Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 41 to 80 of 93
  1. #41
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    big 3
    around 400k american workers as of 2005 with less then 50% market share, including union and top level execs

    all other car companies combined
    just over 100k american workers, many making far sub UAW wages with no healthcare

    so it matters who owns the company you buy your car from

  2. #42
    DCI's Avatar
    DCI
    DCI is offline Productive Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    9,657
    I agree whole heartedly with Kratos. They are heaps of shit imo. And have no imagination. They had to look to America and Europe for their designs and engine designs also. Couldn't come up with innovation if they tried.

  3. #43
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    Quote Originally Posted by Damien_C View Post
    I agree whole heartedly with Kratos. They are heaps of shit imo. And have no imagination. They had to look to America and Europe for their designs and engine designs also. Couldn't come up with innovation if they tried.
    I can't help but like the euro designs. They put more money into the details.

  4. #44
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    toyota's been hiring ex regulators to keep things quiet

    http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...Hte3hl18&pos=5

  5. #45
    DCI's Avatar
    DCI
    DCI is offline Productive Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    9,657
    Quote Originally Posted by Kratos View Post
    I can't help but like the euro designs. They put more money into the details.
    That they do. Euro cars are designed by a person with a brain rather than an accountant behind them.

  6. #46
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    Toyota announced that it planned to recall about 8,000 2010 model Toyota Tacomas to inspect the trucks’ front driveshaft. The trucks, equipped with 4-wheel drive, might contain a cracked part that could become more damaged when the vehicle is driven.
    The shaft can break and cause the vehicle to loose control.
    Last edited by Kratos; 02-13-2010 at 12:18 AM.

  7. #47
    DCI's Avatar
    DCI
    DCI is offline Productive Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    9,657
    Jayus they are heaps of junk

  8. #48
    Narkissos's Avatar
    Narkissos is offline AR-Hall of Famer ~Diet Guru~
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Barbados
    Posts
    20,774
    Blog Entries
    5
    Both of my cars were European
    -Corey "Narkissos" Springer

    Published Author.
    Owner of :
    Apollo Fitness Barbados etc
    Blogger

    Quote Originally Posted by texasmk4
    Nark is like intel, Brilliant inside and awsome outside :-)
    Quote Originally Posted by Narkissos
    Here's a little-known-secret, that most people won't tell you: In the sphere of fitness, everything works.
    Every(intelligent)thing works (once aptly and consistently applied)
    It really is that simple.
    This is the perpetual bodybuilding paradigm
    **No Source Checks**
    Contact Me

  9. #49
    boz's Avatar
    boz
    boz is offline R.I.P. T-Gunz Gone but, Never Forgotten.
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Downunder
    Posts
    2,125
    I love toyota supras.

  10. #50
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    Quote Originally Posted by boz88 View Post
    I love toyota supras.
    peice of shit with chronic head gasket issues
    heavy, small, not very impressive performance, cheap plastic interior
    performance was decent if you paid well over 40k for the turbo version
    for that price you could get something a heck of a lot better
    why do you think they sold poorly?
    they look pretty dumpy unless very modified, nothing to write home about anyway, seeing as how they aren't that reliable and they cost more then a corvette and are a heck of a lot slower.
    most people are thinking of the fast and the furious when they say they like supras, not being aware that car cost 250k to build...yeah, that's exactly what I want, a quarter million dollar toyota.
    how about anything you like built in the last 10 years
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails want a new toyota, gonna have to wait-toyota_supra_3506743_orig.jpg   want a new toyota, gonna have to wait-130_0709_03_z-1994_toyota_supra_turbo-interior_view.jpg  
    Last edited by Kratos; 02-14-2010 at 11:40 AM.

  11. #51
    DCI's Avatar
    DCI
    DCI is offline Productive Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    9,657
    Kratos the first pic is a Celica not a Supra. And the interior is a Supra's one.

