xknowonex

iTrader: (2)

Toyota should buy GM out like how Chrysler got bought out by Mercedes

whoster

no, because then Toyota quality will fall through the floor--like it did with mercedes benz.

as soon as MBZ started "expanding" and cutting corners to increase profit at less cost, even Germans stay away from Mercedes Vehicles--whereas Toyota has attracted buyers in Europe, not to mention the entire world.

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

Today toyota announced they would change their pricing structure next year to include higher prices to "help" the american car industry. Toyota feared the collapse of the american market, as mentioned, would cause severe backlash, so they have announced a higher price structure for 2006.

Personally I thought they are pretty damn expensive already IMO. Worth it though

gsfour

With price increases, all I see is Toyota profit going up. I'm still not going to buy GM or Ford. Our family has had enough of their crap for the past 20 years. I remember seeing my dad always working on the car because something broke. Always getting stressed out with grease all over his hands. Now I have my own family with only Japanese cars. Sure...I'm out there with the cars sometimes on weekends, but it's only to wash, wax, and admire the Lex!

Even a 10% increase will not deter me from buying a Toyota/Lexus. Needlesstosay, American car mfg. have affected a whole generation of car buyers.

mmarshall

You can use me as one of your references.

Skulinex

They lay off 25k ppl NOT belonging to the unions??

Trexus

I agree with you, if Toyota increases their prices people will still buy their cars which would in turn make tons of profit for Toyota. You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. This almost looks like price gouging. If I was Toyota, if it ain't broke don't fix it, just continue doing what you have been doing making good quality cars at a reasonable price.

NoS

GM sucks and so do their cars. This is a competative market and the car companies that win will win because of there good cars aka Toyota all the way!

That is pretty funny if you think about it, Toyota is saying in short our cars our better thus you pay more or pay less for that crappy Ford over there lol.

SoCalSC4

Lil4X hit it: I've said it before, the extortionist unions in the United States will be the downfall of the American econony.

There are other issues, of course- building crappy cars is a big one, but I blame this mostly on the beancounters: America has some incredibly gifted designers and engineers. The UAW has had a stranglehold on the American car manufacturers for too long. Let the qualified people rise through the ranks through commitment, dedication, and hard work. To the workers: just because you've assembled door panels for 22 years, you are "entitled" to earn $28.50 hour? That's assinine! Have you learned anything new? Had any new training or classes you've taken at the local community college or trade school? Unlikely. ..

Uhhh.!! I could go on, but I get all wound up about this...

P.S. If Chevy dropped the base price on the Malibu to $12K and a Toyota raised the price on the base Camry to $28K, care to take a guess at which one I would (still) buy?

UDel

Instead of saying how bad GM cars are and why nobody buys them I think we as well as other import and American buyers should write or e-mail GM and give advice on what we would like to see change and what kind of cars to build to get us back to buying American made brands. I as well as many CL members would like to start considering American cars in the future but will not settle for sub par cars which is why we buy Lexus, Acura, Honda, Toyota, Porsche, etc. These are American workers, our neighbors and family they are laying off and if GM collapses it will hurt Americans and our economy and most likely cause Ford to eventaully collapse and alot of hard times for this country. The American auto industry used to be looked at with envy from different countries and Americans were proud to build and buy American cars only buying foreign cars as exotic or niche cars. You can blame alot of things on GM like greedy unions, bean counters, top officials who only care about cost cutting and profit and not quality and competition, poor materials but GM is in trouble and it needs help and we are in the position to at least help them by telling them what we want them to build. Tell them to look at E46 3 series and M3, Audi tt, Audi A-8, Acura RL, TL, TSX, Lexus GS, LS, SC for inspiration and quality of interior design and materials. Tell them to give us sports cars like the last Supra,RX-7, 968, 300zx, and newer cars like the M3, 911, G35coupe, M45, M5s, Aston Martins, AMG benzes, etc. Tell them to get rid of their outdated pushrod engines especially that rough crappy 3800 v-6 they put in everything and replace it with new higher performance reliable engines. Tell them we don't like anything about the current interiors and people are willing to pay higher prices for good looking high quality interiors and reliability. Tell them to stop flooding the market with giant pickups and SUVs.

GM is laying off and closing plants to hopefully change and people should tell them what they want instead of kicking them while their down. Toyota does have a point that if American automakers go out of business there will be a huge amount of people without jobs and a giant blow to our economy which in turn will hurt the market for Toyota etc because many people will not be able to afford to buy cars from any maker. Their will also be resentment from many Americans. I do not think Toyota wants to see its competitors go out of business and so many people to loose jobs so I think it is a standup thing to try and help them while they are down. Hopefully GM can get rid of the unions and rich bean counters who only care that they are making millions more dollars while quality and the real workers suffer.

xknowonex

iTrader: (2)

I totally agree. The sad thing is that some American car builders build nicer cars and sell them overseas only. The Ford Falcon and the new Ford Focus are a good examples.

Vegassc400

I'm glad I bought my Sequoia in April.

J.P.

UAW- thank you for "assisting" in the destruction of manufacturing in America.

Workers within the UAW- thank you for being lazy and wanting to get paid 3 times what the job calls for because you "deserve" it. While you come in drunk, high or sleep on the job then run to your UAW rep to save you.

Big 3- Several points...........

Until the playing field is level with their competition, they will decline. Which includes ridiculous retirement packages!!!!!!!!!!!

UAW will always drag them down.

They need a whole generation of the "good ole boys" to die off. I am tired of hearing about people sleeping in warehouse racks while getting 10 hours of OT, it was old 10 years ago, and now I see why American auto continues to whither away. Start running your business right or fail, because the foreign auto makers smell blood and they are not going to stop.

When you decide to stop FORCING Tier Ones into 5% discounts every year, then putting draining requirements on them that cost more money AS you're asking for discount.... how can you ask for 5% every year when things get more expensive every year? When you stop this crap, you MAY get higher quality parts and your cars won't be labeled junk anymore.

yep.... get rid of the UAW, pensions, benefits to retiree's, CLEAN UP your operations and get rid of the dead weight, then focus on having good relationships with your suppliers and buy products are a fair price allowing the suppliers to give each unit the right amount of focus for quality, and you are on the right track to surviving............


so tired of the uaw.... guys running around with $3 prescriptions saying their healthcare use to be better. I don't know anyone paying less then $20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mmarshall

True, the UAW is not blameless in the area of wages and benefits, but let's be fair.............you can't blame auto workers if the managers, engineers, and bean-counters give them junk parts to assemble the cars with. And it doesn't matter how well you work....or goof off.....if you have lousy parts. You can match up two flimsy, cheap pieces of plastic with a modern laser-sighting device that will give you a gap SO thin you couldn't stick a piece of paper through it, but WHAT do you STILL end up with? Correct...two well-fitted flimsy pieces of plastic.

J.P.

I see what your saying as I noted part of the problem being the parts..

But growing up in Detroit, when everyone around you at one point was UAW........ The stories will make you sick.... sooner or later you get tired of people talking about working 7 days of doubles and working maybe 10 hours of that.... hiding behing the UAW for everything, even sipping a bottle while on the line. it's endless, and sad, because the same people who have the UAW and BUY AMERICAN stickers on their car, are the same ones who helped cause this problem.......... just years and years of this crap, I STILL here these stories today.....