[V8] Factory towing package

[Ed Kellock]

Some people can still remember the Audi UA fiasco, but it takes a bit of
reminding I have found.  Sort of an "oh yeah" moment for most.

I'm actually not interested in purchasing a Toyota, though it is one make
I'd consider if I were ever to stray.  I would be genuinely disappointed if
Toyota fell on truly hard times as a result of this.  The extent to which
this has already affected them will serve to level the playing field plenty
for those who still beat the drums of the domestic car industry, one which
Toyota is indeed a large part of, but the perception that they are a foreign
car company is still strong in many.  

My biggest concern is that Toyota falls victim to the same dismissiveness
that car companies have exhibited in the past.  We've seen signs of it
already... some foot dragging, then the floor mat response, now another
possible stab in the dark focused on tangible bits.  I really hope it is the
final resolution, for the company and for all those affected and those yet
to be affect directly, who are wondering...

I sure hope it's not a software issue, the intangible counterpart to floor
mats and gas pedals, as that could really rock consumer confidence.

Toyota is truly at a crossroads.  I recently participated in an automotive
survey specifically about the Toyota UA situation.  I responded in the 1st
person on behalf of the rest of my family who all drive Toyotas, though none
involved in the current specific issues.  But my 72 year old Mom has a Camry
(2002), my Sister has a 2001, and my Dad has two Priuses, one 1st gen, one
2nd gen.  Priuses have had some brushes with UA notoriety prior to now...
one ended up in a creek here in Colorado several years ago after running
away with its driver unable to stop it, another on a curvy road in a hilly
city in CA... SF or LA or somewhere, and there have been others.  The dots
are still not quite fully connected between those and the new concerns about
current gen ABS issues, but it won't take long if Toyota fails to respond
very quickly and effectively.

Even though none of my family's vehicles are directly affected in the
current issue, the confidence to be a repeat customer may very well be.
Even if your old Toyota is fine but if "the new Toyotas are killing people"
even current Toyota customers might go elsewhere.

There has already been one customer whose reaction hopefully will define the
far end of the spectrum of overreaction...  A woman bought a Camry in LA
somewhere and moved to Kingman AZ.  She was so terrified of the car, that
she drove it, at supposedly very slow speed, all the way back to the dealer
where she bought it, turned it in, and drove home in a Mitsubishi.  An
illogical emotional reaction to be sure, but certainly far from
unbelievable, or unrepeatable.  

And to top it all off there is the latest diarrhea-mouth "misstatement" from
an Obama administration official... "my advice is... stop driving it" from
the Transportation Secretary, a Republican no less, though a moderate one,
but also from Illinois (read into that whatever you want).

Times are tough at Toyota.  I wish them well.

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: v8-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:v8-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of
urq
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 8:57 AM
To: 'v8audi'
Subject: Re: [V8] Factory towing package


... gotta wait for 60 Minutes and Consumer Reports for that to kick in. With
the investigation now heading to the Prius, I hear the feds are getting into
the act ... too bad that the story has to make big time news before they do
...

A little bit amusing I must say as this morning a neighbor gave me a bit of
a ribbing about the Ford truck that sits with all the Audis in the fleet. As
he was talking about the Toyota situation he recalled the Audi-UA situation.
Clearly this sort of news persists a good long time ... 

Steve Buchholz

-----Original Message-----

I wonder how long it'll be until we can get screaming deals on Toyotas...
Not that I'd buy one.

Ed

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