All Entries in the "Auto News" Category
Toyota Tundra Cash For Clunkers Notes
As you’ve undoubtedly heard, congress is very close to passing a so-called “cash for clunkers” bill (technically known as “Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act“).
The idea behind this bill is to get older, less fuel-efficient vehicles off the road and replace them with newer cars and/or trucks. The hope is that this bill will 1) Help kick-start auto industry sales and 2) improve the environment by crushing a bunch of older vehicles that are currently polluting.
While there are a lot of very smart people who dislike this bill – either because it’s not environmentally sound or because it’s not going to work – the fact is that none of this seems to matter. The bill was passed by a healthy majority in the House of Representatives, and most analysts seem to think it will pass in the Senate and be signed into law shortly. So, with that in mind, here’s what you need to know if you’re considering buying a new Toyota Tundra using a Cash For Clunkers voucher:
Toyota Nascar Pit Stop In Times Square New York City
This might be the coolest Nascar gimick I’ve ever seen:
Toyota Ramping Up 2010 Tundra Production
This news is a little old, but it’s good to hear: Toyota is oficially ramping up production of the 2010 Tundra.
Bob Carter, general manager of Toyota Division, said, “We see a turnaround coming.” The company will therefore increase North American production by 65,000 units over the previous plan for the three-month period. Toyota will increase the production of six of its most popular models: the Camry, Corolla, Sienna, RAV4, Tacoma, and Tundra.
The question before us – how many of these “extra” 65k vehicles will be Tundras?
The UAW is Poised For Growth – Are Toyota, Honda, and Nissan Ready?
For years, casual observers of the auto industry were quick to point to the UAW as a source of trouble for GM, Chrysler, and Ford. Tales of do-nothing jobs banks and $70/hour compensation were the source of a popular disdain for the UAW and unions in general, and the UAW found it very difficult to attract new members in this climate.
Today, things are quite a bit different. While it says here that the UAW wasn’t perfect, anyone with a real knowledge of the auto industry will acknowledge that the UAW deserves only a part of the blame for the meltdown of GM and Chrysler. The fact is, terrible management, poor quality, and poor designs were the primary sources of GM and Chrysler failure.
The UAW hall in Bowling Green, Kentucky (pictured) might be the most important union battleground of the 21st century.
The good news for the UAW is that all of this is behind them now. The UAW is now more likely than ever to recruit Toyota, Honda, and Nissan workers over the next 2 to 5 years. Here’s why:
09 F150 and Ram Recalls and Funny Pictures
Just in case you missed it last week, there were a couple of “little” recalls on the 2009 Ford F150 and the 2009 Dodge Ram. Nothing big mind you, just a couple of small items that won’t be a big deal (unless of course they become a big deal).
First, the Ram. According to TruckBlog.com:
Chrysler has issued a recall of nearly 40,000 2009 Dodge Ram light duty pickup trucks equipped with the manual temperature control where the software programmed for the heating ventilation and air condition module may cause the defrosting and defogging functions to become non-functional. The result of this can lead to a decrease in visibility and raise the chance of crashing.
No big deal really…unless your defroster doesn’t work and you can see out of the winsheild. At least you can stick your head out the window.
2009 Dodge Ram owners might have to stick their heads out of their trucks.
photo credit: Fillmore Photography
Next up, Ford’s minor recall for the 2009 F150. According to Edmunds.com:
Ford is recalling 8,735 of its 2009 F-150 trucks because a faulty brake stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to fail to illuminate
No big deal – unless someone is counting on seeing your brake lights to keep from running into you (you know, like while driving).
Every manufacturer has recalls (and both of these are relatively minor), and we’re certainly not trying to make light of the safety risks these recalls present, but the next time a Ford or Dodge owner razzes you about your Tundra, you know what to hit them back with. Now for a couple of funny pictures:
