GM takes a public shot at Toyota

[BrightRedOne]

Classy. :cool:

GM says Toyota quality is down
Top exec says the Japanese auto maker's recent recalls have tarnished their reputation for quality.
September 21, 2005: 7:09 PM EDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - A top official at General Motors Corp. said Wednesday that rival Toyota Motor Corp.'s reputation for quality was no longer as rock solid as it once was, citing a rise in the number of product recalls at the top Japanese carmaker.

"For a long time, they've lived off a well-earned reputation, say in the area of product quality," said John Smith, GM (down $0.38 to $30.70, Research) Vice President of global product planning.

"But if you look at the objective data in the last three years, that well-earned reputation isn't as well-earned in recent years," Smith said at the Reuters Autos Summit, held in Detroit.

Toyota (down $0.63 to $86.89, Research) is racking up market share in the United States largely at the expense of GM, which has consistently lagged Japan's top automakers in key quality studies.

"I'd say objectively that while I still think they're living off the reputation, I don't think it's being earned every day as it used to be in the past.

"And whether or not that catches up to them -- that remains to be seen," said Smith.

Toyota's Lexus luxury brand remained the top nameplate in an annual quality by J.D. Power this year. GM had two brands in the top five, but its Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saab and Saturn scored below the industry average.

GM leads the industry in product recalls, having called in 2 million vehicles in April, and another 804,000 units last month.

Toyota has also had its share, recalling 978,000 pickups and sport utility vehicles this month.

"(Recalls) didn't seem to be something they did very much of in the years past, but they've been doing it a lot these days," Smith said.

"We seem to attract more attention when we do things of that type ... I'll be interested to see whether they get the same kind of coverage that we used to get," he added, referring to the latest Toyota recall.

As Toyota, which recently eclipsed Ford Motor Co. (down $0.10 to $9.66, Research) as the world's second-largest automaker, carves out a bigger share of the U.S. market, most industry watchers expect it to unseat GM at the top in the next several years.

Smith expressed confidence, however, that GM would retain the top spot as far out as 2015, when he projects new car sales in the world to reach 85 million units a year, up from around 63 million now.

------------------





I found myself smirking over the last two paragraphs.
Apparently Smith doesn't denie Toyota will overtake GM in the future, it's just an argument of how long GM can hold onto the top spot, he says they "may" be able to stay #1 untill 2015.

[Jimmy The Saint]

Originally posted by BrightRedOne
"We seem to attract more attention when we do things of that type ... I'll be interested to see whether they get the same kind of coverage that we used to get," he added, referring to the latest Toyota recall.


Sounds like he's trying to remedy obvious bias. I have no problems with that. Smart move, GM. :cool:

[slowass]

:rotfl:

i just read that on CNN.COM. I think it would be funny to see Toyota buy out GM and then just close GM down altogether. Lets see what GM execs say about having top market share then.

[mrgto]

Originally posted by slowass
:rotfl:

i just read that on CNN.COM. I think it would be funny to see Toyota buy out GM and then just close GM down altogether. Lets see what GM execs say about having top market share then.


Why do you think that Toyota even had the cash to buy out GM?

[HOTCIVIC]

Originally posted by slowass
:rotfl:

i just read that on CNN.COM. I think it would be funny to see Toyota buy out GM and then just close GM down altogether. Lets see what GM execs say about having top market share then.

:boggled: :uhok:

[dave1w41]

i just read that on CNN.COM. I think it would be funny to see Toyota buy out GM and then just close GM down altogether. Lets see what GM execs say about having top market share then.


I don't know why you think that would be funny. It would be an economic disaster unprecedented in the history of this country. Nice thing to hope for....:boggled: :rolleyes:
Never mind that Smith is 120% right on this. Perception does not equal reality.

[Carsnob]

Even if Toyota did/could buy GM the would never shut them down. There is too much brand equity.

[Jimmy The Saint]

Originally posted by dave1w41
Nice thing to hope for....:boggled: :rolleyes:


:werd:

Nothing like some good old-fashioned anti-Americanism to get your day started right.

[ATC350X]

Toyota takes shots at GM all the time its about time they stand up..

[HOTCIVIC]

Toyota quality < GM quality.

:corn2:

[Carsnob]

I think I heard once that the toyota vehicle rated highest in quality was the matrix... built for them by GM with it's cousin the vibe.

