PDA

View Full Version : Toyota blames video games for decline in auto sales


DETT
10-22-2009, 09:34 PM
Saw this on NaGTRoc and thought you guys might like a stab at it quoted straight from NaGTRoc.

"Source:Source Deleted for NWS content


Toyota Blames Video Games for Collapse in Car Sales

Japanese car manufacturers are becoming increasingly distressed at the lack of interest in their cars displayed by young Japanese, and Toyota has made what many consider the risible suggestion that this is due to the pernicious influence of video games…

Toyota’s management is quoted grumbling about their collapsing Japanese sales:

“Video game consoles are the problem. With such realistic play available they don’t need cars or anything anymore.”

The mass media has previously tied this “kurumabanare” to changing tastes (including the supposed “herbivorousness” of young males when confronted with what the car industry has always insisted is the very manly prospect of car ownership) and Japan’s ongoing demographic collapse.

More sensible reasons typically given for the disconnect between the youth of Japan and the nation’s car culture include a reduction in their incomes, a lack of access to credit, the extremely high cost of car ownership in Japan, and of course the ubiquity of trains in the nation’s metropolitan areas.

Market surveys have concluded that economic factors are the most significant, along with urban life and a “diversification” of interests amongst the younger generations.

Car manufacturers on the other hand appear convinced they can win over young consumers with shiny new models and more relevant marketing campaigns… It seems it may be they who are asleep at the wheel."

I think toyota needs to get its head out of their arse and face reality, most of us are sick of their econobox mass produced bs. This is why you see us still driving and paying a premium for old as dirt AE86s and Supras, I'm sorry but I don't see many more 90s cars holding value or appreciating in value quite like the Supras and Nsxs, hell look at how much someone will pay for a state legal GTR.

Sad facts are that most of the companies are not putting out enticing cars for those of us that grew up playing Gran Turismo loving the Silvias, Skylines, Supras, and Evos of yesteryear. Sure we have the Evo and STi in america now and just got the GTR but honestly everything else is rubbish. I can't tell you how excited I am to see the new FT-86, its is definitely a step in the right direction for toyota. However I feel the rest need to follow suit.

I am in the honest belief that japanese auto makers need to follow suit to some of the exotics and offer a strip down race version of their sports cars much like the GT3RS and the Lambo Gallardo Superleggera, I know I am not the only person that would love to see a revamped Silvia or the New FT-86 with a cage from the factory simply just two race seats, a good motor, rwd or awd, and a LSD. How simple is that? Seriously if they could bring the FT-86 in that format in a stripped down model with just the necessities it would sell like hotcakes. I know we have the Evo RS but really they didn't take it far enough I feel.

Sorry for the long drawn out post I just feel that Jeremy Clarkson said it best while reviewing the new Aston Martin, that unfortonately the auto industry is looking bleak and sports cars may be of a dying breed, all but soon to be replaced by garbage little econoboxs that get replaced every 2-3 years.

In closing I only have one question to ask: Where is the passion?

HyperTek
10-22-2009, 09:40 PM
video games huh.. gran turismo/forza/need for speed can never be realistic.. come on your playing with your thumbs lol

Blame their media and entertainment that people aint buying new cars, rather fixing up old cars etc

Kamburrito
10-22-2009, 09:53 PM
video games huh.. gran turismo/forza/need for speed can never be realistic.. come on your playing with your thumbs lol

http://ps3maven.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/ps3-mods-gran-turismo-racing-simulator-1.jpg

it can be as realistic as your mind wants it to be. <3

Touge Noob S13
10-22-2009, 09:54 PM
rather fixing up old cars etc


This^ not that they arent intrested in cars just not interested in new cars. Btw op that site had some great pics in the "gallery" section, they will be saved on my computer for later use.

ESmorz
10-22-2009, 09:56 PM
I blame all of Toyota's boring fucking cars.

BoostSlideWayz
10-22-2009, 10:18 PM
are u serious ?? that must explain only 1 toyota in need for speed shift

DETT
10-22-2009, 10:32 PM
This^ not that they arent intrested in cars just not interested in new cars. Btw op that site had some great pics in the "gallery" section, they will be saved on my computer for later use.

