Toyota Bashing?
By Dyske February 4th, 2010
Apparently I’m not the only one who think the whole Toyota ordeal is driven by nationalism. Please read “The War on Toyota.” Ahh… It reminds me of the good ‘ol days of the 80’s when Japan was used as the punching bag for the incompetence and short-sightedness of the American automakers.
Yes, what a great timing for this to happen, especially for the union leaders. Toyota’s Prius gave them a lot of headache since the market crashed in the Fall of 2008. Toyota, once again, made the American automakers look stupid and incompetent, so the latter was looking for any excuse to bash Toyota. Their dream has come true.
Bash on, American automakers. But, remember what happened last time: You guys bashed the Japanese automakers so much that when the times changed to bring the auto factories to the US, they avoided the states where all the bashers were, like Michigan. The Japanese might be quiet when it comes to war of words, but they do remember everything you say.
Maru says:
February 4th, 2010 at 10:36 pmI would like to agree with you, but sadly I cannot (at least not wholeheartedly). The Prius (alleged) problem was first identified by Japanese customers in Japan – not the U.S. or in Europe. Toyota’s problems have been building for quite a while – that’s what usually happens when you lose sight of your customers and the platform upon which you make a corporate giant. Yes, they are ahead of the U.S. automakers, by a long way; but they have been second to the German companies for quite some time (not talking sales here). But, as a Toyota/Lexus owner, I know they will sort it out and get in touch with their customers again and produce the most reliable and best price-reliability-comfort vehicle again (but keep an eye on the South Korean companies).
imho as an avid (Toyota et al) car watcher.
Dyske says:
February 4th, 2010 at 10:46 pmHi Maru,
I did not mean to say that Toyota is the best automaker. I don’t really know because I don’t even have a driver’s license. But, at least it’s obvious that they are ahead of the American automakers.
My point was that this problem with the gas pedal is completely blown out of proportion. If the same problem happened to an American car right now, nobody would pay much attention. This whole ordeal is driven by nationalism.
Evol says:
February 5th, 2010 at 4:01 amI really don’t think its going to blow up as big as people think… American automakers other than some Ford models are crap and until they get their head out of their asses they will continue to suffer.
The thing is you have to give Toyota credit for taking action on the scale that they have.
Matt says:
February 5th, 2010 at 4:27 pmI can’t agree with this whole big deal being driven by nationalism.
Lots of people buy Honda or Toyota. 3/4 of my departmental office owns a Honda or Toyota. There is no way that I would buy a national product that is inferior just because it is made here and so many people I know feel the same way that I’m having a hard time thinking of anyone I know that buys National just to buy National.
I own a 92 toyota corolla that still serves all my needs. I’m not a big believer personally in going out and buying a new car every few years like several people I know. To me a car gets you from point A to point B when the bicycle or my legs won’t do the job. I live downtown in a large city so I can get to just about everything I need to with little effort.
The news media may make you feel that way, but I believe the real reason this is such BIG news is that its unexpected. People have gotten into their heads that Toyota/Honda are infallible brands. It is shocking to them that this would happen with Toyota cars.
The shock factor is why I think the news media is jumping all over it here (i.e. I do not include fox news in the classification of news media btw). And in the end the news will cover what gets people to tune in. That’s why we will have a month long coverage of michael jackson’s death and investigations rather than covering things that actually matter (e.g. Darfar or any of dozens other massacres happening around the globe).
Das Auto says:
February 11th, 2010 at 10:17 pmI truly agree. As an American who hates what the automotive industry in America has become, more people like you are needed to help pull the plug on the shitty and inefficient cars that American consumers just can’t seem to get enough of. Ever since the end of WWII(at least) American cars have gone the way of being oversized, overpowered, and underengineered which oddly enough the ignorant slobs who buy them here love. I can’t say too much on that front as my first two cars have been American, but only due to the fact that they are cheap to purchase used. My love goes to any automaker that realizes that a V4 can do just as well as a V6 and also designs their vehicles to perform well all around and not just in a flat out drag race. Is it any wonder that American cars don’t fare well in autosports(besides in that abomination which only involves left turns?). I do welcome any American car that does its job well, like any number of foreign cars, not just look and sound good idling at a stoplight in town. Until that day though, i will be looking overseas for real cars made for real drivers by real engineers.
Ken says:
February 16th, 2010 at 5:31 pmDice,
Thanks for bringing this up.
