"Avalon shows dent in Toyota Quality"

That's the headline from the Automotive News (AutoNews.com).
I'd sure love to read that article online, but I don't have a
print subscription to this pricey industry journal.

I got "Car And Driver" and "Motor Trend" but no Automotive News.

Anybody with a subsciption willing to post this article here?

Don't tell me nobody here has a subscription to the Automotive
News!! [chuckle]

For shame <grin>

Here's the most shown at AutoNews.com for this article. The
teaser says:

"Fixes sought for 'problematic vehicle'
Alan Seider has owned 11 Toyotas since 1982, but his 2006 Avalon
likely will be his last. He says quality glitches have bedeviled
his Toyota sedan, which he has driven less than 6,000 miles since
he bought it last July. His dealer could not solve the car's
problems. Toyota headquarters stonewalled his appeals, he says.
Seider is far from alone."

Art was right. Avalons giving headaches. (Glad my Camry came from
Japan <wry smile>

I'm sure the problems with the Georgetown Avalons are only
temporary, though. Soon, they'll be as trouble-free as Japan-made
Toyotas. Next year, there won't be any difference in quality between
Japan Toyotas and Georgetown Toyotas.

So can anyone with a subscription to "The Automotive News" do the
group a favor and post this article?

Thanks.

I was given a Georgetown Carmy as a loaner while my Corolla was being
repaired in 1999. Brand new, about 2,500 miles on it.
It was a warm day, but not hot, so I decided to lower the window rather than
use the AC.

The window got down about 1/3 of the way, jumped the track and jammed.

I also noticed the 'fit' of things was not what I expected from Toyota.

Mazda still makes a lot of their cars in Japan...


"Built_Well" <bw@bbbb.com> wrote in message
news:3qCdneX7n_5BrsvZnZ2dnUVZ_vSdnZ2d@sysmatrix.net...[color=blue]
>
> That's the headline from the Automotive News (AutoNews.com).
> I'd sure love to read that article online, but I don't have a
> print subscription to this pricey industry journal.
>
> I got "Car And Driver" and "Motor Trend" but no Automotive News.
>
> Anybody with a subsciption willing to post this article here?
>
> Don't tell me nobody here has a subscription to the Automotive
> News!! [chuckle]
>
> For shame <grin>
>
> Here's the most shown at AutoNews.com for this article. The
> teaser says:
>
> "Fixes sought for 'problematic vehicle'
> Alan Seider has owned 11 Toyotas since 1982, but his 2006 Avalon
> likely will be his last. He says quality glitches have bedeviled
> his Toyota sedan, which he has driven less than 6,000 miles since
> he bought it last July. His dealer could not solve the car's
> problems. Toyota headquarters stonewalled his appeals, he says.
> Seider is far from alone."
>
> Art was right. Avalons giving headaches. (Glad my Camry came from
> Japan <wry smile>
>
> I'm sure the problems with the Georgetown Avalons are only
> temporary, though. Soon, they'll be as trouble-free as Japan-made
> Toyotas. Next year, there won't be any difference in quality between
> Japan Toyotas and Georgetown Toyotas.
>
> So can anyone with a subscription to "The Automotive News" do the
> group a favor and post this article?
>
> Thanks.
>
>[/color]

Automotive News," is the bible of the industry but I doubt anybody besides
me in this NG subscribes to "Automotive News," it is comparably expensive
for a weekly. You can read portions of past articles on their web cite ;)

As to quality issues, build quality is a function of management, not one of
labor. The build quality of the vehicle should be the same no mater who
screws it together, if management is doing its job. Some of the best
screwed together vehicles Toyota sells come out of the GM/Toyota plant in
California, not Japan The increasing number of Toyota 'quality' problems
has more to do with increasing sales volume, in any event. When one sells
hundreds of thousands of anything, as was Toyota in the US ten years ago,
more of the ones with 'problems' will begin to appear when one sales get
into the millions, as is Toyotas
currently. Now that Toyotas is stating to run with some of the 'big dogs'
in the US you will see that more of their 'problems' will appear as well.


