|
Re: Car *snerks*
"Wickeddoll®" <wickeddoll1958diespammersdie@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:eptv73.1p4.1@news.evilcabal.org...
[color=blue]
> Because unlike Ford/GM, Toyota isn't putting all its eggs in one
> overstuffed basket.[/color]
Ford clearly knows how to build small cars. They sell lots of small cars in
Europe, Asia, and South America. They even sell the kA in Mexico. I've never
understood why they don't sell those cars here. The Fiesta, kA, and Modeo
are all well regarded in Europe.
[color=blue]
> Toyota isn't counting on just the big vehicles - I don't think it ever
> has. You keep putting out shitty economy cars, eventually people will
> figure out a. I can get a better car for less money and b. Said car gets
> waaaayyyyy better mileage. Obviously the American public largely agrees,
> or you wouldn't see cartoons like that.[/color]
A better car for less money? I think that is open to interpretation. A
Corolla costs more than a Focus with similar equipment (stripped Corolla
$13442, vs. stripped Focus $11,567 without negotiating - and the Focus has
more standard equipment). Even CR recommends the Focus. The Corolla does get
better gas mileage (36 combined for the Corolla vs. 31) but the Focus is
somewhat larger (94 cu ft interior vs. 89 cu ft interior / 15 cu ft luggage
vs. 14 cu ft luggage). The Focus also has a somewhat better injury loss
rating (150 vs. 159 for the Corolla). Most road testers rate the Focus as
having far better driving qualities.
[color=blue]
> The biggest problem for GM/Ford is that they counted on the gas-powered
> arrogance of the American consumer. Too bad the "little guys" are taking
> the fall for corporate-level eff-ups.[/color]
But this was my point, Toyota has been following the same strategy as Ford.
They haven't significantly updated the Corolla in a decade. The Scion models
are absently older models form other markets dusted off and sold in the US.
The Yaris is little more than a reskinned Echo.
[color=blue]
> I'm not "lambasting" anyone - their own actions/inactions are what did
> them in.[/color]
I did not say you in particularly were lambasting Ford. It is the press in
general. And my point was that Toyota is duplicating the strategy that
supposedly got Ford into trouble.
[color=blue]
> You and I have been down this road before - you know you'll never convince
> me that Toyotas are not better (economy class, anyway), so I'm telling you
> now, I'm not getting into it again.[/color]
No matter what the facts, some people continue to claim that Toyota are far
better. People that point out Toyota problems (sludge, large numbers of
recalls, mediocre safety records, high prices, etc) are shouted down. You
gave me a hard time for just pointing out that Toyotas are slightly above
average.
[color=blue]
> We'll have to agree to disagree. I say Toyota economy cars (not trucks,
> cuz I've never owned one), are still way better than the craptacular stuff
> that comes from Detroit.[/color]
And what was the last car you owned that was a domestic product?
[color=blue]
> But if I wanted a gas-guzzler/van/truck/big luxury vehicle, I'd go
> domestic without question. No sarcasm there at all.[/color]
And that is where the money is. I guarantee that Toyota will make many times
as much when they sell a Tundra as when they sell a Corolla. And the
difference in cost between a Lexus ES350 and a Camry is almost pure profit.
If you were running Ford, what would you do - spend your time and money
building a Corolla clone, or making sure you hold on to your truck market
share? I just read an article by a noted automotive writer. He actually
compliment Ford on its car lineup. He admitted that they were reliable, were
good performers, and a good value - BUT - in the next sentence he said they
were dull. This the part that sticks in my craw. Nobody builds duller cars
than Toyota. All the good things he said about Ford cars are exactly the
same good things people are always saying about Toyota. Why say Ford are
good but dull, without saying the same thing about Toyota.
Ed
|
Linear Mode
