I've been running an 1.8 04 Toyota Avensis for a year now. I deliberately bought a jap car after all the reliability issues and ropey build quality I had with my last two cars (Ford and Vauxhall).
However although I like the car it seems to be a bigger lemon than my old Omega - which is fairly suprising. With under 20k on the clock this car has had:
1) 1 major recall (steering defect)
2) 2 new headlights
3) 1 new clutch master cylinder
4) New windscreen and front door seals
5) 3 visits to the main dealer to rectify a high pitched screech at motorway speeds (as yet this is not fixed)
And now I've just read that the 1.8 vvti (mine!) is likely to start burning oil at a horrendous rate!
I know cars can be the luck of the draw, but so far I'm pretty disappointed with the Toyota experience -anyone else had smilar experiences?
BTW - I have to admit - the local dealer has been most helpful and polite!
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A very good friend of mine bought a 51 plate Celica 190 VVTLi from a Toyota main dealer at three months old (ex-demo). It transpired to be the most unreliable car he's ever owned.
In its first two years:
1) Total gearbox failure at 6,000 miles traced to an incorrectly fitted circlip during assembly.
2) Suspension would not stay in alignment. Car would destroy tyres in 5,000 miles.
3) Various misfires and flatspots which were progressively eliminated by way of ECU software updates
4) Catalytic converters lasted about 10,000 miles each before breaking up internally and rattling.
5) Tappet rattle from cold which was never properly fixed.
6) Wiring fault caused havoc with some of the dash controls.
7) Interior creaked and rattled like an old truck from about 20,000 miles upwards.
The car was doing 25k a year, but almost all on motorways, was not abused, and was serviced on the button at the supplying dealer. Dealer was great, Toyota were not.
He asked the finance company to come and collect it at half way through the finance period because there were more gearbox problems brewing and it was starting to use oil in a worrying way.
I can recall all this in detail because it was the sole subject of his ranting down the local every weekend for a while. I have to say, I would have been equally annoyed.
Cheers
DP
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and was serviced on the button at the supplying dealer. Dealer was great, Toyota were not.
Must say that our 98 Clio (touch wood!) has been a paragon of virtue compared to a friend's 2000 Yaris however with consideration to the fact that my wife is after a Verso it is their experiences with the dealer that is most worrying, they have fallen out big time and now use an indy.
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If you look at the Toyota recall rate both in europe and in the US - it is not that good at all.
I have experience of problems with my Corolla as well in all honestlt. It has never left me stranded (touch wood) but has been in for a number of warranty and recall issues and some are still not fixed.
I do not rate their build quality.
Again the dealers tried hard but if they do not fix anything what use are they.
PS - Do not try posting any bad news on the web site page - owners reviews - they will not post them - unlike Honda who tend to post good and bad news.
Personally I will never have another one.
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Wife had a Yaris. Repeated failures of drive shaft oil seals, from new. Not terribly helpful dealer. Bought new Jazz - v. happy so far @ 1 year.
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From discussions with other people as well, it seems the Toyota image is a lot better than the reality!
Presumably their perceived image is set in the past, perhaps a bit like VW. My experiences have certainly put me off and the next car is likely to be a Mondeo (absolutely shocking dealers, but local independants are fine with them)
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anyone had a problem with a car built in japan?? (they usually have a sticker on the windscreen)
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Our French built 02 Yaris 1.0 has been, and still is, great, with no unscheduled visits to the dealer. Driven mostly by my wife, who gives it stick.
John
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>>I have experience of problems with my Corolla as well in all honestlt. It has never left me stranded (touch wood) but has been in for a number of warranty and >>recall issues and some are still not fixed.
I bet the radio facia dropping problem is among those which were NOT fixed ?
- - - - - - -
Free enterprise is the basis of western economy.
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I don't think the build quality of euro-built Toyotas comes close to what they were pushing out of their Japanese factories in the late 80s/90s, but I have no recent experience of Japanese built ones.
That said, over 9000 miles since new, my Avensis has not missed a beat and nothing has rattled or fallen off. Unfortunately the car has not got the reward it deserves, having had a slow speed coming together with an out of control Seat yesterday; it's now at the bodyshop for assessment - looks like new bumper, wing, door and headlight are required. :(
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Wifes first Corolla a 1.4 petrol went back after 3 years & 58K miles. In that time it had a complete gearbox rebuild at 40K having complained about no synchro on 2nd at 16K. A new steering column as the indicators didn't self cancel, a new clutch at 35K. Otherwise it was fine! The dealer is useless....
She now has a diesel corolla D4D which seems OK at the mo (5K miles) but is horrible to drive.
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2 ways to look at this I reckon:
1) Lots of recalls = poorly-built car
or
2) Lots of recalls: well done Toyota for their thoroughness, honesty, and keenness to get things right and keep the customer mobile!
Is it my imagination or is the total number of recalls each year (for all manufacturers) on the increase?!
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anyone had a problem with a car built in japan?? (they usually have a sticker on the windscreen)
I haven't but a mate works at Toyota UK HQ and has a new lease car every 6 months.
He had a (Jap-built) Previa D that had a problemmatic gearbox that couldn't be fixed and was eventually stripped down to reveal a manufacturing defect. He was also telling me about his bosses (Jap-built) Lexus 300 that creaked from new around the windscreen. Lengthy investigations showed that the A-pillar metal had cracked between two spot-welds.
I'm not knocking Toyota per se, but I think that car manufacturing is so competitive these days that, in the massive complexity that goes into designing and manufacturing modern cars, corners are bound to be cut.
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My Yaris is Japan built. I'll let you all know when anything goes wrong...I hope not to have to post for a very long time cos I expect it to last for at least 15 years...
madf
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