Motor Trend Letters to the Editor:
Eat My Lunch
Toyota's emergence as the world automotive financial powerhouse is
symptomatic of an underlying U.S. problem that'll leave all Americans
poorer. Americans have been brainwashed to believe there are no
consequences for buying imported products, especially if those products are
assembled here. Sending $50 billion a month in trade deficit to
foreign companies will sooner or later have consequences. The U.S. is
on a path to high inflation and low purchasing power. Toyota isn't
just eating GM's lunch. It's eating your lunch and my lunch. Are
we smart enough to care? Max Limpert - Fort Wayne, Indiana
Yahoo!
GM to Ax 30,000 Jobs, Close 12 Facilities &
click here for listing of plant closures [11/05]
CNN Money:
Shock and sadness at GM plants [11/05]
Yahoo:
GM Plant Closing Has Impact on Tenn. Town [11/05]
CNN Money:
Ford to cut 4,000 jobs in North America [11/05]
USA Today:
Delphi workers brace for changes after bankruptcy [10/05]
Detroit News:
Ford fights to save future [08/05]
SeattlePI.com:
Ford plans to cut 1,750 jobs [06/05]
MyWay:
GM Plans to Cut 25,000 U.S. Jobs by 2008 [06/05]
Washington
Post:
GM Plans to Cut 25,000 Jobs [06/05]
Automotive News 04/25/05 announcement on industry employment:
Big 3 job cuts since 2000:
130,394 ▼
Non-big 3 jobs added since 2000:
27,183
▲
For every one transplant job added in the US,
nearly five jobs are eliminated
Associated Press:
GM may cut up to 28% of workforce [03/05]
Foxnews:
Trade Deficit Hits All-Time High [03/05] "... but private economists
are worried that the huge level of resources being transferred into the
hands of foreigners will eventually result in lower
U.S. livinsg standards ... the deficit represents the amount in
resources that the United States is transferring into the hands of
foreigners in exchange for foreign oil, cars
and other products that Americans are purchasing."
Foxnews:
Trade Deficit Hits $58.3 Billion in January [02/05] "The U.S. trade
deficit climbed to $58.3 billion in January, the second-highest level in
history, as Americans' appetite for foreign consumer products and
automobiles hit record highs. However,
imports rose at an even faster pace of 1.9 percent in January, climbing to
an all-time high of $159.1 billion. Imports of foreign
cars and auto parts and consumer goods set records while imports of
capital goods, everything from computers to airplanes, rose to the
highest level in more than four years."
Many American Car & Truck owners can
use E85 and save big on gas costs!
Chrysler/Dodge,
Ford
&
GM
Kiplinger:
Happy Holidays From the Big Three [11/05]
MSNBC:
GM launches
'red tag' incentive program [11/05]
CNN Money:
Ford Launches 'Keep It Simple' Sales Incentive [11/05]
Yahoo!
Chrysler Group Offers Customers Miles of Freedom [11/05]
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
Ford's Freestyle SUV is a top performer [10/05]
Newsweek:
Hybrid Nation? Nope. [10/05] "Look out, Prius - here comes the
Nitro." ... "We haven't turned into wimps overnight...people still
like a tough-looking SUV."
Motor Trend:
Loyalists Don't Want To Forgo SUVs [10/05]
Arizona Republic:
Mustang ragtop comes roaring back [10/05]
JD Power:
GM: Highest rated in quality [09/05]
Edmunds:
2006 Ford Fusion - The Perfect Formula [09/05]
GM:
The New Benchmark: GM's 2007 Full-Size SUVs [09/05]
AutoWeek:
Ford
says its new Fusion will take on the Accord and Camry [09/05]
"Having spent time driving
Ford's latest back to back with its Japanese rivals, we'd say the Fusion has
got a shot, especially against the Camry."
GMC's Trucks AND SUV's Named Official Vehicles of the NFL [09/05]
Fox News:
GM extends employee discount [09/05]
Times Leader:
Ford extends employee-pricing discount plan [09/05]
Ford:
F-Series sets modern day vehicle sales record [08/05]
The Globe and Mail:
It's a bigger field in the race for quality [08/05] "Chris Hay isn't
shy about pointing out that for the past five years the Canadian-built
Chevrolet Impala has outscored Toyota's Camry in initial quality. Five years
in a row." ... "Three mid-size GM models and not a Japanese import in
sight. Yet common wisdom suggests the Japanese, led by Toyota, have
completely cornered the market on quality, even though Detroit-based auto
makers and others have closed the gap and, in fact, lead in quality in at
least certain areas."
USA Today:
GM's employee-discount offer on new autos pays off [07/05]
GM Media Online:
GM Reports 558,092 Deliveries in June, Up 41 Percent [07/05]
Tribune Chronicle:
GM breaks 19-year sales record [07/05] "General Motors Corp.'s sales
soared 41 percent in June to their highest monthly total in nearly 19 years
thanks to a heavily promoted discount that allowed customers to buy cars and
trucks at the employee rate, new sales figures show."
JD Power:
GM Leads Eight Segments in J.D. Power Dependability Study [06/05]
JD Power:
GM Leads Five Segments, Takes Top Three North/South America Plant Awards in
2005 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study [05/05]
MSN Autos:
Most Dependable Vehicles [04/05] "In a study of three-year-old
vehicles, models from General Motors and Ford win top spot in most
segments."
Car & Driver:
Chevrolet Cobalt [03/05] "If the endearing Cobalt is any indication
of where the company is headed, somebody at GM has finally found a compass
that works."
Chicago Tribune:
Domestics luring back buyers [03/05]
Business Journal:
Blue-collar Syracuse Prefers Domestics to Foreign Vehicles
[01/05]
Motor Trend:
Motown Finds its Mojo [12/04] "For years, the best
American-style midsize sedans have worn labels from Japan. Now, with a trio
of stunning new entries, Detroit's Big Three are back and proclaiming: This
land is our land."
Motor Trend:
Motor Trend Names Chrysler 300 2005 Car of the Year [11/04]
"Chrysler awarded prestigious Golden Calipers from a
field of 24 Contenders"
Arizona Republic Wheels:
Cadillac, youth connecting [11/25/04]
USA Weekend Magazine:
Red, White & Zoom [10/24/04]
FOXNews:
GM Sets New Sales Incentives in Escalating Detroit War [08/03/04]
Motor Trend:
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid [08/04] "This may be the
best-engineered hybrid product to date..."
Motor Trend: "(JD
Power) Cadillac ranks highest in sales satisfaction in 2003" [07/04]
Arizona
Republic: "Chrysler
strikes it big with new sedan" [07/10/04]
AutoWeek
picks America's Best for 2004 -- Sedan:
Chrysler 300C, Truck:
Ford F-150, Sportscar:
Chevrolet Corvette [07/05/04]
GM shuts out Japanese and German makes and cleans up in
Strategic
Vision's latest
Automotive Satisfaction Survey -- Click here for
summary report and
detail report [05/24/04]
AutoPacific:
Lincoln Leads Vehicle Satisfaction [05/04/04]
Passenger Cars: Luxury Car Cadillac
DeVille (3-peat winner) Premium Mid-Size Car
Pontiac Grand Prix
Light Trucks: Large Light-Duty Pickup
Cadillac Escalade EXT (repeat winner) Large
Heavy-Duty Pickup Dodge Ram HD
Compact Pickup Chevrolet Colorado
Luxury Sport Utility Lincoln Navigator
(repeat winner) Compact Sport Utility
Chrysler PT Cruiser
Arizona Republic: "The
best part is a Hemi" (Dodge Durango) [04/24/04]
Newsweek:
Ford Escape - Cheap and Comfy [04/19/04]
Car & Driver: Dodge Durango #1 --
Full-Size Sport-Utility Vehicles [04/04]
Newsweek:
Cadillac SRX - Viagra on Wheels [02/23/04]
Consumer Guide Best Buys:
SUVs:
Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban (2003 & 2004),
Ford Expedition (2003 & 2004) -- Minivans:
Chrysler Town & Country / Voyager (2003, 2004 & 2005),
Dodge Caravan (2003, 2004 & 2005) -- Small
Trucks:
Dodge Dakota (2003 & 2004),
Ford Ranger (2003 & 2004) -- Full-size Trucks:
Chevrolet Silverado (2003 & 2004),
Ford F-150 (2003 & 2004),
GMC Sierra (2003 & 2004) [01/04]
Motor Trend: Cadillac beats Lexus -- Three
Kings: 2004 Cadillac XLR vs. 2003 Lexus SC 430 vs. 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500
[07/03]
Polk Automotive:
General Motors wins top owner loyalty award third consecutive year.
[01/05/03]
CanadianDriver: "Study
says GM and Ford owners most loyal to their brands." [01/09/02]
CNN/Money:
Ready to buy a Chinese Car? [04/16/05]
Detroit News:
Hyundai is poised to challenge Japan's midsize car crown [08/05]
Detroit News:
Upstart Hyundai guns for Big Three [05/05] "Toyota Motor
Corp. may scare Detroit's automakers, but there's one
rival out there that worries Toyota."
Fox News:
Kia Spectra Faulted in Crash Test [12/20/04]
NHTSA: Japanese cars still receiving most consumer
complaints [ongoing]
MSN Groups: "Toyota
Owners Unite for Resolution" [ongoing]
CarTrackers: "Toyota"
forum - a good
intro link (beware of what appear to be
shills on this site) [ongoing]
ABCNews & BusinessWeek:
Toyota quickens quest to unseat GM and
more here[11/05]
AutoWeek:
2004 Toyota Prius: Wrap-up [11/05] "Prius Release Me: Our long-term
Toyota lets us go - and lets us down ... For most of us, the end couldn’t
come quickly enough. 16,056 miles and 12 months proved a bit too much and a
little too long with the Toyota Prius."
Financial Times:
Toyota falls short of its high expectations [11/05]
Automotive News:
Toyota says may recall 1.05 million exported vehicles [11/05]
BBC News:
Mass vehicle recall hurts Toyota [11/05]
ARC Network:
Toyota recalls 651,366 vans, wagons in Japan [11/05]
BusinessWeek Online:
Nissan: A Letdown On The Lot [11/05]
Herald Tribune:
Toyota earnings slip [11/05]
MPH Online:
Honda
Offers Incentive on Accord Hybrid [11/05]
Detroit News:
Lexus magic fails to capture Europeans [11/05]
Financial Times:
Toyota's recall sets new record [10/05]
USAToday/Yahoo:
Japanese brands show 'nicks' [10/05] "Consumer Reports'
annual reliability survey, released Wednesday, challenges the belief that
Japanese cars are generally made better than domestic vehicles." ...
"Vehicles that Nissan makes at its new plant in Mississippi - the Quest
minivan, Armada SUV, Titan pickup and Infiniti QX56 SUV - are among the 48
least-reliable cars and trucks sold, the survey found." ... "One time you
would consider buying a Japanese car because you'd get excellent
reliability, but now you're starting to see some nicks in the armor."
PetitionOnline:
Owners petitioning Acura over low RSX quality [10/05]
BBC News:
Nissan warns of tough times ahead [10/05]
Automotive News:
Honda slashes Ridgeline production plan [10/05]
Bluewater Network:
Ad attacks Toyota's record [10/05] "Bluewater says Toyota's hybrids
aren't as efficient as their non-hybrid versions and questions why the
automaker is fighting tougher standards on fuel economy and emissions." ...
"Toyota has a lot of explaining to do."