It’s interesting to see the media and government attacking Toyota mercilessly when recalls for domestic autos are more common than hair on a monkey. ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/14/gm-recall-list-of-15m-veh_n_186612.html )
Now the ‘government demands Toyota recall documents’ in attempt to cast a dark shadow on the brand.
( http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100216/ap_on_bi_ge/us_toyota_recall_us )
At first, the whole media fiasco seemed to ‘inform’ of potential defects with Toyota automobiles, but now they’ve turned it into nothing more than bashing.
Another reason to stay away from media that continually brainwashes the masses.
Greg says:
February 20th, 2010 at 7:12 amDyske,
I couldn’t agree with you more. I remember when Obama was pointing out Toyota’s product quality to be a big challenge to domestic auto makers during his presidential campaign, and manifested his vision to be a new leader in green technologies as next gen. electric cars will be introduced to the market. Now they own GM, and this whole bogus bashing scenario was engineered to hurt Toyota’s brand image, so that Volt can beat Prius, and hoping that Volt’s success will lead to a new era of America’s concur on the electric car market.
However, I guarantee you consumers are not that dumb any longer. They should focus more on improving their own quality rather than letting others down to look them better.
Vlad says:
February 22nd, 2010 at 5:33 pmJust saw that Greg said pretty much what I was going to say. US Government owns GM and thus is interested in hurting its competitors. Mainstream US media is controlled by liberals worshipping this government, hence the coverage.
I do hope the common sense prevails.
joe says:
February 25th, 2010 at 8:27 amFeb. 12, 2010 (EIRNS)—Japanese and U.S. sources have indicated to EIR that the Toyota recall of millions of cars (mostly in the U.S.A.), and the massive media campaign to demonize Toyota, may be at least in part the result of a conscious effort to undermine, or even destroy, Toyota’s U.S. operations, for refusing to support efforts to bailout worthless debt instruments. Japanese sources said that it was widely believed by knowledgeable people in Japan that there is an effort to undermine Toyota,
Sources told EIR that the “line” being referred to was that Toyota pulled out of joint ventures with General Motors last year, when U.S. interests were asking Toyota to help bail them out (referring to bailing out huge amounts of worthless financial derivatives and other speculative financial instruments that GMAC got stuck with in its financial speculative activity). Founded to finance motor vehicles sales, GMAC Financial Services is reportedly one of the world’s largest financial services companies, having expanded into financial services, including banking, mortgages, investing, and insurance. GM now only owns 6.7% of GMAC Financial Services, while the hedge fund Cerberus owns about 15%, and over 56% is owned by the U.S. Treasury, as the result of the U.S. government bailout.
Not only has the U.S. press run, on a daily basis, exaggerated and selective reports on the supposed dangers of Toyota cars (for years recognized as among the safest and most solidly constructed cars in the world), but the Wall Street Journal even ran a lead story blatantly advising that people sell their Toyota stock
beggar country US says:
February 27th, 2010 at 5:58 amU.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that they had bought “Lexus ES350” taken up in the House of Representatives open hearing on the 23rd to verify the rapid acceleration problem of the Toyota car on the 26th.
Mr./Ms. Rhondda Smith (Tennessee state) who had testified in the open hearing was using this Lexus. Mr./Ms. Smith is testifying to the experience of fear with tears when he or she accelerated up to 160 kilometers per hour so as not to tread on the accelerator in 2006.
Mr./Ms. Smith sold off this car at 3000 miles (about 4800 kilos) in the mileage. A present mileage is said that this car has not caused the trouble after it sells it off according to the U.S. media though reaches about 30,000 miles (about 48,000 kilos).
How much was paid to Mr./Ms.Smith
so that the beggar country might make remarks on false?
Tea says:
February 28th, 2010 at 1:26 amThe case is more like Virgin bashing AT&T, or Apple bashing Microsoft. Since the US government owns GM shares and they are responsible for the shareholders (i.e. US taxpayers), so it is their job to bash their competitors. What do you think is best suited for the top talents in Washington? a) Become a car designer and design a better car? b) Use their political mud-slinging skills to defame the competitors?
As you see, they are only using their professional skills to protect the interest of the taxpayers. So if you are a US citizens, you should thanks your senators for working so hard to protect your investments.
And this is good for the Japanese too. As Japan owns a large potion of US debt, it’s their best interest to see their debtor prosper. I’m sure Toyota is an important company in Japan but it’s nowhere as important as the US debt they currently carry….
