GM is closing plants, Tacoma Future?

BINGO!!! The free market economy at it's worst!

+ to rep for thinking

 

As opposed to what, complete government control? I'll take these ups and downs any day over that kind of complete failure.

 

I think that ethanol is just an extension of the already expensive oil that the USA and Canada already have. On our own land. I totally support troops and what they do, but I also support bringing them home and letting those other countries drink ther oil when they don`t have any food left. Ethanol still has emissions and unless something changes there will be no more food. Forget the cost, we`re talkin mad max proportions and riots when there isn`t any food left because the ozone is hooped and you have a tornado evry couple days due to climate change! Off on a tangent! oops What I`m trying to say is everyone should support alternate forms of energy, But for right now, how do I get back and forth from work to make more tax dollars for the rat politicians?

 

Detroit didn't learn their lesson from the mid 70s when OPEC pulled an oil embargo. That's when The Japanese companies really got their start in this country. They had the small fuel efficient car America needed and wanted.

Detroit scrambled to come up with the same types and thats when they formed a lot of partnerships with the Japanese.

So instead of spending the last 30 years developing high fuel efficiency they developed the SUV instead. Why not, oil was 18 a barrel and gas was about a dollar a gallon.

 

True that^^^^

 

Not looking ahead is a sign of incompetence and the big three in the US are prime examples. It’s extraordinary that 100 years of practice building trucks and you end up with the Ranger, the Colorado, and the Dakota (maybe not so bad). So we all end up buying a Japanese truck. I can tell you, I’d be the first in line for an American truck that was at the same quality level as the Tacoma. Of course that will have to wait about 20 years for my 08 to wear out.

 

You're an optimist aren't you?

 

To see where the Japanese took good design and work ethics/methods, and drastically improved upon it, read up on Deming, and the Deming award; those who may have never heard of him will be suprised. The US auto industry thought he was a joke.

 

I just replaced my '94 Nissan 4 cyl. pick-up (pre-frontier) with a 2009 Black Access Cab Tacoma 4 cyl. As long as I can squeeze 20+ mpg, I'll be in a truck. As I use it to run my business I can't really replace it with a car. Out here in the Hamptons, we're starting to see lots and lots and lots of diesel duelies on lawns for sale.

I'm looking forward to being in something a little bigger than my Nissan, but if there hadn't been a 4 cyl version available, I'd have re-worked my Nissan...

 

Another good book on Toyota and the philosophy they use in manufacturing is in the book "The Toyota Way" by Jeffery K. Liker.

 

i thought this was interesting:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3340274697167011147

also i'm surprised that no one has mentioned HHO gas

 

21 mpg towing a 18' bowrider in my 08 4cyl 4wd tacoma, and I average 24-27.4 mpg so far with 3500 miles on it. I love my 4 cylinders mileage. My dad has a 2wd 1998 gmc sonoma and I get better mileage than he does with 2wd 4cyl 5spd. Toyotas are hard to beat all the way around.