    This is a supra:


  12. #52
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    I just grabbed the first pic that didn't have a body kit or rims on it, which are pretty rare.
    anyway, neither one does much of anything for me...they weren't anything all that special. 225 hp for over 30 grand (would comepare to 40k now), make sure you have a stupid big wing when driving anything that powerful.

  13. #53
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    "Toyota's slogan is "Moving Forward" -- they don't say anything in there about stopping." --Stephen Colbert on the Comedy Channel's The Colbert Report.

    "Over the next two weeks, we're going to have the Winter Olympics... They're doing something this year that is going to add a little more excitement. All the bobsleds are made by Toyota," -- NBC's Jay Leno.

    "Critics of the automobile industry are saying that Toyota executives knew about the problems with the brakes years and years ago. And they're wondering...why did they drag their feet? Well, trying to stop the car. That's what they were doing." -- CBS' David Letterman.

    "The recall is so scary that as he is driving to work: The navigation lady was actually praying." -- Also from Letterman

    "To make sure Bill Clinton's heart doesn't stop, doctors put in a special pacemaker made by Toyota" -- Gary B.at Dailycomedy.com

    "Toyota should borrow the ad slogan from Energizer batteries: "It keeps going and going." -- Cara Tramontano on DailyComedy.com, with some massaging by Drive On.

    "The new model from Toyota this spring, the Toyota Apology: It gets two repair shops to the gallon" -- Bix Brillo on DailyComedy.com

    "What do Toyota and Tiger Woods have in common? They both don't know when to stop."

  14. #54
    The Deuce's Avatar
    The Deuce is offline Anabolic Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Maine
    Posts
    2,618
    Those are a riot !! but so true at the same time...

    I will stick to my Chevy;s for my Trucks/Suv's

    and BMW's/Audi's/and Benz's for "Cars" (Only European for cars)

    Unless of course it's a Corvette or Camaro or Mustang ... (Muscle Cars) because ... any other vehicle I think is junk... The cobalt?? the focus?? the malibu? the impala? anything... Unless of course it's a Chrysler 300c .. that friggen car is a dream ride. You glide over bumps, manholes, ruts, potholes.. like it's fresh smooth ride on a cloud. ..

    oh and BTW ... Fvck the dumb shit, and in this case.. the dumb shit being TOYOTA !!

  15. #55
    DCI's Avatar
    DCI
    DCI is offline Productive Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    9,657
    Quote Originally Posted by Kratos View Post
    I just grabbed the first pic that didn't have a body kit or rims on it, which are pretty rare.
    anyway, neither one does much of anything for me...they weren't anything all that special. 225 hp for over 30 grand (would comepare to 40k now), make sure you have a stupid big wing when driving anything that powerful.
    Ahh ya I didn't mean anything by it at all was just making sure everyone was on the same page lol. They seem to command big money over here with their TT 3l engine to be honest nice enough to drive having driven one but would never want to own one to be honest.

  16. #56
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    DETROIT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) will replace an oil hose in some 933,800 vehicles in the United States due to the risk of a potential leak that could damage the engine if left untreated, the automaker said on Monday.

    On some Camry, Avalon, Rav4 and Lexus vehicles equipped with V6 engines, the rubber portion of the engine oil hose may develop a small hole, potentially causing oil leakage and engine failure, Toyota said in a document sent to U.S. dealers and obtained by Reuters on Monday.

    Owners of the vehicles can have the oil hose replaced with a newly designed one at Toyota dealerships at no charge until March 31, 2013. The work will take about an hour.

    Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons confirmed the company had sent the document on a "limited service campaign" to U.S. dealers. He added that the oil hose issue is not a safety issue and the vehicles are not being recalled.

    Safety issues have already forced Toyota, the world's top automaker, to recall more than 8.5 million vehicles worldwide.

    Toyota global quality control chief Shinichi Sasaki and North American President Yoshimi Inaba are scheduled to appear before a Senate committee on Tuesday for a third hearing on its handling of consumer complaints about sudden acceleration.

    COMPANY CHECKING OTHER TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES

    The oil hose service campaign covers 2007-2010 model year Camry, 2005-2009 Avalon, 2006-2009 Rav4, 2007-2008 Lexus ES 350 and 2007-2009 RX 350 vehicles.

