Should I buy a toyota ?

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 12:44
Should I buy a toyota ? - mm707

hi,

I'm looking for a car about 3 years old which has to be very reliable. Thinking that the obvious choice would be japanese and was wondering if anyone has any bad things to say about Toyotas before I go out and buy one.

Probably going for a petrol this time and about astra(ish) size.

Asking here before buying is something I wished I'd done before I bought my current car ( Audi A4 2.0 tdi )

many thanks

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 13:04
Should I buy a toyota ? - bazza

Well if reliability is top priority, then Japanese gives you the best chance of it, but don't ignore the Hyndai i30 or Kia Ceed, with the long warranties.

Audis are nice but certainly not the paragons of quality and reliability that the popular press would have you believe. Tell us what issues you have had.

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 16:53
Should I buy a toyota ? - mm707

Audis are nice but certainly not the paragons of quality and reliability that the popular press would have you believe. Tell us what issues you have had.

Had the injector failure like a lot of people, egr failed, dmf looks like it needs replacing , oil pump ( balance shaft thingy ) failure iminent reading the forums and a few other things too. To be honest I know they can all have problems but the biggest let down has been Audi themselves, they just don't seem to give a monkeys .

The injector failure fiasco which affected many owners was downright dangerous but it was only VOSA getting involved that made them do a recall whereas from what I can see Toyota have had some issues but to be fair have also done the recalls.

Someone on another forum has just had the oil pump failure and been quoted £5700 by audi to fix it and with no discount despite a fsh, they even said it's a common fault ( on a 5 year old, almost £30k car ! )

So despite really liking the car it's time to go as I've just lost confidence in it :(

Thanks for all the replies guys

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 13:27
Should I buy a toyota ? - Auristocrat

The Toyota equivalent to the Astra would be the Auris. I've had a 2009 Auris and now have a 2012 Auris - both from new. Petrol engines would be the 1.33 dual VVTi (100bhp) and the 1.6 Valvematic (132bhp). Only issue I had with the 2009 Auris was a broken cupholder. If you could stretch to a post July 2010 Auris, this should have the balance of the Toyota 5 year warranty (prior to this date the warranty was three years).

Although there have been a number of recalls since 2010 affecting various models, Toyota seem to take the stance that anything that needs to be remedied is done via the VOSA recall system - whereas some other manufacturers do remedial work by other means (service bulletins, etc). Should you buy a Toyota, there is a simple recall checker on the Toyota website under 'owners', where you input the registration number, and you can check whether the car is subject to any recall work.

Toyota have had their own Fixed Price Servicing scheme in operation since January - which unlike most other manufacturers schemes is applicable from the first service (other manufacturers fixed price servicing schemes tend to be for car over 3 years old). The Fixed Price Service details can again be found on the Toyota website under 'owners'.

Edited by Auristocrat on 24/12/2012 at 13:32

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 13:43
Should I buy a toyota ? - coopshere
Any car, whether purchased new or second hand can have problems. The key to minimising the likely offending car is to research the models that interest you in advance. Just search this forum to see how many problems there are with those supposed superior German models compared to Japanese ones.

Toyota are definitely amongst the most reliable cars overall though they have had some problems with their Diesel engines up until around 2009. Most of the problems were head gasket related and Toyota, in most cases, extended the warranty period to around 100,000 miles or 5 years with those affected having replacement engines fitted.

I believe most if not all Toyota models have had a 5 year manufacturers warranty since 2009 which are transferable. This gives added value when purchasing a second hand car especially through a main dealer. There are circumstances, if purchasing from a Toyota dealer, where the warranty can be extended further.

With some other manufacturers also giving 5 to 7 year warranties it would seem ludicrous to buy a new car from manufacturers only offering a one year warranty especially considering the many faults coming to light with diesel cars fitted with dual mass flywheels, dual clutch gear boxes and DPF's.

Seek out the numerous forums to research the problems arising from different manufacturers and judge for yourself whose cars are the most reliable and therefore cost effective.

To answer the question of whether to buy a Toyota or not then my advice would be yes, but still do the checks first.
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Mon 24 Dec 2012 16:28
Should I buy a toyota ? - madf

Do NOT buy a Toyota.

Nor a Honda.

Both offer 5 year guarantees and are honest.

This keeps garges from fleecing motorists with high priced repairs.

Ford, Vauxhall Audi and BMW are superb as are VW: out of warranty nothing goes wrong that £1,000 will not fix... even if it's every 3 months.

Edited by madf on 24/12/2012 at 16:28

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 16:50
Should I buy a toyota ? - quizman

You've started early on the plonk!!!

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 17:05
Should I buy a toyota ? - groaver

Make sure you know where your Japanese car is built.

Toyotas are British or French when sold here in the main.

They should be fine.

Suzuki on the other hand has a habit of building in Hungary or Spain.

You can certainly see the difference in quality and reliability unfortunately.

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 17:08
Should I buy a toyota ? - corax

Do NOT buy a Toyota.

