(07-11-2025, 09:56 AM)David64 Wrote: For the next 10 years, you can have any car you want, but that's all you get for 10 years. It will be your daily driver for taking the kids to school, grocery shopping, going to work etc....
Based on reliability, gas mileage, cost of repairs and all that goes with owning a vehicle, which brand would you choose ? The individual model doesn't matter, just which brand.
For me, Ford can kiss my ass. We had to replace the engine in my wife's Fusion at 154,000 miles and whoever designed that car can kiss both cheeks.
Chevy/Cadillac/GMC has gone off the rails lately, with transmissions tearing themselves apart at relatively low miles. Can you imagine paying 60 - $80,000 for a vehicle and it goes to hell first thing ?
Dodge - same problems. No thanks.
After months of research and shopping for just the right deal, I bought a new { to me } Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad in November of 2023. It is a 2018 and had 42,000 miles on it. My wife wants a new car and after driving my truck, she decided on a Toyota SR5. Toyota are well known for reliability, gas mileage and lasting for up to 500,000 miles with regular care and maintenance.
I'm sticking with Toyota.
ETA - I got nothing against older models. I had a 88 F150 with 368,000 miles on it and it started to burn almost as much oil as gas before I got rid of it. I just don't trust the new ones. Newer is not always better.
I'd go Toyota all day Dave I really would. Driving a 24 year old Yaris mk1 replaced the van as only deliver smaller parts these days, done two years 34,000 in it had one wheel bearing. They just rust away the mechanics are just beautiful and no cambelts just chains that never really need replacing. As good as it gets. Have another MR2 covered up, mk2 MR2 rev3 turbo. Needs garaging but still starts. Acquired a mk3 recently holy smoke didn't want it. Mate came back from Durban 15 years ago and bought it almost new, phoned me a few weeks ago and said We buy offered me 1k so if you are 'still' wanting it it's yours for that. I was like What! I can't remember saying "if you ever seel it I'll be interested" back then but apparently so, he's 82 and ill and thinks he's doing me a favour yet really? It's just parked up, again with a cover over it! But they're good. Can see why you'd go Toyota.
Myself though it's Citroen. The love of my life. You can literally rebuild a 2CV from the parts on the net. Bodyshell, chassis, the whole works. All made today. Plus you repair it yourself. A clutch change at the side of the road. No Problem. One can undo a few bolts and just pick the 602cc flat twin up and place it next to the vehicle no problem. Air cooled, two spark plugs, basic timing that again can be done at the side of the road, using the headlamp as a timing light. Everything is doable, without the mechanics getting involved with their special tools and computers. Great fun too and guaranteed smiles per miles nothing comes close.
ETA............... On the Toyota front then certainly just another level. I actually used to make them at Burnaston when the firm was setting up in Britain and the claw back on faulty parts is where you'll find they destroy the competition. It's thirty years ago, yet it was something like............... If you want to to supply us you'd better make sure only 1 part in 2500 is faulty and indeed less, or we'll charge you a fine you won't want to pay and that's in the contract. Hence pretty much every part that goes into the vehicle works and lasts. They are just another level, plus it's great that they will manufacture here and in the States and employ our peoples. Not a bad word to say about Toyota. Brilliant in every way yet the British company directors continue to buy JLR / German
as Toyota just doesn't do it for them.
