Toyota - The recall KING?

[brianl703]

Apparently they don't need incentives to move the Mustang:

The Ford Mustang has posted it’s best August sales since 1979 including over 800 Shelby GT 500 models. Total Mustang sales totaled 17,933, up 64 percent from August 2005 in which 10,921 Ford Mustangs were sold. The spike in sales can be attributed to much buzz around special versions of the Ford Mustang that have been apporoved for production such as the 2007 Shelby GT Mustang, 2008 Boss Mustang and the Legend Mustang.

The Shelby GT500 Mustang posted 800 sales despite dealership markups which have pushed the price well past the MSRP of 41,000 dollars. Some Shelby GT500 Mustangs are being sold as much as 109,000 dollars after dealership, or stealership if you wish, markup.

Out of all the Ford cars the Ford Mustang clearly showed the biggest increase from August 2005. It’s interesting to point out that the car with the second highest increase from August 2005 was the Ford GT, which saw sales increase 26.5% rising from 113 to 143 in 2006. The only other car to post a increase over 2005 was the Crown Victoria which saw a 0.7% increase.

“Retail business was very strong at the end of the month,” said Al Giombetti, president, Ford and Lincoln Mercury sales and marketing. “Zero percent financing put a big dent in 2006 model inventories.” Giombetti noted August retail sales challenged March as the best retail month of the year.

Ford’s zero percent financing program is available on 2006 models and concludes September 5 – after the Labor Day weekend.

 

[ScottB]

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I guess its the location your at in the country. Around here theirs a waiting list to buy a Mustang. My brother in law had to wait almost 5 weeks to get his GT. But we can agree that both sides make good and bad products.

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The funny thing is that I've never said the Japanese don't make ________ cars at times, but they are undoubtedly better able to adjust to market changes.
I still can't find a US-made car with a freakin' iPod integrated stereo. Mini-jacks don't count.

Scott

 

[adam123]

The dodge has Ipod connectivity, Is that what your refering to ? BTW I know you never said that. Its just the average opionon of almost every Import owner I talk to is that "theirs is better".

 

[adam123]

Dodge Caliber. Gah I wish that edit function was back.

 

[brianl703]

Incidentally, Fusion sales for August 2006 were 15,468, Focus sales were 15,562. Taurus sales are at 13,263 (whose buying those?)

 

[brianl703]

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I still can't find a US-made car with a freakin' iPod integrated stereo. Mini-jacks don't count.

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Do aftermarket interfaces count?

EDIT: Looks like they won't be required anymore:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple on Thursday (August 3, 2006) said it has teamed up with three major carmakers to link its popular iPod music player with car stereos, laying down a new challenge to a fragmented radio industry.

Ford, General Motors and Japan's Mazda will offer an easy iPod connection in the majority of their brands, allowing drivers to charge the digital music player and store it in a glove compartment as they listen to its songs.

Users will also be able to use car stereo controls to select music on the iPod device.


That's a step up for drivers, who can now listen to the iPod via an adapter that fits into a car's cassette-tape desk.

"More than 70 percent of 2007-model U.S. automobiles will offer iPod integration," said Greg Joswiak, vice president of iPod product marketing.

 

[ScottB]

That counts, and I had read that a while back, but jeez, there's 45+ million iPods out there - I own about 8 of them, and I could only find a handful of cars last year with iPod integration - again, not a mini-jack, but true integration.
No US cars that I know of have one now on the showroom floor.
And no, aftermarket doesn't count!

Scott

 

[ScottB]

Back to those GTOs and Mustangs...
If I were serious about buying one, maybe they'd put me through the typical 9-hour ordeal in the dealerships, but why aren't they trying harder to get me to buy one?
Extended warranty is not going to cut it.
A discontinued gas-guzzling GTO should be discounted - especially when the dealer shows me 6 of them on their lot alone.

$34k. And not much but a killer motor?

Scott

 

[ScottB]

And another thing (yes, I'm avoiding work right now) you guys love to slam the "Ricers" here, but have you seen how much plastic bolt-on ________ is on those Mustangs? The Rouche model makes any Civic here look like a cast-iron K5 Blazer in comparison?
Ugly, expensive, and junky.

 

[brianl703]

Supposedly GM's Ipod solution is an add-on module that talks to the head unit the same way as an XM tuner. In theory it should work wit any GM that has a head unit that works with XM..which is quite a lot of them.

As far as sales experiences go, I had a great experience with the local Saab dealer. They even managed to get the paperwork for European Delivery done correctly

 

[brianl703]

Plastic bolt on ________ is somewhat more acceptable when it's writing checks that the vehicle's engine can actually cash.

See the Corolla Type S for an example of unacceptable, trashy, terrible bolt on plastic ________.

 

[ScottB]

My coworkers have been buying SAABs now for two years. Out here, Disney exec's get them for two-year leases, and then they get auctioned off.
They've picked most of them up for ~$17k, including the turbos.
I'd like the convertible, but I'm just not quite there looks-wise. When the next batch of newer models comes up, maybe.
The turbos haul-a$$.

Scott

 

[ScottB]

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Plastic bolt on ________ is somewhat more acceptable when it's writing checks that the vehicle's engine can actually cash.

