https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...wedding-outfit

I got it, the multiple times of blackface by him is just "controversial" and myself along with actual Indians calling the the clothing embarrassing is racist. :bellyroll: This place is full of entertainment. :thanks:

Not defending that or anything he does. I read articles saying he wore garish Indian "wedding clothes" when in India with his family. We have a shit ton of Indians in Canada, 90% from the Punjab. I didn't vote for him in 2 elections either. Oh well. Zzzzzz

I beg to differ with you on that Japanese city, GE seems to show that it IS Hiroshima.

Yep, it's a slow day here on the reservation - ;)

Sorry - I should have been clear that the colorful, brightly-lit, futuristic looking city was Yokohama, not the bombed out one next to it.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/hiroshima-vs-detroit/

I lost track, or never knew, what state do you live in?

OK, well, just don't be ah tryen to confuse an old man on Saturday - or any other day - ;)

SATURDAY! My shower day! Too late now, I'll take it tomorrow - if I remember. - :iono:

It was pretty clear. That's why you showed the futuristic pic of Detroit.

I missed this post and have to disagree with your first two opinions.

Toyota is famous throughout the world for their just in time manufacturing system that reacts to market demand more quickly than any other manufacturer and was copied by most. It explains why their inventory levels are usually half the industry standard 60 days for all series helping to make Toyota the most profitable auto manufacturer in history.

I've toured several Toyota plants and saw JIT in action. At the Tahara plant, based on daily sales reporting trends and US dealer request, I saw them change dies in a press bigger than a two-story traditional home and start stamping out completely different unibodies...in under an hour. At the time, no other auto manufacturer could do that even after they were invited to participate but blew it off initially.

The sudden changes underway now have never been seen before. I'm certainly not a Pollyanna underestimating the damage to the auto industry and overall economy.

Anyone can and have said there will be a new normal but I can say after sitting in on weekly Zoom meetings with senior level TMNA executives that if they're panicked, it doesn't show...yet, but Japan staffers never lost their cool even during the Fukushima event and aftermath that devastated their homeland.

Yep, there's a new normal. Who will adapt best remains to be seen but based on Toyota executives initial reactions, experience from spending my working career in the auto industry, and seeing their plans, my bet is on Toyota short and long term.

I went through the BMW plant in South Carolina. I can't speak for every manufacture, but I had always assumed they just produced cars based on what they thought would sell and in batches of blacks, whites, reds, etc, but BMW builds vehicles as the orders come in. Their buyers are dealerships and individuals. It is all the same to them, so as orders come in the vehicles get made. As you look down the assembly line, random models in random colors with different specs come rolling down the line, and it is all seamless. There is no surplus of cars from their perspective.

Now, BMW's biggest customers are dealers, so if those dealers don't sell their innovatory then BMW loses out on new sales because new orders will dry up, yet they are still not holding onto those unsold assets; it is the dealers.

Again, maybe this is how all car sales work, but I can say that it probably doesn't work that way for Tesla, who doesn't have a dealer network.

Toyota is completely different and responsive to daily sales tracking by series, model, colors int/ext, accessories and packages by country and region and from input through monthly Dealer Council advisory meetings, product planners and forecasters. Nothing is random.

I should add that working with TMC staff wasn't always a bed of roses. Sometimes it felt like I was surrounded by Tora! Tora! Tora! central casting. They had their cultural ways to make their points and you didn't want to be on the receiving end of their displeasure. They also offered generous carrots so it balanced out eventually.

It sounds like you are saying they keep their parts inventory and flow more regulated. In that regards, I don't know how BMW manages what parts are coming into their factories. I know some do this better than others. For instance, it was said that when Tim Cook was hired under Steve Jobs, that he was able to reduce their parts stock from a years worth of inventory to a few weeks, which really tightened waste and potential losses--improving efficiency/profits.

Right, Toyota doesn't accept orders from dealers or customers except in rare cases. If they did, dealers would tend to order only the hottest sellers, leaving product planning in chaos.

You'd think JIT would be a weak link with supply chain disruption possible with the slightest hiccup, but Fukushima showed that they were able to react quickly and barely lose a beat despite the supply chain being disrupted so quickly. I'm expecting a similar response next month as production ramps up again as planned, subject to change. With reduced retail sales, dealer inventories from port stock shipments is still alright.

also critical here is that we as consumers can order any specific package/color from bmw. bmw also allows picking up straight from the plant in some cases.

but you can't do any of that with toyota. colors and options are all predetermined to ship out to wherever they see fit. if you want any specific package/color/transmission, it's up to you find a dealer that cares enough to locate it across the entire countries supply, and up to the dealer that ended up with that specific option to be willing to give it up.

it's part of how they cut costs, by eliminating custom orders, they're able to know exactly what, where, and how much of any specific thing they need for production at any given time.

About 25%-30% of all retail U.S. sales are a result of dealer trades.