Toyota on a new list...

[Duhockey]

15 Most Hated Companies in America

Apparently, Toyota is now one of the most "hated" companies in the US...

thoughts? opinions??

 

[SeattleMike]

Taken from the source:

Toyota was known for thirty years in the United States for reliability that surpassed any domestic competitors. The automaker’s reputation was tarnished by defect-related accidents, lawsuits and an 8.8 million vehicle recall. Because of this bad press, Toyota’s U.S. market share dropped from 18% in 2009 to 15.5% in 2010. In the JD Power’s 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Survey, Toyota received the worst possible marks in comfort, style, and overall performance and design.

The JD Power reviews and the heavy weight they give to negative words on on the internet, or the "Flame Index", and the stock price all combined on this. And let's face it, the domestic media loves Government Motors because they love Obama and GM's success after bankruptcy makes him look like he did the right thing. The narrative across all media, blogs, forum, etc., is going to be pro-GM and anti-Toyota for the foreseeable future with the trials looming and the Volt being launched. Soon it will seem like GM invented the electric car and the Prius is tainted technology compare to the Volt because that will be the spin.

But it's all BS, sampled from the echo chamber and reflected back into it. For example, the Flame Index lists Johnson & Johnson as the most hated company right now... and the Discovery Channel is #11. How do you hate the Discovery Channel? How do you hate on J&J baby shampoo?

 

[IOPturbo]

Wal-mart isn't on that list and therefore the list is invalid.

 

[FourEyedWilly]

What I found most entertaining was the timing of the huge Toyota recall right when GM needed it most. Coincidence?

Mark my words, the Volt will have it's design flaw and recall. The media set it up for disaster. Look over the list for car of the year for the last ten years. I think you will be surprised how many krap tanks are on that list. What struck me about the garbage on that list is that many of them you don't see on the road any more. :boink:

 

[techmen17]

What I found most entertaining was the timing of the huge Toyota recall right when GM needed it most. Coincidence?

Mark my words, the Volt will have it's design flaw and recall. The media set it up for disaster. Look over the list for car of the year for the last ten years. I think you will be surprised how many krap tanks are on that list. What struck me about the garbage on that list is that many of them you don't see on the road any more. :boink:

Seriously....

I used to work for Enterprise Rent A Car, which mainly dealt with chevy, ford, dodge and so forth, mainly domestic. I was shocked about how many recalls we had. It seemed every other week one of the vehicles in the fleet was on recall. Like the dodge durango, one time it was recalled back to the dealer twice in one week for immediate changes that had to be done. I could feel the cars quality slowly diminish as the mileage went up on all them, then ERAC would sell them. That job made me realize that I would pick foreign over domestic most all the time...

 

[Koz]

When you are number one you have a target on your back! Toyota/Lexus are still the best vehicles made.

Koz

 

[Burt]

I'm not worried about this issue. Many times when a corporation realizes they cannot compete, they resort to negative media launches against the competition.

 

[98-4runnerSR5]

Toyota is still the best. I hate domestics. They arent built to last but to rebuy once you are done with your loan. I hope this means lower prices for Toyota parts.

 

[Awz]

Wal-mart isn't on that list and therefore the list is invalid.

This(period, exclamation point, full stop, what ever you like).

 

[MTDewX8]

really

seems like its the whinners in the world that make bad choices that bring them down. and then there is someone that is doing good business and they dont like it so they bad mouth them to make them look better. look at politics. mud slinging extrodinars (spelling sorry)

 

[DaveS]

Seriously....

I used to work for Enterprise Rent A Car, which mainly dealt with chevy, ford, dodge and so forth, mainly domestic. I was shocked about how many recalls we had. It seemed every other week one of the vehicles in the fleet was on recall. Like the dodge durango, one time it was recalled back to the dealer twice in one week for immediate changes that had to be done. I could feel the cars quality slowly diminish as the mileage went up on all them, then ERAC would sell them. That job made me realize that I would pick foreign over domestic most all the time...

Since the collapse of the domestics and Toyota's problems in the press, I have noticed a lot MORE Toyotas in our local rental companies - I assume the lack of financing for domestics and keen pricing on Toyotas in the aftermath has contributed to this but I would not be surprised if the rental companies realise they can reduce how often they have to replace these vehicles and how many fewer days they lose to maintenance and repairs.