No doubt the boys with the GTRs have some crazy photo skills, that or they have way too much money to hire pro photographers lol, I only frequent there every now and again because I don't own a R35 (yet) but considering I own her older sister I believed it was necessary to check in every now and again.

DETT
10-22-2009, 10:33 PM
are u serious ?? that must explain only 1 toyota in need for speed shift

Ha, don't you find it funny that the most prolific toyota that ever gets used in a video game is atleast 11+ years old?

ESmorz
10-22-2009, 10:41 PM
Supra's are ugly.

I said it.

Taniguchi_Is_#1
10-22-2009, 10:42 PM
i blame global warming, Jesus, the increase in algae blooms in coastal regions, the 2000 US presidential election, kanye west, cool ranch doritos, body wash from a bottle, pista valves, carbon nanotubes, the creation of montenegro as an independent state, stem cell research, and brown socks for the decline of auto sales. studies show that because all of the above have occured within the last 10 years and auto sales have also declined, they must have a common correlation.

BoostSlideWayz
10-22-2009, 10:50 PM
Supra's are ugly.

I said it.

Thats a nice opinion u got there lol. But im affraid anyone else would disagree.

0100
10-22-2009, 10:55 PM
nah I agree, supra's are ugly

Touge Noob S13
10-22-2009, 11:05 PM
No doubt the boys with the GTRs have some crazy photo skills, that or they have way too much money to hire pro photographers lol, I only frequent there every now and again because I don't own a R35 (yet) but considering I own her older sister I believed it was necessary to check in every now and again.

I was actually talking about sankakucomplex but now that you mentioned it those GTRs are pretty cool.

ronmcdon
10-22-2009, 11:58 PM
nah I agree, supra's are ugly

I third that notion.

but yeah, what does Toyota expect?
I'd like to think there are many more valid reasons before you get to video games.
blame the economy, building comfy old ppl cars, etc.
they have more of less neglected building a fun to drive & affordable cars today.
video games are the least of your worries.

besides, who the hell gives damn about the 'youth of japan' as a market?!
nowadays the market that actually means something is China, Eastern Europe, maybe Brazil, & the USA of course.

Geez Toyota is actually very successful as is for an auto manufacturer.
They should be the last to whine.

DETT
10-23-2009, 12:06 AM
I was actually talking about sankakucomplex but now that you mentioned it those GTRs are pretty cool.

Ahh ya sankaku has been the source of many of my wallpapers on my personal comp :boink:.

And to whomever stated the obvious that the Supra is ugly, I will honestly and originally agree with you... slightly. USDM supras and the way that their owners make them yes they are quite ugly. One thing I hate to see more is the dyno queens this side of the pond produces, it seems to me our lot are only mainly interested in doing two things, going fast in a straight line, or turning left. I am not trying to bash our tuning culture, its just most of the true die hards are gone.

I can honestly say that most of the people that get into tuning cars it is mostly for all the wrong reasons, some love the drag racing thing (I honestly don't get the whole live your life a 1/4 mile at a time bs I honestly hate drag racing) some love just having a fast car to try to impress people. Most have lost the connection of truly taking your car to a track and changing things out so you can push the car that much harder. This is why I have stuck with the nissans mostly because it is mostly them who still track their cars and actually take interests in something be it autox, time attack, or drift.

Now getting back to the fact that our USDM supras are ugly, yes they are I love seeing a nice JDM supra such as the Ridox or Top secret tuning cars, but those are extremely sparse in the US considering most here have not and will not go to actual circuits and are only interested in the 1/4 mile. You see them countless times with the hideous TRD widebody, sparco torino seats, and just a complete lack in everything except the motor. I honestly don't think I have EVER seen a US owner with brides and a worked suspension, short of it being a tuning companies purpose built time attack car. It just simply doesn't happen, and I blame that mostly on the owners :spank:.

silviaguy240
10-23-2009, 12:09 AM
I third that notion.



