american cars suk!!

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by Karl F

that being said... How many purchase the extended warranty.. and is it worth it?

I bought a bumper to bumper 6year/100k warranty for my Tacoma and I've actually had occasions to use it. Several times though, imo, something that should have been covered was denied. Starting this past summer, I've had to be careful with the truck on warm days since it will occasionally overheat. When it was brought in for diagnosis they said it had poor coolant flow, yet they wouldn't replace anything suspect such as the radiator, water pump or t-stat. They just left me hanging. The ultimate kick in the nuts was that the next step in finding out what is wrong would be on my dime, pulling the radiator for a flow test to the tune of $600. This is a '01 truck with 70k warrantied to 100k. I was ready to blow stuff up at that point. The additional bonus is that in a couple cases some of the dealerships acted as though it was a huge chore, complete with an eye roll in my direction, to contact Toyota to get clearance for a warranty item.

Overall customer service has been a disappointment nevermind that the truck hasn't exactly been a Toyota. Now that I'm thinking about it here's another little gem. I bought the truck as a "Used Certified Vehicle" with the whole "bumper to bumper 115 point inspection" they brag about. A week after I drove it off the lot the brake pads were scraping the discs. Some inspection. Later I discovered it had an aftermarket windshield that was leaking water into the inside of the truck. I had to pay to have it resealed, they wouldn't cover that either. Only "the best of the best used vehicles" my ass. I love Toyotas but at this point they probably won't be getting any more of my money unless I really fall in love with that new FJ.

On the customer service front I may be forced to buy another Mercedes just so I can enjoy service visits at Viti Inc. again. That company BY FAR understands customer service and the concept of repeat business more then any other business, automotive or otherwise. I always left with an empty wallet, but I always felt it was worth it. I even had a few unrelated small things fixed for free that I didn't even ask to have fixed while my car was in for service, and this was on an out of warranty car. I honestly model SWE customer service after that place, it's that good. 90% of it is the way they treat you, which was with respect, something seriously lost in most of my recent automotive experiences. I really don't care to be treated like my warranty service visits are a chore for the dealership after I drop 25k on a vehicle...

ok, that's enough ranting for tonight. I'm sure I'll have something new to be fired up about tomorrow.

[fishaholic18]

Originally Posted by Pete_G

I bought the truck as a "Used Certified Vehicle" with the whole "bumper to bumper 115 point inspection" they brag about.

That's a joke, it's just another word for "Used car". I worked as a tech for Chrysler since '87, they have the kids. that don't have a clue, do the inspections on the Certified vehicles because it is cheaper to pay them to do it rather than having us, higher paid, techs do them. The only difference between used and certified used, is the friggin' checklist, who needs a checklist to check a car out if ya know what the %$#@ your doing?

[TheSpecialist]

I just bought the 06 Honda Pilot 3 months ago for the wife. I got it loaded with leather and navigation, I think the thing is made really well, It came with a 5 year powertrain warranty, so I opted not to buy the extended. It only costs me 200 more a year for full insurance on it, than it does my 97 Ford Expedition, don't ask me why I still have full on it, it's all paid for ..

[Gpinder]

Originally Posted by TheSpecialist

I just bought the 06 Honda Pilot 3 months ago for the wife. I got it loaded with leather and navigation, I think the thing is made really well, It came with a 5 year powertrain warranty, so I opted not to buy the extended. It only costs me 200 more a year for full insurance on it, than it does my 97 Ford Expedition, don't ask me why I still have full on it, it's all paid for ..

She really wants an Odyssey just because all her friends have them but I think the Pilot is a better option. She also thinks the minivan is more kid friendly. That thing just looks so huge! I grew up in Boston and I can't imagine parallel parking that Odyssey.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by fishaholic18

That's a joke, it's just another word for "Used car". I worked as a tech for Chrysler since '87, they have the kids. that don't have a clue, do the inspections on the Certified vehicles because it is cheaper to pay them to do it rather than having us, higher paid, techs do them. The only difference between used and certified used, is the friggin' checklist, who needs a checklist to check a car out if ya know what the %$#@ your doing?

Yep - the $10 per hour guys check them out, not the $15-20 Flat Rate guys... Otherwise the FR guys would be cranking out checklists in 30 minutes a pop (and finding stuff that the Used Car Department would need to fix and pay for)...

One thing to keep in mind - all car makes brake - some more so than others and some more conspicuously than others.

Couple things I noticed in 7 years of working in dealer service departments in the 80s-90s with Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Buick, & Jeep:

American Cars run well despite tune ups inthe sense that it is usually a problem with something that causes a poorly operating car.

Japanese cars are more dependent on tune ups to run well and are more susceptible to run like crap when not tuned up.

Japanese cars will last longer on the engine less so on the body (though that has improved considerably)

American factory paint jobs usually suck (far diffferent environmental regs).

