver that was called the Grizzly Truck Co. or something like that. A friend of ours has one of the trucks. The Hummer looks like it may have been modeled after these things

So far as defective vehicles are produced, the Toyota fiasco is mild compared to the exploding gas tanks of the Ford Pinto and various GM trucks. The defects in these vehicles actually led to hundreds of deaths. People have short memories. Give Toyota two years and almost no one will remember anything about the defective gas and brake pedals.

The Exploding Ford Pinto
History of the GM Side Saddle Gas Tank Defect | The Center for Autosafety

Yup. Vehicle recalls come and go. I can't really see what all the hubub is about.

 

[countryboy]

Mechanic friend is hubby.
There are some models of "foreign" vehicles that are quite a bit superior to North American models.

I just found a mess of info about highest ranking vehicles:

Top Ranked Cars - Best Cars & Trucks - U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

Notice there is quite a mix. So much for the idea of "Jap Crap". lol

Toyota might take a bit of a beating in the rankings, but that's a "blip" in the overall picture. All car companies run into this stuff, but Toyota, being the biggest automaker in the world, is getting bad press right now. And, they're not doing the best PR job in the world...

"Jap Crap" is a really outdated term...I think it goes back to the 60s, when companies like Honda were trying to penetrate the North American car market and had a model that wouldn't start in the winter. They went back to the drawing boards a couple of times (i.e., listened to their customers, unlike some companies we know...like the "Big 3") and made much better products. Which is likely why they have such high market shares nowadays. And don't have to ask for handouts to make the payroll.

 

[JLM]

Toyota might take a bit of a beating in the rankings, but that's a "blip" in the overall picture. All car companies run into this stuff, but Toyota, being the biggest automaker in the world, is getting bad press right now. And, they're not doing the best PR job in the world...

"Jap Crap" is a really outdated term...I think it goes back to the 60s, when companies like Honda were trying to penetrate the North American car market and had a model that wouldn't start in the winter. They went back to the drawing boards a couple of times (i.e., listened to their customers, unlike some companies we know...like the "Big 3") and made much better products. Which is likely why they have such high market shares nowadays. And don't have to ask for handouts to make the payroll.

Actually I think it goes right back to the end of WW2 when every produced in Japan was third rate junk, but that was another era (before '59) and certainly not an indication of the quality of Japanese products today. Like you say it's just a blip.

 

[countryboy]

Actually I think it goes right back to the end of WW2 when every produced in Japan was third rate junk, but that was another era (before '59) and certainly not an indication of the quality of Japanese products today. Like you say it's just a blip.

Yes, now that you mention it, I think my Dad used that term to describe some toys or something that came from Japan in the post war years. "Tinny", "cheap", and a few other adjectives (some not meant for public consumption) come to mind to describe the Japanese stuff back then.

1959 was a great year in more ways than one...it must have been around that time that companies like Sony were getting ready to introduce the transistor radio...I think I'm close on that date...possibly not right on the money.

Too bad so many other things have gone downhill since '59! ;-)

 

[JLM]

Yes, now that you mention it, I think my Dad used that term to describe some toys or something that came from Japan in the post war years. "Tinny", "cheap", and a few other adjectives (some not meant for public consumption) come to mind to describe the Japanese stuff back then.

1959 was a great year in more ways than one...it must have been around that time that companies like Sony were getting ready to introduce the transistor radio...I think I'm close on that date...possibly not right on the money.

Too bad so many other things have gone downhill since '59! ;-)

You're close, I first heard of transistors in 1957 (I was in grade 9) but being sort of a backwards sort of guy I bet they were out in '56.

 

[countryboy]

You're close, I first heard of transistors in 1957 (I was in grade 9) but being sort of a backwards sort of guy I bet they were out in '56.

Well, that all makes sense...if they were out in '56 in the rest of the world, the little town in southern Manitoba where I came from was likely 3 years behind, so once again, '59 would be the first time I would have heard of them!

Mind you, '58 was another big year in history. We must have spent months talking about the fact that the new car models for '58 had 4 headlights (quads) instead of 2. And when the big horizontal fins made their debut on the '59 Chevy, we were awestruck. The '59 Caddy took the award for the biggest fins ever, but I don't think I actually saw one until sometime in the 60s.

The only frustrating part of all these new innovations was that we had to wait months to see real live examples of these things...nobody could afford a new car in the old hometown, so we had to rely on magazine ads to "see" the big new changes! :lol:

 

[TenPenny]

Oh, the 1959 thing again.

If you want to compare 1959 cars with 2009 cars, look at this video. Pay special attention to the driver and what happens inside the passenger compartment.

Tell me again that cars were better back then.

YouTube - Crash Test 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air VS. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu (Frontal Offset) IIHS 50th Anniversary

 

[countryboy]

Oh, the 1959 thing again.

If you want to compare 1959 cars with 2009 cars, look at this video. Pay special attention to the driver and what happens inside the passenger compartment.

Tell me again that cars were better back then.

