Toyota scandal helps boost American autos
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Pat Evans
Are Tiger Woods and Toyota one and the same?
Many analogies have been made regarding the two recent issues, and I can’t say that I argue against them. Except for one key aspect: the two parties’ performances in their respective areas. Once he begins to compete again, Tiger surely will dominate. Toyota’s slipup, however, offers other automakers an opportunity to get ahead and stay there.
Tiger spent years promoting himself as a man who could do no wrong. He was a family man with strong morals and a person who excelled in his profession. But it turns out he lied. He did what he pleased, cheating on his wife several times. He engaged in activities contradictory to his outward appearance of a wholesome man and lied to cover them up.
Sure, he’s taking a break from golf and allowing others a chance to win, but he’ll likely dominate once he returns to his sport. His personal life is just that — personal — and doesn’t affect his job, no matter how immoral his actions.
Toyota, on the other hand, spent years promoting itself as a company that could do no wrong. It was a company that stood by its products and quality and excelled in its industry. The company went against previous internal problems and covered up problems concerning safety flaws — including electronic and pedal malfunctions. But the company’s mistake, unlike Tiger’s, is likely to affect its market share dominance — as it should.
Toyota might be able to recover in the future, but it’ll have to return to the strong principals on which it once prided itself. Toyota messed up as a company, padded the truth in an attempt to save trouble and money and went against the core beliefs of a strong product it had established in America, all while killing about 37 drivers, according to USA Today.
Now isn’t the time for Toyota to slip up as an automaker — that was a year ago, when the Big Three were in major financial trouble. Now, with American companies making a comeback, even I, a longtime proponent of European cars, am looking toward supporting domestic cars.
The fact that American companies are moving away from SUV and truck designs and into more designs like those you would see in Europe makes me happy. Being patriotic isn’t something I could do when the gas-guzzling giants dominated the roads.
Not only were they ugly; they weren’t friendly to the planet, other drivers or one’s wallet. But now as they become more compact, fuel efficient and safe, I can say I would proudly purchase an American car.
A Super Bowl commercial helped with the feeling. A Volkswagen advertisement had Stevie Wonder endorsing the cars. Now, I love Stevie Wonder and the music he makes. But he’s from Detroit. Why is he not endorsing Motown? He should want to help the struggling city and companies that once made the city great. I suppose that would be Stevie’s choice, so shame on him.
I don’t think I would have ever chosen an Asian vehicle. But I understood how Toyota could control such a large market share of the world. After Toyota’s recall fiasco and recent changes to the American approach to cars, I like where the auto industry is headed: toward smaller and more fuel-efficient automobiles.
I still can’t say I’d definitely choose a GM or Ford over most European brands. The look, feel and performance of European automobiles has long had me captivated. But at least now I would take a deeper look and compare carefully between American and European cars.
A year ago, there was fear that American car companies were going to disappear. With new leaders in place, GM and Ford have taken great strides to make a comeback and regain their place atop the market.
Toyota’s stumble opens up a gap for American and European automakers to fill in the market and ensure Toyota doesn’t take back the lead. In past years, I would have liked to see European cars come out on top, but with the recent American economic struggles and improvements in U.S. cars, I really don’t mind who “wins” now.
Tiger Woods and Toyota both screwed up. Once Woods returns to golf, he’ll still be the best golfer in the world. Toyota’s mistake affects the product identity and hurts its reputation.
They might be able to recover, but not before giving others a chance.
Pat Evans is the State News opinion writer. Reach him at evanspa7@msu.edu.
Commentary
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MaximumBob
(02/24/10 8:31am)Report
Where to start?
1. “Toyota, on the other hand, spent years promoting itself as a company that could do no wrong.” They never did any such thing. Their products spoke for themselves and Toyota was, in fact, a powerhouse of quality and efficiency. With products that were competitive in quality and price, they didn’t need to promote themselves.
2. “that was a year ago, when the Big Three were in major financial trouble…” Here’s the truth: They still are. Just because the federal goobermint voided shareholder and bondholder rights and took over a large chunk of these companies (excluding Ford) doesn’t mean they’re in any better shape. They’re still saddled with the UAW contracts and mindset that drags at them like an anchor.
3. “Being patriotic isn’t something I could do when the gas-guzzling giants dominated the roads.” Sad, actually. If that’s your threshold, we’re better off without your phony patriotism.
4. “I can say I would proudly purchase an American car.” I honestly don’t think you have a clue as to what is an “American” car. The Chevy Aveo produced in Mexico, or the Toyota Camry built in Kentucky?
5. “I suppose that would be Stevie’s choice, so shame on him.” Yes, shame on Stevie Wonder for exercising his choice in automobiles. Anybody else not making choices that meet with your approval?
E Buzz Miller
(02/24/10 9:13am)Report
It is awfully interesting that the government of Obama has now found problems with Toyota (unintended acceleration?), but strangely, no problems at all with any GM product.
Interesting times we live in, with parallels to certain points in history…
Re Buzz
(02/24/10 9:23am)Report
Boy I hope you are Godwinning by post two because that would be excellent. Bush was horrible and messed so much stuff up, but I can’t say I was ever afraid of some evil conspiracy take-over. He was just a president that did a ton of stuff I didn’t agree with. All this “abloo abloo Obama gonna steal my riches bloo” is pretty ridiculous. He isn’t even that far left. If he was his budget wouldn’t have little goodies like increased spending on a nuclear arsenal and we would already be done with both of these wars.
Mr Anonymous
(02/24/10 10:28am)Report
So Toyota’s problem will help USA car industry?? AH! Too late now!!
Same Retarded Argument
(02/24/10 12:29pm)Report
Guess what Maximum Bob? Simply assembling a car doesn’t provide nearly as many jobs for a country as developing, designing, marketing, etc. There are way more jobs involved in those aspects than there are in an assembly plant.
MaximumBob
(02/24/10 1:14pm)Report
Really, Retarded?
Are you in the automotive business? I am.
The “Buy American” campaigns of the late 70s and early 870s were funded and pushed almost entirely by the UAW. The same UAW that drove the “Big Three” to the brink of extinction and gave foreign maufacturers the competitive edge.
If you think that there are more jobs in design and marketing than in manufacturing, then you’re clearly not experienced nor informed. The automotive jobs that drive the economy are clearly in supply, manufacturing and assembly. Any company with a reversed structure, that puts overhead as its #1 priority is doomed to fail. Michigan is a perfect example.
It’s crazy to hear Granholm and her enablers tout a design center in Michigan, when Toyota and Honda are building assembly plants in Indiana, Kentucky, Alabama and other “Right To Work” states. But, if that’s all she’s got …
Same Retarded Argument
(02/24/10 1:41pm)Report
As a matter of fact, I am. There are way more US design and development jobs (OEM and supply chain levels) tied into a US vehicle than there are US manufacturing/assembly jobs tied to Japanese vehicles. Think about how many people it takes to design and develop a vehicle (at OEM and supply levels)compared to how many people are in a plant to assemble that vehicle. The numbers aren’t even close. A country of people who snap in dashboards and install headliners ain’t gonna get us too far. I think most of the problem with the US auto industry is dolts like you that work in the automotive business and think they know it all.
MaximumBob
(02/24/10 2:07pm)Report
You mean us “dolts” in the profitable sector of the auto business? My company made money last year, and we’re leading the pack of US OEM suppliers. Toyota made money. Ford finally showed a profit after years of losses. Not so good for the other OEMs.
Those people who “snap in dashboards and install headliners” provide the bulk of US automotive jobs. Don’t try to figure in the other overhead jobs that are co-located with the engineering folks, because it isn’t even close. I get out to those plants – supplier, logistics and assembly every day. Go ahead and discount everybody else in the supply chain and your claim may start to sound not so, well, retarded.
Have to Agree
(02/24/10 2:07pm)Report
About 1.1 million jobs in the US auto industry (R&D, mfg, etc). About 10% are related to Japanese automakers.
Same Retarded Argument
(02/24/10 2:17pm)Report
If by “leading the pack”, I hope you don’t mean Delphi. That’d be hilarious.
MRE
(02/24/10 2:37pm)Report
MaximumBob – read the article again. All it was saying is Ford and GM have an opportunity and may be taking advantage. I worked with Toyota in the 90’s. At the beginning of the 90’s they were a very impressive company. By the end of the 90’s things had changed dramatically, as Akio Toyda admitted Toyota “pursued growth over the speed at which we were able to develop our people and our organization”.
Toyota was a wonderful company but being responsible for the deaths of 39 people (from Wall Street Journal)does not speak well for their “Quality”.
I wish Toyota the best but like Ford and GM’s chances.
E Buzz Miller
(02/24/10 2:48pm)Report
“Boy I hope you are Godwinning by post two because that would be excellent.”
Yes, you are correct. Isn’t it something? After the lefties ripping Bush with the Bushitler stuff, we have a bonafide small minded thug dictator right here in the old US. Isn’t it interesting?
MaximumBob
(02/24/10 3:39pm)Report
Retarded (Please choose another posting name),
Definitely NOT Delphi. Although, we picked up a good portion of their business and their engineers on the cheap (thanks to the UAW). We’re making money
Sucks to hear them constantly bitch and moan about how screwed they are on their pensions. But, after 30 years with GM/Delphi, they really did get screwed.
MaximumBob
(02/24/10 3:42pm)Report
MRE,
The claim that the “Big Three” have an opportunity can be made, but I was clearly and intentionally picking apart specific statements of “fact” and opionion made by the author.
After the article title, the author made piss-poor arguments and nothing else.
MRE
(02/24/10 8:05pm)Report
MaximumBob,
Obviously your opinion, and that is what it is, as is this article, is skewed by your employment at an automotive supplier. The opinion comes from someone not in the automotive industry – just like most of the general population. It’s possible this is in fact the way people view this issue.
MRE
(02/25/10 8:23am)Report
I suppose that, in the editorial pages, actual experience can count as being “skewed”. However, when certain “opinions” have no basis in fact, they must be called upon.
It may be my opinion that the sun revolves around the earth, but the facts indicate otherwise.
Admittedly, these are my opinions, but I try to base them upon facts and experience.
i don't know
(03/04/10 4:53pm)Report
i think that we all need to mind your business and let toyata fix the problem