You can find a reliable Toyota Camry from the mid-90s on the road with over 150k miles. It may not be in the best shape, but it can start up, run and do 80 mph on the highway everyday of the week without fail. In regards to Ford Tauruses, no way. Many of them cant start up, run or are probably in the junk yard by now. When you buy a Toyota, you buy a vehicle that will probably outlast you. When you buy a Ford, you get the following: - Noise, noise and more noise. - Reliable up to 25k miles and then things start to go wrong - At 50-60k the transmission needs to be replaced - At 80k, the vehicle seems like its on its last leg A Toyota keeps ticking no matter how hard it is pushed....
FYI, I have a 6 cyl. 1996 Ford Ranger truck in my business that currently has over 600,000 miles on it! The only major repairs were the clutch replaced around 350,000 miles.
that was my point. perhaps I wasn't clear. Germany and Japan were defeated. And actually Iraq was defeated. Our whole purpose was to remove Saddam from power. That mission was actually accomplished. However we had to occupy the country because the folks there don't seem to understand that Liberty and Freedom our built on the blood of patriots. They have yet to step forward and show they want their freedom and police their own. Maybe we need to leave first then they'll be builder cheaper cars than gm and ford as well.
The funny thing is, it appears that the faster a country acknowledges defeat against US forces, the sooner it rises to economic prosperity, so it would probably pay for the Cubans to be "invaded" for say, a couple of days, raise the buried white flags, sit back and collect the $billions in "economic assistance" after.
Why not say 6 million miles on it? If this is a common case, why are Ford used cars much cheaper than Toyota's? Are those used car buyers stupid?
I actually think Toyota is better at design than Ford or GM. BUT asking why the public puts a premium on something as if public opinion is intelligent is well... Let's see... The public voted for Bush, twice. The public was bullish on housing 3-4 years ago. The public was buying monster SUV's untill 6 mos ago. Yeah, very intelligent "public" we have.
You are suggesting legacy cost is a contributor to the big 3's problem. I acknowledge legacy cost is a factor. But I don't know anybody who bought a Toyota/Honda because the big 3 cost more.
Just my $.02 ........... Ford EU/Ford AU > Toyota > Ford US The Ford products in Europe and Australia are excellent imo.....the Ford line in the U.S. is weak (though, I will say I do like the styling of the Lincoln MKS which is just about to be launched.....moving in the right direction). Aussie Ford Falcon XR.......... http://paultan.org/archives/2008/02/19/new-fg-2009-ford-falcon-xt-g-and-xr/ EU Ford Focus........... http://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/0807_2009_ford_focus_rs/index.html
FYI, trucks are the only things American companies know how to build. I had a Ford Probe - the engine died at 90K and the tranny at 110K I had a Ford TBird - the engine died at 91K and the replacement cost of the engine I decided was better spent on a different car My brother's Contour was 12 years old with 70K miles, and was scrapped it needed so much work I now drive Toyotas and Hondas from now on, or their luxury divisions.