# Toyota reliability - first hand experience



## MyJessicaLS430 (May 29, 2018)

Everyone says Toyota is reliable. The famous mechanic Scotty even goes to the extra length bragging his 94 Celica. Here is my ownership experience.

My first car in the US is a 2004 Lexus LS 430. The silk smooth quality is not refutable. For the money I paid back in 2016, what the car offers is priceless. While there are no major failures, the repair bills do add up after all these years. Hopefully I have not missed anything in the list
1) Front passenger door actuator - the door can only be locked / unlocked manually. $650
2) Front passenger door actuator - yes again 2 years after repair. This time I only bought the part and let an independent shop handled it. $500
3) Spiral cable - Cruise Control does not work. $1000
4) Front suspension - annoying noise whenever making turns. New struts, new control arms. $2000
5) Leaking transmission - no noticeable signs in shifting but done as a recommended preventive. New shaft selector seal, new fluid and re-sealed. $850
7) Front passenger side mirror - the assembly goes all the way when unfolding but no problem in folding. I am still waiting for the part, will get installed from an independent shop. What kind of mirror costs $650?? 

Not included in the list above is preventive maintenance performed at every 5000 miles. The most expensive ones are the 90k (timing belt & water pump) and 120k (spark plug) mile services, which costed me $2000 and $1000 respectively. Personally I deem the car is impeccably maintained. The only possible $$$ repair is the air-conditioning system. As of today, it is still blowing freezing air. 

My second car is a 2011 LS 460. It has only undergone one oil change under my ownership before trade in. The leather ages much faster than my 2004. I received a letter from the factory last year for complimentary replacement of door panels, dashboard and centre console. 

This car (2015 LS460L) is an art piece in my opinion rather than designed for driving. Fascinated by the front spindle grill, I traded my older 2011. A HUGE mistake. The front passenger air strut leaked, causing the car to lean to one side. Fortunately this horrible event took place under CPO warranty which would have otherwise costed me $1500. Since that incident, the only few times I drive it is going to the supermarket a mile away from my home. Since I left Houston, it has been sitting in the garage of my former neighour. 

Collectively, Toyota does have an array of issues. The way I see it is that you would not have a barrage of issues at the same time. Fortunately, none of these repairs are critical. You can actually live with the issues. Is Toyota reliable? Definitely yes, relatively, if you look at the German cars but it does require some fortune to maintain.


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

my wife's precious prius is very reliable. The only problem with it: it's a precious prius. hahahahaha


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## June132017 (Jun 13, 2017)

Glad to hear an honest report from essentially a Toyota owner.


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## kingcorey321 (May 20, 2018)

I have to do it . hyunda elantra . My third one .
First was a lease . Second i drove the crap out of it .Bought used . I retired it when it s tarted to burn oil 278000! It still ran i sold it . New tires and brakes . Oil chages . A few suspension parts .Tie rods ball joints . Less then 450 if i had them installed . I did nothing more to it . My thrid currently about 150k I did one set of brakes Second set still has 15 % more of less. There due . . Many oil changes 10k miles and air filers 25k. Tires 45k more or less . Nothing more . I expect to get 250k easily . That toyota listed sounds like it had nothing but issues .


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## EagleWolfSparrow (Aug 7, 2021)

Sounds like when you purchase, you didn't hire an inspector and the problem is already exist lol

And the car reliable or not also depends on your driving behavior.


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## Syn (Jun 30, 2017)

MyJessicaLS430 said:


> Is Toyota reliable? Definitely yes, relatively, if you look at the German cars but it does require some fortune to maintain.


Saying that Toyota is expensive to maintain because a $100,000 Lexus is expensive to maintain does not exactly make sense. My 2015 Yaris required a very cheap maintenance in 160,000 miles that I drove it. All together, with all synthetic oil changes (engine and transmission), tires, brakes, water pump, one faulty injector, etc I spent maybe $2,000 in maintenance over 160,000 miles. 
Same story with my 2016 RAV4 and 2019 C-HR.


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## Gone_in_60_seconds (Jan 21, 2018)

Syn said:


> Saying that Toyota is expensive to maintain because a $100,000 Lexus is expensive to maintain does not exactly make sense. My 2015 Yaris required a very cheap maintenance in 160,000 miles that I drove it. All together, with all synthetic oil changes (engine and transmission), tires, brakes, water pump, one faulty injector, etc I spent maybe $2,000 in maintenance over 160,000 miles.
> Same story with my 2016 RAV4 and 2019 C-HR.





Syn said:


> ....My 2015 Yaris required a very cheap maintenance in 160,000 miles that I drove it. All together, with all synthetic oil changes (engine and transmission), tires, brakes, water pump, one faulty injector, etc I spent maybe $2,000 in maintenance over 160,000 miles...


*Very surprising for a car that was built and assembled in Mexico. I wonder how much content for the car came from Mexico too?*


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## Syn (Jun 30, 2017)

Gone_in_60_seconds said:


> *Very surprising for a car that was built and assembled in Mexico. I wonder how much content for the car came from Mexico too?*


Made in Japan.