Sounds about right :D

[dave1w41]

I think I heard once that the toyota vehicle rated highest in quality was the matrix... built for them by GM with it's cousin the vibe.


Actually it is the other way around. Toyota builds the Vibe for GM and it has more issues than any car that GM builds on its own. And no, nothing except the exterior is a GM design.

[Coach Brady Hoke]

Toyota is getting the one and done treatment with me. I have a Camry that is a borderline lemon. But the local Toyota dealer gives me the same "We're Toyota, the Camry is bulletproof :blah:" garbage all the time.

[dave1w41]

Toyota is getting th eone and doen treatment with me. I have a Camry that is a borderline lemon. But the local Toyota dealer gives me the same "We're Toyota, the Camry is bulletproof " garbage all the time.

Fact:

Toyota Dealers are arrogant and ripe for picking. Come along with a better car, convince people it really is better and that weak link will do soooooo much damage..

[Coach Brady Hoke]

Originally posted by dave1w41
Fact:

Toyota Dealers are arrogant and ripe for picking. Come along with a better car, convince people it really is better and that weak link will do soooooo much damage..

I'm in the market for a new vehicle in the next 12-15 months. The only company I have ruled out is Toyota.

[HOTCIVIC]

Hanging around my girlfriend's family is pretty bad when it comes to car talk. They all think that Toyotas are the "Gods" of cars and will never have problems. They think American cars suck, and Chevs are junk. Kind of like a microcosm of the general American population who really don't know shit about cars, but buy into the "Japanese is better" thinking.

[ULTIMTEORANGESS]

its about time someone at GM stood up to the jap carmakers.



GMs quality is improving greatly.i think thats the message he was trying to get across.


toyota isnt going to be bigger than GM.

[BrightRedOne]

Originally posted by ULTIMTEORANGESS
its about time someone at GM stood up to the jap carmakers.



GMs quality is improving greatly.i think thats the message he was trying to get across.


toyota isnt going to be bigger than GM.

Well Smith didn't denie the fact Toyota would eventually surpass them. He just claimed he thinks GM can hold them off untill 2015, others say it will be earlier.

[Cobra Commander]

Toyota blows.

The only good thing they ever made was the Supra.

[ULTIMTEORANGESS]

Originally posted by BrightRedOne
Well Smith didn't denie the fact Toyota would eventually surpass them. He just claimed he thinks GM can hold them off untill 2015, others say it will be earlier.

im denying toyota will overtake GM. :D

i think GM has some great cars out and more coming.theyre establishing credability with some of their worst critics and word will get around.

their truck lineup pisses on toyotas too.



i remember reading and hearing how GM wouldnt be around in 5-10 yrs.funny how things change isnt it?

[BrightRedOne]

Originally posted by ULTIMTEORANGESS
im denying toyota will overtake GM. :D

i think GM has some great cars out and more coming.theyre establishing credability with some of their worst critics and word will get around.

their truck lineup pisses on toyotas too.



i remember reading and hearing how GM wouldnt be around in 5-10 yrs.funny how things change isnt it?

Actually no I don't remember reading anything like that 5-10 years ago as they were doing MUCH better around that time frame. Care to post some articles from 2000 saying they would cease to exist by 2010?

Sterotypes are hard to overturn, especially even harder when Toyota Ranks well above Chevy, pontiac, saab etc, and Lexus above Cadillac. I really don't care either way, by from an economic standpoint there is no argument period. It will probably be like that for a long long time too.

Appratently you must have some inside info that the execs at GM don't have. Even they aren't deneing a great probabilty of being overtook, they are just extending the timeline as to when it's going to happen.

[ULTIMTEORANGESS]

actually it was spouted on here numerous times about how GM was going under.alot more than once.feel free to look it up. ;)

i dont claim to have any info.im just basing it on how things are turning around for GM.



of course GM execs are always right. ;)

[Whut]

To me, it looks like GM is listening to customers about how cheap the interiors come off as in their vehicles. The overall look of the newest interiors in the market look more refined than previous models.

I dont pay attention to recalls, then again, my car is almost 19 years old so there is no need to even look at them. With that said, I dont know how bad the new cars are. I wasnt a fan of pretty much anything GM has put out in the last five years but the new stuff is looking better to me.

[Carsnob]

Originally posted by dave1w41
Actually it is the other way around. Toyota builds the Vibe for GM and it has more issues than any car that GM builds on its own. And no, nothing except the exterior is a GM design.

