Used Cars in America

[rookhawk]

I thought it would be fun to create a thread since many of us are car guys.

I've been watching "the Car Wizard" videos for the past year on Youtube. The guy is a genius mechanic that evaluates every used car to buy, never buy, and every story in between. Feel free to comment or post.

The other thing I've been observing is the untimely demise of 2024 Toyotas. A billion dollar recall on failed v6 Tundra engines. Problematic transmissions on their V4 turbo equipped 2024 vehicles. My conclusion is there has never been a better time to overpay for a low miles, vintage Toyota with a known-good powertrain. We now live in the era of unreliable new cars. Feel free to comment or post.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I’m not overly impressed with the new ram trucks, I bought a new ram classic in July with the pentastar v6. 15000km in and on the third touch screen and there are signs the rear end is going. Side play in the axles and filings in the rear end fluid. I definitely won’t be keeping this truck past the end of the warranty. I ram my last truck a 2011 chev 450km and 13 years before selling it to a friend and it’s still going strong.

 

[WildWill]

When I heard about the new engine coming in the tacoma I ran out and got a new 23 with the old v6. Just got the wife a 22 4 runner with 30k on it. Hate they got rid of the 5.7 in the tundra. Some people give toyota crap for using "antiquated" technology I call it old reliable technology unfortunate to see them make the same mistakes as so many other auto manufacturers.

 

[cash_tx]

I thought it would be fun to create a thread since many of us are car guys.

I've been watching "the Car Wizard" videos for the past year on Youtube. The guy is a genius mechanic that evaluates every used car to buy, never buy, and every story in between. Feel free to comment or post.

The other thing I've been observing is the untimely demise of 2024 Toyotas. A billion dollar recall on failed v6 Tundra engines. Problematic transmissions on their V4 turbo equipped 2024 vehicles. My conclusion is there has never been a better time to overpay for a low miles, vintage Toyota with a known-good powertrain. We now live in the era of unreliable new cars. Feel free to comment or post.

I started working with Toyota Motor as one of my corporate clients about six or seven years ago, and my experience with them in the first 12 months fully dispatched any notion of innovation and quality that I previously held when I was just one of their consumers. How they manage to build a car at all nowadays, much less a good one, is legitimately surprising to me.

 

[spike.t]

I started working with Toyota Motor as one of my corporate clients about six or seven years ago, and my experience with them in the first 12 months fully dispatched any notion of innovation and quality that I previously held when I was just one of their consumers. How they manage to build a car at all nowadays, much less a good one, is legitimately surprising to me.

Is that mainly a problem with usa build ?....

 

[JimP]

The sad thing is that with today's electronics on all of the vehicles you need to pack a computer with you if you plan on fixing anything on the side of the road. I have a 1996 Ford diesel with the 7.3 and I am lucky in that there is a app for a smartphone that I can run diagnostics with. But still if something with the electronics goes out I'm just sitting there waiting for a tow.

Gone are the days when you could get most mechanical problems fixed on the side of the road, at least enough to get yourself home and all you needed was a screwdriver and a few wrenches.

 

[Altitude sickness]

What happened to Kaizen ?

 

[BourbonTrail]

I worked for Toyota for 7 years….the stories I could tell.

 

[Safari Dave]

My best friend paid $100K for a new 2023 4X4 Ram 3500 diesel truck. The Aisin transmission started leaking after pulling a 1,000 pound UTV for 4,000 miles.

I have almost no desire to own a new a new vehicle.

My 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 is working perfectly with 267K miles, my 2004 Lexus GX 470 is working perfectly at 163K, and my 1986 Toyota Landcruiser FJ60 is working perfectly at 130K.

I think I would like to buy a new Ineos Grenadier, but I would need to hear MANY positive reviews first...



I just sold a 1973 Ford F100 F-100 pickup truck that I inherited when my uncle passed away last year.

I'm beginning to feel seller's remorse...

 

[BourbonTrail]

I started working with Toyota Motor as one of my corporate clients about six or seven years ago, and my experience with them in the first 12 months fully dispatched any notion of innovation and quality that I previously held when I was just one of their consumers. How they manage to build a car at all nowadays, much less a good one, is legitimately surprising to me.

In my experience, quality depends heavily on facility.

Innovation is definitely not their strength. That was my biggest complaint coming from my rocket science days.

 

[Safari Dave]

With all the government regulations now, it is probably impossible for a new car company to start building serious off road vehicles with IC engines.

I wish someone could find a way...

Elon??????



We need a Tesla "Powerwagon"

 

[baxterb]

What happened to Kaizen ?

Couldn't compete with CAFE standards and ESG scores...

 

[cash_tx]

Is that mainly a problem with usa build ?....

My comment was really more intended to highlight their corporate dysfunction (which ultimately impacts product and use experience) rather than any particular manufacturing location or model.

 

[franzfmdavis]

My love of English ware is not just limited to firearms!

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

View attachment 635478View attachment 635479My love of English ware is not just limited to firearms!

Very nice!

 

[Safari Dave]

Kudos to you!

I would love to love them, but after 2 Land Rovers and 1 Triumph sports car, I may be done for good.



Maybe reviews on the Grenadier, will change my opinion...


Has the UK finally figured out rust resistance???

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I’m probably a lot further behind than most of you, but I do notice that good used ford 7.3 diesel’s are getting hard to find, and rather expensive when you do find one.
By the time I get mine worn out I may have to switch to a 6.7, preferably a 2015.
I will probably drive 20-30 year old trucks my whole life.

 

[rookhawk]

I’m probably a lot further behind than most of you, but I do notice that good used ford 7.3 diesel’s are getting hard to find, and rather expensive when you do find one.
By the time I get mine worn out I may have to switch to a 6.7, preferably a 2015.
I will probably drive 20-30 year old trucks my whole life.

The Car Wizard has nothing nice to say about Fords over the past 30 years. 3-valve gas engines are his least favorite of all engines. In the diesel lineup, he only praises the 7.3l that existed 2007 or prior.

What none of the Internet channels will say (due to demonetization) is which vehicles are outstanding if you’re willing to become a felon with an EGR/DFP/DEF delete. That’s the third rail you shall not touch, but I know a lot of people rolling coal with great reliability in post 2006 diesel vehicles.

I bought my first Toyota not long ago. I had no ill-will towards them, but I didn’t appreciate their simplicity until I went to Africa and saw how their foreign market vehicles could be fixed in the bush with a factory tool kit containing a mere 7 wrenches. Obviously, a brand new USA Toyota requires $200,000 in tools to repair, but a ten year old USA Toyota can be fixed with merely the amount of tools a heterosexual US male over 40 already possesses. If it weren’t for emissions, Anti-lock brakes, and airbags, any millennial could fix them with $80 in chinese tools too.

 

[fourfive8]

I’m at a stage in life where efficiency, reliability and utility are 100% of the equation for any vehicle decision I make. Never went through a mid-life crisis stage and chuckle at 50+ers driving around in “cool” rides acting like they’re hustling chicks. I’m the oil-to-water opposite of a motor head.

My current vehicles are a 2014 F150 FX4 w/3.5 Ecoboost and a 2015 Corolla with their plain 1.8. Both bought used and both have about 80k miles. The current cumulative fuel mileage for the F150 is 21 MPG and for the Corolla is 46 MPG. No complaints about either. The purchase price for the vehicles : 24,000 for the F150 two years ago and 12,500 for the Corolla a year ago.

 

[Zinz]

Currently at around 240,000 miles on my Papa’s ‘94 Z71… It burns a little bit of oil, but doesn’t leak enough to put a stain on the driveway.

I trust a new vehicle about as far as I can kick an anvil…