Comments on: Toyota takes over #1 car maker spot http://www.greebo.net/2007/04/25/toyota-takes-over-1-car-maker-spot/ mostly useless crap from me Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:41:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Mark http://www.greebo.net/2007/04/25/toyota-takes-over-1-car-maker-spot/#comment-8242 Mark Mon, 30 Apr 2007 06:01:28 +0000 http://www.greebo.net/?p=412#comment-8242 Nice post. Could not agree more. The focus on greying baby-boomer focus groups is a wretched curse in many industries and your argument as to why this is flawed and doomed as a marketing strategy is prescient. Somewhat relevant and maybe of interest: For a comprehensive exploration of the pig-headed attitude of GM et al over the last 50 years, I'd recommend checking out the book "Taken For A Ride" by Jack Doyle: http://www.amazon.com/Taken-Ride-Detroits-Politics-Pollution/dp/1568581475 Quite a dense read, but it really puts the US car-makers on par with tobacco companies and the NRA for political and social misfeasance. It's very well researched and referenced. There is a doco by the same name which looks quite interesting though I've not seen it so can't comment on relevance. It may stray into 'conspiracy-theory nut-case' territory though it does look suitably researched and presented. http://www.culturechange.org/issue10/taken-for-a-ride.htm Nice post. Could not agree more. The focus on greying baby-boomer focus groups is a wretched curse in many industries and your argument as to why this is flawed and doomed as a marketing strategy is prescient.

Somewhat relevant and maybe of interest:

For a comprehensive exploration of the pig-headed attitude of GM et al over the last 50 years, I’d recommend checking out the book “Taken For A Ride” by Jack Doyle:

http://www.amazon.com/Taken-Ride-Detroits-Politics-Pollution/dp/1568581475

Quite a dense read, but it really puts the US car-makers on par with tobacco companies and the NRA for political and social misfeasance. It’s very well researched and referenced.

There is a doco by the same name which looks quite interesting though I’ve not seen it so can’t comment on relevance. It may stray into ‘conspiracy-theory nut-case’ territory though it does look suitably researched and presented. http://www.culturechange.org/issue10/taken-for-a-ride.htm

]]> By: Shadao http://www.greebo.net/2007/04/25/toyota-takes-over-1-car-maker-spot/#comment-8101 Shadao Thu, 26 Apr 2007 19:23:26 +0000 http://www.greebo.net/?p=412#comment-8101 My toyota has a 3.5L V6 that pumps over 300hp. It gets great gas mileage and rides like a dream. If America made a car that came close I’d consider it. But they don’t. Instead, they bring back the tired old models that look like they did back in the ‘60 (mustang, charger). The new stangs have 4.0L V6 and put out less HP than my Lex. As far as this crap about our money going back to Japan. Toyota employs americans. Americans can buy their stock on the NYSE and make money. Competition breeds innovation and I’m glad to see a new blood in NASCAR. My toyota has a 3.5L V6 that pumps over 300hp. It gets great gas mileage and rides like a dream. If America made a car that came close I’d consider it. But they don’t.

Instead, they bring back the tired old models that look like they did back in the ‘60 (mustang, charger). The new stangs have 4.0L V6 and put out less HP than my Lex.

As far as this crap about our money going back to Japan. Toyota employs americans. Americans can buy their stock on the NYSE and make money.

Competition breeds innovation and I’m glad to see a new blood in NASCAR.

]]> By: vanderaj http://www.greebo.net/2007/04/25/toyota-takes-over-1-car-maker-spot/#comment-8046 vanderaj Wed, 25 Apr 2007 17:48:17 +0000 http://www.greebo.net/?p=412#comment-8046 Don't get me wrong, I like reading about the exotics just as much as the next person, but I buy sub-$40k cars because I can't justify the expense of a >$40k car. As these represent probably > 85% of the total car market, I'd hope that magazines would at least cover them more than just a few paragraphs and a single photo. But they don't. The stories I love are those where they take a car and go some place special. For example, a couple of years ago, Wheels took a couple of Commodores around Australia in a week. That must have been horrendous, but it was a great story. They did it with cars you and I can afford and might buy. I learnt more in that humorous story (which is not even a review) than in the model launch magazine they did a few months earlier, where they essentially printed an uncritical review of the entire model range over 60 odd pages. If you look at car mags from 15-20 years ago, they mixed up exotica with these sort of stories as well as *properly* reviewing all sorts of cars. Don’t get me wrong, I like reading about the exotics just as much as the next person, but I buy sub-$40k cars because I can’t justify the expense of a >$40k car. As these represent probably > 85% of the total car market, I’d hope that magazines would at least cover them more than just a few paragraphs and a single photo. But they don’t.

The stories I love are those where they take a car and go some place special. For example, a couple of years ago, Wheels took a couple of Commodores around Australia in a week. That must have been horrendous, but it was a great story. They did it with cars you and I can afford and might buy. I learnt more in that humorous story (which is not even a review) than in the model launch magazine they did a few months earlier, where they essentially printed an uncritical review of the entire model range over 60 odd pages.

If you look at car mags from 15-20 years ago, they mixed up exotica with these sort of stories as well as *properly* reviewing all sorts of cars.

]]> By: Michael http://www.greebo.net/2007/04/25/toyota-takes-over-1-car-maker-spot/#comment-8042 Michael Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:02:02 +0000 http://www.greebo.net/?p=412#comment-8042 An interesting post, but I doubt car magazines will be changing any time soon. If you set yourself up as a consumer-reports-but-for-cars magazine your typical reader will buy one or two copies at most, when they're looking for a new car. But if you market your magazine to car enthusiasts, they can buy your magazine time and time again and (presumably) rack up more sales in total. An interesting post, but I doubt car magazines will be changing any time soon. If you set yourself up as a consumer-reports-but-for-cars magazine your typical reader will buy one or two copies at most, when they’re looking for a new car.

But if you market your magazine to car enthusiasts, they can buy your magazine time and time again and (presumably) rack up more sales in total.

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