Dyske says:
February 28th, 2010 at 8:05 amTea, I like the way you think!
Sense says:
February 28th, 2010 at 8:46 pmIt should be of interest to those concerned that the defective Toyota parts weren’t even made by Toyota, but manufactured by a U.S. supplier. Looks like our senators should be more concerned with working conditions and standards at home than in demonizing our foreign “competition”.
Julie says:
February 28th, 2010 at 9:41 pmI don’t know how this controversy can somehow be construed as racial. Any intelligent person would acknowledge the tragedy of the deaths that have occurred and realize that regardless of which automaker, the result and finger pointing would be the same.
Tea says:
March 1st, 2010 at 2:22 amNo, this controversy is not racial at all. But the finger pointing is different, and in this case and other cases involving foreign companies, it also involves kicking and pounding besides the regular “finger pointing”.
For example, in 1986, Audi (a German company) was accused of having “Unintended Acceleration”. 60 Minutes even made a video how an Audi accelerate itself without pressing the gas. Later the video was found to be faked. And all the accusation was proven false eventually (by both US & Canadian Government). But the damage was already done, and Audi’s sales never recover until 15 years later.
That case was similar but not exactly the same, because Toyota is not totally innocent in this case. It is a bit complicated. Toyota was being accused of 1) Sticky pedal, 2) Faulty hooks on floormat, 3) Unintended Acceleration 4) Faulty breaks in Pirus
#1 is true, admitted by Toyota, Toyota’s fault. #2 is true, but some GM/Ford cars don’t even have hooks on their mats, isn’t the lack of hook worst? #3 is more like Audi’s case, 0 evidents but with crying accusers on TV. #4 is true but exaggerated.
Both GM and Ford had similar faults in the past (exploding tanks, self-disintegrating tires causing lives lost), and unlike Audi the cases has been proven with hard evidence against them. Naturally they were “grilled” but the grilling didn’t seem as sever as Toyota and Audi (especially Audi since Audi was proven innocent).
My point is the response has to be rationally proportional to the problem. After 9-11, the American public seem to stuck with the idea of “better safe than sorry”. Like the problem of terrorists. Terrorists are real but excessive response really brings more sorry than safety.
Joe Fowler says:
March 11th, 2010 at 11:26 amMaru, I doubt you say who you really are, there is 1 out of 100 things that cant be traced to US corruption, and you say, look here is proof, go away
plastikjute says:
April 14th, 2010 at 9:13 amWell, I am from Germany and Japanese automakers do make us a lot of headaches – because they do produce fine cars. This US propaganda is simply ridiculous. Are the US Americans so stupid not to realize that all “problems” of Toyota’s cars happen to be in the United States but not in Germany, not in France, not in Great Britain and so on? That’s simply a kind of warfare instead of economics. Shame on you! Next time you should try to build better cars. The only US American car known in Germany is the Hummer. But there are a lot of Japanese cars like Lexus, Prius, Honda Jazz, and so on we do know well.
I prefer the people to buy German cars. But let’s fight with fairness and not with tricks of deceitful creeps. That make us Germans build better cars!
Jim says:
April 16th, 2010 at 6:36 amplastikjute, I am from the Detroit area and I totaly agree. Trust me, its difficult being a Toyota fan in Detroit.
Why cant we just build a better car? They just refuse, and you get all the GM employees Blaming everyone else, or in arrogance believe there product is better. Actually the White collar GM employee is by far the worse, BY FAR. GM has been getting billions of dollars of tax payer money from 2001 to 2008 to move there plants overseas to China, if you talk to the GM engineers, they tell you its because of the freaking Union and its a global market and so on and so on, but the same people do all there shopping at Walmart, when I tell them why dont they try to buy American, they say its a global market and they get a better deal there, but they say anyone who does not buy an american car is a traitor.
This is the stupidity, the arrogance, the outright destructive behaviour, that is killing Detroit.
Just build a better car. I know someone who just bought a GM truck 6 months ago, nothing but problems.
I wish people would see, it took a lot of abuse for people in detroit to switch to a Toyota or Honda, People take pride in there Automobile, it should be there private sense of safety. My toyota has 170,000 and has never left me down, my blazer before this, left me stranded 4 or 5 times on the side of the road by 40,000 miles and that does not count the times i made it to the shop.