fourth. :wiggle:

drift freaq
10-23-2009, 12:24 AM
Fifth LOL

would have to agree on the Supra's are ugly front. Its not my idea of a dope ass sports car. Shit the R35 looks much better even with its controversial looks.
As far as what Toyota's management thinks? They are looking for scape goats for their own lack of attention to a certain market segment. You do not see Nissan or Mazda or Suburu saying things like this.
I would also add like others have said. Japan has been in a recession for 10 years plus. It has a declining population with less young people and a lot less jobs. Add into that the massive train system and cost of ownership of a car plus a parking spot(required) like others have pointed out and you have the perfect anti car storm.
If Toyota wants things to change then they have to work towards social change in Japan. I.E. more affordability of cars. More marketing to people to drive rather than take the train( hahahhaha we all know how fucked up that was in LA. ya LA used to have a incredible mass transit system till GM and Firestone got together to sell tires buses and cars. LOL)

Ah Japan forever hiding its head in the sand to its own internal problems. Based on its flawed business policies and export policies of the last 35 years.
Yup I said that and its true. Japan focused to much on exports and not selling to their own public among other things. In effect selling stuff overseas for less than their own countrymen pay.

spooled240
10-23-2009, 12:26 AM
why do you guys think the supra is ugly? i think it's one of the most beautiful japanese cars

choleboy
10-23-2009, 12:32 AM
i only like the ass of the supra. the car looks like a whale.

DETT
10-23-2009, 12:48 AM
i only like the ass of the supra. the car looks like a whale.

QFT. as simple as I could put it, to me there are a few factors that work against the supra in a few ways; first the thing quite simply is huge, second the stock body lines just kinda clash for me they don't flow well except for the rear, but the front in stock form without some sort of Lip just looks bland, third when aftermarket parts are added most really disrupt the image of the car with blockiness aka TRD wide body.

It can look good but I am a bigger fan of concave wheels rather than the HUGE lip you usually see on supras, give me a nice WORK emotion CR KAI in a deep concave ocer some gaudy HRE 545rs.

I guess for me its more of what ends up on the car that spoils it for me...

Kwonza Says
10-23-2009, 12:53 AM
I blame all of Toyota's boring fucking cars.
Totally agree!

ayuaddict
10-23-2009, 01:25 AM
Fifth

sixth!

thank you guys.

spooled240
10-23-2009, 01:36 AM
QFT. as simple as I could put it, to me there are a few factors that work against the supra in a few ways; first the thing quite simply is huge, second the stock body lines just kinda clash for me they don't flow well except for the rear, but the front in stock form without some sort of Lip just looks bland, third when aftermarket parts are added most really disrupt the image of the car with blockiness aka TRD wide body.

It can look good but I am a bigger fan of concave wheels rather than the HUGE lip you usually see on supras, give me a nice WORK emotion CR KAI in a deep concave ocer some gaudy HRE 545rs.

I guess for me its more of what ends up on the car that spoils it for me...

yeah i see what you mean. I for one am not a big fan of big heavy cars and the supra does look pretty corny with that giant rear wing and the bland front bumper. I drooled over my friend's TT supra but honestly i'd rather have my kouki s14 just because it looks better IMHO and it's the right size for me(im not very big lol)

Xbroke_kidX
10-23-2009, 01:57 AM
sixth and also agree'd maybe if toyota came out with a decent car sales would go up

mademedoit
10-23-2009, 02:21 AM
How about the lack of manual transmissions in new jap cars. Its seams they don't trust thier customers to shift gears in anything more powerfull than the 110 or whatever hp toyota yaris.

Mister.E
10-23-2009, 02:27 AM
the should have just produced more manual JZX100 chasers and mark II's. their new cars are just plain ugly.

Future240
10-23-2009, 07:32 AM
why do you guys think the supra is ugly? i think it's one of the most beautiful japanese cars

Because it reminds me of this

http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/ArchOLD-7/1189341031.jpg

http://www.dragtimes.com/images/6554-1993-Toyota-Supra.jpg


I have no idea why.

enkei2k
10-23-2009, 07:45 AM
I blame all of Toyota's boring fucking cars.

This.

But then again, they have the Lexus LF-A coming out. but who the hell can realistically afford that? Until the new 86 comes out, Toyota's gonna suck.

