Random Talk on Toyota Troubles & Buffalo Auto Show 2010

A Buffalo News interview was published today with Northtown Toyota’s Craig Schreiber reporting that his dealership had received the necessary pedal-fix parts and was ready to start recall repairs. Schreiber further mentioned that the fix should take about half an hour. Remember what I said about NASCAR-style fast-lane fixes in my last blog? Hiring unemployed “blue-collar” workers, training them, and having them perform fixes? Hello? Toyota PR Machine—are you listening?

Anyway, what’s a small Buffalo Blogger got against the World’s Largest Automaker? Speaking of which, GM and Ford are all but sitting back and laughing at their competitor’s demise. Non-Toyota makes are touting special Toyota-Trade-In offers and other incentives to lure drivers into their showrooms. GM and Ford particularly seem to be milking this for all it’s worth. What an ironic shift: Three years ago myself and a team worked on a capstone project to develop a marketing plan for the Toyota Matrix. As I wrote the competitive analysis, I stated how patriotic Americans seemed to perceive Toyota as a bully, as the Japanese auto giant was poised to overtake GM's World's Biggest title. That’s a waypoint Toyota has now surpassed. But the shoe’s on the other foot; the Mighty Giant is stumbling, and the General is all but gloating over his enemy’s fall.

Of course, issues with the Prius’ braking system are now adding further problems to Toyota’s woes.  A recall remains in hot debate, although no official plans have been announced. The basic problem: Prius brakes don’t always engage immediately when the driver steps on the pedal and has led to at least two reported incidents.  Blame it on the Green Darling's electronic wizardry. Guess what? In the Camry Hybrid, the gas pedal doesn’t cause immediate throttle response from a complete stop; the driver waits a split second for the gasoline engine to restart. This could also mean life or death when pulling out into split-second traffic gaps. Maybe Toyota should just get out of the pedal business altogether…

At the local level, I believe dealerships have taken excellent PR approaches. West Herr bought a one-third page ad in today’s News that passes along their recall-specific website, hotline, and extended service hours at their two Toyota dealerships. Basil bought a full-page spread (A10) with a personal letter from Mike Basil addressing the dealership’s constituents. With localized communication efforts like this, plus a worldwide PR strategy, Toyota seems on its way to making a great case study in successful crisis communications for upcoming graduates of public communications programs.  The Buffalo News probably enjoys the advertising revenue, too.

I feel bad for workers at Northtown Toyota. The service department has announced a 24-7 repair schedule. I’m not an overnight kind of guy…just this past week I saved my employer a bundle in overnight premium payroll when I announced a large floor reset had been completed ahead of schedule. What can I say? I’d rather dream of shoes, not move them around at three in the morning.  Wish someone would save me a bundle, like on my car insurance...

Buffalo Auto Show starts this Wednesday. I didn’t plan to go this year, but after reading today’s Auto Section in the News, I was sold. Toyota had a large presence there last year, and I’m interested in what they’re going to be doing this year. There’s supposed to be a Cash-for-Clunkers exhibit and a few other nifty-sounding displays and prize opportunities. Plan on a report after I visit… (One final side note: the Auto Section today features what it calls a 2010 Toyota Supra. In fact, the car in the photo is a Nissan 370z. Had the News hired me as a copywriter for non-editorial content, such a snafu wouldn’t have appeared on my watch. But then again, not everyone can be a gear-head.)

A Late Earth-Day Tribute

I’ll be the first to mention that I’m not a big fan of hybrid cars. I don’t care who makes them; they’re all the same to me: statement cars that don’t do enough to change whatever quagmires we believe our love affair with the automobile are causing. Read my recent test-drive review of the Camry Hybrid.

Recently I dug up an interesting post by a fellow blogger regarding the environmental damage the Prius does versus that of a Hummer. You may read it here, or just read my summary:

Basically, the Prius does more environmental damage than the average Hummer. To start, the nickel powering those gas-free electric motors is mined and refined at a plant in Sudbury, Ontario. The area surrounding the plant is victim of severe environmental damage. The Sudbury region suffers from extreme acid rain and subsequent flora and fauna damage. But then the nickel must go on to China for further processing. Then on to Japan for assembly. Finally, it returns to the United States as batteries in the little bean-pod shaped, lime-green Priuses.

So consider, beside the environmental contamination to mine and refine the nickel, it also goes on an around-the-world journey before coming back to North America. Think of all the fuel used to haul it to the coast of Canada for transport on a freighter barge, or the gallons of jet fuel burned to fly it to China. I don’t know what method(s) are employed, I’m just covering the most common mass-transit methods for such heavy freight.

I do think this article is a bit biased, though. The data seem skewed, especially in saying that the Prius has an expected life of 100,000 miles versus the Hummer’s 300,000. I think most any car (ok, maybe not a Chrysler) will last to 300,000 miles with proper care and plenty of babying. I think Priuses can manage over 100,000 miles. And I realize this article is a couple years old.

But with the amount of fossil fuel burned (plus resulting pollution) in transit costs and the environmental damage done by mining nickel, one has to wonder if a Toyota Prius is really worth the statement it makes. And as for savings at the gas pump? It takes years before the average driver sees the Prius-Price-Premium begin to pay returns.

And how about if a Prius gets rear-ended (where the batteries are located) and blows up or catches fire? That’s probably a more toxic cloud that burning gasoline would create.

Just some ideas for thought...

Despite my feelings toward the Prius, and hybrids in general, the other day I saw this scene. There was the Prius, framed perfectly through daffodils and other spring greenery, and with no other vehicles or obstructions. I couldn’t resist taking this photo…environmentalists, enjoy: