Comments on: Toyota Won’t Raise Prices to Bail Out U.S. Competitors

By: A Bama Blog

A Bama Blog — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 18:05:27 +0000

Whining Automakers
Surprise, surprise - Toyota is refusing to raise its auto prices in the U.S. in order help out its American competitors. The only reason Toyota would consider such an illogical move to begin with is to fend off calls by U.S. automakers for protection...

By: The Left Coaster

The Left Coaster — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 10:52:57 +0000

Where The Rubber Meets The Road
The American people are badly led by the Topper$ that have attempted to establish their dominance of the rest of us. These self-appointed ubermenschen are as incompetent and inept as they come. But then, they are only emulating the C-Average...

By: BizzyBlog.com

BizzyBlog.com — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 04:00:20 +0000

General Motors on the Ropes
So how bad is it at Generous General Motors?

Rumor has it that GM may file for bankruptcy (and maybe should). Ford, though not in the same dire straits as GM appears to be, nevertheless is facing similar, seemingly intractable but less immediately ...

By: Scott Dillard

Scott Dillard — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 17:18:32 +0000

I agree it's not a Japan v. USA thing, it's a quality and price thing. My new Nissan Frontier pickup costs $17,000. I got a $1500 rebate. It has basic options, such as a CD player. It was made in Smyrna, Tennessee. That plant is the most efficient auto plant in the country. It produces a Frontier truck in 15 hours. It is also non-union, and has turned down the union more than once. GM had better see the future. That new Toyota Tundra plant is going up in Texas, another Right to Work State. The writing is on the wall.

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 16:50:26 +0000

Bithead,

James said "...seriously make a shift in that direction." By that I think he meant with cars that could compete head to head in quality and performance against the Toyotas, Datsuns and Hondas of the day. I don't think the Chevette, Vega, or any of those cars could pass that test. Frankly, most of them were pieces of junk slapped together as an afterthought with leftovers in the parts bin and old designs gathering dust on the R&D office shelf.

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 14:17:23 +0000

About toyota and honda minivan prices vs. the Detroit vans. Try to price the vehicles with similar features and options. Go to Edmunds and try that out, you'll see that the Honda and probably the Toyota will be less if you factor in all the bells and whistles most people want. Sure you can get a stripped vehicle for cheap, but how many of those will you find on the dealer lot? Most dealers I know stock cars that are loaded with options that I don't want nor care to pay for. When I bought my Odyssey in 1999 the MSRP was $24k, and that's what I paid with all the features I wanted. I went to Dodge and a similarly featured Caravan would have cost me close to $30k. I like that Honda sells their cars with little or no options, other than determining what trim level you like (LX, EX).

By: Bithead

Bithead — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 14:15:37 +0000

Didn't shift in that direction?
Let's think about this.

Chevette
Vega
Pinto
K car
Mustang II

By: bryan

bryan — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 13:47:36 +0000

As well, you probably won't hear ford bitching too much, because they own Volvo, Mazda and Land Rover, all of which have decent sales.

By: bryan

bryan — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 13:46:29 +0000

Who's saying Toyota cars are underpriced? Looked at a Toyota minivan lately? their prices are higher than the detroit entrants. The Camry is comparably priced to a mid-sized Detroit model. Ditto Honda.

The real low price market belongs to Kia, which still has a sub-$10,000 mid-size sedan.

If Detroit wants to compete with Toyota, get them to make cars that get decent gas mileage and have a record of running into the 200,000 mile zone.

By: Brian J.

Brian J. — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 12:55:31 +0000

Who needs Toyota to bail them out? We've got a federal government just a-waiting to take over paying for the pensions and health care of socialistically-inclined union members.

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 12:39:01 +0000

Toyota in the US is as much a domestic brand as some of the big 3. They make their minivans in Kentucky, Tundra pickups in Indiana. My Corolla came from Ontario, Canada. This isn't a US - Japan issue, it's a GM - Toyota issue. GM is in deep doo doo with its big pension liability. I don't know how they'll ever get out from under that without hurting a lot of its retirees or else it will eventually go bankrupt.

By: herb

herb — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 12:12:52 +0000

Detroit needs a good lesson in economics. It has been in the wind for over 20 years now, that the beancounters have no place in management of companies. If Detroit would learn the lessons of the likes of Henry Ford, they would not be in the position thay are in. In short, Management needs to manage their companies instead of managing their stock prices. The short term high profit days are finally over and long term planning and management is the only way to recovery. I own a 1997 chev pick up and the cost of ownership for the first 5 years was over $ 4000.00 per year. I will drive it untill the wheels fall off before I purchase a new one. Just tell me why a plastic car costs $ 25,000.00. Only damned fools would buy one.

For once, I agree with the Japanese, Bad Management should Not be subsidized.