Toyota tops list of new car sales under 'cash-for-clunkers' program in U.S.

Thursday 27th August, 07:01 AM JST

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timorborder at 03:26 PM JST - 27th August

Makes me laugh. Wasn't it just a couple of weeks ago that Toyota and other "Japanese" firms were complaining about this program and the perceived bias towards US brands? They don't seem to have done that badly in the final analysis.
USARonin at 03:26 PM JST - 27th August

A great many people in America are buyin' pick-up trucks.

It seems every other vehicle on the road in Hawaii is either a pick-up truck or SUV.
Kwaabish at 03:40 PM JST - 27th August

Its good that the US public is buying Toyotas and Hondas, especially the models that are built in the US... maybe better than buying Fords hecho en Mexico.
sinjuku at 05:29 PM JST - 27th August

Nothing positive to write here, the whole situation sucks. So where to begin ? How about this, those of you out there trying to sugar coat this by saying that these Japanese cars were mostly made in the US will need more than just your opinion to convince me. Fact is, you have no idea how many of Toyotas, Nissans, Hondas, or Korean made Hyundais were imported in for this program. GM managers have clearly stated that no manufacturer had 6 months of stock on hand to pull from. That tells me the vast number of Asian cars were imported from Japan and Korea. And as we know 80% of the value returns to Asia while 20% stays in the US, hardly meeting the objectives of this program which were to stimulate the US economy and put Americans back to work !

Fact is Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Kia etc should have been banned from the program making this a model for the “Buy American” mandate. Where the hell is the United Auto Workers on this ? They should be in an uproar ! They should be demanding that Asian companies start producing time cards and other documentation to prove that factory workers are either being paid for overtime or are not engaged in slave labor working conditions. Toyota has already lost numerous court cases for such slave labor working conditions. Next the UAW should demand the elimination of the “bonus payment” system Japan and Korea. We already know how common it is for employees to do the work and then hear that their bonuses will be cut, this year the average was 17% ! Imagine an American being told at the end of the year his bonus would be minus $1,700-$2,000 dollars ! I don’t think so, but that is exactly what Japanese companies just did this year ! And where do all the savings go ? Yep, back into the company to help them stay competitive in the US market. I say enough of this free labor ! I guarantee you that Americans would shy away from Toyotas, like they do Sonys, if the price was jacked up an additional 15%

Many other points to discuss.

Now that the cash for clunkers campaign is over, you can pretty much kiss the rest of the year goodbye for auto sales ! Forget those Christmas or end of the year bargain sales, the auto industry has done shot themselves in the foot.

And why all this loyalty to Japanese products ? The favor is not returned here in Japan ! Imports from the USA are down and market access remains a pain in the butt with additional paperwork required, spot inspections, and constant harassment from the local media and political groups. The yen has been to importers advantage since October of last year, and how has Japan reacted ? By seeing its domestic retail market literally implode. Customers here have stopped shopping because prices are too high and variety is limited… and importers heaven ! But not here in Japan !

The cash for clunker program has done more bad than anyone can imagine. The money the Japanese made will get tucked away in a bank somewhere and will not stimulate the economy on either side of the pacific. Americans need to learn that Japan is not a good business partner. They are selfish and will lower themselves to no end to defeat you. This whole exercise is an official bust, just wait for the fallout over the next few days, I’m not the only one who is aware of this. In any case, congratulations Toyota, you get the booby prize ! Spend more time on your quality control, record setting recalls in china are bad for business and may explain why you now trail GM in total sales 1.4 to 1.3 million so far this year !
Badsey at 08:09 PM JST - 27th August

It is nice to see people buying more efficient cars like a Corolla or Civic. -In my mind the mpg estimates to get a car under this program should be 40 or 50mpg -in that way you are challenging the automakers to make these type of cars to get the incentive.
sinjuku at 08:16 PM JST - 27th August

"under this program should be 40 or 50mpg -in that way you are challenging the automakers to make these type of cars to get the incentive."

Almost all auto manufacturers today offer small car high mileage options, that still doesn't explain Fords success with it's trucks. Fact is, value employs a lot of variables, not just mileage. And Price is obviousle one of the biggest factors. My point above is clear, without free labor and withholding payment from employees companies like Toyota simply can't compete. As it is now though, the current situation makes it virtually impossible for American car companys to compete... and they now have the exchange rate advantage, just no access to Japans markets. Time for Obama to end this assault on the American work force.
Cliffy at 09:51 PM JST - 27th August

I am not surprise. Buying a car is a big expense and you want it to last. Ford and GM spent years to destroy their images of reliability. Even though it is improving now, but as the saying goes "perception is reality." Thus, when someone wants to buy a reliable cars, the first one come to mind will be Japanese cars. Comparing to before, I also see a lot of Korean made cars (Hyundai and Kia) on the road here is North America also probably due to price and their aggressive push.

