Toyota announces price hikes

I always had a Ford Truck but since Ford/GM/Dodge decided that they would not offer a hybrid sedan, I decided to buy Toyota. I should send them a thank you card for forcing me to buy a great product.

I hate those people who say we should buy American because we are American. I am not rich, so I will only buy something if I think it is a quality product. However, I still think nothing compares to the F250 for a work truck and I do miss my truck.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi\";p=\"97019)</div>

Ford Futura Hybrid (4 door sedan) will be available this winter. And it comes with a proper dashboard. Woot.

 

In 1981, the average lifespan of an American car seemed to be about 3 years. I read stories about rust spots showing up on cars in dealer showrooms.

Now, American cars seem to last 6 to 8+ years. If you're happy that they now last this much longer, you can thank all the people that bought Japanese and German back in 1979 (and forced GM and Ford to make better products).

You're welcome.

Now it's happening all over again.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi\";p=\"97019)</div>

w3rd...

Super Clean '01 F150 Lariat here...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MarinJohn\";p=\"96956)</div>

John:

Thanks you saved me a lot of typing!

Describes my experience with my 2000 GMC Sierra and the Vortec 5.3 V8 it came with.

A fair number of Toyota's and other Asian brands - even Hyundai is getting on the act - are assembled in the United States and Canada. This only proves that hard-working UAW folks can make a good car/truck, IF they have something to work with.

Jay

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dreichla\";p=\"96885)</div>

The comment on Costal E Tech would be true if anyone offered one of their products. As I have said before they make things I want not that I need. I will wait. I will hope they do something to help the production of products vrs the development

 

Ok, does anyone else see the conspiracy here? Toyota makes us all feel good about raising prices, next thing I know, an article within cnnfn is babbling about crude hitting $54 a barrell...

Hmmm.... I wonder what would happen if the Japs flooded the market with affordable hybrids that just keep getting better year after year...

Hmmm... would probably lower our GAS consumption wouldn't it?

THEY know Americans have the fattest wallets in the world, SOMEONE out there doesn't appreciate our friends at Toyota helping us keep our $ in our pockets, which in turn doesn't help the 23rd cousin's sister's semi-lucid roommate of the Saudi ruling family keep his Ferrari in an air conditioned garage in the middle of the desert...

:cussing:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid\";p=\"97222)</div>

Hmmm any chance you can set me up with the sister though??

 

i like your post Mystery Squid

My two ideas:

1. they know they have a good name here, hiking prices won't really matter too much

2. Since they will raise prices, they will raise quality to match the price. I see this as a very realistic approach. Lexus is already nice.

Another things. Hybrids cost more.. so... make them all hybrid.. and you have a price hike. you also now have faster cars that are more reliable, cleaner, and more fuel efficient. other companies can't keep up with that.

 

I read where Wall Street was unhappy with Toyota because Toyota had 40+ billion in cash reserves. You see, Wall Street wanted Toyota to buy something, like another company.

Toyota said no. Toyota said that that money was for R&D.

It almost makes you want to pay more for a car made by Toyota.

Do you think GM ever considered using excess cash reserves for R&D? (I realize of course, it's been awhile since GM even HAD cash reserves.)

Toyota sounds like a car company that makes profits. GM sounds like a profit company that makes cars, but that's what Wall Street wants.

 

ford hybrid...

Ford Futura Hybrid (4 door sedan) will be available this winter. And it comes with a proper dashboard. Woot.[/quote]

Oh, you mean an old-school dash, conventional, and staus quo. I'm rather fond of the Prius dash and the forward thinking tech and innovation. I realize not everyone likes it. But the wait lists show the demand is there. What else do you know about the Futura Hybrid? I've heard nothing.

 

Re: ford hybrid...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(finman\";p=\"97254)</div>

Yeah... old school working gas gauge and old school radio that shows the station and old school knobs that let you adjust the temperature without tapping a button 80 times.

I know it will use the same powertrain as the Escape hybrid... 4cyl + ~90hp electric.

 

hmmm, I've no problems with any of those items. I'll bet a willing sucker would love to buy that car, get it off yer hands.

Release date for the Futura? Any sneak peeks? Price? Seems if it is going to happen in 3 months or so (winter in Sept. in many areas of the country), there'd be a bit more to learn about, ie. pre-ordering. Maybe I need to visit my Ford dealer...

 

LOL, the bottom line is toyota wants to make more money and maybe not have dealers hike up prices which is pissing people off...i personally think most cars are way too expensive...i work fulltime at a computer store making like 25-30K a year and im going to be BARELY able to afford the 2006 prius(that is unless the price change is too high), I am sick of Ford for i have owned them and well quality and reliability sucks...replaced my 65 mustang that got like 12mpg, with a focus that should get close to 30mpg but get like 20mpg

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(finman\";p=\"97284)</div>

I guess since I came from a... higher end car... I have higher end expectations for the Prius, which after a year it's failed to live up to. Ah well.

Here's some info on the Futura Hybrid... I think the 2nd one is a bit older than the first tho.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/030417-2.htm

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=5944

I'm definetly going to have to test drive this. IMO, Ford is probably going to come out with the best sedan hybrid when this hits. I think Toyota/Honda have goofed by only offering the hybrid version (upcoming version for the Camry) with high end V6 packages. Ford, by offering it in a mid-level 4 cylinder package, is hitting the sweet spot.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(unique2006\";p=\"97292)</div>

Hint: Don't drive the Focus like the '65 mustang and you'll probably get better milage.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26\";p=\"97300)</div>

If you haven't already done so, could you please expand on this?

 

It sounds like just a bad idea for everyone:
Toyota - less revenue due to lower demand (if the price increase does affect the consumer demand)

Consumers - lower satisfaction level on their car purchases because they're being forced to buy something of less quality and reliability

American car industry - it may benefit from increased car sales in a short term; however, longer term, they'll find even fewer incentives to spend the money to improve quality and reliability of their cars, as more consumers buy American cars merely due to affordability

Manipulating prices to help the competitors gain their market share will not benefit anyone. If the American car manufacturers can't get their act together to gain the consumers' trust on their own, helping them to succeed without technology improvement is only going to make the situation worse, IMHO.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid\";p=\"97305)</div>

My old car, do not know if was much higher end, was a '00 Jetta 1.8T. For roughly the same price (actually a little less, my Prius was a package 9) it had MUCH nicer seats, a MUCH nicer interior (think: no hard plastic anywhere. no exposed screws anywhere.). It had nice little touches like the ability to put down all 4 windows at once without getting into the car, or turning it on (great for hot days). It was quiet as a tomb and had none of the NVH harshness of the Prius.

It had some mechanical problems, but those usually got fixed by VW. The Prius has it's own... gremlins. I hate the way the brakes cut out over bumps and I slide forward. Wth is that? I dislike the seats. I miss having a proper dashboard and controls that you can get to without having to select subscreens and menus.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius04\";p=\"97246)</div>

I found this at the SEC about GM R&D:

In 2004, GM spent $6.5 billion for research, manufacturing engineering, product engineering, and development activities related primarily to the development of new products or services or the improvement of existing products or services, including activities related to vehicle emissions control, improved fuel economy, and the safety of persons using GM products. Comparably, $6.2 billion and $6.0 billion were spent on company-sponsored research and other product development activities in 2003 and 2002, respectively.

Toyota has a different format and it is in Yen:


Research & Development (billions of yen) :
1st Half 3Q 4Q 2nd Half 12 mos. ending
304.6 172.8 204.8 377.6 682.2


$1 = 108 Yen
So, 682.2 billion Yen = $6.32 billion? Less than GM.