mike hunt



"Built_Well" <bw@bbbb.com> wrote in message
news:3qCdneX7n_5BrsvZnZ2dnUVZ_vSdnZ2d@sysmatrix.net...[color=blue]
>
> That's the headline from the Automotive News (AutoNews.com).
> I'd sure love to read that article online, but I don't have a
> print subscription to this pricey industry journal.
>
> I got "Car And Driver" and "Motor Trend" but no Automotive News.
>
> Anybody with a subsciption willing to post this article here?
>
> Don't tell me nobody here has a subscription to the Automotive
> News!! [chuckle]
>
> For shame <grin>
>
> Here's the most shown at AutoNews.com for this article. The
> teaser says:
>
> "Fixes sought for 'problematic vehicle'
> Alan Seider has owned 11 Toyotas since 1982, but his 2006 Avalon
> likely will be his last. He says quality glitches have bedeviled
> his Toyota sedan, which he has driven less than 6,000 miles since
> he bought it last July. His dealer could not solve the car's
> problems. Toyota headquarters stonewalled his appeals, he says.
> Seider is far from alone."
>
> Art was right. Avalons giving headaches. (Glad my Camry came from
> Japan <wry smile>
>
> I'm sure the problems with the Georgetown Avalons are only
> temporary, though. Soon, they'll be as trouble-free as Japan-made
> Toyotas. Next year, there won't be any difference in quality between
> Japan Toyotas and Georgetown Toyotas.
>
> So can anyone with a subscription to "The Automotive News" do the
> group a favor and post this article?
>
> Thanks.
>
>[/color]

Mazda builds ALL of its vehicles in Japan. Ford builds the Mazda Tribute in
one of its plants. Mazda no longer builds cars in the Ford Flat Rock
Michigan plant, the new Mustang has been built there since late 2004

mike hunt


"Hachiroku" <Trueno@ae86.GTS> wrote in message
news:UTq5g.2402$Fp5.291@trndny09...
[color=blue]
>I was given a Georgetown Carmy as a loaner while my Corolla was being
>repaired in 1999. Brand new, about 2,500 miles on it.
> It was a warm day, but not hot, so I decided to lower the window rather
> than use the AC.
>
> The window got down about 1/3 of the way, jumped the track and jammed.
>
> I also noticed the 'fit' of things was not what I expected from Toyota.
>
> Mazda still makes a lot of their cars in Japan...
>[/color]

Mike Hunter wrote:[color=blue]
>
> Automotive News," is the bible of the industry but I doubt anybody
> besides me in this NG subscribes to "Automotive News," it is
> comparably expensive for a weekly. You can read portions of past
> articles on their web cite ;)[/color]



Well, really, it's not that expensive. $150 for a year (gets you
both print and online versions). But I'll bet ya that article appears
on Lexis-Nexis tomorrow for 3 bucks :-P

And then I'll post. :P

The dealer couldn't figure out my problems with my 2002 Toyota Corolla,
either. I don't think so much it was a problem with the car -- I think
the Service Department is a profit center for Lithia Motors... hence,
charging me or wanting to charge me $1,000 for a leaking injector is
outrageous, at best. It's sad too because Lithia is really destroying
a name that Toyota claims its all about -- Service, Reliability, Pride,
etc.. none of those I attribute to Lithia.

Still whatever problems Georgetown is having with their Avalons, you
know they gotta be better than GM or Ford (sorry to say).

Speaking of GM, the Automotive News says:

GM to buy more wheels from China.

General Motors is poised to become the auto industry's largest buyer
of wheels in China.

GM purchasing czar Bo Andersson said last week that GM will replace
wheels made by Amcast in Indiana with aluminum wheels made in China
by Zhejiang Wanfeng Auto Wheel Co. Ltd.

==
(I think soon Toyotas made in America will have more American parts
in them than GMs made here.)

What is wrong with GM buying wheels from the same place Toyota buys their
wheels? LOL


mike hunt


"Built_Well" <bw@bbbb.com> wrote in message
news:47OdnW_nu7PpysvZnZ2dnUVZ_u2dnZ2d@sysmatrix.net...
[color=blue]
> Speaking of GM, the Automotive News says:
>
> GM to buy more wheels from China.
>[/color]

Since one can subscribe to "Auto Week" for as low as $9.95, wouldn't you
call that comparably expensive for a weekly LOL

mike hunt


"Built_Well" <bw@bbbb.com> wrote in message
news:coqdnWRpWK29zMvZRVn-uA@sysmatrix.net...[color=blue]
> Mike Hunter wrote:[color=green]
>>
>> Automotive News," is the bible of the industry but I doubt anybody
>> besides me in this NG subscribes to "Automotive News," it is
>> comparably expensive for a weekly. You can read portions of past
>> articles on their web cite ;)[/color]
>
>
>
> Well, really, it's not that expensive. $150 for a year (gets you
> both print and online versions). But I'll bet ya that article appears
> on Lexis-Nexis tomorrow for 3 bucks :-P
>
> And then I'll post. :P
>
>
>[/color]

