Toyota is now selling on eBay! Sort of

I wrote yesterday about my desire to buy a car directly from the manufacturer, and skip the entire dealer fiasco. 

I won’t repeat my argument for that here, but instead point out a very interesting fact I recently learned: Toyota is selling cars on eBay. So are GM and Chrysler.

You might ask yourself, “How can this be? I thought there were laws outlawing the practice of an automaker selling directly to the public!” Well, you’re right. Don’t get too excited just yet.

An article here says:

Toyota will be listing its pre-owned inventory on eBay, in a move that will put it on the famous auction site with rivals such as General Motors and Chrysler.

On first read, one might assume that Toyota is listing and selling these cars, which is exciting! 

Upon further review, though, I found this blog that goes into a little more detail, basically saying that Toyota’s inventory of cars is searchable, but still must be purchased through a dealer. 

At the very least Toyota, GM and Chrysler seem to understand the importance of offering their inventory for sale online. But on a quick search of eBay, all I found were ads by dealers begging for a test drive. 

So my high hopes of simplifying the car-buying process are dashed and I’ve decided that by posting on eBay, automakers are just trying to generate more leads for struggling dealers. I should’ve known.

Do you think the car buying process should be simplified? Leave us your comments! 

-tgriffith

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Will Hyundai save Chrysler and American jobs?

Hyundai could help save American jobs

We’re living in a global economy.

While the U.S. auto industry supplies millions of people with jobs, the truth is that industry is collapsing. All 3 major U.S. automakers are on the brink of financial disaster with their only hope being a federal bailout.

But for Chrysler, there’s hope from Hyundai.

With talks of the grand GM/Chrysler merger now out the window, Hyundai, that little carmaker from South Korea, is poised to sweep in and buy out Chrysler. Or at least part of it.

Just a couple of years ago the idea of Hyundai taking over Chrysler would have been laughable. Now though, it just might make sense.

Had GM succeeded in their bid to takeover Chrysler, it might have worked to keep the company name around but I doubt it would have saved any jobs. A GM that consists of Chevy, Pontiac, Cadillac, GMC, Saab, Buick, Hummer and Saturn can’t even hold on, so adding Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep would only add redundancy and ultimately lead to massive layoffs. Just like a bankruptcy would.

The Hyundai scenario is a little different, because of the redundancy issue. It’s highly unlikely that the Chrysler of today will remain intact because there are pieces of it that will appeal to other automakers. If Hyundai doesn’t absorb all of Chrysler, it could buy Jeep. Nissan has mentioned buying Dodge. 

Under a scenario like this, jobs could stay in America though they’d be managed from an office in Asia. And the Chrysler as we know it would be gone.

Cerberus Financial, the current owner of Chrysler, has said they are not interested in selling pieces of the company. But if they are at all interested in saving American jobs, I think they’ll have to.

I ask you: Are you more concerned with saving Chrysler, or with saving American jobs?

 -tgriffith

 

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Toyota iQ: New trend or laughing stock?

Toyota's iQ at the Geneva Auto Show

Imagine living in a country where a car like the Toyota Yaris is big.

That is the direction America appears headed, as our panic-happy society demands immediate changes along with the ever evolving landscape of our economy.

When gas prices were down, Americans hollered for bigger, more powerful cars. Before we knew it, Toyota’s Tacoma expanded from a compact pickup to the size of a Suburban. Then gas prices rose and a backlash erupted against SUVs and pickups, as though the American people are insulted that car companies ever built such massive beasts.

Toyota is again a perfect example of adapting to public outcries and introducing the cars we say we want. So the Yaris isn’t small and efficient enough for you? How about the iQ- a miniscule “4” passenger car measuring 117 inches long (the Yaris is 150 inches).

Though not yet officially slated for a US release, Toyota’s iQ is set to hit the streets of Europe and Japan soon. Success there is assured, though I question whether or not the iQ would be successful in America, especially now that gas prices are stabilizing. Two months ago I paid $4.20 per gallon and just today I filled up for $3.01. Americans could very easily get used to gas that costs three bucks, and frankly I am not convinced that the iQ would sell here if gas remains at that level.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: American SUVs are not dead. What we’re seeing now is America in flip-out mode. Soon we’ll recover our wits, get used to the gas prices and resume our habit of relishing in the rumble of a good ol’ American V8.

The iQ, while a nice piece of engineering and a valiant effort in fuel economy, could become a laughing stock in America. I don’t think the answer to reducing our use of foreign oil is in miniscule gas-powered cars. I’m putting my money on Americans opting for larger electric powered cars, and forking over the costs of keeping their SUV tanks full while we wait for them.

I want to know: how much would gas prices have to fall in order for you to get back into your SUV?

-tgriffith

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