Toyotas to the moon and back
- Burnaston-built Toyota Carina E clocks up 560 000 miles – more than the distance to the moon and back.
- TMUK Quality Assurance Division gets the chance to give the car the once over.
TMUK was recently contacted by a customer in Northern Ireland who was proud of the fact that his Burnaston built vehicle had covered 560 000 miles. That’s more miles than to the moon and back.
The 1997 Carina E Turbo Diesel was bought new from a Toyota Dealership and stayed with the same family in Newry, Northern Ireland for 22 years.
In May 2019, the car was shipped back to Quality Assurance Division at Burnaston, accompanied by a brief history of the vehicle provided by its owner, Thomas Downey. Mr Downey was then invited to visit TMUK and was treated to a tour of the plant, including the Quality Learning Centre, a trip around the test track & a visit to the Assembly Shop to see the new Corolla being built.
Mr Downey was then reunited with his Carina E and told us that the vehicle retained its original engine and gearbox throughout its life and apart from a replacement internal heater matrix and 2 driveshafts, only required replacement of consumable parts such as oil and filters to keep on driving as it should.
It was clear from his words that the vehicle was extremely highly regarded. Mr Downey said, “What has distinguished this vehicle from every other vehicle I have owned or driven is its exceptional build quality, reliability and durability. When I finally have to part with it, it will be with a great deal of sadness. It has served me, and my father before me, astonishingly well for over two decades. It is by far the most enduring, quality car the family has ever owned. No other comes anywhere close”.
Marvin Cooke, Managing Director of Toyota Motor Manufacturing stated, “It is testament to the attention to detail and quality applied by all our members over the years that we get to see cars still on the road after all this time. Toyota’s really are built to last.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact: Julie Langley on 01332 283611 or Chris Barrow on 01332 283609, Toyota Manufacturing UK
Note to Editors
Toyota Manufacturing UK produces Corolla Hatchback and Corolla Touring Sport models at its vehicle manufacturing plant at Burnaston, Derbyshire, and petrol and hybrid engines at its engine manufacturing plant at Deeside, North Wales. In 2018, TMUK produced 129,070 vehicles, 345,855 engines for export and local assembly at plants across the world. To date, Toyota has invested over £2.75 billion into its UK manufacturing operations and currently employs over 3000 members.
