Rant - I'm fed up with modern automotive industry
 

OK. So this is just a pointless rant. Read it or ignore it.
I'm totally fed up with modern car industry. It seems that no manufacturer cares about building a reasonably priced decent car. Everything I have owned or driven in the past 10 years or so has been an overpriced POS.
Take my 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser. ~$60k vehicle. Yes, it does have 326 hp, an advanced hybrid powertrain, tons of safety technology, modern infotainment, etc., etc. But it's also full of cheap, flimsy plastic. The dashboard is paper-thin plastic that bends when pressed with one finger, and rattles and creeks with only 10k miles. The engine is noisy, the transmission clunky and the whole thing vibrates at idle. Toyota, why don't you take away 100 hp and the whole hybrid nonsense and just build an off-road SUV that has solid interior, a quiet engine and a smooth 6 (or even 5) speed transmission? A solid, quiet interior and a smooth powertrain is worth more than all the (pretty useless) extra power and (supposed) fuel efficiency.
Or take my wife's Lexus NX. With a dashboard that scratches by just looking at it. Noisy engine. Rough, uncomfortable ride. And tiny, uncomfortable seats (I'm 5'7 and 150 lb, not some huge obese blob, and I still can't fit in the stupid seats without the bolstering pressing on my a$$ from both sides and my knees hanging uncomfortably in the air because the stupid bottom cushion is sized for toddlers).
Why can't BMW build a car that doesn't leak oil after 40k miles? Why can't Mercedes or VW build a car in which electronics don't fail after 3 years? Why can't Hyundai build an engine that doesn't self-destroy after 100k miles? Why can't GM build a transmission that doesn't fail the day after warranty expires? Why can't Toyota build something that doesn't feel like driving a tractor, or which interior is less fragile than piece of origami, or has adult-sized seats? The list just goes on and on - all modern cars are just packed with stupid useless features, while lacking on the basics.
I don't want my car to be an extension of my home theater with a giant screen. I don't need a car that has more processing power in its infotainment system than a mainframe computer. When I drive, all I need is music and basic navigation - I don't need email, text messenger, and a virtual assistant. I don't care if the car has twice the horsepower than what's needed to drive safely around the town or on the highway. Family cars don't need 6-sec 0-60 acceleration nor 130 mph top speed. All I want is a comfortable ride, solid, quiet interior, comfortable seats and a smooth, reasonably powerfull but reliable powertrain that doesn't leak oil.
So here is my message to the car manufacturers - save money on things that don't add any real value (unnecessary power, "technology" and other useless features) and re-invest in the basics that really matter: reliability and comfort.

It's a 60k car, that's cheap now vs 5 years ago. The Germans make great cars post 2010 but they cost a lot to buy if you want quality interiors etc....

My response is to buy what you actually like and feel is high enough quality for the price paid. Most everything is good nowadays in terms of absolute reliability, safety, performance, modern cars are generally all a very level playing field.

Now if you want something nice/higher than normal quality/performance or just generally to feel special then you need to spend at least $85-100k because of the reality of how weak the dollar has become.

At the cheaper/average transaction price end of the spectrum you will get a mass market optimized "meh" mobile that is perfectly tailored to be low risk and fit market desires. Aka exactly what you bought, same with the NX as it's just a corolla on stilts with a Lexus badge and design slapped on top.

If you want something that is exceptional it will have a cost of some sort

It's not about price. A $85-100k Mercedes or BMW is equally unreliable as their cheapest offerings. It has more features and more flashy interior, but it will equally fail or leak oil after 3 years. Lexus is the same. Take the $120k LX - same engine as the $50k Tundra, which has been recalled because it self-destructs after few thousand miles. Or the (now discontinued) LS - same clunky infotainment as the Corolla, only with Lexus logo. Money doesn't buy quality or reliability, only more bling. If anything, $100k cars are LESS reliable and durable than more basic models.
And talking about Corolla - I had a 2005 one. It was super simple, but it was well built and reliable. The interior was "primitive" by today's standards, but it didn't scratch, it didn't rattle and the seats were comfortable. It wasn't as pretty as the one you get in an expensive Lexus - but it would outlast anything you get in a Lexus today, regardless of price.

Here's a simple hack anyone can do: buy a car from the golden era of Toyota/Lexus. Me personally I've left Toyota behind their products have completely lost the DNA that made them great IMO.

Awesome rant @katekebo ! 🏆 📣 💯

We need more rants! 😁

You are totally incorrect, the higher end German cars are FAR better made in all aspects and are MUCH easier to work on than the cheaper stuff. Book times for an S/7/A8 are LOWER than the midrange or base cars and I have had far less issues personally and with customers with the higher end cars, in my personal use the high end German stuff has VASTLY outperformed all my Lexus cars for reliability and ease of ownership. It's also so so so much cheaper and easier to get OE or OEM parts as they disclose exactly who the suppliers are vs Toyota/Lexus insane prices and no info on who makes certain parts.

Air suspension is a great example, you blow a Lexus unit you are out $2k in parts.....you blow an S-class strut you can rebag it for under $200, there are also countless outfits who provide support for things like rebuilding advanced systems and modules cheaply and quickly. I have 3 W220 customers all in excess of 300k miles, 4 D4 A8s over 200k, 1 7 series over 200k (not sure how tbh, BMWs just do not fare well in my experience if they don't have a B58 or the prior I-6), and a bunch of W222s with 150-350k miles all without ever having major issues. LS430s/460s on the other hand often come to me with dead brake actuators, leaks, suspension arms needing replaced at 60k miles vs about 110k for all the German brands, random electrical issues or blown amps, RUST, and just very annoying issues like valley plates, and delaminating interiors etc.

Go back to an older car if you don't like the newer stuff, very easy solution. If you can spend 60k you can easily find a sub 20k mile or less mint example on BAT of whatever car you actually want, there is no sense driving a car you dislike. OR try other options and see that the Toyota reliability myth is exactly that, a myth that people tend to parrot and abuse and results in plenty of money for shops.

I'll never understand asking for less power.

Don't ruin our cars with your weird preferences.

LOL.
"More power Scotty!"

Sounds like you're describing the older generation Land Cruiser with 4.7 V8. My 2000 Tundra 4wd has the 4.7. After 300k miles it continues to be reliable, silky smooth and quiet.

Nice rant. Local radio jockey raised so much hell on air about his new F150 that the dealer agreed to take it back including a full refund.

well it always comes down to money and obviously those with a controlling interest aren't convinced that the products need to be better built... toyota seems content that they've already proved themselves to be capable of great luxury and reliability and feel what they're doing now is 'good enough'

lol can't agree with this! also there used to be many lexus products that covered both of these basis, it's not like reliability and comfort can only be achieved through slow and boring

i understand you work on cars, but your data is not supported by any stats compiled by any publication in the history of mankind (i am oversimplifying and exaggerating to make a point)
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It is not a well known fact that you should buy A8 over A4 due to cheaper maintenance.

Back to original post, midiszed and mid priced LC Prado was never know for quiet interior, seamless shifts and overall refinement.

For every complaint, there are 1000's of satisfied owners of modern vehicles. For those of us that remember cars from the 80's, and the insane amount of additional tech, current vehicles are way more reliable than they used to be.

I remember cars earlier than that. The term "tune up" including distributor cap, rotor, points, condenser and plugs every 5-10k was common. Most gas stations had a garage and mechanic, and oil/tune up specialists were on every corner. Oil leaks and belching smoke from the exhaust pipe at 100k was common. Fading and peeling paint... anyone remember all the TV ads for paint jobs? Better call Macco! Newer cars with electric windows and automatic transmissions were frowned upon due to reliability concerns.

Fast forward to the 90s through early 2000s there was a huge leap in reliability and longevity. However, I believe the OP's rant was more about comparing the aforementioned time period to the last several years, not comparing vehicles of 40-50+ years ago. I believe govt regulation and consumer thirst for electronic gadgetry has played a big part in troublesome new vehicles.

Two words for you. Fiduciary duty.

I have a 2004 Chevy Trailblazer. Truly an analog car (actually truck - body on frame and a 4x4). It has been a tremendous vehicle. Over 130,000 on the clock and other than maintaining it to standards it has been a fantastic vehicle. I bought my Lexus to replace it. Hoping my TX350 lives up to its predecessor.