Just-Auto.com:
Toyota makes biggest car recall ever [10/05]
CNN & MSNBC:
Toyota recalls 1.41 million cars and
more here[10/05]
AP:
Nissan recalls 118,000 Quest minivans [10/05]
Yahoo News & USA Today:
Toyota recalls Prius again and
more here [10/05]
Car & Driver:
Toyota and Honda Deflate Horsepower Claims [10/05]
Motor Trend:
The Truth About Fuel Efficiency [10/05]
Motor Trend:
Toyota May Become World's Biggest Automaker [10/05]
Motor Trend:
Hybrids Hardly Making A Dent [10/05]
Autoweek:
Toyota blames Scion tC flaw on drivers [09/05]
Auto Insider:
Toyota sued over Prius transmission patent [09/05]
Money:
Hybrids: Don't buy the hype [09/05] "A hybrid Honda Accord
costs about $3,800 more... you'll make up that cost in gasoline money if the
price of gas goes up immediately to $9.20 a gallon and averages that for the
whole period."
Reuters:
Nissan CEO Warns of Slowdown in U.S. Auto Market [09/05]
USA Today: "Toyota
recalls 978,000 pickups, SUVs" [09/05]
Edmunds.com:
Long-Term Test: 2006 Honda Ridgeline [08/05] "We love
its practicality and smart design, but question its ability to hold up to
the kind of severe use some truck owners might expect."
Detroit Free Press:
Toyota's hybrid SUV short on quality [08/05]
Auto Insider:
Arrogant Toyota commercial canceled in "Ford Country" [08/05]
Digital Divide:
Workers in
Southeast Too Dumb to Employ? more
here [07/05]
Arkansas Times:
Are we too dumb for car plants? [07/05]
Consumer Affairs: "Toyota
recalling 345,000 Sienna minivans" [06/05]
New York Times: "Columnist
Thomas Friedman wants General Motors to go bankrupt and Toyota to run things"
[06/05]
TheAutoChannel.com:
Toyota Fears Backlash if U.S. Carmakers Fail [06/05] "General Motors
Corp. and Ford Motor Co. are symbols of U.S. industry, and if they were to
crumble it could fan nationalistic sentiment."
(fixed link)
MSNBC:
Toyota boss fears backlash if GM, Ford crumble [06/05] "Asked what he
thought of GM's latest restructuring plan, Okuda said: "If you think about
GM's current output volume and vehicle lineup, laying
off 25,000 to 30,000 employees is inevitable.""
TheAutoChannel.com:
NHTSA Opens Toyota Prius Probe [06/05] "All of the complaints
reported that the (combustion) engine shut down suddenly without warning,
according to a summary of complaints prepared by highway safety
investigators."
Reuters:
U.S. safety regulators probe Toyota Prius [06/05]
Tri-County Times:
If I were king [05/05] "But
it's time to separate fact from fiction. Toyota is, and has been, waging a
very successful PR war with way too much assistance from our media. This
results in a skewed viewpoint that dramatically affects how buyers perceive
a new car purchase."
Financial Times:
Toyota Motor suffers double blow in US [05/05]
USA Today:
Toyota recalling more than 750,000 trucks, SUVs [05/05]
Post Gazette:
Toyota recalling more than 750,000 trucks, SUVs [05/05]
Canadian National Post:
Enviro-weenies really really like their
hybrid cars [03/05] "Consumer Reports' evaluators don't particularly
like cars, they sure don't seem to like driving them and, were auto design
up to them, we'd all be driving Toyota Avalons, governed for 110 kilometres
an hour and completely devoid of any motoring pleasure."
SC Magazine:
Mobile Virus Infects Lexus Cars [02/05]
Engadget:
Lexus cars potentially vulnerable to virus? [01/05]
WFIE:
Toyota Recalls more than 100,000 Camry Sedans [02/05]
Motor Trend:
Toyota Recalling Tacoma Pickups [02/05]
Wards Auto News:
Toyota Recalls 646,000 Vehicles [09/04]
Wall Street Journal:
As Toyota Closes In on GM, Quality Concerns Also Grow [08/04/04]
"After nearly doubling its revenue in the past decade and redefining
competition in key parts of the auto business, Toyota suddenly finds itself
confronting mushrooming quality problems."
