Why do many American vehicle owners have to bash Japanese cars? - Toyota Tundra Forums : Tundra Solutions Forum

Tennesseestorm · #1 (**permalink**) 10-28-2006, 09:34 PM

I also have American cars (older) and am a fan of the older American classics. I am a member of alot of other old car forums. One is a Pontiac forum.... the general lobby- such as this one is very active with alot of posters.

I am getting ready to buy either a T100 or Tundra. I thought I would ask for some advice there, since it a general forum and they talk about everything (that is appropriate). Well, I should have known that when I mentioned Toyota there than about 3O% of them are like- we hate Toyotas, why buy Jap crap, thats whats wrong with America today.... etc. etc. The other 75% already own a Toyota or some other Japanese car and was taking up for the Japanese cars. Some was even asking them... where was your computer made? LOL.

Well, its my fault, because I should have known not to mention Toyota on a classic Pontiac forum.

I remember now that someone had mentioned "Honda" on there and was badgered pretty bad.

Oh well.

DJ · #2 (**permalink**) 10-28-2006, 11:05 PM

Question #1: How good does an American vehicle have to be to be better than what these people would have us believe a Japanese vehicle is?

Answer #1: Not good enough to buy.

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Question #2: How is it that these people know better than we do about how good a Japanese vehicle is when we buy them and they don't?

Answer #2: They don't know better than we do, but it makes them feel better about what they buy to think that they do.

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As my favorite line from Cool Runnings says, "Rise Above It".

corebreach · #3 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 06:59 PM

deleted

chilehead · #4 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 09:28 PM

In all fairness... you see the same crap on forums like these... go mention buying a Chevy or Dodge around here and see the reaction you'll get.... Why should they be any different? I doubt you'll get 75% backing you here

Eddie · #5 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chilehead

In all fairness... you see the same crap on forums like these... go mention buying a Chevy or Dodge around here and see the reaction you'll get.... Why should they be any different? I doubt you'll get 75% backing you here

People here even bash other Japanese brand vehicles

Hickleberry · #6 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 10:41 PM

If you are unsure about something, boast about it, the harder you beat your chest...the better you feel...cuz you just convinced yourself it was a good thing.

Jelorian · #7 (**permalink**) 10-31-2006, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tundra_Hick

If you are unsure about something, boast about it, the harder you beat your chest...the better you feel...cuz you just convinced yourself it was a good thing.

Man you always have some to say that cracks me up!!

Good stuff!!

To the orginal poster, people will always bash something they either don't know too much about or they just won't admit when something they don't own is better that what they have. (Wow, I think I just confused myself! LOL!)

On motorcycle forums, everyone bashes all the other brands except for the brand they own.

I hope you get your Tundra/T100. At least you'll know beyond all reason of a doubt that you are getting the better truck. Unless you are doing heavy duty towing, that is.

Salty_Dog · #8 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaffer

Why do many American vehicle owners have to bash Japanese cars?

Jealousy.

rpmspeedyblue · #9 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 08:58 AM

A lot of bashing has to do with group mentallity, one person says one thing and the other has to top that person and so on ... Once you get them alone usually you can get a straight and honest answer out of them. For me Quality and reliablility has been my decision factor on buying a vechicle, back in the mid 80's Toyota was the best choice and has been since.

MikeB 30 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-02-2006, 04:53 PM

Ask them why Honda and Toyota can be bulit be Americans in American plants and be well built and why the Big 3 are also bulit by Americans in American plants and have so many problems. The way I see it, it's more of a corporate/company mentality issue than an American/Japanese issue.
Usually don't get a lot of responses on that one from the bashers...

corebreach · #11 (**permalink**) 11-02-2006, 05:18 PM

I think what happened is 20-30 years ago the Big 3 saw that they could cut corners when producing vehicles, and in the short term save time and money. The Japanese companies looked in the long term, and saw the value of having their vehicles last 20-30 years. Today, their reputation is priceless, and no amount of money can buy that reputation for the Big 3. So yes, I would say that is is a difference in corporate mentality.

thumbster · #12 (**permalink**) 11-03-2006, 01:14 AM

This is one of my biggest issues!

Why do people still have such a negative opinion on foreign vehicles when domestic manufacterers like Ford, GM and Chrysler build a large share of their vehicles in Canada or Mexico? In the mean time Toyota, Honda and Hyundai have assembly plants right here in the USA employing Americans, putting out a superior product in comparison. Is that why GM needs Toyota for their Pontiac Vibe (aka Matrix), or for the Geo Prizm (aka Corolla)? Only a bone head would not understand the difference in quality from an import to a domestic. I think I can say my Tundra (built in Indiana) is more of a domestic vehicle than an F150 (mostly built in Canada)!

The main things that keep the Big 3 from quality are greed, the lack of proper engineering and design, along with the UAW union controlled, overpaid and overbenefited people they employ to build their product. Sure the proceeds might not all stay in this country, but neither do they when a vehicle is put together in Mexico.

BTW, I don't dare admit to a WWII vet these days that I own a car which was assembled in the very same factory the fighter planes were that had attacked Pearl Harbor (yes, Mitsubishi puts together the Lancer Evolution and Outlander in the same place Zeros were built!)

It's time to grow up!

Snakeii · #13 (**permalink**) 11-03-2006, 07:03 PM

Thats a good point right there. Japanese, along with the Germans and Brits, still maintain the quality in cars that they had in aircraft.

Id buy Japanese first because its a little cheaper than a BMW (and they dont make a truck), but the quality is pretty much along the same lines. Much like Id buy a Triumph motorcycle way before Id buy a Harley. Buell's are fairly nice to look at, but after the sticker shock with very little performance... why buy something for the sake of saying " at least its a American motorcycle"? When in fact 90% of it is probably still made overseas. Like my dad says all the time, the biggest improvement on Harleys is when they threw on a snowmobile belt for the drive belt. Rattling, loud crap heaps if you ask me.

I like old muscle cars, because they are nostalgic... nothing more. Having one as a reliable daily driver? Heh, good luck.

Hickleberry · #14 (**permalink**) 11-03-2006, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thumbster

I think I can say my Tundra (built in Indiana) is more of a domestic vehicle than an F150 (mostly built in Canada)!

Currently, all F-150s are built in the U.S, I don't know where the individual parts are manufactured or assembled.

I think foreign vs domestic is an idea of the past, because even when something rolls off an assembly line in one country, their parts are often manufactured in another.

I think people want to have a feeling of belonging, knowing they are part of a group makes them feel better, because most people don't want to be an outsider.

I might own a Ford, I might like the looks of a Ford, but in a room filled with rabid Honda owners, I might keep my mouth shut (especially if I too own a Honda). Better to be a fish swimming in the same school. And when the Honda guys bark about crappy GMs, I'll chime in, agreeing with them...and making myself a stronger member within the group, while being honest, its a double positive.

Tundragotonit · #15 (**permalink**) 11-03-2006, 11:44 PM

The americans also had many bad designs, the vega engine , chrysler lean burn , cadillac 8-6-4 , dodge cross-fire injection ,ford twin-I -beam suspension (forever camber), and who could forget the Corvair. 95-96 Mazda's american made transmissions were weak, and so on and so on. Point is, your reputation follows you.