DALAZ_68
10-23-2009, 11:06 AM
Supra's are ugly.

I said it.

Thats a nice opinion u got there lol. But im affraid anyone else would disagree.
OMFG....


nah I agree, supra's are ugly

I third that notion.

but yeah, what does Toyota expect?
I'd like to think there are many more valid reasons before you get to video games.
blame the economy, building comfy old ppl cars, etc.
they have more of less neglected building a fun to drive & affordable cars today.
video games are the least of your worries.

besides, who the hell gives damn about the 'youth of japan' as a market?!
nowadays the market that actually means something is China, Eastern Europe, maybe Brazil, & the USA of course.

Geez Toyota is actually very successful as is for an auto manufacturer.
They should be the last to whine.

fourth. :wiggle:

Fifth LOL



why do you guys think the supra is ugly? i think it's one of the most beautiful japanese cars

front looks like a fucking whale...the rear has an over sized rear bumper ...shit the whole rear end is the bumper...the likes look goofy as fuck...looks likethe designer just stared a street light and bamo had a brain storm for shitty tail lights...its an ugly ass car...

/rant


sixth!

thank you guys.

seventh and also agree'd maybe if toyota came out with a decent car sales would go up


and im Eight...

DETT
10-23-2009, 11:12 AM
OMFG....












front looks like a fucking whale...the rear has an over sized rear bumper ...shit the whole rear end is the bumper...the likes look goofy as fuck...looks likethe designer just stared a street light and bamo had a brain storm for shitty tail lights...its an ugly ass car...

/rant







and im Eight...

Lol I guess there are a few of us out there that agree that the Supra is not the pinnacle japanese sports car in the looks dept. Now lets ask the same people if they feel the Skyline or Silvia are good looking haha. :naughtyd:

tricky_ab
10-23-2009, 11:20 AM
the should have just produced more manual JZX100 chasers and mark II's. their new cars are just plain ugly.

Quoted for truth...

Matej
10-23-2009, 01:16 PM
“Video game consoles are the problem. With such realistic play available they don’t need cars or anything anymore.”
Haha, thanks to video games, I do not need a thing.


Agree that Supras are ugly. Both the older and newer versions, in my opinion.

This car might be kind of neat though.
http://www.ziptied.com/Coppermine/albums/userpics/11446/FT-86-Concept-Lowered%7E0.jpg

WISH ONE
10-23-2009, 01:24 PM
its seems that in the sh*t-storm that toyota is in right now theyll blame just about anything...

ronmcdon
10-23-2009, 01:38 PM
its seems that in the sh*t-storm that toyota is in right now they'll blame just about anything...

What shit storm?

They're doing pretty good as a manufacturer right now.
The article just mentioned they had trouble selling to young kids in Japan.
They're nitpicking they can't perform well in particular niche.

DETT
10-23-2009, 02:22 PM
What shit storm?

They're doing pretty good as a manufacturer right now.
The article just mentioned they had trouble selling to young kids in Japan.
They're nitpicking they can't perform well in particular niche.

I think the sad truth for their sales in Japanese youth is that the majority would prefer to buy a 24 year old 86 over a brand new yaris mainly in part the blandness of the cars coming out and the price, who in there right mind pays 16K for a damn yaris brand new? At most that car should be 8k considering the amenities a used car in the 16K or 8K dollar range that the yaris cannot compete with.

nismo 240sx
10-23-2009, 02:25 PM
seems like everyone agreed supras are fugly as shit..the only thing they actually had were the engines and tail lights! interior is crap i hate it!

ESmorz
10-23-2009, 03:11 PM
Haha, thanks to video games, I do not need a thing.


Agree that Supras are ugly. Both the older and newer versions, in my opinion.

This car might be kind of neat though.
http://www.ziptied.com/Coppermine/albums/userpics/11446/FT-86-Concept-Lowered%7E0.jpg

I love how this turned into a "I hate Supras" thread, but man are they ugly.

