More love from consumer reports. Toyota, do better!

TacoJonn

 

ho ho ho

 

This is kinda stupid and really unscientific. There's a ton of models I just looked up that follow the same pattern. One explanation would be people are more likely to complain online these days, and more likely to complain about a product they bought NEW. Back in 2007 doubt anyone was even aware of that website (if it was even up).

Either way if the new Tacoma is a POS than the new Colorado is REALLY a POS. the new2016 Tacoma has twice as many complaints as 2007. But the new 2015 Colorado has FOUR times as many complaints as the 2007.

I don't think anyone in their right mind would think a 2007 Colorado is superior to the new 2015, I hate the new Colorado but even I'll admit its a much better truck than the 2007... but according to this website the 2007 is the one to buy lol. My old roommate had an old Colorado it was a total piece of shit, he sold it with 120k miles for like $5k.... meanwhile I sold my 1st gen Tacoma (which was older) around the same time, 180k miles (way more miles) for $12k (more than twice as much) lol.

So yeah I think any publication that rates the 2007 Colorado > 2015 Colorado does not have trustworthy data to deduce any conclusions from.

 

This is thread is the stuff of legends, not very good ones though, like Shake Weight or Sham-wow.

 

While I agree with you that basing quality off of complaints on a site like that (even though they do use data from NHTSA, which very much was in place and well known in 2007 and is probably the best tracker of vehicle complaints, , I was responding to Tacoman who was trying to use it to show that the 3rd gen quality is actually better than the second gen. Anyone who can say that with a straight face is either lying, diluted, or rides a short bus. You can see from the number of complaints on this site alone between the two gens to see. At this point, I don't have any "skin in the game" per se as I sold my last Tacoma. I do really want a new Tacoma, but after seeing family members have lots of issues with the 3rd gen (father in law, brother and cousin all with multiple issues) I am going to wait. Not to say I won't get a 3rd gen., and I understand why people would get one now. Just waiting to see if the QC improves, including an actual fix for the shifting that is at least of good as the aftermarket options. Until then my 5th gen 4Runner will have to suffice.

As I have said multiple times, the 3rd Gen. Tacoma is a good truck, but the quality control has dropped off from the previous gen. Unfortunately Toyota does not have much of an incentive to care when they are still better than any of the competition (not that there really is any in this segment. Nissan is outdated and Colorado has tons of problems. I am a big Toyota fan, and still think the Tacoma is a good truck, is more reliable than its domestic counterparts and its resale is insane. Not bad attributes for a vehicle to have. My complaint is the last couple year models seem to not have the care in assembly or maybe R&D as previous gens.

Again, with a few fixes, this truck can be just as good as the other gens. Nothing crazy, just small things that in the aggregate are not what you expect from Toyota.

 

And this is misleading too... as it seems like the new Ridgelines weren't widely available for sale until June 2016. So that comparison is basically 6 months in 2016 vs. 11 months in 2017 (do the math with the following data, it's exactly 62.87709% increase, but 5 of those early months in 2016 had 3 ridgelines sold).

http://carsalesbase.com/us-car-sales-data/honda/honda-ridgeline/

And, that links shows that 5 out of 6 months saw a dip in monthly sales compared to the previous years month. And december 2016 they sold 4k of them.... which they haven't come close to since.

 

Well, we who like real trucks rather than Hondas, drive Tacomas.

 

I love the “left buyers cold” part....as Toyota sells every one they make about as fast as they can make them.

 

1000% I agree!!! I have a 16 Colorado and it is nice compared to the older ones by far. Ive had a 1st and 2nd gen Tacoma and next week the Colorado will be traded in when my 18 Tacoma arrives.

 

I have a really hard time taking most of the complaints on here seriously though. People here screamed and yelled and bitched and moaned for YEARS about gas mileage on the 2nd Tacoma.... Toyota responds with an MPG conscious fuel map and more gears and thenWAAAAHHHHHHHHH WWAAAHHHHH it shifts funny!!! . I posted on here when I returned from a trip picking up my new wheels from another TW member I got 27MPG coming home, NEVER got better than 21 on any of my previous tacomas so I'd say Toyota did exactly what you people asked them to.

Maybe I'm just lucky but all the 3rd gen Tacoma I've driven have been better than the 2nd gen, INCLUDING ones where customers had complained about hesitation/shifting/noise etc... I've also owned multiple 1st and 2nd gen tacomas and have been around here long enough to remember when members just like you were deriding the "declining quality" of the 2nd gen as well. Ironically a LOT of the complaints that people point to on the 3rd gen as evidence of "declining quality" were the EXACT SAME issues that have always been leveled at the 2nd gen (Tacoma surge, brake clanks, diff howl, kazoo, even the low tranny fluid, etc).

But suddenly now that there's a new one to complain about all of a sudden everyone just forgets about the problems the 2nd gens had and its suddenly looked back on like some mystical figure. As if google search history doesn't exist lol.

1st gen was awesome, 2nd gen was better, and 3rd gen is the best god damn one yet
I put my money where my mouth is too I've spent over $120k on Tacomas and 4Runners so far in my life (not counting the amazing resale value I get in return of course).

