Toyota / Lexus Tidbits

[Leviathan]

“break out the sake” results."

They are turning a profit, something no American based car company has done in many years.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

“break out the sake” results."

They are turning a profit, something no American based car company has done in many years.

Except the $1B Q3 profit Ford just posted. Thanks for keeping up.

[Juke1]

Put up or shut up
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/11/toyota-takes-on-iihs-top-safety-picks.html

[Juke1]

http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/toyota_camry_2010_quality_3

[articsteve]

As horrible as the Camry is, as unsafe as the Camry is with it's driver's side knee airbag, it still kicks ass.    In the USA it still beats Malibu and Impala COMBINED despite huge incentives and fleet sales on both cars.    Despite cranking out more units that any other in it's class, it has the best resale. 

and to think that the next gen Camry will hit the market before any of it's competitors.  I can only offer this to it's critics .... 

[Honda Owner]

Steve, sales mean nothing to GM slappies. It's all about emotion.

[Greg B.]

Yes, we look forward to further declines in build quality, further plasticization of the interior, more unattractive styling, and continuation of the overall decline in Camry design and quality as has been the case over the past several iterations. As GM learned from its mistakes of the 1970s and 80s, it takes a long time for a reputation to go bad. Toyota is now learning that lesson and will soon be paying the price as consumers wake up.

[articsteve]

As GM learned from its mistakes of the 1970s and 80s, it takes a long time for a reputation to go bad.

70s and 80s     

Try the 90s and the greater part of this decade.  GM's small car is going to be built off shore by same company who produces the AVEO.  How utterly hopeless is that!  Any competitor will destroy it.

[Juke1]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jTG7SuUsayqE6bO9GPluAfU5blewD9C727F80

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-cost26-2009nov26,0,2914702.story

http://www.freep.com/article/20091126/BUSINESS01/911260450/1332/Business01/Toyota-has-a-lot-riding-on-fixes-for-recalled-vehicles

[Sir Osis of Liver]

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-cost26-2009nov26,0,2914702.story

In 2004, 92% of first-year Toyota owners were willing to recommend their car to a friend, according to research by Art Spinella at CNW Marketing Research -- a virtual tie with Honda for first among mainstream vehicle brands.

Toyota's "recommendation percentage" fell to 88% this year, trailing Ford, Chevrolet, Honda, Volkswagen and Hyundai.

That's pretty much been my experience. After 3 Toyotas, I couldn't justify putting up with the supremely arrogant dealer, I bought the Vibe instead. This last go 'round, Toyota just didn't have what I was looking for.

It will be interesting to see what the dealer in Regina is like.

[Juke1]

I can echo that, arrogance and every new model inferior to the previous.  So many good choices out there, and fack resale value, seem to only work when trading on the same brand anyways.

[rrocket]

I can echo that, arrogance and every new model inferior to the previous.  So many good choices out there, and fack resale value, seem to only work when trading on the same brand anyways.

Hmmm...my Toyo dealers kisses my ass.  Maybe it's because we were also Lexus customers?  I dunno.  The owner of the lot (he owns BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, Smart,  lots as well) said "Let's Go!" when I asked him to race my Supra in his SL65 AMG.   

[johngenx]

It all depends on where you are.  The Toyota dealer that we bought our 'Rolla from was by far and away the best of the various dealers we visited.  No pressure, no admin fees, no etching, etc.  Has nothing to do with the brand, (they don't dictate dealer behaviour) but in our case, the Toyota dealer was great.  It certainly was one reason we chose the car we did.

The worst by a mile were the Nissan dealers.  High admin fees, high pressure sales tactics and in-your-face salespeople sent us running.  Does this condemn the Nissan brand?  No.  That's stupid logic.  It just meant that our particular Nissan dealer was for .

[Juke1]

I can echo that, arrogance and every new model inferior to the previous.  So many good choices out there, and fack resale value, seem to only work when trading on the same brand anyways.

Hmmm...my Toyo dealers kisses my ass.  Maybe it's because we were also Lexus customers?  I dunno.  The owner of the lot (he owns BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, Smart,  lots as well) said "Let's Go!" when I asked him to race my Supra in his SL65 AMG.   

Nah...my dealer does not kiss my ass and I'm not one for these muck muck clubs...but he does treat me nice, frank and fair.  A nice down to earth business relationship.

[Juke1]

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091126/OPINION03/911260331/1148/auto01/Howes--Toyota-not-looking-so-shiny-now

[articsteve]

Fresh from federally induced bankruptcy, GM's labor costs are competitive; its product portfolio is solid; its footprint in developing markets is impressive; and its debt load is enviably small, making it a potentially formidable competitor able to generate cash once the worst of the auto sales depression passes.

detroitnews.com   =   

[airbalancer]

All the companies have good & bad dealers
I did check will 4 Toyota dealers before we got the Prius , all treated us fair

[Greg B.]

Fresh from federally induced bankruptcy, GM's labor costs are competitive; its product portfolio is solid; its footprint in developing markets is impressive; and its debt load is enviably small, making it a potentially formidable competitor able to generate cash once the worst of the auto sales depression passes.

ArticSteve   =    

[Sir Osis of Liver]

It all depends on where you are.  The Toyota dealer that we bought our 'Rolla from was by far and away the best of the various dealers we visited.  No pressure, no admin fees, no etching, etc.  Has nothing to do with the brand, (they don't dictate dealer behaviour) but in our case, the Toyota dealer was great.  It certainly was one reason we chose the car we did.

The worst by a mile were the Nissan dealers.  High admin fees, high pressure sales tactics and in-your-face salespeople sent us running.  Does this condemn the Nissan brand?  No.  That's stupid logic.  It just meant that our particular Nissan dealer was for .

At one point Dad, my brother, my brother-in-law, my sister-in-law and I had Toyotas. We all lived in different cities, we all came to the same conclusion. None of us have Toyotas right now.  Dad has two Fords, my brother has a Jeep Wrangler, my brother-in-law has a Denali, my sister-in-law has a Ranger, and of course I have a Subaru.

Dad made the comment that dealing with the GM dealer in Moncton was like dealing with the GM dealers in the 1970s. They were doing YOU a favour, don't like it, don't buy it. So he didn't.

The thing is, if you're dealing with a bad domestic dealer, there's usually another in town. If you're in a smaller centre, you get the choice of one Toyota, Honda, Nissan dealer. If it's a bad one, you either have to buy in another city or move on. We moved on.

I understand that Toyota isn't responsible for the dealer's attitudes. Having said that, when there are complaints, they do have some tools to lean on shoddy dealers.

[articsteve]

they do have some tools to lean on shoddy dealers.

Yes, they decline to renew the franchise agreement.

But this isn't about "shoddy dealers" or dealers who lose market share in their territory.  It's about prejudice views on automobile brands that some ppl like to extrapolate to their dealer experience.

It's ridiculous to attempt to say X brand of vehicle has horrible dealer experience while Y brand doesn't by giving examples of friends, family or self.

Generally, smaller population centers tend to offer more "personal, less pushy" service, but that applies to almost all products and services in smaller centres.  Just like ppl in a smaller center will initiate a hello on the street where in Toronto not so much.

 Some ppl expect too much on their trade, some ppl expect too much of a discount off the list and as a result they get pissy and tell everyone that X brand sucks.  On the other hand some dealers force sales ppl to be over competitive so the dealer "experience" does sucks.  But that cannot be applied to the brand as a general statement of fact.