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Is Toyota’s Image At The Crossroads?

Agent009 submitted on 08/24/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 11:40 AM
from: www.thetruthaboutcars.com

[39] user comments | category: Misc News

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Is Toyota’s Image At The Crossroads?

For the last few years, the American public has embraced Toyota's products as clean, durable and efficient. Exhibit A: the demure Camry, which has maintained its position as America’s favorite automobile. Exhibit also A: the Hybrid Synergy Driven Prius; the poster child for environmentally and foreign policy-conscious consumers. No surprise, then, that Toyota's been held up as America's responsible automaker, the one who doesn't bitch and moan about federal regulations, but just puts its head down and does the right thing. And makes money doing it! And then Toyota released the new Tundra. Read Article

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Agent009 - 8/24/2007 1:09:54 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

Not really when yu are on top. Then everyone is gunning for you.

But the biggest problem is the Toyota suffers from "GM envy". For some reason they seem to want to copy dang near near every segment in which GM is in. Whether it is profitable or not.

They got to where they are by doing their own thing. It is extremely difficult to be everything to everybody, and that it what they are trying to do.

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enthusiastx11 - 8/24/2007 1:23:33 PM

+1 Boost

that's what comes with being the largest automaker! nobody pick on number 2 because you're the underdog.

GM had to endure political, pr and economic pressure for years. now toyota has taken the mantle.

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1970toyotamarc - 8/24/2007 3:17:33 PM

+3 Boost

009, they are not copying, they are expanding. You guys love the "C" word, doncha.

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mkk21 - 8/24/2007 3:24:53 PMView My AgentSpace

+4 Boost

How the hell does Toyota suffer from "GM Envy"? So they entered the one segment that GM is actually known for that they see as an opportunity to make more money, which GM is not actually known for since Ford is the king of the segment in sales volume anyways.

Even if they do suffer from it, atleast they don't show it. Unlike GM CEO who's arrogant as hell whose main goal is to remain No. 1, and up until a couple of years ago thought they were untouchable. Atleast, Toyota takes the more humble approach and says we're not looking to be number one, eventhough they are on there way. GM can just go crash and burn, they deserve it for being such arrogant @$$holes!

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Agent009 - 8/24/2007 3:57:11 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

1970toyotamarc - how about "emulate"? Xerox might be appropriate too.

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1970toyotamarc - 8/24/2007 4:13:03 PM

+3 Boost

How about accepting that 009 is just trying to incite again. As I say to my emotionally disturbed students, "Stop provoking your peers."

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EnnNorak - 8/24/2007 10:19:52 PM

+3 Boost

I have nothing against Toyota but I don't like their Lexus brand for various reasons I have posted on this site. I love the FJ cruiser but my wife hates it. we both love the Avalon but my wife now considers it to be too big. We both think that the Lexus IS is too small.

We had a 2001 RAV 4 which we gave to our youngest daughter in 2003. The Toyota service and warranty was excellent but some dealers think they can get away with always charging full MSRP. I got ours at cost plus $100 and let the dealer keep his his holdback. I refused to pay for "predelivery" as that is something the factory reimburses to dealers anyway. BTW, the selling dealer went under about a year later but that was no fault of mine as my small contribution to his overhead and profit actually helped his dealership to stay alive longer.

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omtradelaw - 8/25/2007 12:30:33 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Unfortunaly for Toyota/Lexus it is sick. the fact that they have dropped the quality of ther veichles on irder to accomodate volume and profits is not good for consumers and only great for those who own the stock ;)

Now, before anyone calls me a lexus/toyota hatter, one of the cars I own is a Lexus. Clear example is the difference between your lovely 06gs300 and any lexus built before the L-finess theory came to ljfe. The quality of the wood, leather, suspension materials is much less now than what it was as early as the previous generation of the gs. The have added technological advances to "improve" ride, acceleration, bluetooth compaibility and milage but have driven or riden in a 2000 gs or a 1999 es. If you reallly cosider yourself a "car lover" you would e crazy to admit that those cars do not have a better ride than what the have now.

