Autoextremist #533: Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Toyota? Not anymore.

[Stéphane Dumas]

Here DeLorenzo's AE rant of the week www.autoextremist.com

THE AUTOEXTREMIST
Posted on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 10:20AM by Janice Putman | Comments Off
February 10, 2010

Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Toyota? Not anymore.

By Peter M. De Lorenzo

(Posted 2/9, 10:30AM) Detroit. I really wasn’t going to write about Toyota again this week, figuring that I had said all that needed to be said last week about the situation (click on “Next Entry” at the bottom of the page to read last week’s column – ed.), but then again it’s obvious that the story of Toyota’s quality implosion and subsequent image freefall isn’t going away anytime soon.

Not when the vaunted Prius – the sainted darling of the Green intelligentsia - has now joined Toyota’s never-ending recall list. You could almost hear the Prius acolytes in California and across the country going face down in their bowls of edamame with the news that their glorious, supposedly guilt-free machines actually weren’t infallible after all. Oh, the horror.

No, this story – the classic tale of a company’s intransigent arrogance and unbridled hubris – is going to play out in the days, months and years to come.

First on the agenda are the hearings scheduled for today in Washington - where congressional committees stocked with lawmakers who have been courted, schmoozed and massaged by Toyota and its lobbying efforts over the last 25 years - will allegedly “get to the bottom” of the Toyota recall story.

Oh really? Let’s review, shall we?

In an absolutely devastating piece from the Associated Press released this past Monday and reported by Sharon Theimer (with contributions by Ted Bridis, Alan Fram and Ken Thomas) Toyota’s cozy relationship with Washington politicos was documented in riveting detail.

http://www.autoextremist.com/

[Slideways]

I guess time will tell. I'm interested to see what sort of repercussions this will have.

[LeSabre]

Originally Posted by Slideways

I guess time will tell. I'm interested to see what sort of repercussions this will have.

I would like to see Toyota(Lexus & Scion included) leave the US/NA market for good due to lack of being able to be competitive here anymore.



!!!!

[ptviperz]

Why is he picking on edamame's? Yum.

[Hitman1970]

Originally Posted by ptviperz

Why is he picking on edamame's? Yum.

Edamame = Soy = Prius Lovin' Greenie chow

I like Sushi, Edamame, and Hibachi Steak meals myself.

[zete]

I wonder, with the media watching, if we might not see the knives come out ala with Caesar's "friends" more than 2 millenia ago. Sometimes the best of friends can quickly become the worst of enemies.

I'm betting the media will force the politicians to be honest. If they aren't they'll make headlines they don't want to make by asking why they softballed questions to Toyota and made GM, Ford, and Chrysler eat crow a few months back.

[sigma]

Originally Posted by zete

I wonder, with the media watching, if we might not see the knives come out ala with Caesar's "friends" more than 2 millenia ago. Sometimes the best of friends can quickly become the worst of enemies.

I'm betting the media will force the politicians to be honest. If they aren't they'll make headlines they don't want to make by asking why they softballed questions to Toyota and made GM, Ford, and Chrysler eat crow a few months back.

Counterpoint. You could make the exact same point about every representative with a GM assembly in their district during GM's recall fiascos in the past. You could make the same point about every representative with a Ford assembly in their district during the Ford Explorer/Firestone disaster.

You could make the same point about the Michigan delegation who backed, without equivocation, the rescue of the Detroit auto firms when the economy collapsed. This is a silly article from DeLorenzo and he knows it.

[ptviperz]

Originally Posted by Hitman1970

Edamame = Soy = Prius Lovin' Greenie chow

I like Sushi, Edamame, and Hibachi Steak meals myself.

Ohhhhhhh...I didn't get that reference. I love sushi but I don't get any for the next 7 months, the wife is pregnant.

on topic:
Toyota sure is taking a (well-deserved) pounding in the media. Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon like with Audi back in the 80's.

[Buckley@Sunrise]

Originally Posted by ptviperz

Ohhhhhhh...I didn't get that reference. I love sushi but I don't get any for the next 7 months, the wife is pregnant.

on topic:
Toyota sure is taking a (well-deserved) pounding in the media. Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon like with Audi back in the 80's.

I completely agree. That bandwagoning mentality really put GM in trouble even in the midst of some great products over the past few years. It's good to see that Toyota is now taking the same sort of beating after producing mediocure, uninspiring vehicles by cutting corners. You can't cut corners in this business. You do it right or you don't do it at all.

[emh]

Originally Posted by ptviperz

I love sushi but I don't get any for the next 7 months, the wife is pregnant.

What does your love of sushi have to do with not getting any for the next 7 months??

Sorry, couldn't help that...

[87silver]

You mean that Americans are losing their taste for hot dogs and apple pie?

Oh, Toyota; Why???

[Neanderthal]

Originally Posted by emh

What does your love of sushi have to do with not getting any for the next 7 months??

Sorry, couldn't help that...

I was going to ask, but I'm too polite.

Thanks for doing my dirty work for me.

Originally Posted by 87silver

You mean that Americans are losing their taste for hot dogs and apple pie?

Oh, Toyota; Why???

I think we've forgotten something in this story. PUPPIES.

Originally Posted by Stéphane Dumas

Here DeLorenzo's AE rant of the week www.autoextremist.com


http://www.autoextremist.com/

Anyone who criticizes germs like Jay Rockyfeller, Jane Harmony, and Mbitch McConnell can't be all bad.

[Olds88]

Originally Posted by Hitman1970

Edamame = Soy = Prius Lovin' Greenie chow

I like Sushi, Edamame, and Hibachi Steak meals myself.

I just can't bring myself to eat uncooked meat. Especially when I fillet my own fish.

[Neanderthal]

Originally Posted by Olds88

I just can't bring myself to eat uncooked meat. Especially when I fillet my own fish.

You should try chasing down your own game, spearing or crossbowing it, and gobbling it raw. Yum!

'Tis The Neanderthal Way.

[Olds88]

Originally Posted by Neanderthal

You should try chasing down your own game, spearing or crossbowing it, and gobbling it raw. Yum!

'Tis The Neanderthal Way.

I've tried deer hunting, but honestly its boring to me. I love going bird hunting though. Nothing like a good wild turkey!