Yes, don't buy a Toyota, especially a petrol one, they are boring slugs according to thunderbird. Yep, it's really boring having a car that doesn't go wrong and you still have money in the bank.

I'm itching to blow it all on some diesel fuel pumps, injectors, turbo's and DMF's. Or maybe a whole engine if I'm lucky.

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 20:24
Should I buy a toyota ? - Happy Blue!

Coming back to the OP. The Mondeo for all its 'boring' image, is a very large and good driving car that is generally reliable and cheap to fix if it goes wrong.

The Outback is not as large, but has the USP of unburstable mechanicals and AWD. If it does go wrong big time the cost is huge, but my family have run three Subarus over about nine years worth of ownership without issue. The only non warranty repair was to remove green algae from the bottom of a washer bottle!

My current S-Max has also been reliable (save a broken plastic grommet fixed under warranty) althought the ultra sophisticated systems on mine (e.g. tyre pressure monitoring etc) do occasionally throw an eletronic sensor wobbly that disappears after a few miles.

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 21:01
Should I buy a toyota ? - gordonbennet

Yes do not buy a Toyota, do not once out of warrany notice a slight rattle from the injectors, do not be greeted by a competent female service manager (who knows here onions) who says we'll look at that, do not receive the complimentary free courtesy car whilst your vehicle is being looked at, do not receive the phone call telling you your vehicle is ready, do not return your free courtesy car to find your vehicle has been fitted with new injectors computer reflashed and the vehicle fully valetted and runs better than ever, do not be told that there is no charge whatsoever for this £2k job and very sorry for the trouble.

Go buy something else instead.

Try an Avensis, auto box is lovely if required, 1.8 petrol frugal enough and lively enough to give modern Diesel time bomb a miss.

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 21:20
Should I buy a toyota ? - VEC786

Yup go for it. like someone mentioned. you would be looking at a auris which replaced the corolla. or if its too big you can get the yaris.

this was in the news not long ago.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18973775

toyota have a lovely forum as well.

www.toyotaownersclub.com

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Mon 24 Dec 2012 21:21
Should I buy a toyota ? - Avant

"Probably going for a petrol this time and about Astra(ish) size."

I agree with others - the Auris is the one to go for (Avensis slightly larger and nearer to your A4; Yaris is supermini-sized). It isn't particularly exciting to drive, but it's perfectly adequate, won't let you down and will last a long time.

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Tue 25 Dec 2012 13:30
Should I buy a toyota ? - dieseldogg

Having recently bought a new Skoda, diesel/DSG.

And NOT being impressed with Skoda dealers or service, for good reason(s).

We bought the daughter a new Yaris ( and I had seriously looked at an Auris for ourselves, sigh, but did not like their automated manual)

A totally different experience dealership & service wise, which I have taken no little glee in referring back to Skoda UK (in writing)

Well I felt better,

and with time and a few thousand other similar communications it may actually change something about Skoda/VW for the better.

Mind you Toyota's wheel nuts are a silly system (different nuts for aluminium and steel rims) compared to VW's "one size fits all policy".

Though Toyota's may be better engineered, but perhaps unnecessarily so?

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Wed 26 Dec 2012 12:56
Should I buy a toyota ? - daveyK_UK

Toyota closely followed by Honda are simply the best.

Sadly neither offer a budget van based vehicle or a hard wearing MPV vehicle.

Nor do they offer the Civic or Auris as an estate car; and the rear headroom and leg room in the Avensis and Accord is average compared to its rivals (c5, insignia, etc) but not a patch on a MPV.

No good for the modern family/business where the vehicle needs to have mutliple uses.

And the other problem, they are alot more expensive with little discount.

I know of a few people who have fancied a jazz or yaris or cr-v and couldnt justify the significant extra up front purchase cost despite accepting it was a better product.

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Wed 26 Dec 2012 14:08
Should I buy a toyota ? - Auristocrat

'Toyotas are British or French when sold here in the main

For the European market: Aygos are built in the Czech republic; Yaris are built in France; The first generation Auris 3 door was built in Turkey, with the 5 door built in UK. The new Auris hatchback is built in the UK; The Verso is built in Turkey. The Avensis is built in the UK.

'Nor do they offer the Auris as an estate car'.

Presumably the Auris was not offered in estate form as the previous generation Corolla estate (2002-07) didn't sell well in the UK. Likewise the latest Corolla saloon has never been officially imported into the UK, despite being widely available in the rest of Europe.

The Corolla Verso and Verso MPV (based on the Corolla/Auris platorm) have been on sale in the UK since 2004.

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Wed 26 Dec 2012 16:04
Should I buy a toyota ? - sandy56

My Toyota Auris is now 5 years old and NOTHING has gone wrong. I use it and abuse it but it just keeps on going..

My third Toyota, have tried BMWS- electrical problems, AUDI new water pump after 50,000 miles,then needs all the belts replaced, SAAB was rather good but not now, Ford yes I do like them, but thirsty, and my next car will probably be a... Toyota.

