JAPAN -Toyota Quality Suffers

The Toyota PR bitch rides high:

Fellow Americans – Buy a Toyota SAVE 7K in residual. Initial quality now means nothing, and we have a day care at our factory. We lost 12 Billion in Profit, but we suspect another “best month ever.”

Temp employment = quality issues..

The question is,according to the article, "Has Toyota quality gone down, or has quality claimed by Ford gone up to the Toyota standard?

Toronto Bob wrote:

The question is,according to the article, "Has Toyota quality gone down, or has quality claimed by Ford gone up to the Toyota standard?

In a way both things have occurred. Anybody in their right mind would be in denial if they haven’t “picked up” on the latest quality issues churning out of the Toyota Corporation. Same goes for the other, its no secret that Ford has increased quality.

70plyRR wrote:

<quoted text>In a way both things have occurred. Anybody in their right mind would be in denial if they haven’t “picked up” on the latest quality issues churning out of the Toyota Corporation. Same goes for the other, its no secret that Ford has increased quality.

Ford increased INITIAL quality rankings, but has done nothing for long term reliability.

There is a lengthy and well-written article in yesterday's Automotive News where the editor talks about the issues he has had with his Mustang. In addition to turning him off to the Ford brand, he clearly lays out how much the warranty work has cost Ford and how much money Ford has lost on that car because of its poor build quality. To top it all off, the paint is starting to come off on the hood! Ford has accepted warranty responsibility and is going to re-spray the entire vehicle. He's also on his third catalytic converter, all covered by the emissions warranty.

OUCH

That stuff doesn't show up in the initial quality ratings.

Truckin wrote:

<quoted text>
Ford increased INITIAL quality rankings, but has done nothing for long term reliability.
There is a lengthy and well-written article in yesterday's Automotive News where the editor talks about the issues he has had with his Mustang. In addition to turning him off to the Ford brand, he clearly lays out how much the warranty work has cost Ford and how much money Ford has lost on that car because of its poor build quality. To top it all off, the paint is starting to come off on the hood! Ford has accepted warranty responsibility and is going to re-spray the entire vehicle. He's also on his third catalytic converter, all covered by the emissions warranty.
OUCH
That stuff doesn't show up in the initial quality ratings.

Ok so I concede that Ford increased initial reliability ratings and shall be construed as bad to some. Frankly I say its goooood news for Ford. Think about it, if they beat Toyota at initial ratings, what does that say for toy? Something doesn’t match up.

“Buy a Toyota with lower initial reliability, save 7K residual, and it’s a good car, we promise.”

70plyRR wrote:

<quoted text>Ok so I concede that Ford increased initial reliability ratings and shall be construed as bad to some. Frankly I say its goooood news for Ford. Think about it, if they beat Toyota at initial ratings, what does that say for toy? Something doesn’t match up.
“Buy a Toyota with lower initial reliability, save 7K residual, and it’s a good car, we promise.”

Well you and I both know the proof is in the pudding, and I'm MORE concerned about the vehicle after the warranty is expired, rather than initially when it is fully covered bumper-to-bumper.

I wish I could post the article about the Mustang on here, it was truly a neutral view and experience from someone who held out hope for Ford only to have their car become unreliable.

Off topic - but kudos to GM for the design of the Saturn SC2. I changed the fuel filter this weekend and the part was $20 (I can stomach that, it included hard and flex line and a built in fuel pressure port) and the whole job took me about 1/2 hour, hardest part was getting a wrench up in there. The GM quick connects functioned as intended and it is now good for another 100K.

Truckin wrote:

<quoted text>
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I wish I could post the article about the Mustang on here, it was truly a neutral view and experience from someone who held out hope for Ford only to have their car become unreliable.

Mustangs are high performance cars, they are not going to be reliable, if you want reliability buy a Focus or a Fusion. Mustangs are meant to be beaten in to the ground. I have never owned one, but if I did, I would tear it up ..