Now that that is off my chest, I would like to say I will probably be getting one of those Toyobaru's once it comes out. As long as they dont make it fat and boring by production time.

ronmcdon
10-23-2009, 03:20 PM
I think the sad truth for their sales in Japanese youth is that the majority would prefer to buy a 24 year old 86 over a brand new yaris mainly in part the blandness of the cars coming out and the price, who in there right mind pays 16K for a damn yaris brand new? At most that car should be 8k considering the amenities a used car in the 16K or 8K dollar range that the yaris cannot compete with.

To be fair, there aren't a lot of fun cars @ 16k anyhow from any manufacturer.
Unless you consider the Fit to be acceptable.
You also figure in Japan, the taxes are typically higher than the US.
Ppl are probably paying closer to 20-30k for that Yaris/Fit or whatever.

About the acticle:
It didn't differentiate between:

A) Youth are buying other brands other than Toyota.
B) Youth are NOT buying cars period.

So it's really difficult to speculate exactly what the issue is.

But yeah, I would have to say Toyota built more 'fun to drive' cars in the past.
You have to figure a lot of younger drivers don't care about the way a car drives.
They just want to look cool, hence the creation of brands like Scion.
I'm certain that what Toyota's intended demographic.
It be interesting to see if Scion is doing well, and who are the ppl that buy them.

For better or worse, it would seem a lot more ppl actually care about how their cars drive.

Here in Los Angeles, all the slow drivers drive Lexus, or a toyota (prius & camries are the worst offenders).
Toyota has more of less become the new Caddilac.
Even the current lineup of Caddillac is more youth orientated.

bardabe
10-23-2009, 03:29 PM
OMFG.... and im Eight...
9th Motion here :hide:

ZenkiKid
10-23-2009, 04:13 PM
at least with video games you wont die if you crash because the gas pedal sticks.

DETT
10-23-2009, 06:32 PM
I love how this turned into a "I hate Supras" thread, but man are they ugly.

Now that that is off my chest, I would like to say I will probably be getting one of those Toyobaru's once it comes out. As long as they dont make it fat and boring by production time.

Not necessarily I hate supra thread, just recognizing that Toyota has a hard time making a "good" looking car, with those terms if the toyobaru the only thing I really hope that retains from the concept is no more carpet, honestly I hate the shit. I hate vacuuming, I hate scrubbing out stains, I hate getting shit caught in it and it turns to an ugly mess. I had a wrangler that I tore the carpet out of and had it rhino lined, I love this just have a hard surface when it gets nasty spray it out and wipe it down, done.

If the Toyobaru turns out a pig I'm tearing it apart, putting in a 6 point cage, tearing out the back seat, and be done with it, no need for useless shit.

To be fair, there aren't a lot of fun cars @ 16k anyhow from any manufacturer.
Unless you consider the Fit to be acceptable.
You also figure in Japan, the taxes are typically higher than the US.
Ppl are probably paying closer to 20-30k for that Yaris/Fit or whatever.

About the acticle:
It didn't differentiate between:

A) Youth are buying other brands other than Toyota.
B) Youth are NOT buying cars period.

So it's really difficult to speculate exactly what the issue is.

But yeah, I would have to say Toyota built more 'fun to drive' cars in the past.
You have to figure a lot of younger drivers don't care about the way a car drives.
They just want to look cool, hence the creation of brands like Scion.
I'm certain that what Toyota's intended demographic.
It be interesting to see if Scion is doing well, and who are the ppl that buy them.

For better or worse, it would seem a lot more ppl actually care about how their cars drive.

Here in Los Angeles, all the slow drivers drive Lexus, or a toyota (prius & camries are the worst offenders).
Toyota has more of less become the new Caddilac.
Even the current lineup of Caddillac is more youth orientated.

You sir have a wonderful point, it seems as of late the automotive market has shifted and the companies true colors have shown, and now that everything is in a recession deeply they are paying dearly with their uninteresting heeps. It's hard to speculate exactly what is going on but one can only hope for a new tuner revolution to spark, and as I see concepts for the new Toyobaru and hopefully a new silvia we may get what we need.

