Toyota, Honda report sales jump in July

AP via Yahoo ^

[Scotswife]

In July we traded in our 2 Fords for 2 Toyotas. Sick to death of the constant repair bills and the gas guzzling.
It's nice to know when we're on the road that we'll make it to our destination.

[danmar]

The cops read the manuals - and they issue tickets.

You must be a stickler in regards to the laws, unless you are a cop!

[Spktyr]

I live near a police station, and DPS regularly pulls over overloaded *pickups* on the nearby freeway.

This is what happens in a real state when too many stupid people overload their trucks, and then have accidents that kill people. The police start enforcing the weight load laws.

Of course, in Kalifornia, the illegals driving the massively overloaded pickups (with the 20' high towers of pallets or mattresses) are given a free pass, even after they kill people because their truck fails or their load shifts and falls on some poor bastard.

[Babu]

The upcoming 2007 Toyota Tundra is a complete makeover, and is larger (comparable in size to full size Ford, Chevy and Dodge pickups) than the current Tundra. Current reports say that towing capacity will be "over 10,000 lbs." and that there will be "over 30 models available". Full specifications aren't available yet, though there are pictures of it on the web. I suspect there might be 3/4 ton and 1 ton versions available, though the literature available at this point is not specific. It is being built in Texas ...

[Republican Party Reptile]

Many, if not most, consumer trucker buyers (not you of course) never haul anything heavier than a cooler of beer - stand on any major intersection, even in Texas, and count the trucks going thru; what percentage of them are loaded to the hilt for "truck work" or torquing to the max pulling trailers? VS. how many of them are just carrying one guy and an empty bed?

Toyota and Honda are viable competitive choices for people just looking for a "lifestyle" truck, and that's a good chunk of the truck buying consumers.

[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

Nice post.

[Hoplite]

GM's reporting (2005 AR) a $7.5B excess in their pension funds at this time due to favorable investment returns - they've also set aside $3.6B after tax to take care of Delphi pension shortcomings (GM acknowledges it's responsibility for some Delphi employee retirement benefits), but if Delphi is using its pension funds as an ATM, I think GM's going to run through the set aside and GM's own pension surplus.

Gonna have to look at Delphi's next monthly report to see if there's any more charges against their Pension fund to know how concerned to get, I guess.

[danmar]

Toyota and Honda are viable competitive choices for people just looking for a "lifestyle" truck, and that's a good chunk of the truck buying consumers.

Precisely my point! Toyota and Honda are toy trucks for the people to go to the beach and have a tail gate party and/or haul lawn mowers, weed whackers, maybe surf boards.Oh, did I mention the great gas mileage savings?

[The South Texan]

"Many, if not most, consumer trucker buyers (not you of course) never haul anything heavier than a cooler of beer - stand on any major intersection, even in Texas, and count the trucks going thru; what percentage of them are loaded to the hilt for "truck work" or torquing to the max pulling trailers? VS. how many of them are just carrying one guy and an empty bed?

Toyota and Honda are viable competitive choices for people just looking for a "lifestyle" truck, and that's a good chunk of the truck buying consumers"

Exactly. Right now I have a 2003 F-150 Supercrew and I don't use it for a work truck or to haul a trailer or the such. The only time I use the bed is for stuff for the house and yard that I'll pick up at Home Depot or some place like that or for the occasional trip to the dump to get rid junk. occasionally I'll have to haul boxes from my office to storage, but any of the other "truck" I'm looking at to replace my Supercrew will do all of the jobs I need done.

I got the Supercrew for the four door cab for easy accessibility for the kids, etc. My wife can't even stand being a passenger it it because it has a rough ride. Contrast that with the Avalanche, Toyota Tundra and Honda Ridgeline which have a smoother drive.

[Prodn2000]

I would also tend to support a truck made in America, rather than a truck made in Canada (GMC & Chevy) or Mexico (Ford).

[paulat]

I begged her to buy Toyota. She'll have that car for 20 years.

Smart!!! I'm still driving my '86 Honda. Bought it brand-new (even though you're not supposed to...) and it's still going strong!

[paulat]

Remember, the Pinto and the Vega were really hot tickets during the last one.

No, they weren't! Hondas and Toyotas cleaned up!!

[mysterio]

But they had an air of unreliability then that they certainly don't have now. Now they are looked at as well built, and both companies have moved new factories to my area, so they are almost looked at as American made. I think Toyota has a really good chance of bumping GM out of the top spot, at least temporarily.

[Kryptonite]

Maybe my Explorer will become a collector's item!

I hope.

[paulat]

so they are almost looked at as American made

LOLOL!!! My 20-yr-old Honda baby was made in Ohio!!

[Kryptonite]

Ford really blew an opportunity for gaining market share by maintaining a disregard for effective innovation.

What America could really use right now is a typically overbuilt Ford truck with an alternative energy powerplant. I think the Japanese will get there first, not so much because they are suffering from high gas prices over there, but because they recognize the market opportinuty over here.

And getting into Nascar next year is only going to add to the recognition of Toyota as an *American* company.

[miliantnutcase]

I love my 2000 GMC Sierra and nothing on earth could replace it(unless it had vortecmax =D).
Really sad that GM pulled the plug on the mighty 8.1L big block for 2007. Sad day indeed...
I heard rumors of a supercharged 6.2l replacing it..WTF? All the useful torque nerfed for a hp gain.

[danmar]

I would also tend to support a truck made in America, rather than a truck made in Canada (GMC & Chevy) or Mexico (Ford).

Oh, Yeah you would like to do that, but than again the Toyota's are bolted together in whatever plant in Alabama/Tennessee/Carolinas? and after the bills are paid in the USofA all the profits are sent straight to Toyota's Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan>So much for new generation of domestic cars/trucks. At least the profits from the cars/trucks bolted in Canada or Mexico are flowing back to Detroit, not Tokyo, or Seoul!

[danmar]

And getting into Nascar next year is only going to add to the recognition of Toyota as an *American* company.

For the record for Toyota to be a REAL American Company, it had to be born in America,(like the Dodge Brothers, Walther P. Chrysler, Henry Ford, Ransom Olds,Fred &August Dusenberg, David Dunbar Buick et all .)

Bolting cars and trucks in the United States while providing decent paying jobs is commendable nevertheless.
OTOH that does not make Toyota a domestic brand.

I will bet Toyota greased a lot of suits to get to compete in Nascar, and obviously Nascar obliged.

Just do me a favor...don't piss on my leg and try to tell me it is raining!

[sushiman]

" Remember, the Pinto and the Vega were really hot tickets during the last one."

The Pinto was especially hot when the gas tanks exploded ! Hehehe !