Well, my wife's 2005 Toyota Matrix XR left her stranded yesterday morning due to a fuel pressure issue and is currently at the dealership awaiting repair. I had to laugh to myself later, to think we bought her a new "more reliable" Toyota versus any other type of car just for the reliability factor, and she gets stranded (not far from her mom's house, so not that big of a deal). I would have thought my 2003 Cooper would have been in the shop 5 times before her Toyota, and it has never been in once. It just goes to show you, any given car can fail at any given time. It makes me appreciate the dependability I've gotten from my MINI!

 

Kung Fu Master voice: "Ohhh grasshopper... I fear much bad karma in store for this man..."

Irony is art,
Tatt

 

 

aren't those made in Fremont with the Pontiac Vibes?

that's probably why

 

That is true. And to continue with the irony, for just $2000 more we could have had the Pontiac! Man, we blew it!

 

In japan they rebadge the Pontiac version as a Toyota!?

 

Are you serious?

 

Kenchan, is still a Toyota ain't it? I don't buy that balooney that if a Honda or Toyota is made outside of Japan is somehow a car of dubious quality. You don't believe that yourself, do you?

Yes, the Fremont plant (A.k.a NUMMI - New United Motor Manufacturing INC) has been a GM/Toyota venture first opened in 1985 and currently manufactures the Toyota Corolla, Toyota Pickup truck (Tacoma) and the Pontiac Vibe, which in turn was rebadged and sold in Japan as a RHD model under a different model name known as the Toyota Voltz. Production of the RHD Voltz (Vibe) ended at NUMMI in February 2004

For your information, the Toyota Matrix is not made in Fremont. It is assembled in Canada (Cambridge Ontario).

Both NUMMI and Cambridge plants employ strict Toyota production standards and both have also ranked highly in assembly quality.

NUMMI also made the now discontinued Chevrolet/Geo Prizm (Corolla clone).

Tid bit: Both the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe were originally designed by General Motors designer John Mack.

 

maybe that's why? you know me better man. im just kiddin around.
my new Legacy is build right here in the midwest and it's an excellent car.
loving it. probably one of the best ecno j-cars ive bought in a while.

 

I know you are. I can't take ya seriously!