Toyota losing money

[Tucker]

Although I think the UAW is a major contributer to the Big 3's current travails that wasn't on my mind when I mentioned the meme. hell just look at the stats, The Big three still outsell the asians, their cars last longer,score better on various test like safety etc etc.

sure a few of the imports get a couple miles per gal better gas mileage but one has to ask themselves is a couple MPG more worth risking mine or my families safety.

I think most the cheerleading for the imports is just political correctness look at me I am cool cause I bash american made cars.

H5.

The money going to GM is just a loan. I think some overlook that part.

[Carl]

I am not going to get in the middle of an argument because it is somewhat pointless but I will state that I have been driving Toyota's since 1986 with virtually no problems whatsoever.
The car I replaced with the first one was a 1981 Ford Escort....nuff said.

Every brand has had their trouble issues..Toyota couldn`t keep a head gasket in their first V6s back in the 90s just to name one for that brand but perceptions are what they are and that is the big 3 have not put out as good a quality product.

Case in point the small block Chevy engine.
I have no idea the reasons,but when they adopted thinwall castings in the late 80s they ruined it,same problem head gaskets.

One thinks back to various small blocks and how good that engine was from the 50s and then all of a sudden it is junk?
Toyota has the same problem at about the same time but with a new engine and they took steps to correct it.

That is what makes the perception.

[Eupher]

I think most the cheerleading for the imports is just political correctness look at me I am cool cause I bash american made cars.

This is an idiotic statement.

Speaking for myself, my sentiments are borne of my experience -- not of PC or of emotion. I was born in Detroit and grew up in the suburbs of that city. I was raised around the U.S. auto industry and fully understand how entrenched the industry is within the area.

I grew up to appreciate GM products and bought GM products, one of them brand new. Within 7 years, that particular car was a rusted pile of bolts, though the engine still performed well.

After that disappointing result, I bought a new Ford product. Leaking oil, bad shocks (after 10,000 miles), and other issues later, I got rid of it. BUT, I wasn't as disappointed with it as I was the GM product I mentioned earlier.

Then I bought a brand-new 1993 Ford Taurus station wagon. Built in Chicago.

This piece of shit was unbelievable. At 10,000 miles, I rotated the tires and found out that the rear end had never been properly installed and aligned. (Must've been one of those "Monday" cars.) Two tires shot in the ass.

Motor mounts routinely going bad, blown head gaskets, transmission going south (I learned that Ford had known of this shitty design for some years and deliberately opted to do nothing about it), the list goes on and on and on.

There is much more to this story, but let me just leave it at this:

My understanding of the auto industry is better than most. I once was a "U.S. car" supporter. But through my EXPERIENCE, I learned that the Big Three wasn't interested in building a quality product. They simply wanted my money.

So I went to the competition and was infinitely better satisfied.

As far as I can tell, there's nothing PC about that.

[rich_t]

I think most the cheerleading for the imports is just political correctness look at me I am cool cause I bash american made cars.

Perhaps for some, but for others like me, it is a matter of getting the most car for the dollar.

I did a lot of research before I bought my Elantra, a comparably equipped US car of the same size would have cost me between $1500-2000 more than I paid for the Elantra.  That may not seem like much to some, but at the time my budget couldn't afford the extra amount.

[Lacarnut]

I think most the cheerleading for the imports is just political correctness look at me I am cool cause I bash american made cars.

Could be for some people or it might be that they enjoy driving a vehicle that is more dependable, quality control is better and the sales and service experience is superior to American car dealerships. 

In the late 70's the American car makers started building crappy cars. The Japs caught up and surpassed the Americans. I bought an LTD and a Z28 which I kept for only a few years because I had engine problems with the Ford and transmission with the Chevy. Since then I have purchased 5 new Nissan's, 2 Toyota's and one Infinity. I bought everyone of these cars because of the driving experience and quality; impressing anyone was not even on my radar.  I drive a 5 1/2 year old Nissan 350Z. Tires, front end alignment, front brake pads, a battery and scheduled maintenance are the the only cost that I have incurred on this car.

It is true that American cars are beginning to catch up but with the perception of poor quality and dependability, the big 3 have a difficult time convincing customers that they have turned a new leaf in building quality cars. The Chevy Impala and the Caddy CTS are examples of Chevy getting back on the right track. It is no ones fault but management and unions that they are in dire straights financially. The benes of retirees and current workers is going to sink the big 3 if they do not go into bankruptcy.

[Tucker]

Could be for some people or it might be that they enjoy driving a vehicle that is more dependable, quality control is better and the sales and service experience is superior to American car dealerships. 

In the late 70's the American car makers started building crappy cars. The Japs caught up and surpassed the Americans. I bought an LTD and a Z28 which I kept for only a few years because I had engine problems with the Ford and transmission with the Chevy. Since then I have purchased 5 new Nissan's, 2 Toyota's and one Infinity. I bought everyone of these cars because of the driving experience and quality; impressing anyone was not even on my radar.  I drive a 5 1/2 year old Nissan 350Z. Tires, front end alignment, front brake pads, a battery and scheduled maintenance are the the only cost that I have incurred on this car.

It is true that American cars are beginning to catch up but with the perception of poor quality and dependability, the big 3 have a difficult time convincing customers that they have turned a new leaf in building quality cars. The Chevy Impala and the Caddy CTS are examples of Chevy getting back on the right track. It is no ones fault but management and unions that they are in dire straights financially. The benes of retirees and current workers is going to sink the big 3 if they do not go into bankruptcy.

And just what benes would those be? What do they get that other companies don't provide?

[Lacarnut]

And just what benes would those be? What do they get that other companies don't provide?

Gold star medical insurance for retirees and his family at no cost to the employee. For example, the company pays benes for a 55 year old retiree for 10 years until the employees becomes eligible for medicare.Benefit #2--employees that are laid off get 75% of their salary for a certain length of time.

[Tucker]

Gold star medical insurance for retirees and his family at no cost to the employee. For example, the company pays benes for a 55 year old retiree for 10 years until the employees becomes eligible for medicare.Benefit #2--employees that are laid off get 75% of their salary for a certain length of time.

Wrong on both counts. I have a co-pay for my BC-BS. It's deducted from my pension each month. I have a co-pay each time I use it also.

The jobs bank paid 95% but was eliminated.