F150 SVT Lightning
Posted on 03/10/2010 6:40:52 AM PST by laotzu
The head of the Toyota National Dealer Council today blasted the federal government for using 'taxpayer dollars' to fund incentive campaigns to lure customers away from Toyota, and accused GM of using ‘fear’ in an attempt to lure away its customers, 1200 WOAI news reports.
"As an American citizen, it is tough on my part to pay tax dollars to an entity that can turn around and use those tax dollars to get my fellow American citizens to not do business with me," Paul Atkinson, who owns Atkinson Toyota in Bryan Texas, and is President of the dealer council, tells 1200 WOAI news.
Atkinson says when General Motors was going through bankruptcy last Spring, Toyota behaved in a 'compassionate way,' and did not use GM's uncertain future as a 'lever to steal its customers.' But he says now that GM has been strengthened with taxpayer money, it is using 'low blow tactics' to hurt his business.
"The government owns 60% of General Motors, and these American tax dollars are funding business activity for one company, with the express goal of negatively impacting another company," Atkinson said today.
Atkinson specifically cited GM dealer mailings which he says have been targeted at existing Toyota owners. He called it ‘a nationwide predatory advertising campaign that uses fear in an attempt to lure customers away from Toyota and Lexus dealers.’
"There are some mailing lists which have been given to dealers, and there have been some mailers, in fact, I've seen several of them," he said. "On the outside of the envelope it says 'important Toyota recall information enclosed.' But when you open up that envelope, it is nothing more than an advertisement trying to get you to come trade your Toyota in at a GM store."
Atkinson calls those 'predatory incentives,' which he says should not be allowed to be employed by a company which is majority owned by US taxpayers against another company which employs hundreds of thousands of Americans.
"We will be sending letters out to Senators and Congressmen, as well as (Transportation) Secretary (Ray) LaHood," Atkinson said. "It's really unfair that American citizens have to fund this."
Atkinson also suggested that the recent Congressional hearings and federal government concern over Toyota's accelerator problems may have been sparked less by a desire to protect the public, and more by a desire to protect the federal government's investment in GM.
"There is a list of twenty manufacturers on these recall lists, and Toyota is number 17," he said. "If we're having hearings on number 17, what are they doing about numbers 1 through 16?"
Atkinson said business at Toyota dealerships was down 10% in January and down 8% in February, but the dealerships are standing behind Toyota products.
"Despite all of this, we outsold all of the other manufacturers in February except for one," he said. "Let's get these numbers in perspective. Sure, our sales are down, but we are outselling a lot of other brands."
Ah, those dastardly Japs! Do you have a rice allergy, cupcake?
This bears repeating. I have relatives who’ve been in the wholesale auto trade for 30 years, mainly buying and selling used Hondas and Toyotas. None have ever seen or heard, or spoken with anybody who has ever seen or heard of one of these incidents. They’ve also asked at pretty nearly all of the D.C. area Toyota dealerships, and NOBODY has ever seen or heard of one of these incidents. This shit is fiction. Honda and Toyota have been making the world’s best cars since at least the late 80s.
I bet the run away Pris is a staged fake. Can't but it in neutral, can't turn it off--- that is BS.
Please, Toyota’s paying the price for putting out a product they knew to be substandard and covering it up for years... While I hate the GM bailout that happened, and will never buy a GM in my life, blaming others for your own failings is silly.
Now there are reports that even cars that have had the “fix” are still exhibiting sudden accelleration. Toyota has been hiding problems for years, refusing to admit issues, etc etc, and its finally come back to bite them on the butt.
If you don’t see the inherent problem with a government-owned business attacking a private sector business, you’ve got a perception problems.
The playing field should be level. It isn’t, because GM has DC backing it. That is wrong.
First, it was the evil GM bondholders then evil GM dealers, and now it’s evil GM competitors. I wonder if these media hit pieces are listed as GM marketing expenses.
Right. Any of these "reports" been proven to be true? Or just piling-on hearsay?
Exactly. With so many conflicts of interests with our current government picking winners and losers, it’s laughable to believe the government is an unbiased watchdog for the US consumer.
LOL!
I own a Ford Fusion - one of the best cars I’ve ever had. I highly recommend it.
“The playing field should be level. It isn’t, because GM has DC backing it. That is wrong.”
...yeah, and the Japs had all kinds of government help to put plants in this country...everything from free infrastructure to tax abatement...so now the shoe is on the other foot and they’re squealing!...screw ‘em!
Toyota has been using predatory tactics against GM, Ford and Chyrsler for years, using the quality issue. Payback is a bitch!
Toyota dealers had better NOT stfu or they will end up like the numerous gm and chrysler dealers that got put out of business. obama and his car companies are going to go after Ford as soon as they are done with Toyo. This has nothing to do with quality problems, this is all about power. If this govt gets their way with Toyo, yeah sure it will hurt a Japanese company, but it will put even more Amercians out of work. The big picture here is that obama and his thugs are out to financially ruin this country. They have no loyalty to this country or its legal citizens. They are supporting unions and muslims only. There is no American industry that is safe from these goofballs. Even Hollywood is going to get screwed in the long run. Wealthy liberals are going to find out soon just what a trojan horse they got behind.
Welcome to the joys of Government controlled business (Fascism). It worked so well in Germany.
These 'Jap crybabys' are made in San Antonio. Although we Texans are accustomed to opening the door for a lady, you are not invited.
Of the many shareholders that own Ford, one of the very largest is Mazda Motor Co of Japan. Ooops!
But of course. Production of superior products (eg. quality, reliability, gas mileage, etc...) is always understood to be a 'predatory tactic'. LOL!
Freedom beats central planning, including protectionism, every time.
LOL! Snap! I was thinking the same thing.
Prius can do 94 MPH???? Who would of thought that was possible?
Buy a Ford and tell Japan and Obama to go to hell!
F150 SVT Lightning
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