Top 10s: Of all the (used) cars I’ve loved, before…

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By John LeBlanc

Back in the days when I was slogging it out in the design and advertising business, a new set of wheels wasn’t just in the cards. Looking back at some of those pre-loved rides, let’s just say I had some eclectic choices. Some good. Some bad. When it comes to buying used, let’s just say, regrets, yeah, I’ve had a few: Read more

The Trouble with Toyotas: Is the media being too hard on the automaker?

In my first post on this little recall matter, I asked, Could it get any worse for Toyota? Well, if you’ve been keeping up with the media maelstrom surrounding the Japanese automaker’s multiplying recall fiasco in the ensuing few days, apparently the answer is an emphatic, Yes. Read more

The Trouble with Toyotas: So? What’s next?

It looks like Toyota’s dragging of its corporate feet on the sticky throttles fiasco is starting to take its toll. Last week, shares in the Japanese automaker plunged by 14 per cent—that’s a loss of $21 billion in market value, kids.

So why are investors pounding Toyota so hard? Maybe because the Japanese has been anything but on ahead of the situation in the public’s eye.

Mizuno Credit Advisory director Tatsuya Mizuno reportedly told Business Week that Toyota has “wasted too much time without doing anything,” adding that the automaker used to have foresight for taking action but is now, “very far behind the curve.”

To wit: Read more

The Trouble with Toyotas: If you can’t buy a Toyota, then what will you buy?

No matter how anyone spins this sticky throttle situation, Toyota is in a whole mess of trouble. Forget the intangibles about “loss of reputation,” or “the shine is off the brand” namby-pamby stuff. Not having the majority of your lineup available for your salespeople to sell is an unprecedented situation in
the auto industry. For the record, this weekend, Canadian Toyota dealers will be more than happy to sell you a new Yaris, Camry Hybrid, Venza, FJ Cruiser, 4Runner or Tacoma. But if you had your heart set on one of the Japanese automaker’s bigger sellers—like the Corolla, Matrix, Rav4 or Camry, among others—you’ll have to shop
elsewhere.

So the big question is: Where? Read more

The Trouble with Toyotas: Can Toyota avoid Audi’s unintended acceleration woes?

By John LeBlanc

Can things get any worse for Toyota these days?

As you probably know, the Japanese automaker has stopped selling some of its most popular models and suspending production at five North American plants for the week of Feb. 1 to fix accelerator pedals that stick in 2.3 million vehicles recalled last week. Read more

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