 

[DocMT]

Toyota one of the most hated?

Good. That just might translate into a lower purchase price on my next one.

 

[Saved]

I own two Toyotas. One is a Corolla and the other a 4runner SR5. It has been my experience that when you take care of business business takes care of you. Toyota has not taken care of business. That can easily happen when you are on top and it has happened to Toyota. Simply put they got sloppy. It has been creeping up on them for years and covered up but it hit them all at once. Any downgrade in ratings is their own fault.
Now they have to rebuild confidence with some serious quality control as well as much better warranty relations control. They can regain the confidence that they lost if they are smart. Will I buy Toyota again? Yes most likely, but I will not just walk in a make the purchase. It will take some serious research and input from others and their experiences with the product I would be considering. Would I tell someone not to buy Toyota, no, but I would tell them to do some serious research on the product that they are interested in.

 

[Thai]

Toyota one of the most hated?

Good. That just might translate into a lower purchase price on my next one.

x2!!!!

 

[Thai]

I own two Toyotas. One is a Corolla and the other a 4runner SR5. It has been my experience that when you take care of business business takes care of you. Toyota has not taken care of business. That can easily happen when you are on top and it has happened to Toyota. Simply put they got sloppy. It has been creeping up on them for years and covered up but it hit them all at once. Any downgrade in ratings is their own fault.
Now they have to rebuild confidence with some serious quality control as well as much better warranty relations control. They can regain the confidence that they lost if they are smart. Will I buy Toyota again? Yes most likely, but I will not just walk in a make the purchase. It will take some serious research and input from others and their experiences with the product I would be considering. Would I tell someone not to buy Toyota, no, but I would tell them to do some serious research on the product that they are interested in.

I agree. Ford, for instance, has really step up their game with their new offerings...Mustang GT, Fiesta, F-series trucks, upcoming Focus, etc.. If only Lincoln made more tolerable-looking cars, then i would consider them as well. Chevys are still behind but they are gaining. At this time, i see most of Ford recent offerings to be on equal (or better even) ground with most Toyotas.

Just look at the 2011 Corolla...Toyota had a good chance to take the lead...but oh no, they just made themselves outdated...again. :crybaby: And here was a great chance for Toyota to go back to their bread-n-butter...the car that supported Toyota all these years and has been a symbol for Toyota quality...to make it a class leader. As economy goes down, more and more people will be buying these economy class cars. Ford and Chevy understood this! 2011 is Toyota Corolla midlife update. Instead of turbo engines, 6-speed dual clutch tranny...we get the same tired 1.8L engine, same 4-speed auto, same cheapo (hard thin plastics, fabric from the 1960s). Want to see its competition? Check out the Chevy Cruze or the upcoming Ford Focus and Honda Civic! :smashputer:

 

[Uneek]

:iagree: a better deal when I need another Toyota.

 

[034RUNNER]

The most people hate on Toyota, the more I love them (at least the ones we have).

 

[charlier180]

:iagree: a better deal when I need another Toyota.

A better deal and a V8 when I need another 4Runner.

 

[bak3rme]

ever since toyota did that recall on the gas pedal, it seems they are getting the full heat for it..and still getting the full heat for it. i maybe wrong, but i havn't noticed a "decline" in toyota quality. sure the toyota dealerships charge you an arm and leg for some parts. but the quality is still there. my family at one point had 3 toyotas and a ford on our driveway. a sequioa, a corolla, 4runner and ford taurus. now all of those cars are replaced except for the 4runner, but now we have a newer avalon and lexus. quality still there.

domestic automakers have stepped their game up tho. body styling has been better. ex: the new taurus. their trucks are still #1 (IMO). it seems they took advantage at the right time and slowly making their way back up

 

[Acidmeld]

Im noticing that there is a running theme of people saying the parts cost too much and quality is too low. If the part quality goes any higher isnt the cost going to go up. I find it hard to believe that the people complaining would be willing to spend any more for parts than toyota is charging now. And nobody is really comparing the oem parts to all the aftermarket junk out there either. If they did theyd appreciate oem a whole lot more.