YouTube - Crash Test 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air VS. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu (Frontal Offset) IIHS 50th Anniversary

In my opinion, there were at least 2 ways the cars were better back...they were easier/cheaper to fix (DIY), and they didn't all look the same! It was the drivers that were better! :lol:

 

[TenPenny]

.they were easier/cheaper to fix (DIY),

That's because you had to keep fixing them.

Nowadays, cars just don't break down very often.

Even flat tires are fairly rare now.
On hot summer days, how many cars do you see on the side of the road with steam pouring out from under the hood?

 

[countryboy]

That's because you had to keep fixing them.

Nowadays, cars just don't break down very often.

Even flat tires are fairly rare now.
On hot summer days, how many cars do you see on the side of the road with steam pouring out from under the hood?

Not too many with the overheating problem, but I've seen quite a few with broken fuel pumps that just stop without warning, thus causing a tow job. The old mechanical ones just wore out gradually, giving you a chance to get it fixed before a tow job became necessary.

The same is true of some of the electronic gadgetry that is built into today's cars - like computers, it's wonderful when it's working, but when it "crashes" without warning, you are stuck. No limping into the repair shop then...another tow job.

I was younger in the good old days (weren't we all?) so naturally, all those memories are pretty rosy. Of course I recognize that, but hey, what's wrong with good memories, even if they "cloud" the real issues. No harm done, right?

And the cars today all look the same to me. I still prefer the individual looks and styles that cars had way back then, when all the designers didn't come from the same school, with the same ideas. Whatever happened to individualism?

 

[GreenFish66]

Judging by all these brake and other recently reported problems hitting the Auto industry LATEly .It would seem as though Vehicles are too dangerous and everyone should Take other safer,more reliable Transportation .Walking..

Toyota/Ford recall includes Some hybrids.....Sounds like a Good Ol' Made in America "Make work" project /solution for recession recovery ..

I sure hope this isn't another auto ploy to try again to halt the progress of New Clean/Green Cars...Like the games Some Big oil/Auto Leaders played in the 70's with all the Happy Hippies... Auto and Energy companies have had plenty of time to get with the times.This time they will fall even farther behind, and out of contention all together, if they don't move confidently forward on new Green/Clean technologies ...Some Like Toyota and Ford have more recently pushed positively forward, Introducing new alternatives for it's Drivers .Taking the high road to Sustainability /Quality/Innovation and Affordability.Hope others will do the same.

.It is Time for Real Change that get's positive results...No more Games ......The Green/Clean future will not wait any longer....It is time to balance the playing field ..Time for a Balanced energy plan that includes a fair playing ground for all who can see the Green Lime light ..For all who are striving forward Toward New Green/Clean sustainable technologies...
　

 

[Risus]

Not too many with the overheating problem, but I've seen quite a few with broken fuel pumps that just stop without warning, thus causing a tow job. The old mechanical ones just wore out gradually, giving you a chance to get it fixed before a tow job became necessary.

The same is true of some of the electronic gadgetry that is built into today's cars - like computers, it's wonderful when it's working, but when it "crashes" without warning, you are stuck. No limping into the repair shop then...another tow job.

I was younger in the good old days (weren't we all?) so naturally, all those memories are pretty rosy. Of course I recognize that, but hey, what's wrong with good memories, even if they "cloud" the real issues. No harm done, right?

And the cars today all look the same to me. I still prefer the individual looks and styles that cars had way back then, when all the designers didn't come from the same school, with the same ideas. Whatever happened to individualism?

Back in 'THE' day, 'driveway mechanics' could get a car purring. Now a days you need to be a computer technician. No tinkering around adjusting the idle.

 

[countryboy]

Back in 'THE' day, 'driveway mechanics' could get a car purring. Now a days you need to be a computer technician. No tinkering around adjusting the idle.

AIn't it the truth. I think it's one of those "either it works great or not at all" things. Used to have a little Fiat 124 Spyder with triple carbs that was a weekend fun car...had to reset the carbs every time I took it for a jaunt in the country, but it was part of the "charm" of driving it. Never had to get it towed, even if it was running a bit rough on the way home. It always got me back, safe and sound.

Can't say that about a few of the new "computerized" cars I've had since then.

 

[ironsides]

I was younger in the good old days (weren't we all?) so naturally, all those memories are pretty rosy. Of course I recognize that, but hey, what's wrong with good memories, even if they "cloud" the real issues. No harm done, right?

And the cars today all look the same to me. I still prefer the individual looks and styles that cars had way back then, when all the designers didn't come from the same school, with the same ideas. Whatever happened to individualism?

Cars were much more fun to drive back in 1959. Your right, they all look the same today (affordable cars that is). Even the NASCAR races back then meant something, they drove Plymouth's, Dodge's, Chevy's and Ford's all with their own types of motors, not like today where everything is the same, like clones.

 

[Risus]

Even the NASCAR races back then meant something, they drove Plymouth's, Dodge's, Chevy's and Ford's all with their own types of motors, not like today where everything is the same, like clones.

They even have Toyotas in NASCAR now...:angryfire: