Is Toyota's Quality Slipping?

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Oct 30, 2006 | 12:23 AM

#46

92 SC400

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From: CA

We all know that once you're on top there is only one way to go next, down. So why such suprise? I mean, you had to figure eventually Toyota would succumb to the trend of cheaper interiors and what not to cut down on cost. Too bad they havent adjusted the prices of their vehicles accordingly, so as "you get what you pay for," seems like some of the newer Toyota/Lexus owners pay for Lexus/Toyota quality and get something a bit less. My grandparents own an '02 ES300 (previously they had a '98 ES) and an '00 LS400, and recently they went to the local lexus dealer to look at some of the newer vehicles; they did not care for the ES350 interior at all nor were they too found of the GS. And as stated before, by mmarshall I believe, they feel that even with the '02 ES300 they quality went down a little as opposed to their '98 ES. They had also owned a '92 LS400 prior to their '00. I think they gradually they feel, maybe with the exception of the LS, the cars overally quality have not gotten much better, perhaps not necessarily a lot worse, but just definitely not better, as you would hope/expect from Toyota/Lexus.

Oct 30, 2006 | 04:30 AM

#47

mmarshall

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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pimp350

I dont wanna make this thread 5+ pages long due to the argument, but just one last point to your wise quote.....

This thread length is nothing....check out some of the ones in the DEBATE section.
Besides, Dave or the mods usually step in when threads get too repititious or off-topic.

Oct 30, 2006 | 05:05 AM

#48

GS69

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From: NC

Laws of Nature

Honsetly, no one can be on top forever - just ask Jennifer Lopez or even Beyonce right now. Toyota was due & probably is still due to have more problems - it is just the powers of Yin Yang in action: you cannot have it all, all the time.

Is their quality slipping? Probably. However, IMHO, much like the vocals of Whitney Houston, they are so far above the average that they can afford to slip some & still be better than most everyone else.

No point in ringing the alarm ... yet, me thinks.

Oct 30, 2006 | 06:10 AM

#49

4TehNguyen

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From: Houston, Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Threxx

Toyota, for 2005, recalled 10.1 percent of its vehicles. GM, for 2005, recalled 6.8 percent of its vehicles, Honda recalled 4.0 percent of its vehicles, and Chrysler recalled 2.5 percent of its vehicles.

Ford motor company is the only company with a higher percentage of vehicle recalls, at 11.7 percent for 2005. That number is looking to be lower this year - and Toyota's is looking to be higher. They very well appear to be shooting to be the recall kings this year.

Toyota has been really pushing its recall numbers up in a hurry in recent times...
210,000 vehicles in the US for 2003.
1,100,000 vehicles in the US for 2004
and
2,400,000 vehicles in the US for 2005

Guess what? 2006 is looking to be an even higher number.

you cant always look at it as a percentage that GM 6.8% can still be more vehicles than toyotas 10%, percentages dont mean much alone.

Oct 30, 2006 | 07:26 AM

#50

92 SC400

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From: CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4TehNguyen

you cant always look at it as a percentage that GM 6.8% can still be more vehicles than toyotas 10%, percentages dont mean much alone.

I think from a business standpoint percentages mean more than raw numbers. If you make 10 cars and 5 are bad and I make 100 cars and 6 are bad, whose quality would you say is worse? Mine because I had one more bad one but produced 90 more overall? If I had 6% bad and you had 50% I say thats a fair enough assessment to say your overall quality is not as good as mine.

Last edited by 92 SC400; Oct 30, 2006 at 08:19 AM.

Oct 30, 2006 | 07:28 AM

#51

LexFather

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Quote:

Originally Posted by genearch

The problem is that they set the bar pretty high.. anything but that is a failure (slippage)

No win situation really...

Bingo.....very similar to BMW winning every comparo for ages..when they do lose one, people hail its the end of the world..

Toyota is just world reknown for quality but clearly they are suffering some with the huge expansion of sales.

Oct 30, 2006 | 08:15 AM

#52

Threxx

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Joined: Dec 2002

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From: Tennessee

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4TehNguyen

you cant always look at it as a percentage that GM 6.8% can still be more vehicles than toyotas 10%, percentages dont mean much alone.

As 92SC400 already mentioned - this makes doesn't make sense... percentages tell the story of quality, not total numbers. He explained why very effectively.
Even if total numbers were a better indicator than percentage... GM would have to sell roughly 50 percent more vehicles than Toyota for the total number of recalled vehicles, based on those percentages, to be the same. And at this point and time I don't think GM sells 50% more vehicles than Toyota does in the US... do they?

Granted you could claim that Toyota's recalls were for less serious matters - I can't necessarily confirm or deny that - if you have the actual recall bulletins for 2005 for Toyota and GM then that would give us a better overall picture.