"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2@mailcity.com> wrote in message
news:ZYicnct7xY9m6MvZUSdV9g@ptd.net...[color=blue]
> What is wrong with GM buying wheels from the same place Toyota buys their
> wheels? LOL
>
>
> mike hunt
>[/color]

I thought that Toyota buys wheels from its wheel plant in Canada.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Hachiroku wrote:
[color=blue]
> Mazda still makes a lot of their cars in Japan...[/color]

And yet, their reliability stinks--no thanks to Ford I'm sure.

Corolla is made in Freemont, CA and Canada and it remains one of the most,
if not THE most, reliable Toyota model.

High Tech Misfit wrote:[color=blue]
>
> Corolla is made in Freemont, CA and Canada and it remains one of the most,
> if not THE most, reliable Toyota model.[/color]


Believe it or not, I think the Echo is suppose to be a little
more reliable than the Corolla.

Cutting corners?
Toyota stopped using fuel filters on some of the models and relies on the in
tank screen only.Does this explain the sticking fuel injectors. Tacomas
stopped using boxed frames on the trucks and use only channels and actually
look very similar to the chev canyon (whats with that?) Heck even the
fenders are the same shape.
My 1994 camry v6 has 528k km with almost no problems (until the tranny
stopped going into 3rd), but 02 echo has a rad leaking when 2-3 years old
and wears out wheel bearings. Plastic bushings in the 5spd shift mechanism
(sloppy). Emmission trouble codes.I realise the cars are at the opposite
ends of the spectrum but my experience is the 94 definitely feels like a
lexus and the echo has more problems.


"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2@mailcity.com> wrote in message
news:llCdnQjG79wD0cvZUSdV9g@ptd.net...[color=blue]
> Mazda builds ALL of its vehicles in Japan. Ford builds the Mazda Tribute
> in one of its plants. Mazda no longer builds cars in the Ford Flat Rock
> Michigan plant, the new Mustang has been built there since late 2004
>
> mike hunt
>
>
> "Hachiroku" <Trueno@ae86.GTS> wrote in message
> news:UTq5g.2402$Fp5.291@trndny09...
>[color=green]
>>I was given a Georgetown Carmy as a loaner while my Corolla was being
>>repaired in 1999. Brand new, about 2,500 miles on it.
>> It was a warm day, but not hot, so I decided to lower the window rather
>> than use the AC.
>>
>> The window got down about 1/3 of the way, jumped the track and jammed.
>>
>> I also noticed the 'fit' of things was not what I expected from Toyota.
>>
>> Mazda still makes a lot of their cars in Japan...
>>[/color]
>
>[/color]

On Mon, 1 May 2006 13:59:56 -0400, "Mike Hunter"
<mikehunt2@mailcity.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Mazda builds ALL of its vehicles in Japan. Ford builds the Mazda Tribute in
>one of its plants. Mazda no longer builds cars in the Ford Flat Rock
>Michigan plant, the new Mustang has been built there since late 2004
>
>mike hunt
>[/color]

All their vehicles are built in Japan? How do you explain the Mazda6?

The final assembly of Toyota and GM products is pretty comparable these
days. GM has improved and Toyota has deteriorated. But Toyota bread and
butter components like alternators are still more reliable so Toyota will
still have less reliability problems as it ages.


"Built_Well" <bw@bbbb.com> wrote in message
news:47OdnW_nu7PpysvZnZ2dnUVZ_u2dnZ2d@sysmatrix.net...[color=blue]
>
> Still whatever problems Georgetown is having with their Avalons, you
> know they gotta be better than GM or Ford (sorry to say).
>
> Speaking of GM, the Automotive News says:
>
> GM to buy more wheels from China.
>
> General Motors is poised to become the auto industry's largest buyer
> of wheels in China.
>
> GM purchasing czar Bo Andersson said last week that GM will replace
> wheels made by Amcast in Indiana with aluminum wheels made in China
> by Zhejiang Wanfeng Auto Wheel Co. Ltd.
>
> ==
> (I think soon Toyotas made in America will have more American parts
> in them than GMs made here.)
>
>[/color]