The world's greatest factory floor is fatigued! The article lists the following disturbing changes at Toyota

First off, you can't just look at 2 random years in comparison to attempt to demonstrate a trend.

Second, this is an extremely old article, where do you guys come up with these things?????

Third, many of the claims have no evidence to back them up.

There are so many fourths, fifths and so on, I cant even take the time to point out the flaws.

Why do I even respond to this nonsense??????

— 1970toyotamarc (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 2:13:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

OUCH!!! 5) Hyundai surpasses Toyota in quality rankings

How about all the spying problems they've been getting into? I think that speaks for itself.

— GTR35 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 2:19:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5   

More lies posted by German fanboys to make Toyota look bad. Don't even mention Toyota + Recall in one sentence, doesn't exist.

Also Lexus cars are outselling BMW and Benz in Japan and in many other Asian markets. Asian customers are capable of recognizing true quality products, unlike stupid Europeans (even though Lexus is doing very well in Europe).

Many companies are envious of Toyota's quality. Bentley and Rolls Royce benchmark the Toyota Corolla interior because it is so good and well made. If companies like Bentley and Rolls Royce benchmark a simple Toyota Corolla interior, imagine what would happen if they benchmark an ultra quality Lexus interior?

— david989 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 2:26:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -10   

you need to look outside of the box. JD Power is not the defacto standard on rankings.

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 2:45:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Toyota is still the number one. Always has and always will be. I pray to Emperor Hirohito that Hyundai will get laughed off the American market because their cars look like pokemons compared to the beautiful and class leading designs of Toyota.

— david989 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 2:45:49 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -7   

David989 - Pass some of the stuff you are smoking down the line. It must be real good.

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 2:46:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Agent009, I don't smoke. It's bad for my health.

— david989 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 2:48:21 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

Agent009, I don't smoke. It's bad for my health.

— david989 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 2:54:21 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

SEE? I NEW THIS WOLD HAPPEN1 I TOLD YOU THIS WULD HAPPEN! TOYOTA GOING DOWN AND BMW/BENZ GOING UP!

WHAT NOW JAP FANBOYS!

— BenzW124 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 5:03:59 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -8   

As well the ranking might be different for the Japanese JD Power surveys...

— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 8/24/2007 11:14:19 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

I own many cars and except their strengths and weaknesses. This article just raises the question as to whether or not quality is toyota's strength or weakness.

— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 3:03:18 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Toyota is well known for their reliable cars etc...but that dosent mean that they are just the natural leaders in this segment, they have worked hard to get there. Other brands are pushing the envelope too....

— alfistiDK (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 3:08:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

When toyota made simple cars they were probably reliable. I mean what can go wrong with a anemic 4 cylinder car with power nothing and roll up windows. But now that they are making cars to compete on a world market which require many different features and options they can only market quality just ask:

Posted by: Mike Young - August 20, 2006 09:53 PM

I can attest to this. As a long time Toyota owner I am really suffering with my 2005 camry. It only get and go when it want to. Best of all this is normal when I call and describe this to customer service. Dealer said it is a problem but they have no fix.

OR

After owning 11 solid and reliable Toyotas over 20 years, my new 2005 Avalon had more transmission, throttle control, build quality and other issues than any car I had EVER owned. I got rid of it after only a few months. They sure don't make them like they used to. Toyota is now JUNK.

Posted by: Al - August 22, 2006 06:11 AM

— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 3:17:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Nobodys hating toyota, they are just hating you instead for defending them even more than the CEO of toyota would have done. Everyone makes mistakes, even toyota...sorry to burst your little happy bubble.

— alfistiDK (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 3:23:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Very funny..I don't hate toyota in fact I used to own a Celica. It just don't believe they are what they purported to be. As do lot's of other people who have owned them and have not experienced the bullet proof quality that you and toyota markets. So does this guy;

What your article says must be true. Goto

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0c6927/816

and see all the Hesitation/transmission problems with the new 2007 Camry LE 4cyl

Posted by: John Glover - August 20, 2006 08:54 AM

BTW what are you smoking! Taking! Drinking!

— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 3:28:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

david989: Dude, You are unf*****ingbelievable.
Give me some of that s***t you are smoking.
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
My stomach hurts so bad.

— AUTO_UNION (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 3:31:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

The scariest thing I found about the article is that there seems to be systemic problem within the toyota infrastructure which is greatly impacting the quality of their products. This is exemplified in the excerpt:

The lights on the Toyota Technical Center building are on past 10PM, even at midnight on some days. There is no second shift of engineers, they are simply putting in very long hours. Toyo Keizai interviewed some young workers from a Toyota supplier "If we stay on this path, quality problems will increase and so will the lawsuits" and "If they keep working people this hard, eventually no one will want to work here."

— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 3:33:33 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

POST OF THE MILLENIUM

david989 :
"More lies posted by German fanboys to make Toyota look bad. Don't even mention Toyota + Recall in one sentence, doesn't exist.

Also Lexus cars are outselling BMW and Benz in Japan and in many other Asian markets. Asian customers are capable of recognizing true quality products, unlike stupid Europeans (even though Lexus is doing very well in Europe).

Many companies are envious of Toyota's quality. Bentley and Rolls Royce benchmark the Toyota Corolla interior because it is so good and well made. If companies like Bentley and Rolls Royce benchmark a simple Toyota Corolla interior, imagine what would happen if they benchmark an ultra quality Lexus interior?"

MY STOMACH STILL HURTS AS HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLll!!!!

— AUTO_UNION (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 3:44:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

omgz teh recalls!

— gsh23 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 3:57:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

No manufacturing company is free of defect nor bullet proof. I personally don't believe Toyota is bullet proof either; however, they have better reputaion than other manufacturs to produce their products with fewer problems.

— sracekili (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 4:11:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Frankly, I don't care.

— SevorbeupstryIsBack (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 4:16:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

When you're at the top, the only place you can go is down. So yeah, they've had some setbacks, but guess what? They're still #2 in the world. That's how successful they already were.

— Will_ (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 4:34:39 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

SEE? I NEW THIS WOLD HAPPEN1 I TOLD YOU THIS WULD HAPPEN! TOYOTA GOING DOWN AND BMW/BENZ GOING UP!

WHAT NOW JAP FANBOYS!

— BenzW124 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 5:01:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5   

SEE? I NEW THIS WOLD HAPPEN1 I TOLD YOU THIS WULD HAPPEN! TOYOTA GOING DOWN AND BMW/BENZ GOING UP!

WHAT NOW JAP FANBOYS!

— BenzW124 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 5:03:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5   

I think the growth of Toyota/Lexus has brought about some quality issues as well as other things. (I'm looking at you ES/Camry transmission bugs!)

With that said, they still have reigned supreme in the quality and reliability department for well over a decade.

Other brands such as Buick are catching up (and good for them!). But instead of chiding Lexus for having some quality slip-ups, why not bash on those other brands who have not seen the success Lexus has had in reliability studies.

An intelligent person would look to Lexus's past history of success, combined with their leadership position even with some problems, and predict that Lexus is more likely to correct any problems than become a bottom dweller on JD Power's list.

Speaking of reliability, BenzW124 is becoming a very reliable source of stupidity here at autospies.

— answer (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 5:33:33 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

...

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 10:07:04 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

this is so OBVIOUSLY B.S., and you FELL for it!

if what he says is true (highly doubtful) he was trading/buying new toyotas TWICE A YEAR!

WHO ever does that? given their reliability, most owners trade toyotas more like twice a DECADE, if not even less often.

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 10:10:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

oops. make that a new toyota every other year. STILL far more often than average. or necessary.

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 10:26:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Maybe he owned more than one car for himself. Duh!

— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 8/24/2007 9:17:23 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Its so great being #1 everyone wants to take a shot at you.I'm loving it.

— autopro (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 7:20:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

YE HAW!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HA HA HA HA! THE JAPANESE CAR MAKER IS GOING DOWN!!

