On Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:24:38 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:50:56 -0500, wrote:

On 17 Nov 2008 15:08:02 -0600, Dave wrote:

On Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:12:45 -0500, said:


Total, unmitigated baloney. If costs are the problem, why are Chevys
so much cheaper to buy than Toyotas? Are they selling them for less
than they cost to make?

I suspect so in many cases. Thanks to the enviros, they are required to sell
a bunch of cars the people don't want to buy in order to be able to sell
enough of the larger cars that people do want. To get people to buy they
have to drop the price on the ones no one wants to buy in order to get them
sold.

More baloney. Toyota is obviously making cars that people want, and
they have to meet all the same standards as Chevy and everybody else.
Toyota is selling more cars, despite charging substantially more for
similarly sized and equipped models. Please explain how that is
possible. They may be paying their labor less money, but they sure
aren't competing on price, so labor costs are obviously not a factor.

Psychological factors, especially "brand loyalty, play a large role in
auto sales. For YTD sales of light vehicles through October, see
below.
GM by itself outsells Toyota when trucks are included. How many
Silverado owners would maintain brand loyalty and switch to
Impalas/Malibus/Cobalts because of high gas prices is anybody's guess,
but Impala sales aren't too far behind Camry, and one could argue GM
is hardly trying.
I understand Impala sales were actually up 9% last month.
High gas prices hit GM particularly hard, knocking their light truck
sales down sharply.
GM's main problem has been not concentrating on keeping brand loyalty
in the auto sector by emphasizing quality and customer service.
And longevity of models. Think about it.
They have nothing with the continuous improving history of the
Camry/Corolla/Accord/Civic.

Really? I remember Lots of people driving around in Chevy BelAir's.
That model was renamed Impala in the mid 1950's. How long has the
Toyota Camry been around?

On Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:25:54 -0500, wrote:



Really? I remember Lots of people driving around in Chevy BelAir's.
That model was renamed Impala in the mid 1950's. How long has the
Toyota Camry been around?

1983, or 25 years.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...rticleId=46002

The Impala has been 3 different cars since its inception.
The old family RWD V-8 sedan, the '94-'96 Vette engine RWD, and the
current FWD V-6, introduced in 2000.
All totally different cars, and none designed with the long-term goals
Toyota had for the Camry. The Accord has a similar history with the
Camry, and those 2 have been the top selling models in the U.S.since
about 1987.
Maybe GM will continue to improve the current Impala if they stay in
business.
It compares favorably with the Camry/Accord.
The purpose-built Corolla (economy/quality) passed the VW Bug in
all-time sales about 5 years ago and continues to put distance between
it and anything else.
Toyota/Hondas concentration on putting quality in their mainstays of
family cars, and keeping the model names continuously to maximize
brand loyalty is their big advantage.
They've stood behind these cars for warranty issues more solidly than
the Big 3 too.
A pretty simple formula for success. But that's too ****ing
intellectual a concept for the minds of Big 3 management.
BTW, I'm a GM guy. I always get good used cars for a low price.
That's why I was able to retire early.

--Vic