[Jegan_V]

That something be like say the BMW Classic Center.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/08/bmw-opens-up-classic-center-to-customer-cars-establishes-dedica/

I know this is not entirely new news, but this BMW Classic Center has already completed the restoration of a 3.0 Csi which is a bit more recent.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/25/bmw-classic-center-completes-3-0-csi-restoration-for-lucky-owner/

I personally wouldn't have chosen to convert it to an automatic since I doubt a 70s automatic drove well, but that car looks as close as brand new as can be. Just the idea that BMW wants to preserve as many of its older cars is already a sign of a company that cares about its current owners regardless of how old their cars are and some may have never bought a car at a BMW dealer.

As someone with a Toyota that's quite old, because I like my car so much I decided to keep it stock despite the advantages of modifying it. This means becoming friendly with a Toyota dealer to get as many stock parts as possible, this can be expensive. However even this isn't enough, quite a lot of the parts on my car are..."obsolete" on a Toyota parts catalog. This means using used parts, since my car has a bad habit of killing aftermarket stuff(latest being a power steering pump).

Remember how during the recall early this year, Toyota was actually calling upon the 20+ year old cars and happily claimed how many of these cars are still alive in ads. If Toyota doesn't support these cars I doubt many of them will be alive in the near future. I don't know how anybody can support running a 70s Toyota even if they didn't rust to death. This kept me from even considering buying a 1982 Corona I saw for sale(great price for something impossible to find), for a car even older than mine and nearly extinct on the roads that it may be impossible to run it as that car has even fewer parts sources than mine.

Re-manufacturing parts is probably the most useful thing that Toyota can do to ensure long life even in the aging cars. It would piss me off to have to stuff my Cressida in the garage because its no longer drivable because Toyota no longer makes some part and there's no availability of used or aftermarket parts.

I'd love to see a Toyota version of the BMW Classic Center, even if its just relegated to parts manufacturing since I intend to keep my car for a very long time. Any of you feel the same?

 

[84Cressida]

Yes, I agree with you 10000000000% and have wanted them to do this for a long time. A lot of the parts for my car are discontinued. Ford does it too and even builds body panels for old Mustangs and Broncos - maybe even more. Spare parts are usually where a lot of big $$$ are I'd imagine. Toyota really needs to get on this, especially as more and more of their older cars are becoming collectable.

 

[harry78gourley]

YEa. I have a toyota that is pretty recent, but I know a friend that complains he has to shop online when searching for certain parts for his car as most of the parts are already outdated. definitely should do something about this, after all it ain't like a software we can just update when a new version is out

 

[EKam]

Toyota (or Japanese makers in general) don't understand this, but then again, old Toyotas are usually not well cared for by the owners. Most people are not emotional with their Japanese imports in comparison with Domestic or European cars.

It's like comparing a Swiss mechanical watch to Japanese quartz watch. There's much more history and emotional attachment behind one but not the other.

 

[zythr]

Yes, I agree with you 10000000000% and have wanted them to do this for a long time. A lot of the parts for my car are discontinued. Ford does it too and even builds body panels for old Mustangs and Broncos - maybe even more. Spare parts are usually where a lot of big $$$ are I'd imagine. Toyota really needs to get on this, especially as more and more of their older cars are becoming collectable.

Interesting, what parts?

 

[Jegan_V]

Toyota (or Japanese makers in general) don't understand this, but then again, old Toyotas are usually not well cared for by the owners. Most people are not emotional with their Japanese imports in comparison with Domestic or European cars.

I didn't know this was the same case for other Japanese automakers. I know Hondas seem to die earlier here because of how expensive they are to repair. That said, this of course means the long term reliability is meaningless if their lifespan is indicated by parts availability. I still don't understand Toyota's rationale behind not offering to re-manufacture parts. I almost makes me want to say "Don't buy a Toyota, you honestly can't keep them forever even if its good. Instead buy a popular GM, even if its bad you can keep it forever".

 

[84Cressida]

Yep. Toyota really needs to do something about that. A lot of the posts on Japanese Nostalgic car are related to parts and them being hard to find. I really hope Toyota gets in on this. Maybe if more start doing it we might see a movement.

 

[2win2rbo]

I agree about the "classic center" for Toyotas. When I was into older Toyotas we get some new parts from Japan and mostly from Taiwan. Some of the parts are a bit hard to source out but they're new. They just have to put all those parts in one place for enthusiasts to have access to.

 

[Jegan_V]

I agree about the "classic center" for Toyotas. When I was into older Toyotas we get some new parts from Japan and mostly from Taiwan. Some of the parts are a bit hard to source out but they're new. They just have to put all those parts in one place for enthusiasts to have access to.

I rarely get new parts from Toyota Japan, the last pieces were trim pieces. Most often my car gets new stuff from California's Toyota parts inventory, strangely often one of the last of those items in stock. I wouldn't have an issue of where the center was(although logistically makes the most sense in Japan) so long as they stick to Toyota factory specifications, I'm still amazed at how many 24+ year old parts are in my car. I wouldn't expect it to be cheap but if they have even a 20 year lifespan, it then looks like a bit of a bargain.

 

[zythr]

I didn't know this was the same case for other Japanese automakers. I know Hondas seem to die earlier here because of how expensive they are to repair. That said, this of course means the long term reliability is meaningless if their lifespan is indicated by parts availability. I still don't understand Toyota's rationale behind not offering to re-manufacture parts. I almost makes me want to say "Don't buy a Toyota, you honestly can't keep them forever even if its good. Instead buy a popular GM, even if its bad you can keep it forever".

