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Toyota on the mend?

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  • snowallergysnowallergy Member Posts: 135
    Utilitarian, for sure; however, not sure I'd rush out to buy one....it drastically needs a re-design!

    One on the way. It'd better be a good one. If they do to it what they did to the sienna, it'll be a train wreck. Problem for me is my 01 camrys' soft ride has me spoiled for anything else. Hope it lasts another 10.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Nothing in the daily update from Automotive News about that...
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    There has been some talk about VW letting the unions in for a vote down in Chattanooga. If Toyota was facing a new union push, it'd sure make the news.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Bad news - Paris Hilton just got a LF-A. That spoils it for me!

    http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/16/not-fair-paris-hilton-receives-lexus-lfa-for-- 30th-birthday/
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Bad news - Paris Hilton just got a LF-A. That spoils it for me!

    When Lexus transported a new LS600h L to Paul McCartney in a 747 transport they lost my respect. Trying to act Green when they are as far from green as an automaker can get.

    The Lexus LS600H, which costs £84,000, was a gift from Lexus to the 65-year-old former Beatle, who helped promote the hybrid vehicle.

    But instead of arriving by boat as expected, the car was flown to Britain on a Korean Air flight, creating a carbon footprint almost 100 times bigger than if it had come by sea.

    Sir Paul is a vocal advocate of vegetarianism and has long been a poster child for environmental activism.

    "It's like driving the car 300 times around the world," says Gary Rumbold, the director of the British branch of co2balance, which helps businesses and individuals gauge their carbon emissions footprint. "It seems like somebody at Lexus made an error in judgment. They wanted to get something to McCartney promptly, but it backfired. They should have waited a few weeks and sent it by ship."
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,439
    I am surprised she didn't have it painted pink...plenty of time, I guess.

    Man, there's a car with no discernable styling theme.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    I don't know it you are familiar with a 1950-60's comedian from the South by the name of Brother Dave Gardner, but he had a "catch phrase" that went like...

    Ain't that weird?

    Of course, maybe Toyota took a cue from the ex-GM management, when they flew to DC to testify before Congress.

    That certainly turned out to be a P/R success, didn't it? ....
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,743
    edited February 2011
    I'm pretty sure the color is 'Llilly White' or maybe 'Powder White'. :surprise:
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,881
    I posted a few days ago about the front-end noises that sound awfully like the need for control arm bushings, on the '10 or '11 Camry rental I have this week in Minneapolis (just turned over 16K miles). As I mentioned, for all everyone says about Toyota, I was expecting an epiphany with this car. This morning, the 'Check Engine' and 'Traction Control' lights are on (and yes, the gas cap is on tight).

    Sheesh.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Uh-oh! Paris is already thirty? Better get a Buick Century instead!
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Sir Paul has a LS460h L? Well, John Lennon always had better taste in cars than Paul McCartney!

    image
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Funny, didn't know Sir Paul got one of those.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited February 2011
    no discernable styling theme

    Dunno, stlying is fine. Looks like a ginsu knife if a ginsu knife were a sports car. I like the ducts in the C-pillar, something Lotus copied recently.

    But now that it's been Snooki-fied I'll pass.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,439
    I thought it was styling by mathematics rather than aesthetics. And of course it'll get a dopey Pokemon face, it is a Toyota.

    Lotus is still in business? :shades:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You consistently pan virtually everything from Asia...

    Remember, Gen Y and younger all grew up with Anime and Nintendo. To them Asian is cool.

    We're too old.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,439
    Asian design in the past several years has been consistently uninspired or pointless.

    It's not just me. The gormless Mazda grin and Toyota Pokemon faces find ridicule among others.

    I don't know if age excuses idiotic design. Lazy designers and their souless instructors, maybe.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    I wouldn't be at all surprised that they are just testing our gullibility.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Remember, Gen Y and younger all grew up with Anime and Nintendo. To them Asian is cool.

    That must be it. I don't like the looks of most vehicles from Asia or the USA. and not many from Germany. I do like the lines of the most recent offerings from VW. Too bad Audi buggered up their looks with that big mouth look. BMW and MB are hit and miss for me.

    The LF-A looks goofy from the back which is what most of US will see. Then I do not like the reigning over the top Veyron either. Pretty darn ugly. I am with Fintail on the Lexus offering. Not something I would brag about spending $400k on.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,439
    I never thought of it that way...maybe it is all an experiment to see what they can get away with

    It seems 1958 was kind of like that too
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I don't like the Mazda grin, either, but you seem to pan everything from Asia.

    What about the Infiniti G coupe? That's a looker.

    Kia's Forte is arguably the best looking small sedan right now. And the Soul is among the better looking toasters (and leading in sales, so the public thinks so). Critics seem to like the Sportage, though the blind spots kill it for me.

    Pre-grin Mazdas were at least decent looking.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,439
    Yes, the G coupe is nice. I liked the old JDM style M, too. Nissan has not improved for the better, though.

    The previous Mazda 6 was a very nice design, and the 5 door 3 very solid too.

    90-93 Accord is a case study in harmonious design, almost like a Japanese BMW of sorts.

    I like many 80s Toyotas, of all things, too. Original Lexus SC and LS were also good.

    Forte isn't bad, coupe is too Civic-ish though. Optima looks pretty good to me.
  • tlongtlong Member Posts: 5,194
    90-93 Accord is a case study in harmonious design, almost like a Japanese BMW of sorts.

    We had a '92 Accord EX, and it was just about the best car we ever owned. Very high quality cloth/verlour interior, nice firm suspension and tight steering, still pretty roomy inside, extremely solid and reliable. And the look has aged very well. Wish we still had it!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited February 2011
    I do like the lines of the most recent offerings from VW

    They're a bit conservative so I would not be surprised to see the average age of a VW owner creep up in the next few years.

    For me they all look alike - Golf, Touareg, Phaeton, etc.

    The Passat and Jetta are hard to tell apart.

    They're not ugly, but very bland. Reminds me of that ad campaign for the Mediocrity.

    It's not extraordinary.

    It's extra ordinary!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Remember I brought up CR's bias against Lexus and favoring Jeep?

    Well, turns out Jeep did in fact have to re-program the stability control on the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

    They made a BIG STINK about it when the Lexus GX had the same issue, plastering "Do Not Buy" ratings all over it.

    They totally gave the Jeep a pass, even though it too need the same type of fix (stability control reprogram).

    So much for a pro-import bias from CR, this was decidedly a double-standard. Wonder why? Maye they didn't want to kick Chrysler while they were down?

    http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/17/chrysler-fixes-grand-cherokee-handling-issue-- identified-by-co/
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/18/three-men-caught-vandalizing-seven-toyota-car- s-at-chicago-auto-s/

    It's been quiet here lately, is that where the haters have been? LOL
  • snowallergysnowallergy Member Posts: 135
    Or in Mazdas' case, REALLY testing.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    After all it is Chicago, the next Detroit. They have lost about a million residents since 1950. A city that is proud of its THUG image. They are old enough they should do a few years in prison.
  • smarty666smarty666 Member Posts: 1,503
    I just had to leave a comment on page 666 of this discussion. I think you know why! lol!
  • blondie1027blondie1027 Member Posts: 1
    I never laughed so hard. Toyota basically called all the people who own a Toyota IDIOTS. Maybe they are!!
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    I saw in the paper today that now NHTSA is investigating Highlander Hybrids for stalling problems. This is getting like GM several decades ago!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Ignore the troll. 1 post lifetime, hit and run.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Toyota will be blamed in 3, 2, 1, ....
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Nah, I'm sure it was a diesel engine to blame. ;)

    (funny how those kids managed to lock the door after they jumped out of the cab).
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That won't stop them ... they'll blame the subsidiary Hino trucks.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    I originally saw the clip on my local news channel today. There, they made the "claim" that the dozer started itself (completely unattended), then proceeded to terrorize the local vacinity.