    Toyota is also investigating whether the same condition may affect other Toyota and Lexus vehicles, the document showed.

    Lyons said a leak would likely be noticed by drivers as the condition may cause abnormal engine noise or cause the oil pressure light to illuminate.

    Lyons said he was not sure when Toyota first noticed the problem of degrading oil hoses, but said it has adjusted production so vehicles on assembly lines do not have the problem.

  17. #57
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    at least they say sorry when their cars fall apart right


    In 2006, toyoda's predecessor, Katsuaki Watanabe, shocked onlookers by bowing low at a news conference and vowing Toyota would improve its quality and that it had slipped. I guess just saying your sorry is enough. But I'm sure this time will be different.

    good clip lol
    http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/103420/

  18. #58
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    so to be fair gm is recalling a large number of cars
    1.3 million chevy cobalts and pontiac g5's

    big recall, power steering problem...it is their fault, 14 people were injured and the Nhtsa had opened an investigation.
    '
    but what the media isn't telling you
    the supplier JTEKT is owned by toyota and those units are also in toyotas...and JTEKT Corp, is one of the major manufacturers of Toyota parts.

    JTEKT uses four U.S. plants to supply steering systems to Toyota’s North American-built Avalon, Camry, Sequoia, Sienna, Solara, Tacoma and Tundra, all hydraulic types; and the Corolla, Matrix, RAV4, Venza, Lexus RX 350 and Pontiac Vibe, all fitted with column-mounted EPS.

    GM vice-chairman Bob Lutz told the BBC at the Geneva Motor show: "This is a case where, yes, we would blame a Toyota-owned supplier."

    Mr Lutz said the supplier had not met "all requirements for reliability and durability".

    "So we will have to see who takes financial responsibility," he said. "But this is a risk you sometimes take when you buy a complete system from a supplier."

    clearly the ultimate responsibility falls on gm
    they have to have ownership for the quality of their cars
    this is not a gm design
    the design is not approved by GM, but they should have done better testing
    similar parts are in many toyotas
    the company is owned by toyota
    gm filed a lawsuit in november for 30 million because of the low quality of parts provided by this supplier.

  19. #59
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    Toyota is recalling 7,300 of its 2010 Camrys to check a power-steering hose that may come into contact with a brake tube.

    Owners of the 2010 Camry can expect letters from the automaker in March, asking them to bring their cars in for a free repair.

  20. #60
    gixxerboy1's Avatar
    gixxerboy1 is offline ~VET~ Extraordinaire~
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    32,802
    Quote Originally Posted by Nicotine View Post
    kratos, with all due respect - are you a redneck chevy lover? LOL

    im a fan of ALL cars.

    i had a chevy s10 with a 350, 202 headers, slap shifter, shaved, cnotched rear frame, etc etc etc.

    crap like the ford explorer - was proven, it wasnt the tires. it was the design of the vehicles.

    every single company has had small and large recalls.

    as for my car being a "kit car"?

    k20z1 swap from an acura type-s, and changing the car from silver to white...

    wow, that truly constitutes a "kit car"

    i bet if you did that to a 1991 camaro, you'd probally think it was the hottest thing rollin.... lol

    your statement in itself shows your ignorance. no offence, and im not starting an argument, but saying my car is a "kit car" when you obiously know nothing about it - is just ignorant.

    go drink your winny.

    hey kratos, why not take your own advice you've given out many times, and read the rules: http://forums.steroid.com/showthread.php?t=308588

    thanks for the personal attack.

    lol

    ANNNNNNNNNNNNND

    Mark (friend of mine) - his EF honda hatch (1991) eating a supercharged vette...first pass at the track ever.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEcqWI_A9mk

    and i have had project cars in the past. my car currently is 95% OEM. other than the acura motor swap (still oem, technically) and spoiler (got the japanese spoiler for my car)

    i've had a 441hp del sol, and a 341hp EK, and a turbo EG also...those are the tire #'s, not a crank.