Do not take me wrong, this is not a non-profit organitazion, they are in business to make money,but their own greed has damaged the very own foundation that made the sooooo succesfull. I am glad in part de to great gains in their stock (and y portfolio ;)),

Do you know that the many of the process that used to be checked and performed by hand with gloves and common sense are now performed by a lovely robots, i know, i know that can be programmed to be "perfect', well guess what they are not perfect and their "common sense" does not allow them do keep the brands (lexus/toyota) as good as they were.

Are they still reat? absolutely!!!! but not as god as they were or could be

laters fellas, sorry for the mini book

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Agent009 - 8/24/2007 1:29:41 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

well they WERE perfect for the longest of time. So now they set a standard which is possible to maintain. Expectations were unrealistically set and now they are falling short.

They are after all human. Something a few of us don't want to accept when it comes to Toyota.

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Agent009 - 8/24/2007 2:11:06 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

possible should be "impossibe"

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1970toyotamarc - 8/24/2007 3:18:56 PM

+3 Boost

"They are after all human." SCARY!!! Corporations, despite what our Supreme Court has ruled, are not humans.

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kpaxx - 8/24/2007 12:02:15 PM

-1 Boost

.it's almost like everyone is waiting for them to fail miserably...

No..I think what we are seeing is a correction of perception with reality. The quality propoganda that toyota has been marketing is now losing its influence in the market and is aligning with true owner experiences.

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izfuney - 8/24/2007 12:16:28 PM

+3 Boost

Quality propganda ? Do you mean the countless JD power awards? or the millions of cars from toyota that are driven as beaters with mileage north of 250k all over america? Or maybe you refer to their reputed manufacturing technology whom GM (to partner), Porsche paid big money to aquire?

I think you have it confused with BMW's "sheer driving pleasure" where they give you a porker of an sedan and make you belive its a sport car.

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rocker - 8/24/2007 12:21:32 PM

+3 Boost

Everything is cyclical.

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answer - 8/24/2007 1:02:43 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

I heard the executive management at Toyota is planning on having the company invade the North pole, kill Santa Claus, and force all the elves to make hybrid versions of all their upcoming SUVs.

So even though this aritcle is written by someone desperate for any bad news for Totyota, his point will soon be moot.

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JUGNU - 8/24/2007 1:03:16 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

No Toyota's image is still the same.And not only in US but in the whole world.

Which is Peace of Mind and Unparallel Value.

BTW (Can't u all see Toyota corolla which is in it's last year sold 7K+ in China).

JUGNU

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kpaxx - 8/24/2007 2:47:41 PM

-1 Boost

WOW Toyoa tundra owners are starting to question the quality of toyotas check out the list and video on

http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2007/08/22/all-known-2007-toyota-tundra-problems/

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1970toyotamarc - 8/24/2007 3:02:56 PM

+2 Boost

Another typical TTAC anti-Toyota rant. But this one just takes the cake. It's filled with such b.s.

TTAC is building an argument out of half-truths, suppositions and other poor logic.

"the most popular version (of the new Tundra) gets a combined EPA average of 15 miles to the gallon"
Edmunds tested the Tundra against its competitors and it got the best mpg in its class. The new engine is also, while bigger and more powerful, more efficient than the previous one.

"Releasing two new bigger full-sized SUVs into a declining market...is a serious miscalculation on Toyota’s part."
So they should just keep the old models, or discontinue them altogether conceding the market to Ford and Chevy. Yeah, that would be a better calculated move.

"How many potential Prius buyers will be turned off by Toyota ads pushing the new Sequoia and Land Cruiser?"
My guess......zero. I bought a Prius not membership into ToMoCo. The LC has nothing to do with my Prius.

"Toyota’s vastly disparate products put their marketing efforts between a rock and a green place"
Pure conjecture. It assumes Toyota can't sell products in different classes, something that every large mfr, esp Toyota, has been doing just fine at, for the whole history of auto sales.

Look, Toyota is on pace to sell 10 million vehicles in a coupe years. You think they're going to all be Priuses? Toyota, despite being a full line mfr, still has the 2nd best fuel mpg average in the US. More and more hybrids are coming on line. Each new engine, while bigger and badder than the last, is more efficient (3.3 to 3.5 V6, 4.7 to 5.7 V8). I think ToMoCo knows a little bit more about how to sell cars than the self righteous idiots at TTAC.

