Posted on 01/19/2007 6:14:25 AM PST by eraser2005
TOKYO (Reuters) -- Toyota Motor Corp. plans to recall about 533,000 Sequoia SUVs and Tundra pickup trucks in the United States to repair faulty components that could make the vehicles difficult to steer.
Six injuries and 11 accidents were reported as a result of the defect, Japan's top automaker said Friday.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Me, either. Current American cars I would actually consider buying next time around:
300C
Charger
Magnum
Mustang
Fusion
Milan
Zephyr
Five Hundred
G6/G6 coupe
GTO (if they hadn't cancelled it)
Aura/new Malibu
Well, that's off the top of my head, anyway, there might be a few others. I actually wish I had taken the time to check a couple of these out a little more closely in 2004 when I bought my Accord, although most of those weren't even on the market yet at the time, and the rest were very new to the market.
Oh, I think I see what the problem is here. I was referring to Consumer Reports, and you're talking about Consumers' Digest.
I know little about CD; it's CR I'm slamming here.
How 'bout that Japanese QC.
The Aura's interior looks good, feels bad. They screwed it up. I'm withholding judgement on the Malibu until I actually get to see one.
I'd pass on the 500. It's a bit of a lame duck and I am not impressed by it. It seems to me like a continuation of the Taurus in most things. The Fusion/Milan/etc cars are actually impressive and very competitive and well worth a look.
The G6 looks good, drives well, feels nice, but has the usual UAW crappy build quality. The sliding/slatted roof leaks.
I'd have to disagree with you on the reliability - but I would note that the Canadian-assembled versions of American-branded cars seem to stay bolted together a but better than the American-assembled versions. Not implying anything, just a direct observation.
Nice El Camino. A real beauty. I had a 1960 with a 348. Quite fast and great ride. Wish I still had it.
I can run circles around the tundra with my GMC Denail p/u 6.0 Vortec Max engine.
BTW, do yourself a favor and google "nhtsa toyota investigation".
Nothing has fallen off in my hands or anywhere else on my 97 Chevy Z71 222K miles.
The 2008 Five Hundred is out this summer - new engine and transmission - 30% more power, same fuel economy (on par with an Avalon). New interior materials.
Currently open NHTSA Engineering Analysis Investigations into Toyota for which there have not been a recall:
EA06-014: 2004-2005 Toyota Tundra
EA06-020: 2004-2005 Toyota Sienna
Currently open NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation Investigations into Toyota for which there have not been a recall:
PE06-055: 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Currently open NHTSA Engineering Analysis Investigations into Ford for which there have not been a recall:
EA06-014: 2003-2005 Crown Victoria Police and Taxi only
EA06-020: 2000-2001 Taurus and Sable EA06-012: 1999-2001 Super Duty and Excursion with 7.3L Diesel only
Currently open NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation Investigations into Toyota for which there have not been a recall:
PE06-048: 2001-2003 Escape and Tribute
You know, you're right. Toyota clearly is more proactive. /sarc
What Pontiac did you buy, and what is the LS4 engine, in non-GM people's terms? V8? V6? OHV/OHC/DOHC?
"The G6 looks good, drives well, feels nice, but has the usual UAW crappy build quality. The sliding/slatted roof leaks."
That can't be a big surprise to anyone - first time I saw it I knew that slatted roof would be a rattle and leak magnet. Wouldn't buy one with it. Pretty much indifferent about sun roofs, anyway.
The 500 I was attracted to mostly on the basis of its size, although I think it is also a reasonably handsome, conservatively-styled car. Certainly as much so as my Accord, anyway. Now, will it hold together as well in the long run, and hold its value, the way my Accord will?
eraser says that there's a new 500 revision coming soon, and he's right. Whether it will be any better remains to be seen.
The current model was a great disappointment. I took one for a test drive with only a few miles on the clock and the CVT transmission scattered itself. The second one I drove was a rental and it was pretty poor.
Some people are jag people. Mrs. MWT's most recent vehicle was an S-type R, and just recently replaced with an XJ8 LWB.
My personal vehicle is an LX470, but I have an old 58 Porsche 356 that is my passion. Has a VW type IV engine in it and a 5-speed from a 912, though --- purists be damned. (That and a numbers-matching 356 is 100K --- not willing to spend that on a toy.)
Poor in what way? Poor handling, ride, or braking? Poor interior quality and/or materials? They're certainly a pretty big car, which is their main attraction for me.
Those CVTs were a big mistake.
Thankfully, they're gone for 2008.
(the 2008 model goes on sale this summer)
Yes, to all of the above. It screamed "I'm the next Taurus" to me.
"CVT transmission"
Shame --- in that, like a rotary engine --- it would be superior if the kinks get truly worked out.
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