Cars.com: "Some
hybrids not as reliable as gas-powered models" [07/29/04] "Owners of
2001-model Toyota and Honda hybrids reported twice as many engine problems
as owners of gas-engine Toyotas and Hondas."
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Blacks
pay more for Honda car loans" [07/28/04]
NHTSA:
Lexus issues two recalls for LS 430 model [07/27/04]
Autoblog:
Toyota recalls Camry [07/26/04]
NHTSA: "Toyota
recalls 128,316 2002-2004 Camrys" [07/26/04]
AZCentral:
Toyota Camry Solara - Restyled coupe all show, no go [07/24/04]
USA Today: "Drivers
upset as (Toyota / Honda) hybrids fall short on fuel economy" [06/11/04]
NHTSA: "Honda
recalls more than 150,000 vehicles in US" [06/09/04]
Canadian Driver:
Honda recalls 600,000 Odysseys, Pilots, MDXs [05/28/04]
Detroit News: "Three
Nissan newcomers sputter at launch" [05/12/04] "But
pickup buyers are traditionally more attached to American brands than car
buyers who have flocked to foreign brands. “The pickup is an American
invention, and American owners are very loyal to their brands,” said Walter
McManus, executive director at J.D. Power."
Wired News: "Hybrid
Mileage Comes Up Short" [05/11/04]
UAW: Workers at foreign plants still trying
unionize; Honda,
Nissan,
Toyota and
Toyota.
The Economist: "Japan's
Foreign aid: Not so nice. Japan does less than other rich countries to
help the poor." [05/08/04]
USA Today: "Japanese
cars lose ground on quality" [04/29/04]
Daniel Baker: "MR2
Spyder | Toyota Sucks" [04/20/04]
Motor Trend:
Bank robber wishes he hadn't bought a Japanese car [04/13/04]
Motor Trend
2002 Toyota Camry SE one-year test:
At around the 20,000-mile mark, we noticed the brakes pulsated
during hard stops. A trip to the dealer resulted in new brake pads and
machine turning of the brake rotors. We also were notified that the
cylinder-head gasket and transmission-pan gasket were leaking and needed
replacing--not the usual Toyota durability we're used to..."
Washington Post: "U.S.
Launches Probe into Three Toyota Models" [03/09/04]
MSNBC:
Nissan recall 2.5 million vehicles. [10/30/03]
Cincinnati.com:
If sales trends don't change dramatically, Toyota will sell more cars in the
United States this year than each of the two brands that have dominated for
a century: Chevrolet and Ford [08/30/03]
Auto Spies: "Is
the Lexus GX470 the first unreliable Lexus?" and "Don't
buy a Lexus GX470 before you read this" [07/03]
Some great
Japanese quotes here and
here
too. [07/03]
Owners looking for SUV tax write-off get
burned with the Lexus GX470 --
recall list and tax implications [04/03]
How Americans Can Buy American: "Oh
what a feeling - Toyota Outsells Chevrolet" [10/29/02]
Unsustainable.org: "Japan's
fake funk: the truth about a nation that won't import." [10/14/02]
Unsustainable.org: "Trade
with Japan: A One-way street" [09/04/01]
Multinational Monitor:
Death by Overwork [06/01/00]
Motor Trend:
European Carmakers Executives Are Less Than Thrilled About Hybrids
[09/05]
Financial Times: "Mercedes
recalls 1.3 million cars for quality issues" [03/31/05]
USA Today: "European
car sales hit skids in USA" quality and reliability are issues
[04/11/04]
*Certain Chrysler models (those built in the United States) are included
in this website because of the large impact that the heritage Dodge/Chrysler
plants have on their American workers and retirees' payroll, medical
benefits and pensions.
