Everyone but honda gets smacked on the sales floor

[Bror Jace]

So glad I bought Honda stock earlier this year for $27.65 per share.

[Arminius]

Toyota has always had great quality (ok, with the exception of the late 80's and early 90's Corolla rust magnet - yes, I owned two of the damn things), but they are the Johnny-come-lately in the race for efficiency, relative to Honda.

I read today in the Wall Street Journal (or was it Investor's Business Daily?) that Toyota also builds houses in Japan, does rooftop gardens and has sweet potato farms in Indonesia. (Just unrealted factiods for anyone interested.)

[cfg83]

Arminius -

Originally Posted by Arminius

Toyota has always had great quality (ok, with the exception of the late 80's and early 90's Corolla rust magnet - yes, I owned two of the damn things), but they are the Johnny-come-lately in the race for efficiency, relative to Honda.

I read today in the Wall Street Journal (or was it Investor's Business Daily?) that Toyota also builds houses in Japan, does rooftop gardens and has sweet potato farms in Indonesia. (Just unrealted factiods for anyone interested.)

That sounds like Mitsubishi and Hyundai. Aren't they manufacturing giants in their own right independent of automobiles?

CarloSW2

[Arminius]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Arminius -



That sounds like Mitsubishi and Hyundai. Aren't they manufacturing giants in their own right independent of automobiles?

CarloSW2

I think Toyota would like to be like them, but they aren't close yet. On the other hand, Mitsubishi and Hyundai sure would like to sell more cars.

[88CRX]

Originally Posted by cfg83

SVOboy -



I look at Toyota as the "GM of Japan" because they make all kinds of cars. Honda was actually behind the SUV curve in the early 1990's and had to rebadge a Isuzu and call it the Passport to catchup. This was a criticism of Honda in the 1990's that is a boon to them now.

I just wish they'd make a new Civic HF coupe. Guess I'll have to settle for a new CRX in a year or two (I hope!).

CarloSW2

Yeah when my CRX blows up, i'm gonna get the CRZ hybrid!!!

[88CRX]

Originally Posted by Krieg

Good point about Toyota's SUV line. How many Sequoia, Tundra, 4Runner, Landcruiser, etc. are they selling.

The shortage of Prius is also a bit of a fiasco. People want the 2nd gen Prius. Why cut production to ramp up the third gen Prius and the Camry and Highlander Hybrids? Why not eliminate Camry and Highlander production and delay the 3rd gen Prius, and sell the hell out of the 2nd gen Prius that everybody and their brother wants?

See what Toyota is actually selling. Corollas sell more than F-150s now! And Tundras.

I think it is not that simple, the factory is set up with certain types, of car... cutting production won't increase production in another factory if the other is already maxed out.

[Krieg]

One reason for the shortage of Prius is that there aren't enough batteries. Every Camry hybrid is a Prius that can't be made.

The factory is also slowing down in anticipation of the 3rd gen Prius. Delay that, and you can crank out many more 2nd gen Prius.

[Arminius]

Originally Posted by Krieg

One reason for the shortage of Prius is that there aren't enough batteries. Every Camry hybrid is a Prius that can't be made.

The factory is also slowing down in anticipation of the 3rd gen Prius. Delay that, and you can crank out many more 2nd gen Prius.

Yeah, and the payback for the consumer on the Camry for the hybrid system is a joke. However, Toyota makes more money on that car. The payback on the Prius is now reasonable at these gas prices.

[ebacherville]

Really Honda is doing it all over again in a sence.. the civic made a name for its self back in the 80's... honda is know for well built small cars.. even my dad that has never bought a foreign car.. said hes looking at new Honda's and the Toyota yaris, but wasn't to impressed by the dealer adding on packages that he didn't want for a extra 3k!! He just wanted a base model and the dealer said we don't get base models here.. you'd have to order one and wait over 6 months... so he continues to drive his rust bucket tempo that has 240k on it.. burns a quart ever oil change and you can see through the floor /doors..lol

[trikkonceptz]

Toyota may have stayed in the black to keep pace with Honda had it not taken a bath with Tundra sales, which dropped off 38%. They built an incredible pickup and launched it at a time when truck sales were declining, looking back it was a poor move timing wise, but no one could have predicted this downward economy to happen so quickly.

As a result Toyota has been forced to shut down the truck plant in San Antonio in order to have it refit to continue making cars, who knows Prius?