Autoblog

look at chrysler and their record international sales the vast majority of which are manufactured in NA..

Toyota sells 7k avalons to the Middle east and talks about sending some trucks over there and we have headlines..

lol..

↓↑report

Yes the Japanese built cars tend to be built to higher standards but the American built cars are hardly crap. Many of the Corollas and Camrys you see out there were built in the good ole USA and they aren't exactly falling apart now are they.

↓↑report

I think you are referring to the big 3, not the american built imports

↓↑report

@DAN ....Dont get me wrong Dan,i'm not saying Toyota's made here are that bad,but i think the ones made in japan are alot better.
my 2002 4runner made in japan has had 1 recall in 6 years.

↓↑report

What a load of crap.

"Everybody" also knows that Toyota built three million V6 engines that have a problem with sludge.. and all of them came from Japan.

"Everybody" also knows that Japan has a problem with lying about currency to screw Americans out of jobs.

When will "everybody" wake up and see that self loathing Americans are cowards & traitors.

↓↑report

Utilizing plant capacity is just business sense, not some image voodoo. With the weak dollar, the US is a comparatively cheap place to build cars, so it just makes sense. If there are markets out there, where the big American models are a good fit, great. They're built with tons of comfort, features and convenience, and still sturdy enough to go a half a million km on our lousy roads.

↓↑report

Come on, instead of bringing up all this nationalistic garbage isn't it even more likely that since the dollar has tanked, they're better able to turn a profit from exporting U.S. built vehicles that would have languished on dealer lots.

As another note it is indeed better for the American worker to you know, be working.

I'm not praising them by doing what they need to do in order to turn a profit. In fact I'm sure if they could make a large enough profit by opening and operating manufacturing plants elsewhere, they would, as would any smart company.

↓↑report

"Come on, instead of bringing up all this nationalistic garbage isn't it even more likely that since the dollar has tanked, they're better able to turn a profit from exporting U.S. built vehicles that would have languished on dealer lots."

Unlike the U.S. domestic auto companies who build in America, Toyota can simply slow down capacity instead of allowing LANGUISHING VEHICLES because Toyota doesn't have any (OK, half of a factory total) union factories in the U.S. Remember how green they are with the Prius? Wouldn't they want to not sell the big vehicles because they love the environment unlike GM? Remember. So here is their chance. No unions to bargain with just slow it down but no, they decide to keep 'em going.

Hell, even GM is slowing down the large SUV factories, even with their union (only because they were running overtime at first), instead of finding new markets to justify more big machines.

No, I'll stay with my theory a little longer until I hear a convincing argument otherwise.

↓↑report

Lithous,

Your "theory" that Toyota is intentionally overproducing large SUVs in a declining market would make sense if sales of Toyota's vehicles were in decline like the domestics, but they're not.

2007 YTD Tundra sales through April: 43,386
2008 YTD Tundra sales through April: 54,134

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/05/01/085824.html

Yes, that means Tundra sales in the U.S. are up 25% this year. Nothing like actual facts to pop your balloon, eh?

-SimianSpeedster

↓↑report

First, the Tundra isn't an SUV or a Minivan as the AB description mentions (I don't have a subscription to AN where the original article came from)

Second, AB has a link in this article to Toyota slowing down production: http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/14/toyota-slowing-production-of-tundra-sequoia/

Maybe Toyota is putting huge dollars down for people to buy the Tundra, I don't know. Maybe they don't know their market well that they thought just a couple months ago they needed to ramp down yet sales are up according to your link.

Either way, you haven't convinced me I'm wrong either.

LMAO. Go get your paycheck from Wantanabe, he's waiting.

↓↑report

No, the Tundra isn't an SUV, but it and the Sequoia are made in the same plant. As the articicle states, "The first to leave our shores will be the Toyota Sequoia, as it heads to buyers in the Middle East later this year."

If 2008 Tundras are selling better than 2007s, it stands to reason that the all new for 2008 Sequoia is outselling the 2007 model as well.

With regards to Toyota cutting back on Tundra/Sequoia production, they are most likely cutting back on production relative to their original 2008 goals, not relative to 2007 production. That doesn't mean Toyota won't experience some growth in their full size line, just that they won't be experiencing as much growth as they originally hoped this year now that the economy is slowing down and fuel prices are up substantially.

Hey, at least I'm trying to offer some supporting evidence for my position, not pulling random tin foil hat theories out of my a$$!

-SimianSpeedster

↓↑report

I'm surprised Toyota would employ someone who presents logic so fuzzy.

All because the SUV and the pickup come off the same assembly line and the SUV is the first to export doesn't mean the second is the pickup. Since the article states SUVs and Minivans are going out I would guess that the next to go out would be the Minivan. Pickups are used for much different things than SUVs most of the time. Most pickups are for work vehicles. So, all because they come off the same assembly line doesn't mean they are treated the same (for sale or export) after they are put together. But you have the inside news so how can I compete with that.


Again with your second paragraph, because two vehicles come off the same assembly line or are from the same company means they are doing the same thing sales-wise? I thought the new Texas plant only made pickups and was to be the main Tundra plant? So the Indiana plant which makes both was basically turning into a Tundra supplemental plant. So the Tundra happenings in Indiana shouldn't be as important anymore.

Pickups are work trucks and big SUVs are much less for that. Even if the Seqrappa numbers are up (from brainwashed Americans or cash incentives), not sure if they are, your logic that the same assembly line means the same sales curve is flawed. Period.

The key to your last statement is "trying". You are trying but trying and doing are two different things. Your Japanese bosses hopefully have told you the difference.

As far as tin foil hats, I guess if a few years ago one mentioned how the Japanese and Koreans were basically not giving true horsepower numbers that would have been a tin foil hat statement too. Except they ended up have to pay money to customers because of their untruths. Very unexpected from companies that supposedly go the extra mile to be so perfect.

↓↑report

"Most pickups are for work vehicles"

Bwhahahaha!!! Yeah, and most people buy Porsches to race them at the track. Flawless logic, and so very factual!

I'll summarize your position: anyone who doesn't think Toyota is trying to enslave the human race is either brainwashed or works for the mother company. There can't be any other answer. You are right and everyone else is wrong. Oh, how we wish to be so enlightened.

Now, go crawl back to your hobby of scanning the airwaves for Japanese invaders. Pearl Harbor II is coming, right?

--SimianSpeedster

↓↑report