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S4cabriofoxone - 8/25/2007 1:53:25 AMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

In their view, Toyota should be selling half the cars they do now, they should all be Priuses and Corollas, they should never ever have any problems (ever!) and they should look like Mercedes CLS550s.

However, if that was true, they'd scold Toyota for not selling enough compared to the domestics, for not having an extensive product line and for copying Mercedes. LOL.

JWalkerLegrande - 8/24/2007 4:32:18 PM

-2 Boost

Toyota has the greatest marketing team in the world. They will throw some more money into communications and work this one out, too.

Today's USA respects marketing much much more than engineering (consider BMW or Honda)...

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EnnNorak - 8/24/2007 10:29:26 PM

+2 Boost

JWalkerLegrande, auto industry marketing guys know how to bullshit the public but they know very little about cars. They don't even know how to write decent informative brochures. Their excuse is that the public does not understand technical details anyway. These marketing guys don't know how to leverage that technical guy who can convince ten of his buddies to buy the product.

mikeydred20 - 8/24/2007 8:33:43 PM

+2 Boost

I'm not into pickups but the Tundra is nice, but I've heard of reliability issues since it came out. Love the commercials too.

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EnnNorak - 8/24/2007 10:32:25 PM

+2 Boost

GM went down the hill but is bouncing back and will be the only domestic to survive intact. Toyota will eventually follow the same path -- they have not yet had enough failures to learn from.

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toolatetorace - 8/25/2007 12:18:42 AM

+3 Boost

Toyota is starting to look like Wal-Mart . They want all the busisness and they don't care who they step on to do it

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nextGen - 8/25/2007 1:19:12 AM

+2 Boost

That TTAC site... the truth really comes out after the comments start coming in after a review or article is written. Maybe it's the site's style to throw a bone and see who'll bite. The more controversial the article, the greater the bites and negative reactions, the greater the readership. In contrast to TTAC, a site like Edmunds.com takes a more conservative approach and gains widespread credibility.

Also, despite the bashing that may go on at car sites, it's getting increasingly tougher to misinform a nation of cars buyers who are becoming ever smarter and savvier about car technicals and choices. Car manufacturers and car reviewers have this burden.

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XYZZ - 8/27/2007 5:20:29 AM

+1 Boost

...

XYZZ - 8/27/2007 5:37:40 AM

+1 Boost

for anyone who took the time to read the responses on that blog (and for those who haven't), some 90% DID NOT AGREE with the writer of the article.

toyota can just continue on their merry course. the vast majority of HAPPY BUYERS and owners really don't GIVE a s**t about the IMAGE of hypocrisy the author is trying to foist off on everyone.

S4cabriofoxone - 8/25/2007 1:55:09 AMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

I'm liking most of the new Lexus models (except the LX570- still have to warm up to the exterior), and Toyota is still dominating. But TTAC's bitterly biased view is getting annoying. Toyota cannot be perfect. GM certainly wasn't.

I'm just still waiting for Honda to quietly take over the world.

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XYZZ - 8/31/2007 4:24:20 AM

+1 Boost

nowhere as overrated as some eurocrap brands.

i recall a C/D article where the writer hung out with some rebels for a while. free to "liberate" whatever they wanted, they turned their noses up at Land Rovers. the TOYOTA land cruiser was their vehicle of choice.

TOUGHER, more durable and reliable. FAR easier to fix the few times it did break down. (most often due to hostile action.)

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XYZZ - 8/31/2007 4:28:36 AM

+1 Boost

just finished a book, "Three Cups of Tea," a NY Times bestseller about a philanthropist's work in northern Pakistan and Afghanistan.

it seems the vehicle with the MOST PRESTIGE for DURABILITY and RELIABILITY in the rugged Himalayan "foothills" were Toyotas. LCs for the outback. sedans and vans in the cities.

even the Taliban preferred toyota crewcab trucks for moving their troops around.

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