Well, yes. A German colleague who was working over here in around 2005 wanted to buy a used car for his son. I looked at a Toyota “something” sedan with him. Gave it the thumbs-up, and about a month later something went haywire with the engine management computer, and the dealer took a month to fix it. Boy, was I embarrassed!
Bought a new RAV4 in 2004 and the engine blew up just a few miles before the warranty expired. The Toyota dealership couldn’t believe it when I called them up. Anyway, they replaced the engine and we continued to drive it with zero problems for a long time. It was eventually given to one of our adult children... still going strong at about 250,000. It didn’t put me off Toyotas since I had several before that with great success and I’ve had other ones since then also with great success... I’ve always put it off to a complete fluke.
Out Sienna had 316,000 miles on it when we donated it to the church. The volunteers there will repair it and give it to someone without a vehicle. Hopefully it will last them many more thousands of miles.
Early ‘70s we bought an old white Toyota Corona. Obviously, it had been abused. The guys at work laughed because when I drove “straight” down the road the car was at an angle, sideways.
Then the gas shortage hit and we decided to sell. Put an ad in the paper, and when we woke up the next morning there was a line around the corner of interested buyers. The first guy bought it, for $3K more than we paid for it. Never saw it around town. It was a good car, but ugly.
Now we have a RAV4 and like it a lot. We used to be strictly Hondas, but the quality seems to have slipped. (I’d sure love to have another Mazda Miata. I’m sure that’s what Nancy Drew drove. 😉)
260,000 mi on the 2002 Avalon. 230,000 mi on the 2000 Avalon.
Drove my 95 corolla for 21 years and 275K before it ever broke down.
Had 4 Toyotas in a row in the 80’s. Good cars. Never liked the dealers.
We bought a 1972 Dodge Demon (225 slant six) in October of 71 and drove it daily until 2006 when we sold it to a collector.
Very reliable car, but you had to garage them because they leaked and rusted out. That’s why the collector was happy to get ours, it had been garaged most of its life.
Yeah, my wife had a Toyota Sienna and the thing seized up while going 70 on the freeway
I have an Avalon. It’s indestructible. I think I may end up taking it kicking and screaming to the grave with me even though it will still be running
I bought a brand new 1980 Toyota Tercel.
It was a great car. So much fun to drive.
I totaled it.
The first car I owned was a ‘67 Land Cruiser that I bought in ‘72 right before I got out of the AF. It was my only car for a long time and both of my daughters learned to drive in it. It got to the point where I was finding chunks of metal in the oil when I changed it, so I put in a 327. Now I could pass other cars! I finally donated it to a local flying club for a fund raiser. A few years ago, it showed on a local auction site and my oldest daughter bought it - says she’s going to restore it.
I still dream I found and restored my ‘81 long bed red Toyota pickup. Absolutely no mechanical issues until around the 100K mark. Original battery lasted over 10 years in cold Michigan climate. Alternator replaced around 100K, and maybe some alignment work.
But the body had rust problems despite undercoating. I wrecked the bed portion on I-75 black ice one winter, but still drove it.
My staunch, union ex-husband made me get rid of it. (He also made me get rid of my pet ducks and geese.) He suggested an unreasonably low price, and despite being a cheap miser he wanted to spite me, perhaps. Being naive I believed him, and the first buyer thought it was a scam, am I really selling it for $250? Interior was PERFECT. I don’t have the VIN but would track it down in NW Ohio if I could.
Seen plenty.
If you want to go into the outback, drive a Land Rover.
If you want to get back from the outback, drive a Land Cruiser.
The automotive Three Stooges (England's Top Gear) try to destroy a Toyota truck (in three parts):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWKz7Cthkk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTPnIpjodA8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFnVZXQD5_k
Had an 83 Toyota mini truck 7 ft bed....blew out oil pump gasker at 168k...engine seized when radiator sprung big leak (my fault)...paint peeled off all over the roof and engine hood.
Got 2009 chivy cobalt dec 31 2008. Just passed 333,333 miles yesterday.
Never had engine work. Has leaky head gasket...”fixed” with K-seal microfiber additive. Stopped smoking with “stop the smoke” by blue devil. Put about 2k bucks in repairs total. 15k bucks out the door. 56 mpg avg speed 60mph with careful driving. Got Saturn 1996 sw with 313,000 miles.
Also got 2016 Toyota Corolla...ok...but tinny outer metal doors, fenders and hood.
Yep
We’ve turned the corner on our vehicles and now have 3 Toyota’s and 1 Honda. Great vehicles all.