    I still laugh when I think about how many people probably believe that claim to be true.

    Don't you just love our "educated" society???
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    Remember the movie "The Car" ? Well years later i think they did a movie called Killer Dozer or something like that. The theme was the same. This operator-less dozer terrorized a neighbourhood.

    Yet no one thought to dig a big hole with camouflage to trick/trap it. Of course the dozer was psychic so would know the hole was there, lol

    I would think a home with a basement would be the perfect (albeit expensive) trap for a terrorist manic dozer.

    Of course, we shouldn't make light of this. The kids belong in a spell of jail. "We were bored." won't cut it. There could have been people killed and maimed in those homes.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Is it me or my imagination? The RX 350, Avalon, Sienna and Camry don't have BSM. The older models all have them in matching color. Is this another form of decontenting?

    image

    image

    image

    image

    That leaves a lot of sheetmetal exposed and I can just imagine what a ding or two would look like against all that smooth metal.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    The RX 350, Avalon, Sienna and Camry don't have BSM. The older models all have them in matching color.

    My guess (& it's just that - a guess) is that Toyota is throwing a bone to its dealer network by making BSMs a dealer-installed accessory, thereby giving the dealers an opportunity to make more money.

    When my wife bought her ES 350 a few years ago, she had the dealer install the moldings. I don't doubt that we paid more than we would have if these had been installed at the factory. In the dealer's defense, I'll say that the moldings, which match the car's color, are indistinguishable from factory BSMs.

    Other Japanese manufacturers are doing the same thing. My previous generation '06 Honda CR-V came from the factory with BSMs. That's not true of the current generation.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The problem is people will believe anything they want to believe, no matter how far-fethced. Remember balloon boy?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The unintended acceleration bubble boy. :shades:
  • robsisrobsis Member Posts: 162
    I agree that it is a dealer bone throw....When we bought our '11 Avalon, they were trying to add $250 for the BSMs. We negotiated them into the deal (and they look great, BTW); however, that $250 charge seemed way out of line (kind of like the old $250 charge for pinstriping....but that was even worse!).
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I took a quick look.

    RX350 doesn't, but neither does the SRX or MKX.

    Camry doesn't, nor does Malibu or Fusion.

    Avalaon doesn't, nor does Maxima, Taurus, or Genesis sedan.

    Why did you single out Toyota?

    I don't mind a little body armor but it often looks tacked on and can spoil the styling. It also adds aerodynamic drag, weight, and cost. My guess is as CAFE standards push higher these will become a thing of the past.
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 16,978
    When I first got my 06 Avalon I was really worried about the lack of body side moldings. I usually park out in no-man's land to avoid dings, but still considered putting them on. I didn't do it, and as luck would have it the one little ding I got was in an area the molding wouldn't have helped.

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    They're useful, my 98 Forester had unpainted molding that would bounce back and basically repair itself. I loved it.

    But...it was unpainted, and that look is sorta downscale. Nowadays everything is body color, and the paint on the molding itself would just scratch.

    I've dreamed of wrapping my ride in swimming pool noodles to ward off all the inconsiderates that just toss their door open as wide as it'll go, but I still think they'd find a way to damage it.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Ours came with BSM.

    image

    Why did you single out Toyota?

    Just so happen to see a 2011 Sienna and noticed the huge expanse of unprotected sheet metal just waiting for a kid or senior citizen to leave their mark when they fling their door open. I started to take notice of the lack of BSM on other Toyotas and was thinking if it was a trend. Should make the Dent Doctors happy.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Looks like the Traverse also has it, but the Enclave doesn't. Strange.

    I hear you on the door dings, but let's see what that plasti-chrome looks like after a decade or so.

    I'd pick an unpainted, matte black piece of trim, for its sheer durability, but like I mentioned before, a lot of people find that look downscale.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,743
    maybe they can get zero percent for 60 months on their restitution. ;)
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Too bad it's not restitution from a domestic brand, it would be 72 months!
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