See the Corolla Type S for an example of unacceptable, trashy, terrible bolt on plastic ________.

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That is somewhat true. I'll partially concede that point. I still hate it. The GTO is nicely understated. Bland, but at least they opted to not "rice it out"

Scott

 

[brianl703]

Really? I think the Saab 93 looks great. I love the dashboard in particular. The old hatchback style didn't appeal to me much.

 

[JHZR2]

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Can't say I agree with the OP on the ego thing, to each their own I guess. But you can't really put a Cummins diesel (or Powerstroke and Duramax) in the same ball park as gas V8. They SHOULD last way longer, especially puting a fantastic medium duty motor like the Cummins in a pickup truck! The rest of that Dodge is a whole other story.

Toyota also has diesels in other parts of the world that will 500k+.

On Tundra Solutions, there is a high mileage thread. Here's a pic of the odo on a 2002 model. Given the UOA results these 4.7l put up, I would expect many more to make this. Given my usage, my truck will rot out before I get anywhere near there. So wouldn't any other pickup out there.

And no, I don't think Toyota is perfect and can do no wrong. They've had their issues, just at a smaller frequency than some other manufacturers.

To others: Yes, I agree, glassy eyed Camry drivers suck.

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mdv,

The difference in all of this is that you appear to have very reasonable, neutral, straightforward answers. Congratulations for doing your part to keep this all civil, honest, etc.

JMH

 

[ScottB]

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Really? I think the Saab 93 looks great. I love the dashboard in particular. The old hatchback style didn't appeal to me much.

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They've all got the 93s. The newer ones I like better.
As I said, they haul...that's fun.

 

[Larry the Cable Guy]

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"Third, obviously your neighbor's engine has an issue..."

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That is exactly my point. The "All American" diesel Excursion is junk. My gasser Toyotas (the one that I just sold as well as the new one) DIDN'T have problems. Neither does our 2003 Subaru. BTW, both Toyotas and the Subaru ARE American made, all three from Indiana

The big pile of oil soaked kitty litter under the diesel Excursion is evidence of OTHER problems...

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"Your neighbor quite well may need some lessons in maintenance."

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Blame the owner instead of the equipment that doesn't function correctly? I would think twice about that. He is very weathered 62 years old...He has been around enough times that it would make you AND I dizzy.

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"Fourth, a V8 fullsize has pretty great payload capcity as is... Are you using it all? If not, maybe you should get a mini truck, or just rent one when needed... maybe your truck is a fashion statement, eh? Just checking... with a truck that is really used, if you have capacity for x pounds, and you actually use the capacity of the truck as intended, then you would really rather have x+ extra pounds capacity, so that you can do even more... if this isnt the case, you bought too much truck that you certainly didnt need anyway, so it was a silly purchase anyhow."

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Darn, If I don't use all of the payload capacity I bought too much but if I do use it all then I should have bought more?

It isn't a fashion statement at all. This will be the ONE vehicle for our family as my wife has given up driving. It will function very well for the two of us and our Golden Retrievers who travel with us frequently.

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Regarding the fifth item, good for you, lots of extra points of failure, so that you can create even more American (repair) jobs when they break... thanks!

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Kinda like your Mercedes? Doesn't impress me.

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Finally, seventh... buying cash is only one part of the equation... dont forget lifecycle cost. Neither your ability to save $26k plus tax, or ability to get a toyota pickup for that much is impressive. Looking at how much the overall package has cost when you hit 250k miles is the more interesting metric (if the truck is still on the road).

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I wasn't trying to impress anybody by paying cash, doing so GREATLY reduces lifecycle cost.

I have no desire to keep it that long. I usually move up around 150k so resale value is rather important. I just sold my 4.5 year old 2WD Tundra with 68k miles for 4,500 less than what I paid for it. Maybe I could have done better but not much!

 

[JHZR2]

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Regarding the fifth item, good for you, lots of extra points of failure, so that you can create even more American (repair) jobs when they break... thanks!

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Kinda like your Mercedes? Doesn't impress me.

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LOL! got to watch what youre talking about... There isnt an electric control on the thing... What's a check engine light? Keep it tuned properly, valves adjusted (and no ________ on that, Hondas need it too), and it returns 30 MPG in a vehicle that is over 20 years old and has over 225k miles... If only the dingbat girl hadnt hit it severely causing a 5-car pileup... soon enough itll be back on the road, making less tonnage of pollution than any v8 ga$$er pickup...

Yep, nothing at all like my mercedes... cant beat a car that has had no major system failures in 228k miles, still has the original radiator, AC still blows cold, electric windows all work perfectly, as does the sunroof, no water leaks, no strange noises, high operating efficiency at low cost, and even the original transmission shifts well.

Kind of like our well maintained 202k mile 94 toyota previa we've owned since new

JMH

 

[Win]

Imagine my angst when I got home tonight and found out that the daughter had taken the GTO and left an '05 Toyota 4Runner 4WD in its place

 

[Win]

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As far as sales experiences go, I had a great experience with the local Saab dealer. They even managed to get the paperwork for European Delivery done correctly

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Sweet. I didn't have any trouble buying the GTO either.