Well, for a change she who hesitates wins. I am sooooo glad I didn’t run out and buy a Prius or some other new Toyota during the infamous gas price inflation of 2008.
Because I was employed at the time, I could’ve afforded it in spite of the market conditions. And I most certainly did covet one of those snazzy hybrids. In saner moments, I thought seriously about trading in the Dog Chariot, which guzzles gas in an obscene way, for a smaller, more fuel-efficient gasoline-powered car. After many years of satisfaction with Toyotas, whatever I would have selected would have come from that maker.
Luckily for me, I couldn’t make up my mind and so did nothing. At one point, I calculated how long it would take for the savings in gas to pay for a replacement vehicle and realized that trading in the ten-year-old Sienna would amount to cutting off my nose to spite my face.
Given the Toyota’s recent, spectacular quality-control troubles, I sure am glad I didn’t leap off that cliff. Probably I would have sent my broker straight to his favorite Toyota dealers without noticing that recent consumer reviews have issued increasingly negative reports. Edmunds, for example, has this to say about the Corolla:
In reviews, we’ve been disappointed with the current Toyota Corolla. Competitors from Honda, Hyundai and Mazda outdo it in most regards, specifically in the areas of interior quality, value and driving pleasure/confidence. In a consumer comparison test where we invited six regular Americans to test several competitors in this class, the Corolla finished dead last and was deemed a disappointment by most.
U.S. News and World Report‘s 2010 round-up suggests that the Camry’s overall quality also is slipping:
In years past, Toyota has had a strong reputation for nearly all its models, but some recent reviews report that the gold standard is becoming tarnished. Toyota fell from first place to fifth in Consumer Reports’ annual reliability survey last year, and the V6 Camry specifically received a “Below Average” rating—a first for the popular car.
Experienced, long-term Camry owners remark that the vehicle’s “interior is getting cheaper every year,” apparently because management has decided to follow Detroit’s tradition of cheesying up the product so as to maximize profits at the consumer’s expense and safety.
How sad. Even in Japan, greed trumps integrity every time.
I can’t say that I absolutely will not buy another Toyota when the time comes. But it’s no longer a foregone conclusion.
How about yourself? Will your next car be a Toyota? Or what?
I bought my Camry new in ’91 and she’s still going strong. Driven daily around 100 miles a day. I’m not into flashy, I just need a vehicle to get me where I need to go.
I would consider buying another Toyota but most likely an older model….. like before Toyota got greedy.
@ Leah: I sure hope mine will last another 9 or 10 years!
I’m not in the market for a car now, but when I am I’ll still be looking at hybrids. The Honda Civic has gotten good reviews, and so has the Honda Insight (a Prius look-alike). I’ve yet to buy an American car, but I’ll also be looking at Ford hybrids, as I like that fact that Ford didn’t take any bailout money.
We are still happy with our 1998 Camry. We also have a Civic Hybrid–2002. We hate that the lights don’t go out automatically and that the warning buzzer is very feeble. We’ve had to recharge the battery many times because of this.
My Toyota is 7 years old this year, and but for a few (expensive, but minor) issues, should last at least another 100K/13 years or so. I should hope they will have cleaned up their practices by then! If not, I’ll have had plenty of time to consider what better options on the market I’ve got. I’d LIKE it to be a Toyota, but gone are my days of blissful Trust in Toyota.
{sigh} I’ve loved my Toyotas. It’s so disappointing.
Well, the mechanic sez my Sienna should run at least to 150,000 miles, and since I’ve only racked up about 85,000 miles after 10 years, I guess it’ll be around for another six or eight years. I hope.