Comments by "Yo2" (@yo2trader539) on "The Car Care Nut" channel.

  1. And automakers get trashed by reviewers for having "cheap" interiors and outdated tech.
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  2. In Japan, Hyundai was know as Fake Honda, especially because we know how Koreans actually pronounce Hyundai.
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  3. You should contact Toyota directly. That sounds like a dishonest dealer. Unfortunately, Toyota doesn't own or directly operate dealerships in the US.
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  4. I have no doubt the TAHARA Plant and 4Runner engineers will be pleased that it's still running without any major issues. The 4Runner is made in a factory that makes mostly Lexus vehicles, and they have the most experienced Toyota workers at that site.
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  5. US$50,000 in 2024 is equivalent to US$41,000 in 2019, or US$37,700 in 2014. Inflation bites. Interestingly, Toyota lost money in North America in FY2022, despite having strong sales. And Toyota's operating profit margin for North America was still 3%, compared to 12% world-wide in FY2023. You can interpret this as: (1) American dealerships, which are independently-owned by Americans, are charging too much; (2) Toyota's car prices sold to American dealers is not keeping up with inflation; or (3) Toyota has too many employees in North America. Perhaps it makes more financial sense to manufacture in Japan. However, Toyota's domestic manufacturing capability is capped at around 15,000 vehicles per day (or 3 million vehicles annually). And they've been running at full capacity for a while, which is why some customers are forced to wait months for their delivery, especially on Hybrids. All the fancy infotainment, software development, ever-increasing amount of sensors, semiconductors, and electronics is not cheap. High labor cost, material/component cost, shipping cost, utility bills, and expensive R&D on BEVs are all contributing to cost of vehicles, regardless of manufacturer.
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  6. The origin of the Land Cruiser is that it was initially designed for military use over 70 years ago. The name is not a coincidence. Which is why everything is over-built and components are specifically designed, and everything is expensive. As for why certain models are not sold in the US is more due to US tariffs and emission regulations to protect US auto-industry and unions.
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  7. ​ @carlwaltjen5340 That is the reason why a 25 year old imported Japanese Domestic Market car still functions. It's the rigorous preventive maintenance and strict government vehicle inspection standards in Japan, which needs to be passed every two years to be allowed on roads. And commercial trucks are inspected every few months. Unfortunately, many American customers don't take care of their cars. They're too busy with latest infotainment, interior designs or gimmicks instead of the actual mechanics. They wait until there is a problem, or they just sell the car with a problem to the next owner who suffers the consequences. A lot of car-related problems could be avoided if they just did regular maintenance.
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  8. ​ @RickBerg-b9k It takes years if not decades of extensive experience and repetition with various models to reach this level. I would want Toyota's design team to listen to his feedback. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they watch his videos too.
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