    BUILT NOT BOUGHT...it's cool you can buy something from the dealer...congrats.

    i'd rather put a bit more work into it than that..same with the chevy i had.

    anyone can buy a car, nothing special.

    kthx for your ignorance.
    does your friend mark really have a paracute on the back of a 10 sec civic?

  21. #61
    Nicotine's Avatar
    Nicotine is offline Anabolic Member
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    CANADA!!
    Posts
    3,783
    Quote Originally Posted by gixxerboy1 View Post
    does your friend mark really have a paracute on the back of a 10 sec civic?
    yes. but - that was the first strip run - EVER.

    it's capable of more than 10s. and i believe because the setup is now in the 9s, it's required or some shit.

    it's not for use in the 10 sec catagory, but as the car (this year) hits lower times, i think it's mandatory on some tracks/organizations.

    cant hate on turning a 16-17 sec car into a 9-10 sec car

    annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd

    in other news...

    im still kind of a fan of toyota, but even for me - all this is a bit much.

    i was thinking when i buy a new car in a yr or 2 - i was going to look at the toyota lot....

    definately not now.

    at least honda isnt fukin up this bad!
    Last edited by Nicotine; 03-03-2010 at 01:03 AM.

  22. #62
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    Report: Toyota Repairs No Fix for Problems
    http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/03...y6261851.shtml

    A month after Toyota vowed to fix vehicles that suddenly accelerated, some car owners have already started complaining that the repairs were insufficient, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times Wednesday.

    So far, at least seven complaints in the last two weeks have been filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, saying the repairs to pedals and floor mats have not stopped their cars from surging unexpectedly, the paper reports.

    NHTSA has not confirmed the allegations.

    "There is already doubt out there that the solutions Toyota has put forward really fix the problem of unintended acceleration," Aaron Bragman, an auto industry analyst told the newspaper.

    In one of the reports filed with NHTSA, a 2010 Camry owner who had their car repaired Feb. 12 in Michigan said it accelerated up a snow bank just five days later after receiving special brake override software, the complaint said.

    "Had the incident happened one minute earlier, I would have been in a high car/pedestrian area and would not have been able to avoid an accident," the consumer wrote. "The fix done by Toyota is not the fix for the acceleration problem."

    Toyota has recalled nearly 10 million vehicles worldwide this year.

  23. #63
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    Quote Originally Posted by Nicotine View Post
    cant hate on turning a 16-17 sec car into a 9-10 sec car

    annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd

    in other news...

    im still kind of a fan of toyota, but even for me - all this is a bit much.

    i was thinking when i buy a new car in a yr or 2 - i was going to look at the toyota lot....
    !
    Well, I don't understand it, but I guess cars are all about personal taste.

    What model toyota would you have been interested in? Just from a styling standpoint I'm suprized you like them.

  24. #64
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    TOKYO (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co <7201.T>, Japan's third-biggest car maker, said it will recall about 540,000 vehicles worldwide due to potential defects in brake pedal pins and fuel-gauge components, mostly in the United States.

    Nissan said five models from 2008 to 2010 model years, including the Titan truck and Armada SUV, would be recalled due to the risk of the brake pedal pins partially disengaging, causing a loss of normal braking ability.

    This recall will involve 179,000 cars in the U.S. and 25,800 in other regions, Nissan said in a statement, adding that there have been three reported cases of this braking problem.

    Nissan also announced plans to recall 419,000 cars in the U.S. and 53,000 in other regions for a separate problem with the fuel gauge, which can at higher mileage levels fail to accurately indicate how much fuel is left in the tank.

    The gauge problem involve six models from the 2005 to 2008 model years, including the Titan, Armada and the Infiniti QX56.

    http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/...an-recall.html

  25. #65
    Nicotine's Avatar
    Nicotine is offline Anabolic Member
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    CANADA!!
    Posts
    3,783
    Quote Originally Posted by Kratos View Post
    Well, I don't understand it, but I guess cars are all about personal taste.