Every manufacture has had BIG problems. some, like Toyota, hide them well, sometimes...

Most Tercels from 86-91 went thru expensive carburetors for years. The carbs would run rich and burn out the catalytic converters increasing the cost. A small handful of exceptional carb mechanics could overhaul them - once - and extend the life by about 18 months...

Most - as in MANY MANY MANY - V6 Toyota trucks, Tacomas, and especially the 4 Runners from 88-93or 94 (when they went from 3 liter to 3.4 liter V6) would blow thru headgaskets at dizzyingly expensive cost to the owners as it often happend a couple years after the warranty expired. This went on for years of 2000 dollar headgasket jobs until Toyota came out with some "fixes" and started buying some of the headgasket jobs

There was a recall on 87-90something Camrys to add a heat sink on the radio. Little problem was the radio would overheat and start a fire. - Happened to my mother's car outside a store in Westwood Mass....

Subarus leak like seives - oil and anti-freeze and often at the same time. Chew thru CV boots and axle shafts like Skoal in W Virginia

GM Quad 4s went thru headgaskets almost as fast as Toyota V6 trucks

GM Iron Duke 2.5L 4 cyls eat timing gears (pull up next to 80s-90s GM small & mid sixe cars sounding like marbles in a coffee can from the engine).

Ford power steering sucks

GM power steering REALLY sucks

Ohhhh could go on and on...

[fishaholic18]

All good points John.
Fingers tired now???

[Flaptail]

Telle something I don't know. Bought a new Honda accord for the wife. lOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! BTW, My insurance did not go up a red cent from the van. Go figure?

[Jimbo]

I notice a lot of you talk about foreign cars but only speak about Toyota and Honda. Makes me think I was right about my wife's decision to get another Nissan Pathfinder. She had one for about 9 years and decided she wanted new. The dealer she got the first one from was top notch, but couldn't meet the price of the dealer she bought the second one from, and that has made all the difference. The newer Nissan is a piece crap. The doors sound like disposable tinfoil pie pans when you close them. Had it in for 30K service recently and I asked them to also check the squeek I was hearing. They call back and say it needs a new fanbelt, but as usual with this place, they don't have it in stock. I say, "The car's barely 2 years old. How can it need a new fanbelt? What caused it to go?" The guy says, "I'm surprised it lasted this long. It's pretty common" WTF! In my mind for anything that's mass produced you'd like to think new means perfect, but no matter the brand you always have lemons. Fortunately for me, I've owned an Escort, a Ranger and and F150 SuperCrew since 1983 and never had a problem with any of them.

[Skitterpop]

Yah John!

Originally Posted by JohnR

Yep - the $10 per hour guys check them out, not the $15-20 Flat Rate guys... Otherwise the FR guys would be cranking out checklists in 30 minutes a pop (and finding stuff that the Used Car Department would need to fix and pay for)...

One thing to keep in mind - all car makes brake - some more so than others and some more conspicuously than others.

Couple things I noticed in 7 years of working in dealer service departments in the 80s-90s with Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Buick, & Jeep:

American Cars run well despite tune ups inthe sense that it is usually a problem with something that causes a poorly operating car.

Japanese cars are more dependent on tune ups to run well and are more susceptible to run like crap when not tuned up.

Japanese cars will last longer on the engine less so on the body (though that has improved considerably)

American factory paint jobs usually suck (far diffferent environmental regs).

Every manufacture has had BIG problems. some, like Toyota, hide them well, sometimes...

Most Tercels from 86-91 went thru expensive carburetors for years. The carbs would run rich and burn out the catalytic converters increasing the cost. A small handful of exceptional carb mechanics could overhaul them - once - and extend the life by about 18 months...

Most - as in MANY MANY MANY - V6 Toyota trucks, Tacomas, and especially the 4 Runners from 88-93or 94 (when they went from 3 liter to 3.4 liter V6) would blow thru headgaskets at dizzyingly expensive cost to the owners as it often happend a couple years after the warranty expired. This went on for years of 2000 dollar headgasket jobs until Toyota came out with some "fixes" and started buying some of the headgasket jobs

There was a recall on 87-90something Camrys to add a heat sink on the radio. Little problem was the radio would overheat and start a fire. - Happened to my mother's car outside a store in Westwood Mass....

Subarus leak like seives - oil and anti-freeze and often at the same time. Chew thru CV boots and axle shafts like Skoal in W Virginia

GM Quad 4s went thru headgaskets almost as fast as Toyota V6 trucks

GM Iron Duke 2.5L 4 cyls eat timing gears (pull up next to 80s-90s GM small & mid sixe cars sounding like marbles in a coffee can from the engine).

Ford power steering sucks

GM power steering REALLY sucks

Ohhhh could go on and on...