Quote:
Originally Posted by regal
I think people (gen Y is smart) figured out that the TC has little to offer over a Sonic, the Tc is just a technically bland FWD with nice looks. Why they can't make it a Cobalt SS type FWD coupe I don't understand? Consumers are smarter than people think.
And the IQ? Sales are down almost 10%. If you want a micro car you want a 6 speed manual so you can hyper-mill and get 50mpg cruising around, why is that so hard to understand? The Yaris gets better real world fuel economy than the IQ and it only has a 5 speed manual. Who wants to bet on Scion parts for a one off Scion CVT in 10 years, I sure don't.
The biggest thing Scion had going for it was Toyota reliability. Toyota has the highest rated lean manufacturing infrastructure in the world. As much as I like my FR-S, it being the first reasonably price rwd sports coupe in over a decade is why I bought it, not Brand loyalty .
The Subaru engine with a first gen PI/DI complex motor makes one wonder if that Toyota reliability/longevity is truly there. I am not hearing of any mechanical changes to the motor for 2014 which is a big positive. But I don't think Toyota would be able to sell this car in the USA, it had to be a Scion due to the collaboration with Subaru.
Especially after the first 5k driving with a CEL. I think the Scion dealers are to blame for the brand's issues, they just aren't as educated or as in tune as a Honda or Subaru dealer, they aren't "car people". Every time I call and they pull up my car in their system as a 2013 Supra I just scratch my head.
Yesterday they finally said they found info that I need a new ECU, but they will not give a loaner car, have to wait there half a day. Time is money, I will just order a Visconi and be done with them.
I hope Scion has a bright future, but their market share has dropped a huge amount while other manufacturers have rebounded from the depression. Think about how almost all the Automakers are very successful now vs 4 years ago and Scion is holding on by a thread.
If it weren't for the FR-S "gimme", they would have surely been dropped by Toyota. I think a lot of folks buy the FR-S in spite of the Scion brand. And if their dealers don't treat these new Scion owners right, the brands future is very dismal.
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Thanks for confirming one of my prior points in this thread, that many people went for the car because it was the only offering of it's kind available right now.
I don't see how they couldn't have sold the car in N.A. as a Toyota, they're doing it everywhere else along side the Subaru. There's no reason they couldn't here as well.
Your last two paragraphs are spot on. The only thing I differ on is that I hope Scion's bright future is being folded back into Toyota.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cfusionpm
Feel free to move to Japan, where most roads are so congested and full of people that you can't move much faster than 20km/hr anyway, or Europe where, if you find a place that has open roads and aren't bogged down by huge traffic or painful speed limits, you are then enjoying $8-10/gal gas.
Yep, we have it so bad here.  |
A) That doesn't change the point being made, that we get the short end of the stick with a lot of vehicles that are imported(or rather not imported in this case) to N.A.
B) Europe has some of the best roads and tracks available, Japan has it's "Wangan" and tracks as well. They are not void of places to drive.
C) Expenses of a vehicle are irrelevant, a driver who wants to drive will find the money. Also has nothing to do with the point we were making.