:D oops a little fact lisdexia going on.

[Johnny_Pappis]

Originally posted by Cobra Commander
Toyota blows.

The only good thing they ever made was the Supra.

:story:

[BrightRedOne]

Originally posted by ULTIMTEORANGESS
actually it was spouted on here numerous times about how GM was going under.alot more than once.feel free to look it up. ;)

i dont claim to have any info.im just basing it on how things are turning around for GM.



of course GM execs are always right. ;)

Well the first thing this board didn't exist 5 years ago.
Not to mention I take anything that anybody on here says (with the exception of a small few) with a grain of salt. There are enough opinions on this board that eventually one of them will become right.

I'm talking what analysts were and are saying.
Not Billy Bob In Corpus Christi with his collection of Third Gens.

[ULTIMTEORANGESS]

Originally posted by BrightRedOne
Well the first thing this board didn't exist 5 years ago.
Not to mention I take anything that anybody on here says (with the exception of a small few) with a grain of salt. There are enough opinions on this board that eventually one of them will become right.

I'm talking what analysts were and are saying.
Not Billy Bob In Corpus Christi with his collection of Third Gens.


who said anything about this board being around 5 yrs ago.all i said was at one time(i never said when exactly :p ) it was predicted GM wasnt going to survive.

http://www.thestreet.com/stocks/automakers/10221988.html


it mentions possible bankruptcy by both ford and GM.


i dont think itll happen.

[slowass]

Originally posted by dave1w41
I don't know why you think that would be funny. It would be an economic disaster unprecedented in the history of this country. Nice thing to hope for....:boggled: :rolleyes:
Never mind that Smith is 120% right on this. Perception does not equal reality.

I didnt mention anything about hoping. That would cost a lot of american's jobs.

[slowass]

Originally posted by Jimmy_The_Saint
:werd:

Nothing like some good old-fashioned anti-Americanism to get your day started right.

I'm not the company that closed down plants in AMERICA to open them up in Canada. All while Nissan, Toyota, and Honda are opening up plants in the U.S giving jobs to A LOT of americans.

[dave1w41]

I'm not the company that closed down plants in AMERICA to open them up in Canada. All while Nissan, Toyota, and Honda are opening up plants in the U.S giving jobs to A LOT of americans.


You do realize that GM still has about 150,000 employees in the US and those plants in Canada that you are so quick to be critical of are about 50 years old. It is hardly anything new. GM's annual payroll in the US is 8.9 Billion dollars. Here's a page with a javascript link to a diagram of the US where you can search for the closest GM facility. Over half of the states in the lower 48 have GM facilities in them. http://www.gm.com/company/corp_info/global_operations/north_america/usa.html

In the last 5 years GM has opened a new plant in Lansing, MI that builds the CTS, STS, and SRX, - About 250,000 cars a year. There is a new plant opening in Delta Township, MI that will build at least that number of vehicles starting early next year. Those plants combined employ about 10,000 people. GM employs at least 5-7 times as many Americans as Toyota and Nissan combined.

You are blowing smoke out your ass when you insinuate that Toyota has a greater commitment to the US than GM does. It is just unequivocally, totally false.

[dave1w41]

I didnt mention anything about hoping. That would cost a lot of american's jobs.


You said "it would be funny" . I disagreed. You don't even have a complete grasp of the facts you claim to be talking about so study up and get back to us later.

[BrightRedOne]

Originally posted by ULTIMTEORANGESS
who said anything about this board being around 5 yrs ago.all i said was at one time(i never said when exactly :p ) it was predicted GM wasnt going to survive.

http://www.thestreet.com/stocks/automakers/10221988.html


it mentions possible bankruptcy by both ford and GM.


i dont think itll happen.

They have come pretty close. GMAC is selling off a ton of loans to relive debt in a hope to relieve the junk bond status. They have a good amount (billions) in liquid assets, but that can be eaten up real quick with loses like the past two quarters.

[ULTIMTEORANGESS]

Originally posted by BrightRedOne
They have come pretty close. GMAC is selling off a ton of loans to relive debt in a hope to relieve the junk bond status. They have a good amount (billions) in liquid assets, but that can be eaten up real quick with loses like the past two quarters.


O,they were in deep shit and are far from out of it but i think things are and will slowly turn around.