As for pick up trucks and SUV, I understand if you are working in construction or some sort, you will probably need a pick up truck to carry stuffs around, but I have seen people driving a pick up when they are working in an office. SUV, the time they probably do off road is go onto a side walk. I live in rural area and during winter time, I have about a feet of snow covering my drive way (1.2km long) and I do not even need an SUV. I just park on the side, walk in and start my snow thrower and clean the drive way (about 3-4 hours and it is part of my winter exercises).
Kwaabish at 10:26 PM JST - 27th August

Badsey,

It's also refreshing to note that the most traded in as clunkers and destroyed were the Ford Explorer, Ford F-150 and Dodge Caravan.
usaexpat at 12:32 AM JST - 28th August

Proof that making an utterly boring souless appliance of a vehicle sells. I had a Supra back in the day when Toyota actually made interesting cars. There is nothing in their line I would remotely consider, ugly and boring.
usaexpat at 12:48 AM JST - 28th August

The worst thing about cash for clunkers was that perfectly serviceable cars were destroyed. The people who could afford to buy a brand new car are not the people who were driving the real clunkers. The program should have been two fold: take the trade ins for new cars and then either give them or sell them to poor people and take those cars and destroy them. This was a criminal waste and the dealers still haven't been paid by Uncle Sam.
sfjp330 at 08:12 AM JST - 28th August

That tells me the vast number of Asian cars were imported from Japan and Korea. And as we know 80% of the value returns to Asia while 20% stays in the US, hardly meeting the objectives of this program which were to stimulate the US economy and put Americans back to work !

I doubt it. Toyota has 12 manufacturing plant in U.S. and Canada, and Honda has 6 plants in U.S. Toyota's only main profit from import from Japan was Prius. However, all other Toyota models are made in U.S., same with Honda Accord and Civic. Out of the 700,000 vehicles that were sold from the cash for clunkers, around 40 percent was from U.S. manufacturer, GM, Ford & Chysler. Regardless of the model, all the sales from U.S., the manufacturers, dealers, and salesperson benefited from the transactions. I doubt, especially with the exchange rate at 93 yen per dollar that 80 percent returns to Asia, especially with manufacturing cost in North America. This program met goals on what was intended for. Japanese Korean manufacturer accounted for over 50 percent.
YuriOtani at 10:06 AM JST - 28th August

sinjuku, I bought a new Honda Civic in January for my "American" car. I need a car in America where I spend about 1/2 of my time. I looked over the Chev Cobalt and Malibu and it was shocking. It was ill fitting, ill running, the controls were in poor locations and the bloody things were rusting on the show room floor! The ford was a little better and the Nissan dealer kept trying to sell me a auto I did not want! You can by a navi at Best buy, baka! The GM president apologize at the start of the year for selling poorly built and uninspired autos. They knew the vehicles they built were "sodai gomi" but they built and sold them anyway. I would ask any American why should you be "loyal" to firms like that?
dpurcell84 at 11:21 AM JST - 29th August

I agree with YuriOtani. I hate American cars. They are built to break down, uninspiring etc. etc. I have had 2 bad experiences with American cars (I mean ruining my vacation to the Grand Canyon because the car would just turn off while I was driving whenever the temperature was over 90 bad) Or the Ford that stalled every time I turned left up a hill. My Toyota pickup? Sold it to my dad with 180,0000 miles on it...five years ago (here still drives it). Or My Subaru WRX, I don't think I need to tell you how great a car it is. The fact of the matter is, Americans don't know how to make good cars. Ford looks like they are improving, but they still have a long ways to go. just check the reliability of any consumer reports. In reply to sinjuku, if the "buy American clause" had been added in, I don't need to bust out the Econ 101 graphs to show you how that would have created a dead weight loss greater then the 2% difference between Toyota and the Us automakers...or the fact that the Toyota makes the majority of the cars it sells in America..in America..while Ford and GM make most of them in Canada and Mexico...
sfjp330 at 04:48 AM JST - 30th August

The fact of the matter is, Americans don't know how to make good cars. Ford looks like they are improving, but they still have a long ways to go. just check the reliability of any consumer reports. In reply to sinjuku, if the "buy American clause" had been added in, I don't need to bust out the Econ 101 graphs to show you how that would have created a dead weight loss greater then the 2% difference between Toyota and the Us automakers...or the fact that the Toyota makes the majority of the cars it sells in America..in America..while Ford and GM make most of them in Canada and Mexico...

Ford F series pickup and full size Chevy pickup is still to me a best value trucks available anywhere. The F150's with 4.6 & 5.4 engines are very reliable and they sell over 600,000 of these trucks annually. Chevy with small block V8 is still a very good truck. Toyota Sequioa and Tundra cannot match these two trucks and this reflects on their sales volume. Only for that is currently made in Mexico is Focus. This is from Japanese design Mazda 3 platform. Also, The Fusion also uses Mazda 6 platform and Edge uses CX-9 platform. They are very good cars.

the facts that GM has been at the top for 74 years and Honda isn't even in the top 50 of the fortune 500 club...

GM makes very good full size pickups and SUV's . They do have problems with compact and imtermediate cars. If you buy Chevy Malibu and keep it for 5-7 years, and trade this in, make a comparison with Toyota Camry or Honda Accord and you will see that Malibu is worth 40-50% less on trade in compare to above. Besides reliability, this is a major reason why people buy Japanese cars.
Tigertty at 10:13 AM JST - 1st September

R.I.P. Detroit - don't worry, it only gets worse.