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Wed 26 Dec 2012 21:05
Should I buy a toyota ? - Galad

Do NOT buy a Toyota - my 2007 Avensis (petrol) and made in Burnaston, Derbyshire is driving me crazy waiting for something to go wrong after 70k miles. It's disgraceful and very frustrating getting into the car every morning, in all weathers, only for it to start on the first turn of the key and for all the switchgear to work on demand. Why hasn't my clutch, electic windows or air con failed? I just can't understand it! I envy my neighbour is in his 2009 BMW 3 Series diesel on its 3rd turbo and seconfd dual mass flywheel clutch outside the 3 year warranty with the breakdown company having his address on satnav favourites.....

Enough said?

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Wed 26 Dec 2012 23:38
Should I buy a toyota ? - Avant

Point well made Galad - but I wonder if the key distinction is not so much between Toyota and BMW as between petrol (your Toyota) and diesel (his BMW). My 2001 (Y) BMW Z3 (2.2 petrol) is still going strong (admittedly it's a fun car and has had an easy life in the four years I've owned it) - but I do wonder how reliable a Y-reg diesel BMW would have been.

Maybe not too bad, as the add-ons which they fit now to keep noise, vibration and emissions down have mostly happened in the last 10 years. But as I approach retirement and in the next couple of years will need to find a car to last me some time, diesel is probably not the sensible choice - whereas in the old days longevity was one of the reasons for buying a diesel.

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Thu 27 Dec 2012 11:32
Should I buy a toyota ? - corax

Point well made Galad - but I wonder if the key distinction is not so much between Toyota and BMW as between petrol (your Toyota) and diesel (his BMW). My 2001 (Y) BMW Z3 (2.2 petrol) is still going strong (admittedly it's a fun car and has had an easy life in the four years I've owned it) - but I do wonder how reliable a Y-reg diesel BMW would have been.

If you are using both on a daily basis, and you discount modern diesels, the difference between BMW and Toyota in my experience will be that the German car will need suspension bushes on a fairly regular basis, and some of the electrical components can fail from time to time. The four cylinder engines can have a few problems due to over complication of things like Valvetronic, and the six cylinder engines must have their cooling systems kept up to scratch. They can certainly be run for big mileages - manual gearboxes in particular are very strong. But they do need that extra bit of care. Based on running an E36 323i for six years. I hear that the newer BMW's are getting more electrical problems.

The Toyotas can be bought by people who just want to get from A to B reliably and service the car once a year. And they don't really have any weaknesses to speak of, engines and electrics (the Japanese are superb with electrics) are very well engineered. Suspension seems to last longer too. My Avensis has 96k and doesn't feel in the least bit baggy. You could argue that the suspension has been designed to last being a family car, but it was pretty good in their sports cars too. Ditto Honda.

Edited by corax on 27/12/2012 at 11:35

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Thu 27 Dec 2012 15:29
Should I buy a toyota ? - dieseldogg

Did someone mention the MMT Toyota transmission?

yet?

jat

M

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Thu 27 Dec 2012 16:00
Should I buy a toyota ? - coopshere
No, but you have.

A lot of manufacturers have had problems with new gearbox technology, Toyota with the MMT, Honda with the iShift, VW with their DSG, PSA with their automated clutch system. The secret for the private motorist is not to be an early adopter.
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Thu 27 Dec 2012 16:17
Should I buy a toyota ? - Big John

They are not always reliable.

A work friend of mine had an 03 1.8 petrol Avensis which required an engine replacement at low mileage - fortunately Toyota coughed up despite being out of warranty. On his previous Avensis (circa 98) the manual gearbox failed just out of warranty.

Another friend had a later model 1.8 Avensis where the manual gearbox failed at about 100k ish.

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Thu 27 Dec 2012 16:29
Should I buy a toyota ? - gordonbennet

Toyota MMT transmission, pants.

If Toyota can't get this right then what hope anyone else, seems to have been quietly dropped from new Yaris and Auris, never fitted to Avensis thank goodness, wonder if CVT will find its way into Aygo when it gets replaced?

The best way to describe driving any make with this poor design is to imagine you operating the throttle pedal and your partner operating the clutch pedal and shifting the gears for you, hopeless in theory and haphazard in practice unless perfect conditions, you couldn't pay me enough to have a car fitted with the evil device.

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Thu 27 Dec 2012 16:40
Should I buy a toyota ? - Bobbin Threadbare

We are still running a Celica, coming up to its 10th birthday very soon, with 99k on the clock. The damn thing won't die.

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Thu 27 Dec 2012 18:07
Should I buy a toyota ? - dieseldogg

I did test drive a MMT, I think?,

either(i) it was as horrendous as so aptly described above and elsewhere,

or

(ii) they could/would not get me a MMT demo car so I refused to purcahase an sick pig in a poke

I test drove the VW DSG in a Skoda and it "did what it said on the tin"

It was not until 9 months driving, about 15,000 miles that the as yet unresolved software "glitch" showed up.

However apart from the particular low speed manouvering on a slope issue it is an absolutly excellent gearbox, and absolutly un-noticeable in general use.

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