Yippe yi yo, yippe yi yi yay!!

— BentleyGT (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 7:50:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

Most points are valid to a degree, except for that Hyundai BS.

Two points that stood out. More parts sharing means recalls are larger. Simple math to anyone with commonsense. Second, and this is from my friend in the industry, but Toyota is short on skilled labour, skilled meaning experienced in the industry.

The contract/temporary point is lame though. The Big 3 have permanent unionized labour and look how good their cars were. Only the threat of death has Buick measured up.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 8:51:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

hyundai sucks --if you own one you shouldnt even be on this site

— ronnsscooby (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 9:18:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Dicar9 sounds like another zipperhead, fish eating, small pecker yellow skin, fart can,midget,complete loser gook boy. Go Home little man

— spadog55 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/23/2007 11:42:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -6   

(need to be) spayeddog--

your racist comments are distastful and downright IGNORANT.

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 8/24/2007 4:13:02 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7   

It's funny how it was an American who pioneered the good manufacturing culture in Japan. And now the Japanese have ruined this culture by being greedy..

>
Dr. W. Edwards Deming is known as the father of the Japanese post-war industrial revival and was regarded by many as the leading quality guru in the United States. He passed on in 1993.

Trained as a statistician, his expertise was used during World War II to assist the United States in its effort to improve the quality of war materials.

He was invited to Japan at the end of World War II by Japanese industrial leaders and engineers. They asked Dr. Deming how long it would take to shift the perception of the world from the existing paradigm that Japan produced cheap, shoddy imitations to one of producing innovative quality products.

See here: http://www.lii.net/deming.html
>

— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 8/24/2007 9:12:51 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

I cant believe i just waded through 66 comments of nonsense. And everyone is missing the main points of contention that I brought up in the first entry.

1. This article is old. (Aug 06)

2. It is using very limited data to prove its point. (Comparing 2 specific years to get recall info)

3. Many of its points are based on no data at all, just hypothetical conjecture. (Lexus struggling in Japan)

And yet instead of a healthy discussion of the merits or lack thereof, we get 66 posts of david and benz trolling, and the rest of you feeding into it. Only one person responded to me, and I dont think you answered any of my criticisms, but thanks for the effort. Grow up, people!!!

— 1970toyotamarc (View Profile)

Posted on 8/24/2007 12:15:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

There is nothing to refute that the information in the article is inaccurate.

— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 8/24/2007 2:05:42 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Here does this answer number 3 for you..

Yasuhiko Yokoi, managing officer in charge of Toyota's Lexus marketing division, said late last year that 40,000 units were likely for Lexus in Japan in 2007, below an official target of 51,000 units.

Quoted from here;

http://wardsautoworld.com/ar/auto_acura_delays/

— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 8/24/2007 2:15:33 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

the Land cruiser is the only toyota I'd consider buying, since its underrated, great reputation for quality and reliability, and great off-road as far as the USDM lineup goes. a great history too. that is if they (ToMoCo) have any problems with this car that they might want to say to me. I hope nothing goes wrong with this car.

— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/25/2007 9:35:00 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

"Or the fact that Toyota's and Lexus are more safe than Volvo's." LMAO. I love your humor. its like your actually serious about it!!

— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/25/2007 9:37:49 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

With all the information with respect to the poor quality of toyota products I find that hard to believe!

— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 8/26/2007 8:14:37 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Nothing to see here, move along please.....

— johnct (View Profile)

Posted on 8/26/2007 8:57:13 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Toyota has a major frome problem on the Toyota FJ! Kpaxx was your frame cracked? I have jumped my 1993 four runner and bent the wimpy bump stops but never bent the frame.Your Fj has around 7-8 inches of pathetic wheel travel! My 1993 four runner came with factory 12in rear and a pathetic 7ish front wheel travel.As for The new tundra it doesn't carry enough weight or tow enough. You may as well get a full size.Toy doesn't make quality anymore! Marketing is geared towards the ignorant young! Numbers speak louder to me.Deboost the truth?

— truckmen (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 4:05:29 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2