What makes Toyotas so reliable?

[Smileyshaun]

I do find it funny that heated seats are considered a luxury item when in all reality at a manufacturing cost it’s maybe $100 for the pair you can buy aftermarket heated seat elements for that much. Just like with most things as time goes on more and more things are gonna be considered a standard item on a vehicle, Through the ages remember air-conditioning was considered a high-end option , power windows and door locks Heck when my dad bought his CJ five new he had the option the rear seat for it.

 

[AntecTrek]

Japanese cars in general, and Toyota in particular, have a fully-deserved reputation for high reliability, low maintenance, and outstandingly fine engineering.

 

[MTVR]

Japanese cars in general, and Toyota in particular, have a fully-deserved reputation for high reliability, low maintenance, and outstandingly fine engineering.

Yes...

...but Toyota Tacomas and Tundras aren't built in Japan- they're built in Texas...

 

[Over The Silent Planet]

Yes...

...but Toyota Tacomas and Tundras aren't built in Japan- they're built in Texas...

...by Toyota. You know what he means. Japanese automakers (Toyota in particular) have a well deserved reputation for reliability, regardless of where in the world they choose to build their vehicles. Check out the video in the OP. There are tangible and quantifiable reasons Toyotas generally last longer than other vehicles. These reasons apply to all their manufacturing plants.

 

[mountainsports2002]

Toyota’s frames rust in half, Tacoma’s, Tundras, and Sequoias. Hope Toyota has figured that out. I laugh when I hear about their legendary quality.

 

[rruff]

Further obscured...
How much is simply assembled in Texas of components built elsewhere. The mind boggles..

The domestic content of the Tundra has been in the 75-80% range, and it's usually the highest US content of any 1/2 ton truck.

Plus you get this:

 

[Over The Silent Planet]

Toyota’s frames rust in half, Tacoma’s, Tundras, and Sequoias. Hope Toyota has figured that out. I laugh when I hear about their legendary quality.

That was a huge debacle for sure. Isn’t it incredible that they’re still beating everyone else at the long term reliability game *in spite of* the frame issues of the 90s/00s?

 

[MTVR]

The domestic content of the Tundra has been in the 75-80% range, and it's usually the highest US content of any 1/2 ton truck.

Plus you get this:

View attachment 635834

Yup. Toyota Tacomas and Tundras are more American than Chevys, Fords, or Fiats.

The same type of paradigm exists in motorcycling, when costumed Harley buffoons refer to my MV Agusta as a "Jap bike", when their Harley-Davidson is FAR more Japanese than my motorcycle...

 

[Toyaddict]

That was a huge debacle for sure. Isn’t it incredible that they’re still beating everyone else at the long term reliability game *in spite of* the frame issues of the 90s/00s?

I'm a Toyota fan but it's still an ongoing issue from what I see. It appears they have preventing body rust figured out better than some makes by now but whatever they are doing wrong with frames is disturbing.

I'm looking for a 5th gen 4runner currently but without undercarriage pictures I'm not driving far to look at them. Even if I buy new or find a southern rig and slather with fluid film religiously the rust will likely set in somewhere.

Here's a picture of a 5th gen 4runner showing the crossmember under the radiator. I look under a ton of vehicles old and new, nothing else seems to rust like this. It's frustrating and Toyota should be embarrassed.

 

[Over The Silent Planet]

I'm a Toyota fan but it's still an ongoing issue from what I see. It appears they have preventing body rust figured out better than some makes by now but whatever they are doing wrong with frames is disturbing.

I'm looking for a 5th gen 4runner currently but without undercarriage pictures I'm not driving far to look at them. Even if I buy new or find a southern rig and slather with fluid film religiously the rust will likely set in somewhere.

Here's a picture of a 5th gen 4runner showing the crossmember under the radiator. I look under a ton of vehicles old and new, nothing else seems to rust like this. It's frustrating and Toyota should be embarrassed.

how old is that 4Runner? If that’s a 2010 (first year of 5th gen), there’s a chance it was built in late 2009. If it has spent its life in the north, that’s 11 winters of snow and salt. Any vehicle’s frame could look like that if not proactively taken care of. All that to say, I don’t believe the issues they had with Dana and their frames are ongoing as you say.

I prefer Amsoil heavy duty metal protectant to fluid film.

 

[Toyaddict]

how old is that 4Runner? If that’s a 2010 (first year of 5th gen), there’s a chance it was built in late 2009. If it has spent its life in the north, that’s 11 winters of snow and salt. Any vehicle’s frame could look like that if not proactively taken care of. All that to say, I don’t believe the issues they had with Dana and their frames are ongoing as you say.

I prefer Amsoil heavy duty metal protectant to fluid film.

I don't know the exact year just that it's a 5th gen. If you objectively compare Toyota frame rust to other brands it's pretty clear they have a problem. The level of delamination on the Toyota frames is something I don't see from other makes. Go compare a rust belt Tahoe or Suburban to a 4runner or fj, I'm a Toyota fanboy but I can't defend them on the rust issue. Have you seen the rear differentials completely rust through to the point of leaking oil? There's no excuse for it, I really doubt people driving domestics are just that much more vigilant when it comes to keeping a rig clean.

 

[plh]

Somewhere around 15 years is all you can expect out of a salt belt vehicle before rust becomes a major issue.

 

[Over The Silent Planet]

I don't know the exact year just that it's a 5th gen. If you objectively compare Toyota frame rust to other brands it's pretty clear they have a problem. The level of delamination on the Toyota frames is something I don't see from other makes. Go compare a rust belt Tahoe or Suburban to a 4runner or fj, I'm a Toyota fanboy but I can't defend them on the rust issue. Have you seen the rear differentials completely rust through to the point of leaking oil? There's no excuse for it, I really doubt people driving domestics are just that much more vigilant when it comes to keeping a rig clean.

I’m not defending the issue. I’m just not sold on the idea that it *is still* an issue.

Posting a pic of a vehicle that could have potentially been driven through a decade or more of salt roads every winter with no proactive protection doesn’t tell me that there is still an undeniable frame rust issue with Toyotas.

 

[Smileyshaun]

Man I’m glad to live on the West Coast where I could find 40, 50 even 60 year old rigs that are rust free. And I’ll say it again I absolutely love Toyotas and I’ve owned six of them myself but I truly believe older Toyotas are way more reliable than newer ones are Toyotas always toting the reliability rating but still keep the normal 36,000 mile warranty on a vehicle why aren’t they jumping to 100 K if they are so confident in their long term reliability?

 

[rruff]

The same type of paradigm exists in motorcycling, when costumed Harley buffoons refer to my MV Agusta as a "Jap bike", when their Harley-Davidson is FAR more Japanese than my motorcycle...

Don't recall where I saw it, but it was a survey of truck buyers. Had a rank of priorities when shopping for a new truck. Domestic *brand* was high on the list. People are more interested in beliefs and symbols than reality.