That's where the American companies one up the Japanese. Even though they are in competition with each other, there are parts that will fit many cars from the Big 3. Besides, as nice and reliable as Toyotas and even Hondas are, they can't and probably never will be able to beat the classic older Big 3 models, like the 1968 Dodge Charger (think General Lee), Dogde Challenger, Pontiac Firebird/TransAM, Chevy Camaro, Corvette, Mustang Thunderbird, to name a few.

 

[zythr]

Yep. Toyota really needs to do something about that. A lot of the posts on Japanese Nostalgic car are related to parts and them being hard to find. I really hope Toyota gets in on this. Maybe if more start doing it we might see a movement.

I doubt it, unfortunately, the only Toyota models that would be considered nostalgic are their early RWD models. Even the first Lexus LS400 are really cheap, with virtually no nostalgic value.

 

[zythr]

Yes, I agree with you 10000000000% and have wanted them to do this for a long time. A lot of the parts for my car are discontinued. Ford does it too and even builds body panels for old Mustangs and Broncos - maybe even more. Spare parts are usually where a lot of big $$$ are I'd imagine. Toyota really needs to get on this, especially as more and more of their older cars are becoming collectable.

Older cars,being the RWD Celica, Corona, LandCruiser? Even if they start this, you could still be out of luck for electronic parts which later model Cressidas had a lot of.

 

[Jegan_V]

That's where the American companies one up the Japanese. Even though they are in competition with each other, there are parts that will fit many cars from the Big 3. Besides, as nice and reliable as Toyotas and even Hondas are, they can't and probably never will be able to beat the classic older Big 3 models, like the 1968 Dodge Charger (think General Lee), Dogde Challenger, Pontiac Firebird/TransAM, Chevy Camaro, Corvette, Mustang Thunderbird, to name a few.

Perhaps particularly in North America where there is excellent name recognition and support for older American vehicles. Yet the Germans have excellent support for their significantly older cars particularly Mercedes. BMW is just the most recent entry. If you have the money, you'd get backing from the tri pointed star for whichever car you have. Older Mercedes are known for their durability, by supporting all of them Mercedes can continue this legacy.

I just don't see what Toyota has to lose in this, they have more to lose if they don't. I may have to reconsider buying any new Toyota because even if I love the thing to death, if I know its impossible to keep it running at age 30 that's a bad thing to me. Its forcing you to treat the car as an item to be disposed. It may not be a problem for most people, but I dislike the idea of buying anything with a expected life span, I consider it bad value(I didn't buy a new flatscreen TV because they can't be fixed, I still use CRTs). If you can tell I hate the idea of a disposable society, I just find it funny its technically the most environmentally friendly position.

 

[84Cressida]

Older cars,being the RWD Celica, Corona, LandCruiser? Even if they start this, you could still be out of luck for electronic parts which later model Cressidas had a lot of.

Japanese cars in general have been going up in collector value over the past couple of years and it keeps going up. Just look on eBay sometime and you'll sometimes spot a mint condition older Toyota going for big $$ with lots of bids on it. There's demand out there.

 

[rty]

I doubt it, unfortunately, the only Toyota models that would be considered nostalgic are their early RWD models. Even the first Lexus LS400 are really cheap, with virtually no nostalgic value.

Good. Cheaper LS400s for us. Although the Gen 2 Camry is a little more tempting to me.

 

[PhatRoyale]

I don't think that Toyota really gives a crap about owners of its older cars.

They're in the business of earning profits from the sales of new cars and by discontinuing or restricting availability of parts for older models, they would be fufilling their best interests of having them gems fall apart as quickly as possible in order to increase its turnover.

 

[JayP71]

This seems to be an area where Japanese car makers fall down in general--not just Toyota.

The little wagon I just got rid of was my first Toyota but I've owned several Nissans and one Mazda.

I picked up a mint condition '85 Sentra wagon a few years ago. 46,000 original miles and it looked two years old, not twenty. I drove that thing home feeling like I'd stolen it. I didn't own it long though. One of the reasons I got rid of the car so quickly was that parts were such a PITA to find.

 

[84Cressida]

Good. Cheaper LS400s for us. Although the Gen 2 Camry is a little more tempting to me.

My favorite Camry...

http://www.masharikirentals.com/1991.toyota.camry.10116-E

 

[zythr]

Perhaps particularly in North America where there is excellent name recognition and support for older American vehicles. Yet the Germans have excellent support for their significantly older cars particularly Mercedes. BMW is just the most recent entry. If you have the money, you'd get backing from the tri pointed star for whichever car you have. Older Mercedes are known for their durability, by supporting all of them Mercedes can continue this legacy.

This is so true. Europeans do maintain their products well, from their buildings to their cars.

 

[zythr]

I just don't see what Toyota has to lose in this, they have more to lose if they don't. I may have to reconsider buying any new Toyota because even if I love the thing to death, if I know its impossible to keep it running at age 30 that's a bad thing to me. Its forcing you to treat the car as an item to be disposed. It may not be a problem for most people, but I dislike the idea of buying anything with a expected life span, I consider it bad value(I didn't buy a new flatscreen TV because they can't be fixed, I still use CRTs). If you can tell I hate the idea of a disposable society, I just find it funny its technically the most environmentally friendly position.[/QUOTE]


Sales. Toyota like any other auto company is in the business to make money. If the majority of people did not turn in/sell their cars for new ones, Toyota would not have been the world's largest automaker.