Stuck with a Toyota Matrix for the day

[N0DIH]

My sister in law's daughters 03 Matrix already tossed a piston @ 155K miles, on a diet of Mobil 1. I helped them get a 16K mile replacement 05 engine in, so it runs again. But the cat converter is already rusted apart, $700 replacement, from Toyota only I am told, it got its first trans rebuilt @ 60k miles, and now has a shift solenoid failing. The interior is junk, non of the storage compartments can even stay closed now, they all fall open, both power window control panels on both front doors are falling off, most of the dash lights are burned out, it rattles, and has terrible wind noise.

I can't believe Toyota sells a single car with junk quality like this. The dash is hard as a rock, in an accident, if you ever hit it, you are going to have a concusion for sure. I can't even find the power window controls without reeling my arm waaay back in such an awkward position I can't imagine anyone ever being comfortable in it. The shorter you are the worse. You can't open the door without it flying open with nothing to grab to catch it (almost like it is spring loaded) and it opens VERY far, enough there is almost certainty you WILL be dinging a lot of people in parking lots. An awful lot of front door and rear hatch wind noise.

Yuk, reliabilty=3, comfort=3, power=1, trans shifting=2, handling=7, ride=3 (and frigging noisy too!), and fuel economy, not tested, sure seems poor. I went 150 miles, mostly on cruise, and it burned a half tank. Maybe it is ok, but the perception seems like it goes through a lot of gas....

Leave Toyota in Japan....

[CadillacSTS2003]

thats pathetic...

[codewize]

I've found in my day that most cars are equipped with a tank large enough to provide ~300 miles of driving. I'm not sure why this is but check it out some time.

[Red_October_7000]

Yeah Toyota peaked about 1986~ or so.
My MR2 is an 88 and the interior is still in pretty good shape; everything works as it's supposed to including the windows, locks, etc, and this car has over a quarter million miles on it. In that time period they had the MR2, which is economical, fast, and fun to drive; the Supra, which is fast, fun to drive, and more practical than an MR2, the Cressida, which, while ugly as sin is well-appointed and comfortable, and a host of lesser models and some shitty pickups. They have dropped the Cressida like all asian makes dropped their luxury cars so they could introduce an upmarket name; they have no more sportscars either MR2 OR Supra, and their pickups are still substandard compared to American trucks. I have no idea why anyone buys a Toyota nowadays; Except for the FJ Cruiser there is no Toyota I would even look at, and I really don't think the FJ Cruiser would win me out over another vehicle in its class...

[N0DIH]

I never thought the Cressida was too bad looking, but then again, I was comparing it to the Camry, Corrolla and Tercel too... It HAD to be better looking....ANYTHING was better looking.....

I have never been a Toyota fan, but the Supra with the inline 6 always did pretty good, it was a fairly solid engine, and did make decent power. You can tell, it was not designed like the 4 cyls. Almost like the Mark IV BB and the SB Chevy. Same company, but they shared almost nothing.

[Stoneage_Caddy]

id walk before driving a toyota ....i havent driven one yet ....and i never will ...

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

Toyota is boring, cheap transportation for the masses. Let them have it, I want my cars with personality!

[Anthony Cipriano]

It certainly makes you appreciate your Fleetwood Brougham. Doesn't it?

[Red_October_7000]

Originally Posted by Stoneage_Caddy

id walk before driving a toyota ....i havent driven one yet ....and i never will ...

I won't argue with this but if you get the chance to drive an MR2, take it. I'd say it's the one Toyota you have to drive before you judge it. You may come away hating it, but you may come away impressed that it's something different from the usual bland Toyocrap. I know I did.

[Stoneage_Caddy]

well ...guess i gotta confession ....i did drive one fo the old mr2s , witht he supercharger ....we converted it into a race car .....good little car , and i drove the old solid front axel 4 runners .....but ive never driven a toytoa newer then 88 ...

they dont make them like that no more and havent for decades ...

[Red_October_7000]

^^^^
This man speaks the truth.
Yeah the S/C MR2s are quite something. Mine's the naturally aspirated kind.

There was a drop in quality at that time (end of the 80s). Do an Ebay search for Cressidas. The older, pre-89 or so Cressidas are nice inside, with plushy seats, fancy stereos and all sorts of nicer appointments. The last Cressidas in 92 or so look just like everything else Toyota crapped out at that point in time -ordinary seats, bland radio, etc. etc. etc.

[Jesda]

Toyota's desire to be the world's #1 has caused them to cut corners on quality. They dont exactly have excitement to fall back on either.

[90Brougham350]

I agree with everything that's being said. My good friend drove an '03 Matrix SRX (upgraded engine). The damned thing redlined at 8800 rpms but you had to get it there first, which was a royal pain in the ass. I've never gotten so carsick in a vehicle in my entire life! The interior was absolute crap, falling apart. The doors rattled when they shut.

[Night Wolf]

I've always liked the 80's Toyota pickups.... 22RE engine was quite tough.

Then I have a thing for te '01-'03 Tacoma TRD extended cab 4x4 5spd.... thats all.

[CadillacSTS2003]

arent the Matrix and the Pontiac Vibe sister cars....?