Toyota Discount
Hi Frugalistas! So Toyota is offering discounts on its cars, after discovering some of the vehicles had SERIOUSLY faulty designs.
From the Business Week article:
Toyota buyers can choose either a loan with no interest for as long as five years or a low-cost lease on models including Camry, Corolla, Matrix, Prius and Yaris cars, Venza wagons, RAV4 and Highlander sport-utility vehicles and Tundra pickups… Toyota owners who buy a new vehicle also get two years of free maintenance.
Some people are saying that now is the time to buy a Toyota because they are on sale, hence good for the budget.
For so many years, Toyotas and Hondas were supposed to be the cars of the value-conscious crowd. Toyotas were supposed to have great gas mileage, longevity and looks. A real Frugalistas dream.
I do not own a Toyota but I am still disheartened by the news of the design problems and the pain it has caused and may continue to cause. Despite my “vow of frugality,” I’m not sure Toyota has my trust.
I read an article about a Minnesota man who is behind bars after crashing his Toyota Camry into another car and killing a person. The man always maintained that his car had brake failure. If it’s true that he was unfairly sentenced to 8 years of incarceration for manslaughter, how can you put a price on his life spent unfairly in the penal system? How can you put a price on the driver of the car who was killed?
So what do you think? Would you be more likely to buy a Toyota, now that they are going on sale? Do you feel hoodwinked by Toyota? Can we trust automakers anymore? Are you happy with your car?
4 Responses to Toyota Discount
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Fortunately I’m not in the market for a new car, but if I was I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a Toyota. I know they’re having a tough time right now but historically they’ve been some of the best built and most reliable cars available.
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I’m with Mike – they are selling cars that have been “fixed”, so there’s less to worry about there. More to worry about – I’ve been hearing reports tying the same problems to cars other than toyotas – suggesting an industry-wide problem (unfortunately, when I tried to find those reports – CNN or NPR, I couldn’t get it by googling “not Toyota”).
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@Mike: Yes, Toyota had a great reputation, which makes this somewhat chilling. If TOYOTA could change it’s practices, who can you trust?
@Jill B: IS the car business too competitive? I guess most businesses are. Do you think it needs stronger regulation?
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I had Camry 2002 and it didn’t have a great gas mileage, believe me. Its about 5%-10% higer than official milage. Not sure about the latest models, it’s possible that there is no such a difference there.
Mike