We’ve certainly heard enough about the Toyota recalls of late, but I wonder how much we will hear about their huge comeback in March as their sales rose 41 percent over March 2009? Winter Park used Toyota dealers were certainly proud of this accomplishment. I wonder if, as we taxpayers continue to subsidize two of the big three American car makers, we will hear news of their recalls and failures shouted so loudly by the media and decried soundly by members of Congress? You probably know that Toyota recalled 8.5 million vehicles worldwide for several different issues. Did you also know that they are fixing them at a rate of 50,000 per day and providing loaner or rental cars as the problematic vehicles are corrected? General Motors recently recalled 1.3 million vehicles for steering problems. Did you hear about that? No? Did you know that they also are not bending over backward to accommodate their owners while the problems are corrected? What are Winter Park new car buyers to do? To help boost sales after the recall crisis, Toyota announced in March that it would provide zero percent financing for five years to qualified buyers as well as two years of free maintenance. Critics of Toyota are calling this a move of desperation by a desperate company. On the contrary, Toyota has remained solid financially (not requiring any bailouts that I’m aware of) and has promised to â€make things right†with its vehicles and customers. As much as I would like to see a domestic automaker succeed, especially one I’m paying for, I haven’t heard any promises from General Motors to become solvent, pay back the U.S. citizens and make competitive cars I can afford. Then, like the proverbial lemon juice on a paper cut, Toyota had the audacity to increase its sales in March to a level which virtually allows them to break even for those slow recall months. Of all the nerve! And two more slaps in the face to the domestic automakers: J.D. Powers named Lexus, the Toyota luxury brand, best luxury car in the world and Consumer Reports, a trusted quality assurance publication †not a government entity, reinstated eight Toyota models to its recommendation list. Winter Park new car dealers are proud of this distinction as well and have some great deals to share. As patriotic as I am and as much as I love the idea of capitalism and free enterprise as a means to a successful economy, our country could learn something from Toyota, starting with the decision-makers on Capitol Hill to the bailed-out automakers whose founders would be ashamed of them, right down to the all of us little members of the public who just keep coming back for another slap in the face. Let’s also give Toyota credit for creating over 175,000 jobs in the United States with plans to increase production in at least one current location. As for Toyota’s recalls, the company has had 569 different one in the last 20 years. Before you gasp too loudly, compare that with 3,498 for General Motors, 2,691 for Ford and 2,419 for Chrysler. It reminds me of the song â€The Kindergarten Wallâ€: â€Of all you learned, you remember this the best, don’t hurt each other and clean up your mess . . .†Perhaps our country’s lawmakers and auto executives skipped right over Kindergarten. Winter Park used Toyota dealers will be happy to practice Kindergarten ethics.
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