Some time ago in another NASCAR thread, I made a post about how Toyota is using the race series' stereotype of fans to help it become viewed as an American car company.

Now, it's also hooked up with "Fly fishing" and country music via Brooks and Dunn

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...605200378/1148

 

Lol, their next step in becoming an "American" car company is dramatically lower quality, like on the new Avalon.

 

They make me sick!
It seems that by the day, I dispise import car makers, especially the Japanese and especially Toyota. I can't believe how many sellouts there are who are willing to sellout thier own country for a buck.

 

Toyota has consistently made good cars. Reliable car. Cars with good safety ratings and good gas mileage. Some other companies haven't been able to do that, and it has now caught up with them. And, as we all know, the only way for these other companies to make a comeback is to be excesively flashy with the body panels and put some new seats in their cars.

 

Toyota has lit a fire under GM's ***. I dunno; maybe we should thank them. Competition is good for all.

I agree GM contributes to the American economy more; but ignoring that Toyota does not is just being ignorant.

Honda is looking to build here in Central Indiana with an estimated total of 3,000 workers/$24hr avg/$150million annual payroll. Buying a Honda doesn't help the American economy? Give me a break.

/zips up flame suit

 

I agree with Chrome383Z, Toyota builds cars here in the states, my dads Avalon was built in Kentucky, been reliable as hell. Toyota proved the American worker can build high quality products given the right parts and quality control.

 

I'm just kocking the idea.

I know there was a thread about it a while ago, but both Ford and GM do more business with domestic parts suppliers then Toyota or Honda does. Need proof, look at Delphi and Dana, there was another parts supplier but can't remember. I think the numbers went 3:1, for the Detroit guys, doing more business with domestic suppliers.

How many people do Toyota and Honda supply jobs domestically compare to the Big 3 in parts? I don't know, I'm asking, but I would be willing to bet that the suppliers have more jobs in the US. The idea that Toyota and Honda is good for the economy is a two sided coin. One side for Japan and the other for domestic suppliers, evenually one side will be face down.

 

Why are some people be mad at Toyota for making good cars and then people buying them? If there was only the big 3, I guarantee cars would only last 2 years tops.
GM's quality only rose dramatically because they had to bring it up to other competition's standards, otherwise they'd still be making 3rd gens with 305s.

 

Toyota has a succesful business model, thats what businesses are supposed to do.

True enough there are some holes in GM that isn't the fault of current GM, oh well, thats something else businesses are supposed to be able to do. Survive.

However, I don't think too many people are gonna buy this "American Toyota" thing. Its obvious an American based company commits more to America.

Beyond that, you can't have your cake and eat it too, Toyota cant be Almighty import and familiar domestic... If their quality makes the slide people think it will they wont be either... they will be GM.

 

Toyota needs some exciting cars, american or not, their line could put me to sleep.

 

I don't think people are made with Toyota so much as they are that Toyota has this perception of being flaw free. Combine that with this recent need to be "American". Sure they build quality cars, but they are not all flaw free and they are FAR from American. I think those two issues seem to be pushing everyone buttons.

 

Toyota at one time may have made exceptional cars to the overall pieces of crap we were getting from our own manufacturers, but after hearing how Toyota service is, and seeing how good our cars are today, I think the playing fiels has leveled a bit.

But the problem I have is that Toyota is being so obvious about what it's doing, and has all but printed it in the press. I don't want it to sound like I don't have bigger fish to worry about (I do!), but it's disturbing that an automaker is essentially lowballing the intellengence of people by purposely going after what can be described as sterotypical country hicks in order to be viewed as an American company.

I don't wake up in the morning thinking of this, but it's still bothersome.

 

Thats right he wakes up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night.

 

If you hear the commercials, its almost like buying anything but a Toyota is "stupid". Who knows how far Toyota will go to push its image into American homes. They have done pretty well on the coasts, but how far deep into the heart of this country will they go?
And I wonder does Toyota do this in Europe and other countries as well?

 

This deep:

http://www.toyota.com/tundra/dw.html