[Indy-Guy]

Toyota Question

I spent over 30 years in automobile sales and have several questions. I managed a Chevrolet, Honda and Lexus dealership. I am just curious.

1.Would you purchase a new Toyota in the next 6 months if they say they have addressed all of the problems and come out with some strong incentives (which they will) that will save you a lot of money off the sticker price as well as 0% financing (which they will)?

2. If you are a current 3 to 6 year Toyota owner and and were in the market for a new car would you purchase a new or used 3 year old Toyota in the next 12 months?

3. As a present Toyota owner what make would you consider next if you purchased in the next year?

4. What car maker do you think this situation will help the most.

Please answer any or all! Or just your opinion.

[l2ridehd]

Interesting questions and what you think will happen. I own a Toyota, have owned a few in the past, and yes I would buy another. They are a huge corporation and they will fix these problems. I was at the highliner auto auction in Manheim PA yesterday and Toyota's and Lexus were selling for prices that were what I considered very high. I was trying to buy a Lexus ES350 and was out bid on 7 different cars at prices very close to retail. They sold over 500 Lexus and Toyota vehicles yesterday. 4000 cars total. The interesting thing was BMW's were selling way below wholesale market. I believe Toyota will survive this and come out stronger then ever.

[JUREK]

As a past present and future Toyota owner I have to say yes yes yes and yes. I have been buying Ford stock to cover my butt. Only domestic company I would consider.

[villages07]

yes, yes and yes. I bought my first foreign car with a 2007 Camry and have been very impressed with its quality. Fortunately, my gas pedal is the Denso brand and not CTS so not affected by the recall (I think). Toyota will weather this storm, which is being fueled by intense media attention, and be fine for the future.

My dad worked in a Ford dealership for decades, so, we were a strong Ford family. It is the only domestic brand I would consider.

[Indy-Guy]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

Interesting questions and what you think will happen. I own a Toyota, have owned a few in the past, and yes I would buy another. They are a huge corporation and they will fix these problems. I was at the highliner auto auction in Manheim PA yesterday and Toyota's and Lexus were selling for prices that were what I considered very high. I was trying to buy a Lexus ES350 and was out bid on 7 different cars at prices very close to retail. They sold over 500 Lexus and Toyota vehicles yesterday. 4000 cars total. The interesting thing was BMW's were selling way below wholesale market. I believe Toyota will survive this and come out stronger then ever.

Have you been to the Manheim auction in Ocoee it is one of Manaheim's largest auctions as they are world wide. They have Lexus and Toyota factory sales as well. Last month on a Tuesday they also ran over 500 off lease Lexus and Toyota units and they were bringing top dollar as well. So were the Honda's they ran around 300 Honda's the same day I was there. The day I was there they ran over 5,000 units.

I worked for an Auto Auction in Indy for the last 12 years I worked and it gets in your blood. Manheim has two auctions in the Orlando area. For those of you who drive from The Villages to the Orlando International Airport and wondered about the large auto auction just before you get on 528 that is Manheim's smaller auction in Orlando and the Ocoee is the larger one. The Ocoee auction is located on the NE corner of I-429 and the Fl-Turnpike and can be seen from I-429. These are dealer only auctions not open to the public.

[faithfulfrank]

I own a 2007 Prius. I would totally buy another.
I usually prefer to buy a 2 year old car with cash and let the first buyer take the depreciation hit.......but of course one has to crunch the numbers to see what is best.

Much of what the media has been saying is garbage.

I almost bought a 2010 Prius, but I did not like how they restructured the packages.

Frank

[l2ridehd]

Indy Guy. No I have not been to the one in Ocoee. The one in Manheim PA is huge. They do 30 to 40 thousand cars a week there. That is there original location. I was there on a Friday a few months ago, and they did over 12,000 cars that day. They have 44 lanes, 2 auctioneers each lane, and two new cars every 30 to 45 seconds in every lane. Yesterday I picked up the catalog for today and they have 9000 cars going today. I didn't buy anything yesterday, everything was going to high. I am looking for a higher end car and they only do those in large quantities on their highliner day every two weeks, so will try again on 2-18. I will pick up a Lexus ES350, Mercedes E320, or E350 or an Infiniti M35x. But I will only pay 60% to 75% of retail maximum. Any more then that and your better off to get a certified one from a dealer to get the 100K warranty. Yesterday they were getting 90% to 95% retail. The biggest issue at the auction is that you can't drive the car. You can look it over, start it, pull a car fax, but that's it. So you need to be ready to spend a few additional $$ on it when you get it home. I will find one in the next few trips up there. It is a fun and interesting experience to watch it though.

[ojm]

Toyota has built their brand by offering reliable cars, which hold up long-term and have great resale value. But facts are facts, and I wouldn't go anywhere near a Toyota right now. I don't feel the company has been forthright with the public. They denied for quite some time that there was a problem with sudden acceleration. Then they claimed that the problem was with the floor mats. Now just as quickly they are certain that the problem is with one manufacturer who built a defective gas pedal. Meanwhile I read that some attorney's who have been investigating this problem for possible litigation suspect the problem is with the computer module that controls acceleration. My understanding is that is an extremly expensive repair.

