Archive for January, 2010
Toyota Places Sunday Newspaper Ad Regarding Accelerator Recall
Toyota has placed a full-page newspaper ad in about 20 major markets that says the following:
As you may have heard, in rare cases, sticking accelerator pedals have occurred in some of our vehicles. We believe we are close to announcing an effective remedy. And we’ve temporarily halted production at some of our North American plants to focus on vehicles we’ve recalled. Why have we taken this unprecedented action? Because it’s the right thing to do for our customers.
To find out if your Toyota is affected and to get the very latest information about the recall, please visit toyota.com
This ad is meant to alleviate consumer concerns and to shape the conversation around the accelerator recall issue. However, this ad falls short. Here’s why:
Bushwacker Pocket Fender Flares
If you run larger than stock tires on your pickup, then it’s likely that you’ve considered adding fender flares to your truck. Maybe it’s because fender flares are mandated by law in your area, or maybe you’re concerned about rocks and other debris getting kicked up and possibly damaging your truck’s finish on the trail, or maybe you just like the look. Whatever it is, fender flares are often a vital accessory for truck owners with aggressive offset wheels or knobby tires.
Close-up of Bushwacker's pocket fender flares painted-to-match.
Bushwacker is a company which makes pocket style fender flares for 2007 – 2010 Toyota Tundra trucks. These flares bulge out about two inches over the top of each wheel, and then they progressively get closer to the body at each end. This helps to protect the vehicle from kicked-up debris, but not so much that the fender flares stick out too far. The pocket fender flares feature the “bolted” look that some people feel adds a degree of ruggedness to their vehicle – each pocket contains a real Torx-head screw…but the screws don’t actually do anything (they’re just for show).
GM’s Toyota Recall Incentive Could Backfire Badly
In case you missed it, yesterday GM’s crack marketing team announced a series of extra incentives on new GM products for anyone that owns a Toyota. This announcement is in direct response to Toyota’s accelerator mechanism recall and subsequent sales freeze on 8 models. According to GM’s announcement, they “decided to make this offer after receiving many emails and calls from our dealers, who have been approached by Toyota customers asking for help. We want to be able to provide peace of mind to customers and all of our vehicles are safe.”
Isn’t that nice – GM wants to help Toyota owners in the name of safety.
GM's offer to Toyota owners - clever marketing or unseemly sales gimmick?
GM will be offering anyone who brings in a Toyota an extra $1,000 cash rebate and/or zero percent financing on a new GM product. While this incentive might seem shrewd to some, the full analysis shows that this could be a very dumb move. Here’s why:
Sources Hint Toyota Accelerator Recall Fix Will Come Soon
A couple of sources from Toyota’s sales division have told us off the record that the official accelerator recall fix is ready and waiting for NHTSA approval.
The “fix” is rumored to be nothing more than a simple shim that will keep the accelerator mechanism from getting stuck. It’s anticipated that Toyota can manage to repair most of the effected vehicles within the month. Sources say that recall repairs could begin as early as next week, meaning that Toyota’s sales freeze could be over in just a few days.
Will Consumers Buy Compact, Unibody Scion Pickups?
Toyota has been kicking around the concept of building a compact unibody pickup for it’s Scion brand. While Toyota’s motivations aren’t completely clear, they probably go a little something like this:
- Because the Tacoma has grown from compact to midsize, there might be room in the marketplace for a truly compact pickup truck.
- Truck owners seem to be fiercely loyal to a particular brand, and this loyalty is often fostered at a young age. Building a cheap compact Toyota truck gives us a chance to grow a lifetime customer.
- A compact pickup would help Toyota meet our federal fleet fuel economy rating.
- Compact little unibody pickups have some appeal worldwide.
- Toyota is really, really good at building small vehicles.
So there you have it – Toyota’s case for building a compact pickup for the Scion brand. Now let’s break it down a little further.
