Toyota and the Union-backed, Government-led witch hunt

The silence regarding responding to Prius Gen II brake drop-out has been deafening. It would seem they have quite a way to go to get back to their basic principles. I wonder if they are really saying that the brake drop-out problem can not be easily solved and that the repair will involve an expensive replacement of the the Traction Control and Vehicle Stability Control computer(s). Is safety something to be 'compromised'?

 

I think Hummer is a douchebag car brand, but seriously, at least try to sound like you're not just randomly talking.

GM posts huge $39 billion net loss - Autos- msnbc.com

It probably wouldn't have made a difference no matter how much advertising they pulled back then.

 

Toyota = proactive
GM (IE: government motors) = we don't admit to anything
Crysler = we don't have a clue
Ford = we maybe able to save ourselves

Dbcassidy

 

I fixed your post.

 

Ironically, if credit had not dried up, Hummer would probably still be owned by GM (and GM might not have been forced into bankruptcy). The primary reason why GM hit a financial wall was because the Great Recession caused banks to not lend money to even other banks. There was one point (Malorn can elaborate further; I was just an idle observer) where a prospective borrower for a car purchase had to have a FICO score of 720 (it may have gone higher, Malorn would be better able to respond to how bad it got). A requirement for a FICO score of 720+ basically shuts down approximately 90% of car purchases.

 

Why is it that when Ford has to fix the software in it's Fusion and Milan Hybrids it's not a safety issue, but is when Toyota does the same? Is it because NHTSA likes Ford better? It can't be an American over Japanese question, since it's really a Mexican car vs a Japanese car.

Bottom line:
Toyota loses lots of money in sales, litigation and direct costs.
NHTSA looks like they're doing something.
The drivers, or their survivors, who put their foot on the wrong pedal at the wrong time get to file lawsuits.
The insurers, like State Farm, get to collect a lot of money from Toyota.
The media sell more advertising.
The lawyers, like Mr. Biller, make lots of money, win or lose.

American workers at Toyota plants lose their jobs.
Resale values drop from those who haven't had any problems with their Toyotas.
People don't buy as many Prius' and gasoline consumption rises when the recession eases.

 

The difference is that Ford went and fixed the problem immediately after providing notice to NHTSA. Toyota had to be compelled to recall the cars that were accelerating, and has been dragging their heels on earlier cars.

All because Toyota got afflicted with a case of Deafness to how their products were performing in the marketplace. Just like when you concluded that the acceleration issue is due to operator error. And you are going through the same denial experience that Toyota managers have gone through. The difference is that if they want to continue to sell cars in the U.S., they shall fix the problem that their arrogance caused.

 

It wasn't difficult for Ford to do since they had the fix prepared some time ago. I wasn't aware that NHTSA doesn't always use the term "safety recall" to fix a safety problem. And why was the 8th different recall for 16 million Ford vehicles produced before 2003 just announced in Oct 2009 for switches that have caused over 500 fires?

I guess I wasn't aware that the 2010 Prius was one of those "accelerating" and that Toyota had to be compelled to recall them because of the safety issue.

Although it didn't do their sales any good, Audi won every lawsuit. I am not in denial. I just choose to look at both sides. While Toyota has reason to deny fault, any time a lawsuit is filed, I get a bit skeptical (why does the US have 80% of the world's lawyers?).

 

We will have to look back on this a month from now. I am afraid your opinion of toyota will get hit pretty hard over the next 3 weeks.

 

Pre-September 2008 GMAC regularly bought 35-50% of all of our GM dealership business and we are pretty consistent of GM dealers. Most dealerships do a ton of business with the captive lenders for a myriad of reasons including higher advances and deeper purchases(lower credit scores. In October 2009 through Feb 2009 that number dropped to less than 5% for us and about 3% nationally for GM dealers.

The fact GMAC is not a 'captive' any longer is still a problem for GM and its dealers. I know that it will be in the second wave of things Whitacre and the new GM will be dealing with. I would say a strong captive would be adding another 10-20000 sales a month even in this economy.

As for GM, in 2005 and 2007 UAW contracts were renegotiated to save billions of dollars/qtr beginning in 2010. This combined with the new product(MAlibu, CTS, LAcrosse etc) would be enough to save GM in a normal market without the bankrupcty. Sept 2008 changed all of that, the commmercial credit markets dried up, and sales tanked killing the all-important revenue factor for very high fixed expenses(UAW and retirees).

 

I wonder if the problems arised from putting in cheap parts for their cheaper models in toyota. Because Lexus high end brands have less serious issues. Apart from the other hybrid i think.

If toyota had priced their cars more expensive, and put in better quality parts, would there be less recalls?

I'm not too worried about the depreciating resale value since i got it the prius for fairly cheap anyway.

 

I think the problem related more on the Japanese culture that they are unable to accept their own error. In the pre ww2 time, they have to give up their life for major mistake they made. If they can get over that, the problem would had been solved 8 years ago.

 

Will mr toyoda have to fallon his samaurai sword after the hearings today?

 

Who ever said the witch hunt has gone out of vogue hasn't talked to malorn:

 

you should. spare us your drivel.

 

+1

 

C'mon Hill can't you cut me a little slack. It was a joke about Mr toyoda. If you use the witch-hunt analogy wouldn't that mean that toyota was innocent?

 

The problem with calling it a which hunt is that, there are witches.

Add to this the massive coordinated funded effort of toyota to use their congressmen, senators, dealers, suppliers to scapegoat the UAW for their own problems.

Government of Japan is now considering a cover up probe of toyota.

This is not to defend Malorn's statement. He can do that himself.

Please watch the daily show from last night on some prospective ;-)

 

Joke? Wait, you've posted untold accounts how this 'scandal' will soon break wide open, like some kind of watergate ... and how seriously terrible it all is. Ok ... Now it's just for the haha factor. Seems not to many years ago, before GM went belly up, I remember THIS haha factor. Some guy blowing the whistle on GM for their underhanded tactics ... shoving folks under the GM thumb if GM employees didn't go along with the "burying safety defect facts" plan:

Public Citizen | Auto Safety Group | Auto Safety - Courtland T. Kelley v. General Motors Corporation - Michigan Whistleblower Suit

Yea, I know, "that's in the past".
But it I'm certain you see the funny factor in it, right?

so much for the standup-comedy show

Maybe you don't remember the Daily Show skit I posted a bit back? ... John Stewart joking how folks are finally buying GM's again ... only because they think Toyotas are death traps ... ie; that's what it'd take to make people buy GM? no? ... well, he thought it was funny. you DO realize he's a comedian, right? ... you're not listening to him to get you news I hope.

.

 

who did tiger blame?