    What model toyota would you have been interested in? Just from a styling standpoint I'm suprized you like them.
    i THINK it's the camry, 4 door, white, with the factory skirts....

    clean and simple.... for a daily driver, then i'd go elsewhere for a more fun/toy car.....

    my one question is though - for people who are getting into accidents, is toyota an easy scape goat?

    :P

    i was watching the news, one woman has had 9 accidents...all rear enders - and she blames ALL 9 on her car accelerating every single time..LOLOL

    just seems like an easy scapegoat....

    after what, 3? i'd stop driving it...maybe even after the first...let alone 9....... i call bullshit, she's probally texting while driving.

    and, she has a vagina.... instant bad driver

    i dont doubt toyota has ****ed up... i think in the rush to be #1 world wide, they sacrificed major quality and outsourced parts just to get to be the leader.

    but, i think they ****ed that chance up pretty bad....

    IN THE SAME TOKEN: anyone remember the side saddle and rear gas tanks that were exploding and rupturing ? exploding tires? roll overs? etc etc etc.

    every car company has had some pretty huge ****ing recalls, many of which have caused serious deaths - but it just seems like toyota cant hush up the recalls one after another - because they are under the microscope..

    do you also think, maybe the "big 3" are using their government (money) influence (government motors), to smear the toyota name worse?...

    the big 3 have their money in a lot of politicians pockets, and can play those people like puppets - makes me wonder if it's ALSO an easy smear campaign? (rightfully deserved at this point, imo....and im an import guy)

  26. #66
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    Quote Originally Posted by Nicotine View Post
    my one question is though - for people who are getting into accidents, is toyota an easy scape goat?

    :P

    i was watching the news, one woman has had 9 accidents...all rear enders - and she blames ALL 9 on her car accelerating every single time..LOLOL

    just seems like an easy scapegoat....

    after what, 3? i'd stop driving it...maybe even after the first...let alone 9....... i call bullshit, she's probally texting while driving.


    IN THE SAME TOKEN: anyone remember the side saddle and rear gas tanks that were exploding and rupturing ? exploding tires? roll overs? etc etc etc.

    every car company has had some pretty huge ****ing recalls, many of which have caused serious deaths - but it just seems like toyota cant hush up the recalls one after another - because they are under the microscope..

    do you also think, maybe the "big 3" are using their government (money) influence (government motors), to smear the toyota name worse?...
    )

    I agree, once the news blew the story open, the number of complains went way up. Some of those no doubt are people who didn't report the problem yet, and didn't think too until they saw the story. Many are people looking to get on the lawsuit gravy train.

    You do realize the side saddle gas tanks are one of the single worst cases of news misreporting, right?
    http://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/11/us...l?pagewanted=1
    dateline rigged the trucks to blow with model rocket engines.
    the problem was much smaller then the media lead people to think

    I also read the full report on firestone/ford.
    There was little fault placed on ford. Some of their testing methods for tire integrity were questioned. But, the problem was from a single firestone plant out of I think 3 making the tires. For unknown reasons the adhesion charactaristics for some reason were different for tires coming from that plant. Put new tires on the truck and it's fixed. Toyota's fix is still in question.

    The gvmt motors conspiracy theroy holds no water. The internal docs of the company show they knew there was a problem.

    Yes all companies have had recalls. Yes toyota should be left alone at some point.

    But, I think the publicity on their slipping quality is good. Number 1 because it levels the playing field of competition. Toyota has maintained a false image of quality by hiding problems for a long time. The command a premium price for not great cars. They hang their hat on profits, not exciting cars. People will look more objectivly at all makes. And Number 2, it will inspire them to build better cars and give people their money's worth.

    Resale value, longevity (because you'll fix a car with residual value), comsumer reports ratings, owner satisfaction ect all go pack to consumer perception. Toyota needed to be taken down a notch in regards to perception. The cars at this time are undeserving of their perception.
    Last edited by Kratos; 03-05-2010 at 11:10 AM.