Now a serious braking problem has surfaced on the Prius. These are not minor safety issues. I think the wise buyer lets someone else prove whether or not Toyota is now building safe products.

Finally, for every model Toyota builds, there are outstanding alternatives. I suggest you consider those rather than wondering about your brakes or acceleration next time you are driving on 466.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by ojm

Toyota has built their brand by offering reliable cars, which hold up long-term and have great resale value. But facts are facts, and I wouldn't go anywhere near a Toyota right now. I don't feel the company has been forthright with the public. They denied for quite some time that there was a problem with sudden acceleration. Then they claimed that the problem was with the floor mats. Now just as quickly they are certain that the problem is with one manufacturer who built a defective gas pedal. Meanwhile I read that some attorney's who have been investigating this problem for possible litigation suspect the problem is with the computer module that controls acceleration. My understanding is that is an extremly expensive repair.

Now a serious braking problem has surfaced on the Prius. These are not minor safety issues. I think the wise buyer lets someone else prove whether or not Toyota is now building safe products.

Finally, for every model Toyota builds, there are outstanding alternatives. I suggest you consider those rather than wondering about your brakes or acceleration next time you are driving on 466.

I love my '07 Camry Hybrid; but I agree with ojm.

[NJblue]

Finally, for every model Toyota builds, there are outstanding alternatives. I suggest you consider those rather than wondering about your brakes or acceleration next time you are driving on 466.

I take the opposite view. Toyota is a company that has always prided itself on reliability. I'm sure that after this PR black eye they will have the safest brakes and accelerators in the industry.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by NJblue

I take the opposite view. Toyota is a company that has always prided itself on reliability. I'm sure that after this PR black eye they will have the safest brakes and accelerators in the industry.

NJblue, I hope you prove correct, because Toyota is/has been a great brand. I have been taken aback by Toyota's inadequate first, second, third and fourth responses, including the President's remarks yesterday.

[JUREK]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

Indy Guy. No I have not been to the one in Ocoee. The one in Manheim PA is huge. They do 30 to 40 thousand cars a week there. That is there original location. I was there on a Friday a few months ago, and they did over 12,000 cars that day. They have 44 lanes, 2 auctioneers each lane, and two new cars every 30 to 45 seconds in every lane. Yesterday I picked up the catalog for today and they have 9000 cars going today. I didn't buy anything yesterday, everything was going to high. I am looking for a higher end car and they only do those in large quantities on their highliner day every two weeks, so will try again on 2-18. I will pick up a Lexus ES350, Mercedes E320, or E350 or an Infiniti M35x. But I will only pay 60% to 75% of retail maximum. Any more then that and your better off to get a certified one from a dealer to get the 100K warranty. Yesterday they were getting 90% to 95% retail. The biggest issue at the auction is that you can't drive the car. You can look it over, start it, pull a car fax, but that's it. So you need to be ready to spend a few additional $$ on it when you get it home. I will find one in the next few trips up there. It is a fun and interesting experience to watch it though.

I usually don't buy new but a car with low moles and only a couple of years old. I am also shopping for a Lexus ES350 or Infiniti M35X or G35X . I only need the AWD because I'm still up north for perhaps one year.
Good luck in your shopping.

[Indy-Guy]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

Indy Guy. No I have not been to the one in Ocoee. The one in Manheim PA is huge. They do 30 to 40 thousand cars a week there. That is there original location. I was there on a Friday a few months ago, and they did over 12,000 cars that day. They have 44 lanes, 2 auctioneers each lane, and two new cars every 30 to 45 seconds in every lane. Yesterday I picked up the catalog for today and they have 9000 cars going today. I didn't buy anything yesterday, everything was going to high. I am looking for a higher end car and they only do those in large quantities on their highliner day every two weeks, so will try again on 2-18. I will pick up a Lexus ES350, Mercedes E320, or E350 or an Infiniti M35x. But I will only pay 60% to 75% of retail maximum. Any more then that and your better off to get a certified one from a dealer to get the 100K warranty. Yesterday they were getting 90% to 95% retail. The biggest issue at the auction is that you can't drive the car. You can look it over, start it, pull a car fax, but that's it. So you need to be ready to spend a few additional $$ on it when you get it home. I will find one in the next few trips up there. It is a fun and interesting experience to watch it though.

The Ocoee auction is not as large as the one in Manheim, PA. If I remember right that is their largest and perhaps the largest in the world. The Ocoee auction if I remember corectly has 25 lanes and about half have two auction stations on a lane. The Manheim auction by the airport runs on Wednesday.

[samhass]

I have driven Toyotas since 1985 and have no intention of ever switching to another brand.