You know...
 

As I sit here and listen about the gas peddal drama with Toyota and how it is going before a grand jury and such, I can't help but think about the inherent conflict of interest here... The American government now owns part of some of the American car companies and who are they targeting with all of this legal crap? Toyota. Now I understand and appreciate the problem (a rather big one) but I am sick of hearing total idiots say now that Toyota's are bad cars because of one bad defect just because they hear it on the news. Now I am not partial to Toyota (except 4th gen Supra...) but as a mechanic and someone who understands production, I know that they are still far superior products to the American variants. This is also coming from the mouth of someone who also loves American muscle but also understands that our new automotive products have been junk for many years. I am just wondering if anyone else out there can't stand listening to the propaganda being blurted out about an otherwise very respectable company and the governments b.s action towards them. Hell, who remembers the Firestone/ford exploder incidents? The media and government didn't get nearly as involved in that...

As a fellow mechanic I agree 100%, just look at my sig. I wouldn't own a new (ish) American car. They are all substandard. IMO

I'm somewhat on the fringe re hearing what the media is saying about the affair (haven't had network tv since the '70's) but am also wondering about the ado. Certainly a public relations nightmare for the company. Ford had a similar 'unintended acceleration' problem in the '80's but the media treatment has changed since then.
On a personal level, if someone wants to dump a late-model Toyota pickup that they're scared of I'd be willing to let them have my Ford Ranger in trade.
Jim

The kids won't get that one David.
Jim

I had though that. LOL. Showing my age I guess.

David that is too frigging funny

Brilliant!:D
(Youngsters, Google "Pinto gas tank")

What about all the Audi's that went full tilt in reverse?

Im only 24, but I do know about the "Fire Bombs"... What about the old Mach I's?
Again, I am impartial to Toyota and not really for new Detroit, but I have to say Demming's influence really worked and they do make a supperior product these days. I just think it is $hitty that the American media has to torture Toyota to make our piles of crap look better.

All you have to do is -------TURN OFF THE IGNITION KEY-------, OR PUT FOOT ON BRAKE, it's that simple. Car stops, your're safe. Case closed.

I get no cheer out of an otherwise good company being raked over the coals. American or otherwise. I expect U.S. automakers to game the system and avoid taking responsibility for serious defects until denial becomes embarassing. Not Toyota.

It surprises me how Toyota let this problem take on a life of it's own and now the media owns the spin. I don't doubt they are having difficulty replicating the failure in what appears to be a few isolated incidents...but come on

Congress might want to cool it as our government was apparently sold a bill of goods on the whole floormat recall. NPR reported on an internal Toyota document snickering about this snow job.

This isnt cool, I agree. And how about the government allowing them to say that it was only the floor mat? I'snt that agency supposed to look out for our well being?

Agreed, Kris. And what about the former NHTSA officials that worked for Toyota and got their old pals to shelve the complaints and not demand a recall for the problem? Sounds like our govt has a lot to answer for, but you know they won't.

NO, just turn off the ignition key, everything stops, everything. , everything., evethin, eveth,evti,ev,e.

It chaps my ass that sanctimonious politicians have the gall to grill companies that actually produce something useful and contribute to the American economy about not being perfect. Yeah, they're not perfect. Yeah, they make incredibly complex products and sometimes make mistakes. But in the meantime they create jobs and add to the GDP. When was the last time a politician contributed anything to the American economy?

Many of the cars do not even have an ignition key, hence the extra few seconds of confusion.

Say what? The media was all over the Firestone debacle when it happened.

Not in a toyota. Which you'd know if you actually followed this story in the slightest.

BTW, 32 Americans dead from Toyota acceleration defect to date.

If there is ANY brake pedal that won't stop ANY car, if applied CORRECTLY, at any speed, please let me know. It's people who get scared at any speed who are not trained to deal with the outcome.