Some older (circa 1990s-2000s) GMs and even Fords have better rustproofing than their Japanese counterparts, and even American manufacturers occasionally could design a decent engine, like the (non-supercharged) Buick/Pontiac/Oldsmobile 3.8L V6. For every 1997 Dodge Intrepid with the sludge factory 2.7L, there's about 0.001 2004 Buick LeSabres that would probably make it to 300k if the owners bothered to do basic maintenance on them.
American car manufacturers occasionally had their moments. And shit, even Toyota isn't infallible -- sudden acceleration recalls aside, they had another major recall with 4 cylinder-equipped models in the late 2000s/early 2010s where they decided to change the style of piston rings to something that the engine wasn't designed for. The result was that the engine would consume oil at a pretty alarming rate; something like a quart per 500 miles. The fix was a complete engine rebuild (necessary in order to swap out the low-tension rings for the older style), and they did perform this work under warranty for new vehicles at the time, but there are plenty of old Camry, RAV4, and Corolla models floating around out there that never had the recall work done, and they're no longer eligible.
Generally, they were in the 70s and 80s, when the import market was still relatively young. By the mid-90s or so, Japanese manufacturers had more or less caught up, but Toyota specifically had a few missteps around 2003-2009 where rustproofing completely failed on their truck frames. Their other models have a bit of a reputation for rotting out extremely quickly once the rust starts; I'm not sure if it's something in the composition of the alloy that they use, or what, but it was kind of eyebrow-raising to hear, given how impeccable most of their engineering is.
More recently, they've been including rust treatment under warranty, but it sounds like it's just a silicone-based coating that they spray on once and do not reapply. Either way, if you have a Toyota or Lexus and the body is showing signs of rust, get it treated ASAP. Lanolin-based treatments (e.g., Fluid Film or Woolwax) work really well, but have to be reapplied at least yearly (and you have to avoid spraying the undercarriage at car washes). Avoid POR15 like the plague; once it fails, it fails catastrophically.
...I may or may not have spent the past six weeks down a research rabbit hole because I own a Toyota that is starting to rust
Some older (circa 1990s-2000s) GMs and even Fords have better rustproofing than their Japanese counterparts, and even American manufacturers occasionally could design a decent engine, like the (non-supercharged) Buick/Pontiac/Oldsmobile 3.8L V6. For every 1997 Dodge Intrepid with the sludge factory 2.7L, there's about 0.001 2004 Buick LeSabres that would probably make it to 300k if the owners bothered to do basic maintenance on them.
American car manufacturers occasionally had their moments. And shit, even Toyota isn't infallible -- sudden acceleration recalls aside, they had another major recall with 4 cylinder-equipped models in the late 2000s/early 2010s where they decided to change the style of piston rings to something that the engine wasn't designed for. The result was that the engine would consume oil at a pretty alarming rate; something like a quart per 500 miles. The fix was a complete engine rebuild (necessary in order to swap out the low-tension rings for the older style), and they did perform this work under warranty for new vehicles at the time, but there are plenty of old Camry, RAV4, and Corolla models floating around out there that never had the recall work done, and they're no longer eligible.
This is all used market stuff, obvi.
That’s a good point. Do you think American cars are generally more rust proof than Toyotas/Hondas?
Generally, they were in the 70s and 80s, when the import market was still relatively young. By the mid-90s or so, Japanese manufacturers had more or less caught up, but Toyota specifically had a few missteps around 2003-2009 where rustproofing completely failed on their truck frames. Their other models have a bit of a reputation for rotting out extremely quickly once the rust starts; I'm not sure if it's something in the composition of the alloy that they use, or what, but it was kind of eyebrow-raising to hear, given how impeccable most of their engineering is.
More recently, they've been including rust treatment under warranty, but it sounds like it's just a silicone-based coating that they spray on once and do not reapply. Either way, if you have a Toyota or Lexus and the body is showing signs of rust, get it treated ASAP. Lanolin-based treatments (e.g., Fluid Film or Woolwax) work really well, but have to be reapplied at least yearly (and you have to avoid spraying the undercarriage at car washes). Avoid POR15 like the plague; once it fails, it fails catastrophically.
...I may or may not have spent the past six weeks down a research rabbit hole because I own a Toyota that is starting to rust