Furthermore everyone has a different definition of quality. The 3rd gen is objectively quieter/smoother/and safer, also has a much nicer interior and more technology. A lot of people would consider those the very attributes of quality itself. So kinda makes me wonder, what quality are you talking about??

 

ive has many brands and every time I go to another I wish I had my Toyota back. cant wait till my 8 arrives. I agree with you

 

First bolded highlight, based off of what?

Second highlight: That's just your opinion. I don't even understand it.

 

I bought a yaris new in 09 .I literally walked in and said let me get the cheapest piece of crap you have . Got a base model 5 door hatch . Loved it for a commuter . Fit and finish was insane great on gas and i drove the hell out of it no factory stamp or defects in the sheetmetal. Perfect gaps .It was rock solid. I was very impressed with a car toyota built for 13k. Im a dealership collision tech with ex tv show restoration background. That car was good for the money but I still had to limo tint it because I didn't want anyone to see me lol . Now I don't commute as far. 33s lift and armor .

 

The fact that there are second gen owners on the 3rd gen section constantly trying to trash our trucks, and not the other way around, tells you all you need to know.

 

1. Number of complaints/issues, number of recalls and vehicles affected, etc. 228000 of the new models recalled for the diff and another 32000 for the stall. Number of complaints to NHTSA after only two model years. Even my loyal Toyota salesman steering me away from the Tacoma after his had already had a littany of issues when I went to buy one mid 2016 which ended up pushing me to a Land Cruiser I purchased private party. Not to mention personal experience by myself and family (see 2 below). Not saying there arent some perfect 3rd gens out there. Just a lot of issues appear to exist on the last two model yrs.

2. I expanded more in other posts. The pervasiveness of issues on the 3rd gen appear to be more than other gens from the viewpoint of posts on this forum from gen to gen---show me one issue on gen 1 or 2 complained about as much as the shifting on gen 3 (at some point it just adds up logically) and personal experience (family members have owned 13 Tacomas including 3 3rd gens. I have owned 3 myself. Of the 10 1st and second gens owned, not one issue. Of the 3 3rd gens, all 3 owners have had the diff recall, one had the stall recall, all 3 had underfilled transmissions and all complain of shifting behavior. Beyond that, besides a takata recall on our 4runner (pervasive across industry), and a stuck caliper on my 03, 4runner I have personally driven my Toyotas nearly 600,000 miles with no issues. Our family toyotas have gone well over two million miles with no issues (first gens had the frame recall, but ours were all rust free). Overall, the trucks are good, just too many small issues that are not characteristic with other Toyotas my family and I have owned. So yes, some personal experience, some perceived based on actual complaints, recalls, etc. After all I have reviewed and heard, I have no doubt the 3rd gen is a good truck, but not on par with the quality control of previous gens.

They still have amazing resale, and my 3 family members still have them, and still complain about them, but like them enough to keep them. A Tacoma is still on my future list after Toyota (hopefully) finishes working out all the kinks.

(Excuse any typos as I type on my cell)

 

I can't wait to bash those 4th gen losers.

 

"Give me the cheapest piece of crap you have"...ha! I would have collapsed on the floor laughing hearing that in a dealership. I'm going to use that line when I need to buy the wifey a car.

Nothing wrong with buying a brand new car for $13k either. That's a deal for a fuel efficient commuter car.

Well played. Absolutely no shame in that game.

 

I mean, I get it somewhat, you got a lot of anecdotal evidence on your side. But using the trucks in your sig, then checking the NHTSA website compared to your statement confuses me.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2004/TOYOTA/TACOMA/4%2520DR
https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2007/TOYOTA/TACOMA/4%2520DR/RWD%252FAWD
https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/TOYOTA/TACOMA/PU%252FCC/4WD
And a 2017 since that's what I got...
https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/TOYOTA/TACOMA/PU%252FEC/4WD

I'd also think that having the frame qualifying to be replaced due to rust would be an issue worth complaining about.

 

I did acknowledge that we received the notice for frame recall and buyback, but ours were all rust free. And I was more pointing out the number of recalls after two years, but moreso the # of vehicles affected. Outside the floor mat bs, the #s were pretty low on most. Not to mention that issue came up many years after buying. I believe the same thing occured on my 07, but I had sold well before that came up (owned over six years and was rust free, even after driving in highly salted areas). I would never argue any gen is issue free. Just seems the current gen has a lot early on. It seems like all are QC issues, and nothing to do with the truck itself. I had thought for a lomg time that the powertrain was poorly matched, but with the aftermarket options apparantly solving the major shifting issues, it appears that is not the case, and was the main reason I was avoiding buying a 3rd gen. Not sure why Toyota can't (won't) update the transmission to work as well as the aftermarket options out there. I know there have been TSBs for it, but they results seem hit or miss.

I do appreciate all the input on here, both good and bad. Lots of good info. Discovered the SSP which I told my FIL about, and he just ordered. Glad to see good aftermarket support!