Will Toyota be GM's next victim?

[Cougar Vibe]

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic »http://www.tctimes.com/site/ne...rfi=8Well, that was a fairly balanced and unbiased op-ed piece.Seriously though, after reading this guys' rant (for which he didn't even have the balls to attach his real name to) I suspect there is more than "facts" operating in his view of the world. It's one thing to discuss specific points of data that can be cited and taken as valid, but it's another to make generalizations about the Japanese people and about some organized conspiracy by the media against American automobile manufacturers.And what's with that whole bunch of **** at the end about the Bataan Death March? (removed) does that have to do with Toyota manufacturing cars in America? Let's get something straight here: The author of that piece has some issues with race and his lot in life (and that is all this opinion piece was about).But ya know, that's okay because guys like that are dinosaurs.

[jasonvibe]

Did anyone inform CP that his A/C system is a DELPHI(GM) system. So it's not a Toyota part that has let him down. GM's designs are often quite good. It is the execution of assembly and suppliers. I had the first of the Series 2 - 3800 in my last '95 Pontiac. They have a plastic(plenum) upper intake manifold. These melt due to the EGR(exhaust gas recycler) and cause antifreeze to get sucked right into the engine. IT HAPPENS TO 90% by the time they hit 100k. Happened 2 times to me. The second time I knew to early symptoms an fixed it myself before it was terminal. A shop wanted $600 + parts to repair. A Plastic upper manifold is cheap to produce and often GM follows this idea, cheap enough to get past the warranty is good enough for them. We have plastic intakes manifolds on our Vibes. But there is not any antifreeze running through them. Which is fine by me. The only thing I definately like about the typical GM. They are easy to work on. Just I don't like doing so. Hope I made some sense of myself???

[ColonelPanic]

Bummer, the A/C crap is Delphi? Oh well, there is still plenty of other defective equipment in the car that certainly has Toyota's name all over it. Such as that engine that knocks like hell and mysteriously loses coolant. lol!

[jasonvibe]

Coolant disappearing...could ba a head gasket on it's way out. Under warranty...I'd leave it at the dealer till they find the cause and calll when they fix it. If they pull the spark plugs...there is often a odd color on the plugs. Or they should use a dye in the coolant to find the leak. ALSO someone stated that the Vibe had the worst initial quality rating of the Pontiacs. You bet, when 90% had there batteries replaced the first year 2003 or 2004 when they were out. Putting a motorcycle battery in a car is just dumb. I think that would knock down any rating.