98s14inaz
10-25-2009, 06:17 PM
Besides the Lexus LF-A all Toyota's cars are boring as hell. I don't care how much cheaper it is to build a fwd car, most consumers know the difference and are bored out of their minds when they drive them. Scion was a worthy effort and Lexus has always had interesting cars but...Scion lacked balls and most of us can't afford lexus. IMHO.

BOROSUN
10-26-2009, 01:32 AM
gimme a ugly supra...i want a ugly supraaaaaa!

ronmcdon
10-26-2009, 01:46 AM
Besides the Lexus LF-A all Toyota's cars are boring as hell. I don't care how much cheaper it is to build a fwd car, most consumers know the difference and are bored out of their minds when they drive them. Scion was a worthy effort and Lexus has always had interesting cars but...Scion lacked balls and most of us can't afford lexus. IMHO.

It's not really so much about fwd, imo.
It's more about their approach towards building cars that are VERY comfort orientated, at the high expense of overall driver feedback.
Toyotas typically have much softer suspensions, lighter steering, & generally not the best feedback.
Even if their road cars had the performance (which they do not w/ respects to their competitors), they don't communicate to the driver.
It's not that there's anything necessarily bad about the cars.
It's just built for ppl who probably don't enjoy driving & want something very comfy.

Most current Lexus are rwd or awd,
but that doesn't make them any more fun to drive.
I know I would prefer a more responsive & agile fwd civic Si, than say a more vague IS 250/350 (test drove both).

WISH ONE
10-26-2009, 12:37 PM
What shit storm?

They're doing pretty good as a manufacturer right now.
The article just mentioned they had trouble selling to young kids in Japan.
They're nitpicking they can't perform well in particular niche.


What do you mean theyre doing pretty good??

"Toyota Motor Corp., battered by plunging global sales, reported its worst annual loss since its 1937 founding -- and forecast even more red ink in the year ahead. The world's largest carmaker said today its net loss for the January-March quarter was 765.8 billion yen ($7.7 billion) -- bigger than General Motors reported for the same period. That brings Toyota's fiscal year loss to a larger-than-expected 436.94 billion yen ($4.4 billion), a dramatic reversal from the record profit of 1.72 trillion yen it earned the previous year.
With demand contracting sharply in the U.S., Europe and Japan, Toyota is projecting its losses for the fiscal year through March 2010 will grow to 550 billion yen ($5.55 billion).
President Katsuaki Watanabe said the devastating results were caused by "the significant deterioration in vehicle sales, particularly in the U.S. and Europe,"
and also all the lawsuits... pshh doing good... right.

illvialuver
10-26-2009, 04:21 PM
I blame all of Toyota's boring fucking cars.

word, all there cars since the last supra have all sucked.

plus the high cost of ownership of cars in Japan, including cost of fuel, parking, tolls, and everything else combined with limited income.

ronmcdon
10-26-2009, 05:10 PM
What do you mean theyre doing pretty good??

"Toyota Motor Corp., battered by plunging global sales, reported its worst annual loss since its 1937 founding -- and forecast even more red ink in the year ahead. The world's largest carmaker said today its net loss for the January-March quarter was 765.8 billion yen ($7.7 billion) -- bigger than General Motors reported for the same period. That brings Toyota's fiscal year loss to a larger-than-expected 436.94 billion yen ($4.4 billion), a dramatic reversal from the record profit of 1.72 trillion yen it earned the previous year.
With demand contracting sharply in the U.S., Europe and Japan, Toyota is projecting its losses for the fiscal year through March 2010 will grow to 550 billion yen ($5.55 billion).
President Katsuaki Watanabe said the devastating results were caused by "the significant deterioration in vehicle sales, particularly in the U.S. and Europe,"
and also all the lawsuits... pshh doing good... right.

Well, I guess 'good' & 'now' are ambiguous.
Everyone more less got hit during financial crisis.
The article you quoted did say one of the reason behind losses were poor sales in the US, not so surprisingly.
Relative to other auto manufacturers (if not businesses in general last year), Toyota did well.