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## bobby747 (Dec 29, 2015)

My take. working for toyata and a dealer in late 88 . i became a toyota owner. great cars. honda also. i have a toyota highlander we got used 83k only 1 battery and alt. 
had 4 altima's many bash them 3 were used 1 new. great cheap to fix never really break down. used as pizza runners..my last was a 15 altima with cvt. oct warrantee would be up 82k on that CVT . i am not paying 6k for one. the car was great . it was brought after i stopped black car. new cars were ok to buy than as surge was always on.
the car market is hot now. .
i got my wife a leased hyundai sante fe . 2021 . its tech is really great start the car up on phone with a/c on. lock doors miles away.
my highlander i still own with a dodge caravan wav . big $$ the last dodge 110k on it in shop 3 years 2 times. once lifters and alt. harm. bal. 
my reviews are toyota is way better and honda to, i skipped toyota on the wav van as 8k more to buy plus convert.
the hyundai is not the same as say rav 4 in quality imho. same prices these kia's and other are pennys less.
i leased so its 33 more payments and done, the lexas NS 300 IS 10 TIMES THE SUV


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

Two words: HONDA and ACCORD


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## Syn (Jun 30, 2017)

Ted Fink said:


> Two words: HONDA and ACCORD


... only if you're willing to replace automatic transmission every 100,000 miles.


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## WI_Hedgehog (Aug 16, 2021)

Honda makes their own transmissions, they're quite good. Honda makes the best passenger vehicle engines available.

Toyota makes their own engines, they're second to Honda in quality. Toyota uses Aisin transmissions, they're the best out there for passenger vehicles.

Of the two, Toyota vehicles will typically outlast Honda due to the transmission longevity.


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

Syn said:


> ... only if you're willing to replace automatic transmission every 100,000 miles.


Never had an issue. I've run three of them over 300k without a hitch. I think there were some issues with the 2003-2007 accords, mostly v6 models if i recall, with the transmissions. Nothing is perfect. Anyway, I'm not worried about transmissions because my hybrid doesn't have one. It has what they call an E-CVT which is really a clutch to allow the engine and electric motor to be engaged/disengaged when the computer wants them to. But the motor and the engine both operate at fixed ratios. One ratio on electric, one on gas. Electric is like a 3rd gear ratio - which works because the electric motor has 100% of it's torque when you turn it on. The gas motor clutches in at a 5th gear ratio.


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## Nythain (Jul 15, 2021)

Making me wish mine was hybrid mr fink


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

Nythain said:


> Making me wish mine was hybrid mr fink


So get one. I bought mine 4 years old with 87k for $13,999. Don't buy a new one. 35k ouch. At 4 years most of the depreciation has occurred. But still can go 200k+ miles further down the road. I always buy them with 70-100k on them.


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

Just to clarify, last two accords were 4 cylinder gasoline models and this current one is the hybrid. I don't have the 300k verdict on the hybrid yet. Looks good at 177 though. No issues. Like zero.


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## Syn (Jun 30, 2017)

Ted Fink said:


> Never had an issue. I've run three of them over 300k without a hitch. I think there were some issues with the 2003-2007 accords, mostly v6 models if i recall, with the transmissions. Nothing is perfect. Anyway, I'm not worried about transmissions because my hybrid doesn't have one. It has what they call an E-CVT which is really a clutch to allow the engine and electric motor to be engaged/disengaged when the computer wants them to. But the motor and the engine both operate at fixed ratios. One ratio on electric, one on gas. Electric is like a 3rd gear ratio - which works because the electric motor has 100% of it's torque when you turn it on. The gas motor clutches in at a 5th gear ratio.


I heard too many horror stores about transmissions failing on CR-Vs, Pilots, Odysseys built after 2010 ... Usually under 100,000 miles unless you do transmission oil flush every 15,000 miles or so.


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

Syn said:


> I heard too many horror stores about transmissions failing on CR-Vs, Pilots, Odysseys built after 2010 ... Usually under 100,000 miles unless you do transmission oil flush every 15,000 miles or so.


I don't know anything about CRV, Pilot, or Odyssey. I was referring to Accord. And as I said, Accords did have some trans issues 03-07 which seemed to mostly affect V6 models. Not saying they are perfect, by any means. Just saying I have had good experience with Accords. It's worth noting that I drive very gently and I do every maintenance that the minder tells me to do. So yeah, I change the transmission fluid religiously. I want to say it's about every 30,000 miles but I'm too lazy to go look up records right now.


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

Also, people saying stuff about their cars are usually negative bias - that is, they only say something about their transmission if they have a problem with it. You don't ever hear anyone say "I don't have transmission issues". But the person that does is telling everyone and their mother about it. So bad news travels better than good news. No doubt some have had trans failures. Some people drive like morons too, or neglect fluid changes.


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## Gone_in_60_seconds (Jan 21, 2018)

Ted Fink said:


> Just to clarify, last two accords were 4 cylinder gasoline models and this current one is the hybrid. I don't have the 300k verdict on the hybrid yet. Looks good at 177 though. No issues. Like zero.


What kind of mileage do you get with your Honda Accord Hybrid? What model year is it?


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## Nythain (Jul 15, 2021)

Ted Fink said:


> So get one. I bought mine 4 years old with 87k for $13,999. Don't buy a new one. 35k ouch. At 4 years most of the depreciation has occurred. But still can go 200k+ miles further down the road. I always buy them with 70-100k on them.


I still owe a decent chunk on my v6. And its only at 54500 miles so ive got years worth of life in it even rideshare lol. Might look at a hybrid model when used prices come down and i get closer to needing something.


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

Gone_in_60_seconds said:


> What kind of mileage do you get with your Honda Accord Hybrid? What model year is it?


It's a 2015. Long term average 42mpg. I do 75% city, 25% highway. The highway driving decreases the mpg. If I were to break it down I'd say about 35 highway / 46-48 city. With me driving. In a hilly area. Your mileage may vary.


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