  27. #67
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ0aV...layer_embedded

    why are they trying to go after Dr Gilbert? all his experiment was ment to prove was that it was possible to create unintended acceleration without registering a fault...not that he had the reason for it...and that was what he testified.

  28. #68
    Skully44420's Avatar
    Skully44420 is offline "A Work in Progress"
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    11,466
    beginning of the end for toyota

  29. #69
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    Another day, another Toyota (TM) recall: The world's largest automaker said Wednesday it is expanding a previously announced recall of Tundra pickup trucks to fix frames that can rust and possibly lead to the loss of the spare tire, which is mounted underneath the truck bed.

    Toyota first announced the recall, which included 110,000 Tundra vehicles sold in 20 "cold weather" states and the District of Columbia, in November. The updated recall has been broadened to include 2000-03 Tundra models sold in all 50 states, Toyota spokesman Bryon Lyons told the Associated Press.

    Dealers were notified of the expanded recall Tuesday, but Lyons didn't immediately know how many additional trucks would be covered. He said Toyota would provide more details.

  30. #70
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    More Reuters Results for:"prius new york"Toyota Prius acceleration incident reported in New York

    DETROIT
    Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:57am ESTDETROIT (Reuters) - Federal regulators said they were looking into a report of another runaway Toyota Prius, this one in Westchester County, New York, where police said a woman pulling out of a driveway zoomed across a busy street and into a stone wall.

    U.S.

    The 56-year-old driver sustained nonlife-threatening injuries on Tuesday when the 2005 Prius she was operating knocked some large boulders from the wall after the crash, said Capt. Anthony Marraccini, acting police chief in Harrison, New York, which is about 25 miles northeast of New York City.

    floor mats were eliminated as the cause as they were in the california case

  31. #71
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    ROCHESTER, Minn. -- As a recently retired Mayo Clinic physician, Alan Hoffman has spent a career saving lives. He says his 2007 Toyota Prius nearly cost him his.

    "My issue is really a public health issue," said Hoffman about his December crash in Palatine, Illinois where he had driven his Prius to attend a medical convention.

    According to Hoffman he had just shifted the car into reverse in a hotel parking lot, when it accelerated backwards at a high rate of speed. "This was flying," he said. "My guess is 35 or 40 miles an hour."

    As it crossed the parking lot, Hoffman's Prius glanced off a parked car, jumped a curb and tore through a row of bushes. It eventually veered left and came to rest within feet of a busy highway.

    "I could have easily been killed in this," he said from his home Tuesday. "I almost went out onto a four lane highway at rush hour."

    Hoffman insists he slammed on the brakes with both feet and held them there as soon as the Prius took off, something he said he and his wife had practiced. "There was a little sign my wife had put on the dashboard. We had actually prepared for a sudden acceleration."

    The car was towed to a nearby Toyota dealer, with an estimated $7,000 in damage. After a road test Toyota sent Hoffman a letter saying, "...no abnormal braking or acceleration problem was found." A spokesperson for Toyota told KARE 11 the company does not comment on individual cases.

    As another apparent sudden acceleration of a Prius makes news this week in California, Hoffman is glad to be rid of his.

    He's donated his damaged car to the engineering school at Northwestern University. "We weren't going to drive it again, but we didn't want other people to drive it again."

    Hoffman hopes a planned study of his car by students at the university might help solve the sudden acceleration mystery.
    "This was a car that was great for 34,000 miles. But those last two seconds were really bad."

    http://www.kare11.com/news/news_arti...storyid=844075

  32. #72
    tripmachine's Avatar
    tripmachine is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Orange county, CA
    Posts
    1,692
    Quote Originally Posted by Kratos View Post
    An American car buyer would never tolorate what a Japanese car buyer thinks is just fine. I've seen it time and time again. I've ridden in Jap cars and though to myself "How can this guy stand this pile of crap?" Hard shifts from the auto trans, gear whine, noisy doors, no features, road noise, shit radio, horrible fit and finish. But when you talk to the Jap car owner they love it.
    I understand some jap cars are boring, loud, stereos suck, don't perform as well as you'd like..... etc.. but you can't say that for ALL jap cars can you? I guess you can if your opinion forces you to just want to hate any car made in japan.... but I think if you went for a ride in a new nissan skyline gtr.... you wouldn't say it's a piece of shit unless you went in to it knowing you were already going to say that no matter what the outcome was....









