Quote:
Originally Posted by I-Love-Pontiac
America is more in love with Toyota now than they ever have been. Their slowing sales trend is just a result of a weakening economy.
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I partially agree, but I also think a large part of it is the price of a Toyota. 10-20 years ago, my impression of Toyota is similar to what I think of Hyundai now...great value in a car...mostly due to their price. Now, however, I am almost shocked at how expensive Toyota's are. A Matrix that is virtually the same mechanically as a Vibe, but costs more (when comparably equipped). A Camry, that is very hard to find at dealer lots for under $26000? (at least most I see on the lots are fairly well equiped and costing close to $30,000).
My opinion is, over the last 10-15 years..Toyotas have gone from a good value to actualy being rather expensive for what you get. Up until the last 2-4 years..the economy was strong enough that it didn't matter to most people. But now, that is a different story. It is not a general weakening of the economy only..it is the weak economy with the fact that the weak economy is causing people to really look at how expensive some Toyotas have become.