Even by your info, you see that Toyota made 1,720 billion Japanese yen last year.
This year they lost 550 billion.
If you're evaluating the company from a year to year basis, and just using that single criterion then of course it looks bad.
If you're evaluating the company from the same criterion, but on a long term basis, they're actually doing great.
In 2007, they sold approx 2.6 million autos in the US.
In 2008, their sales dropped to 2.2 million (comparable to sales figures in 2005).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota

If you look at their stock prices (TM) at the NYSE,
earlier this year their stock prices were below $60 share.
today, they are barely under $80 (up by a staggering 33%).

you also have to figure they still are the largest auto manufacturer today.
it's a large business, overhead will always be high.
they're not going to making bank 100% of the time.
If they are doing well in the long run,
then they should not be discounted for a below average performance during a single year.

WISH ONE
10-26-2009, 06:21 PM
you have a very valid point^.
But there are alot of other factors affecting their current finnancial crisis and the reputation they have established in past years.
I wont get into details (lazy)but there are alot of things that have been said and things i have heard, "behind the scenes" lol and after having read some other articles about poor quality control, lawsuits, racketeering cases, I think less of toyota. They have done great in past years and its shame that after getting #1 automaker last year, all these bad things happen.
Many of the engineers at my current company flocked over from toyota.
I really hope things get better.

SimpleSexy180
10-26-2009, 07:40 PM
I can't believe Toyota would say something stupid like that. They really think they have exciting cars out? -_-

WanganRunner
10-27-2009, 01:49 PM
In the US, we are seeing decreased interest in NEW cars, but people are still very much into cars in general.

In Japan, the car culture really is dying, albeit slowly. It isn't because there aren't appealing new cars, it's because they've been in 15 years of economic decline and kids there would rather spend their money on the newest cell phone than the newest Toyota.

It's just become less of a priority, for whatever reason.

I think it may come back some, but it's not ever going to be like the early 90's again unless Japan's economy recovers.

Honestly, the videogame industry over there is tanking also, for the same economic reasons.

fckillerbee
10-27-2009, 05:55 PM
FWD cars are boring to drive. Who under 30, that lives on their own, can afford a 600-700 car payment plus insurance, plus gas, plus costs to make it their own. Look at Scion, under 20k for base models. that's 350-400 bucks a month....for a cheap car. plus all the other shit i want to add onto the car. I can't afford a car payment and have the ability to dump money into tires, mods, and all the shit I end up braking. That is why if I ever did end up financing a car, it would be the GENESIS. gorgeous car, cheap considering anything with performance seems to start at 30k. that in my opinion is the only reasonable purcahse...but still....expensive. Oh, and not to mention. don't get a old man discount on insurance till 25 anyways.

I don't need carpet in my car, I don't need super duper stereo system from the manufacturer, I don't need navi in socal, I also don't need ugly 17 and 18 inch wheels that the manufacture for some reason thinks is good looking, and fuck paying more for a spoiler. give me a bucket seat, manual trans, stiff suspension, and lsd! AND SOME ROLL UP WINDOWS!!!! except for the passenger side haha.:2f2f:

Iron_Zenki
02-08-2010, 08:47 PM
gimme a ugly supra...i want a ugly supraaaaaa!

I would take a ugly supra any day :love:
I love those cars

drift_maniac
02-08-2010, 09:55 PM
^^ affter 4 months.. but while your @ fault, i might as well pitcch in my taught..

i think toyota is just runnin out of ideas, even their reason doesnt make sence.

They need to step their game up and come out with a new sports car.. yes the ISF, yes the LFA that soon to be released. But there havent been a big hit. Nissan already came out with 3 version of the Z since. Including the GTR. Hell even hyundai have a sport car now.

wh0aitznic0
02-08-2010, 11:03 PM
It's because Supra owners have no style.

ronmcdon
02-09-2010, 12:08 AM
Kinda interesting how this thread was bumped.
I was just thinking about all the Toyota recalls.
They've certainly had it rough the past 2 years.

Perhaps not such a bad time to buy some Toyota stock.
I have faith in the financial success of the company!
(even though I don't care for their appliances).

dert420sx
02-09-2010, 01:54 PM
at least with video games you wont die if you crash because the gas pedal sticks.

wow dude. you predicted the future four months ago! lol