Do you know how many times growing up, my american car would eat up hard earned money, that I really could not afford to give, its like the American Big 3, Mostly GM, screwed me again and again and again.
Just leave me and my Toyota alone, all this UNFAIR bashing has assured that I will NEVER buy an american car again.
Not only that, everything I hated about the prevous Administration, the lies, the constant publication of 1/2 truths and INcomplete stories, I see the new Administration doing.
They are attacking the company who saved me from the evil GM
Jerry says:
April 16th, 2010 at 8:11 amYes I know, The GM Engineers blame everyone else including the union, while the rest of the entire Earth says GM cars are the most poorly designed cars in the world.
GM does whats best for then in buying more and more parts from overseas to cut cost, and Toyota and Honda can come here and build them here with American made parts that are better,
Sorry, I would rather support the actual workers who build the Toyota and Hondas here.
They beat us BAD at our own game, now we cry foul, how currupt are we.
You always would see Japan take the high road, never see them compairing, never try to make americans look bad, they just tried to build a good car, dont you wish the American Car companies were the same.
There was a reason 49 out of 50 states picked Jap cars over American in the Cash for Clunkers program and trust me 99% of them will never buy an American car again after all of this foolish obvious crap
too smart to fall for loser US media says:
October 29th, 2010 at 1:56 pmSince “Government Motors” (GM) is owned by them, and Toyota pretty much owns the auto sales industry, so they are using cheap dirty biased information (pretty much like paid campaign attack ads lol) to throw dirt on Toyota, but it won’t fool me since I am too smart to fall for the media, and barely believe anything what it says.
I will stick to my loyal Toyota, and I don’t mind giving the Japanese my money since they will only use that money to invent even better cars for us, unlike these dirty american gas guzzling fugly SUVS who they build Mexico!
Jbuild says:
December 9th, 2011 at 11:50 pmI cant believe the comments I am reading from Anerican citizens for the most part. It breaks my heart to know that people are generally so ignorant and buy into so much nonsense. I spend my life around cars and work on all makes. None are perfect by the way. And the German brands (all) of them are the biggest maintenance nightmares of all. Far from reliable. I am not saying that I can’t appreciate a nice BMW or Mercedes they are beautiful cars. How ever I do buy American and I am a proud American. I have owned many different American models with nothing but general maintenanc. I also can’t believe the ignorant comments about American cars when the history is there and so are the facts. Innovation, we are at the forefront always and that is a fact. You are all sheep that follow and go where you are told. You should do a little more research and you will find that the story is much different than the picture you paint. It’s people like you that are the downfall of this country. What a shame. Your dollars aren’t helping your country and don’t buy into the hype that they are. A tiny fraction of the autoworkers that work in the us work at foreign companies like Toyota. How can possibly write the words condemning people for buying American. I would easley stomache someone saying they bought a car no matter what make just because they like it. Let’s not fabricate the stories to try and qualify your reasons for buying. I can’t argue about the 80’s and I would agree it took foreign automakers to turn the US brands around. But now the tables have turned again. Take a look at the new cars being made and do your homework. One last thing the Anerican car companies report maintenance issues much differently than the foreign makes. Toyota does not report a problem unless they change out a part. The US brands report everything any time a car roles in even if it’s for an oil change. They do this for their own QC. I could add so much more but I find the comments on here so dizzying. I am beside myself. The sad thing is not o e of you touches a wrench or has a clue. The costs of repairs on your blessed foreign makes far outweigh that of the national brands. Wow! Sad.
Nate says:
December 10th, 2011 at 2:42 amHey Jbuild:
Hondas have interchangable parts which make them readily available and cheap. The gas milage for my 2001 honda civic is double what my 2001 pontiac grand am was. I am speaking as a consumer not as a mechanic when I say there is no way I would buy another American made car.
Jbuild says:
July 5th, 2012 at 10:59 pmNate,
If your concern is gas mileage you should do your research. Ford and Chevy both lead over Honda and Toyota. If your trying to say that it’s cheaper to fix your Honda you are just plain wrong. There’s no contest there either. Today in 2012 the US makes are leading the pack on all fronts, that’s worldwide sales and reliability. I’m sorry but I can only take your comments as ignorance. Your not even trying to see things for what they are. I mean at one point mid 80’s to early 90’s I would have to agree with you but today it’s a different story. The fact that you simply say you would never buy an American car sounds like you have something against the USA? What’s your deal? Grand Am? What year was that?