Toyota's high reputation

Then, perhaps the US makers should stop building their cars (and even parts) in Argentina, Mexico, and Canada.

Most Toyotas (and Hondas) have more American made parts, and more American assembly, than the US brands.

Chuck

 

Please stop that is just nor even close to being true. Please do a little research before you make a silly statement like that. How many did toyota import, how many did GM and Ford? This is just a foolish statemtn.

 

My GF was patriotic and bought an American made Class A motorhome. The Ford chassis was assembled in Mexico.

 

My parents have a Chrysler Concorde (a beautiful land barge) that is "American." Care to guess how much of it was made in the US? Not much.

Chuck

 

Tell me what percentage of GM Fords and toyotas sold in the US were made in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Japan?

 

You'll have to define the phrase "made in."

The Swiss have a very precise definition for this, before a watch can be stamped with "Swiss made." I believe it involves 50% of the parts, and a majority of the assembly being done in Switzerland, but that's from memory...

So, to continue this discussion please define "made in" USA, "made in" Canada, etc.

Chuck

 

Vehicles sold in the US by Toyota, Ford and GM with the final assembly point in US, Canada and Mexico.

How many millions of jobs would still be in the US if the Us had the same standard as the Swiss?

 

Quite a few...*quite* a few.

 

thanks for the insight. Who manufactures more cars in the US GM, Ford or toyota? Who imports the most vehicles into the US from Mexico, Canada and Japan?

 

Let's all get protectionist and we can all be out of a job!

Who made the last pair of socks you bought? It's all one world economy now... turning back will cause way more pain than you think.

There are no Canadian owned car companies, so I bought Toyota... they make lots of cars here, but that wasn't why I bought it.

The US pushed globalization on a lot of places that resisted and it has probably lifted the avg standard of living in the world... but there are losers and winners.

 

How can it cause the Us more pain? We are gettin gkilled economically year after year? Almost 1 trillion dollars in 2007 alone. Think of it this way the US rang up a credit card debt of almost $1 trillion in 2007. It is unbelievable when I hear someone it will hurt the US to protect its economy. Anyone who says that does not understand economics.

 

The denial is amazing Malorn.
Build a car with the best fuel efficiency and I will be test driving it. If it meets my needs and I need a car, I will buy it.
It really is that simple. If GM is incapable of building a high mileage vehicle, or doesn't want my business, fine, don't build one.
But don't blame the consumer when you don't build the best car.

 

do you thinkk this is not a part of a plan of mercantilism of foreign entities. do you think lobbying has been involved? How about misinformation. We have been in an economic war for decades and have only recently discovered it, at least the political class. The middle class has felt it for decadees.

 

So foreign entities prevented GM from building a more fuel efficient vehicle?
I know, foreign spies snuck in and forged the documents instructing Saturn dealers to crush all the EV-1s, yeah that's it.
I am not going to argue that it has been easy dealing with global trade, but why wouldn't it be a better idea, when trying to compete globally to build the best vehicle you can?

 

How much of the auto deficit is because of fuel efficiency? 5% maybe 10%? What about electronics, textiles, tires, plastics, papaer, the list goes on and on of industries destroyed by the mercantilism.

 

Much of America's manufacturing deficit is self-induced. We could produce and sell many things for no more or even less than many other countries, but we choose not to. It is not enough to make a good product and a good return on investment in this country any more. If you aren't growing exponentially, you are a failure. Companies grow by buying other companies. Leveraged buyouts, derivatives, divestiture... it's all a giant shell game. There is really no reason we can't make electronics here- our labor isn't all that high cost any longer (well, except for the outrageous cost of health insurance).

 

Remember the movie "Roger and Me"? GM was way in front of the curve when you look at outsourcing parts and work to other places. I'm not sure what Malorn thinks we (Prius owners) can do about it.

 

I listened to a bit of the Diane Rehm show today , Toyota's problems were discussed , one crucial point to me, I believe I heard the car company currently has 1 billion annual in research (and development ? ) of new product. That speaks highly of the future for this company.
I don't know what domestic companies are quoted for this, it may be hard to quantify.

WAMU 88.5 FM American University Radio - The Diane Rehm Show
Wed Feb 24
10:00Toyota Auto Safety Hearings


on the domestic side, I just read the hummer sale fell through.
Hummer sale collapses; GM brand, scorned by greens facing shutdown


In this photo June 3, 2009 file photo, customers check Hummer vehicles in a parking lot of an auto market in Beijing, China. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Alexander F. Yuan, File)



NEW YORK - Hummer, the off-road vehicle that once symbolized America's love for hulking SUVs, has hit a dead end after its planned sale to a Chinese heavy equipment maker collapsed late Wednesday.
Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co. pulled out of the deal to buy the company from General Motors Co. Tengzhong failed to get clearance from Chinese regulators within the proposed timeframe for the sale, the Chinese manufacturer said Wednesday.

Hummer sale collapses; GM brand, scorned by greens facing shutdown -  Money - MSN CA

sigh .

 

Back to the topic, I think part of Toyota's current problem has been that it's reputation for quality has been overblown. Don't get me wrong, I think Toyota's quality has been very good if not stellar. Still, Toyota vehicles are designed and made by human beings. No matter how good they are... they can fail. And when expectations are so high... it's like Humpty Dumpty. When Chrysler has a "safety event" because the airbag warning light should come on telling you the airbag won't deploy, no one is particularly surprised. When the Prius' brakes have a "feel" like they won't stop, it's a big deal because it's unexpected.

I'm reminded of studies showing that physicians who admit their fallibility have fewer malpractice suits filed against them. Americans have such unrealistically high expectations for physicians that we are bound to be disappointed.

 

blargh