    stock those cars give a lot of super cars a run for their money in the 1/4 mile AND on the track..... for half the price of most super cars if not more... I love all cars too... i don't bash on an american car just because it's american made.... or a japanese car just because it's japanese..... it's retarded to do that in my opinion

  33. #73
    tripmachine's Avatar
    tripmachine is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Orange county, CA
    Posts
    1,692
    oh yeah.... my parents have an american car.... a dodge and it rattles like craaazy!! road noise all the time.... and it's seeming to fall apart... but you know what.. cars do that

  34. #74
    DCI's Avatar
    DCI
    DCI is offline Productive Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    9,657
    You haven't seen the servicing bills for the GTR have you? They are mental altogether.

  35. #75
    tripmachine's Avatar
    tripmachine is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Orange county, CA
    Posts
    1,692
    Quote Originally Posted by Damien_C View Post
    You haven't seen the servicing bills for the GTR have you? They are mental altogether.
    I understand you will be paying a lot to have a super car serviced.... that's just what comes with owning one.... sh!t.... my dads 84 porsche turbo costs 100+ dollars for an oil change.... 12 quarts of oil.... but hey... some cars cost more than others..... some cost more to service as well. If you can afford it you better understand how much it costs to service it too... and be able to afford that as well haha

  36. #76
    DCI's Avatar
    DCI
    DCI is offline Productive Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    9,657
    Lol, true that man. But the lads on the GTR forums are freaking out. Something like 4k for just a fluid change on the gearbox and the engine. And the fact that the gearbox blow if you drive them any way hard. They are a cut price car but not when it comes to parts etc. But as you say most people who buy them know what they are getting into be they do.

  37. #77
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    it puts down nice numbers

    but other than that I can't imagine why anyone would buy one

    no manuel transmission

    cheap interior

    5k miles on a set of tires

    stupid wing on the back

    girls can't tell the difference beteen that and a g37 and would probably think you spent more on the infiniti.

    feels like you're riding on buck boards

    transmission falls out if you drive it hard

    If I was in the market for an 80k car...hell fvcking no

    and my point is not to say japanese cars are all shit
    just that I'm sick of people talking about the Japanese like they are santa's elfs, but born to build cars instead of toys.

  38. #78
    Kratos's Avatar
    Kratos is offline I feel accomplished
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    34,255
    wtf is a "budget supercar" anyway
    you get what you pay for

    Just add the GTR to the list of other piece of shit vehicles Nissan has come out with in recent past. The Titan is a such a piece of shit that its being discontinued, and replaced by a rebadged version of the Dodge Ram. Altima 2.5 motors that eat piston rings every 60k.

    Porsche bought a GTR and couldn't come within 30 seconds of the Nurenberg lap times Nissan claims fyi and that's with one of their pro drivers.

    0-60 times are great with launch control....but it's 20k if your transmission breaks while using it. What kind of a super car doesn't let you drive it? You think porsche is voiding claims if you drive their car hard? It's a halo car only compared to other nissans.

  39. #79
    terraj's Avatar
    terraj is offline Knowledgeable Member
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Japan
    Posts
    2,280
    From what I see in Japan- Japanese made cars are better quality and made to higher specs then Japanese/state side produced cars, and far above any US makers. You could not compare any of the american cars or jap/amercian cars to what is driven in Japan.

    But...I have been to the US and was not impressed with the Japanese cars I saw. I guess they figured that they could lower their standards and still take the market.

  40. #80
    Nicotine's Avatar
    Nicotine is offline Anabolic Member
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    CANADA!!
    Posts
    3,783
    i think it's the north american aspect of japanese cars that are the problem.....

    north american union labourers who dont give a shit other than getting a paycheque

Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •