Sharing A Response From Toyota

"EdV" <systmengr@m> wrote in message
news:1179953618.656400.60740@q66g2000hsg. ...
> <<they do no bolster the environmental benefit that gasoline-electric
> hybrids do.>>
>
> They could have just said NO it will not be released.
>

I used to have to send those kinds of letters. Back in the days before
everyone had a word processor on their desk, we would open a binder and
choose from several hundred form letters, fill in the blank, and have the
secretary type it up.

I've tried the simple "no, it will not be released" approach, and it almost
always results in having to write another response. Almost all customers
fancy themselves to be either automotive or marketing experts, so they write
back to explain why they know more about what Toyota should do than Toyota
does. Sooo, in my experience, a more complete explanation up front will
save time later. ;-)
--

Ray O

I agree with you, however, the toyota statement of diesel and its
environmental effects is misleading. less talk less errors. Diesel
engines have been improved so many times there has been more
advancements there compared to petrol. Toyota could have said USA have
stricter standards in diesel or toyota has yet to design the clean
burning low emmission diesel engine. The impact then is many are
afraid of those diesel engines. Somebody has to established a new
paradigm for our understanding of diesel and emmisions.

EdV wrote:
> I agree with you, however, the toyota statement of diesel and its
> environmental effects is misleading. less talk less errors. Diesel
> engines have been improved so many times there has been more
> advancements there compared to petrol. Toyota could have said USA have
> stricter standards in diesel or toyota has yet to design the clean
> burning low emmission diesel engine. The impact then is many are
> afraid of those diesel engines. Somebody has to established a new
> paradigm for our understanding of diesel and emmisions.

I remember the old view (I wouldn't say paradigm). The old Olds V8
diesel. Great engine, sometimes. Usually a dog.
Peugeot, Mercedes (that was before they had a merger of equals with
Chrysler), VW, Audi and a few other cars had diesels, too.

I don't think anyone sells diesel cars in the US, but Mercedes and VW
sell diesel SUVs. I think Jeep is planning on selling a diesel SUV too.

Jeff

"EdV" <systmengr@m> wrote in message
news:1179959203.833559.207490@p47g2000hsd. o...
>I agree with you, however, the toyota statement of diesel and its
> environmental effects is misleading. less talk less errors. Diesel
> engines have been improved so many times there has been more
> advancements there compared to petrol. Toyota could have said USA have
> stricter standards in diesel or toyota has yet to design the clean
> burning low emmission diesel engine. The impact then is many are
> afraid of those diesel engines. Somebody has to established a new
> paradigm for our understanding of diesel and emmisions.
>
I should have added that most of the CR Associates have little or no
technical background so the ones who take the easy way out pull a letter out
of a stack of forms that most closely matches the situation, and the others
do some research with the engineering or service department.

Toyota had Diesel Corollas, turbo Camrys, and pickups in the U.S. in the
early 1980's, and while they didn't fail catastrophically, they were pretty
hard starting and were not commercial successes. I'm sure Toyota's Diesel
technology has come a long ways since then, since Toyota sells Diesels in
Europe and Asia. Even Toyota does not have unlimited R&D funds, so they put
their eggs in the hybrid basket, while other automakers have put their R&D
eggs in the Diesel basket. So far, it seems like hybrids have been a
commercial success; we'll have to see how they do compared to Diesels in the
North American market.
--

Ray O

Ray O wrote:
> "EdV" <systmengr@m> wrote in message
> news:1179959203.833559.207490@p47g2000hsd. o...
>> I agree with you, however, the toyota statement of diesel and its
>> environmental effects is misleading. less talk less errors. Diesel
>> engines have been improved so many times there has been more
>> advancements there compared to petrol. Toyota could have said USA have
>> stricter standards in diesel or toyota has yet to design the clean
>> burning low emmission diesel engine. The impact then is many are
>> afraid of those diesel engines. Somebody has to established a new
>> paradigm for our understanding of diesel and emmisions.
>>
> I should have added that most of the CR Associates have little or no
> technical background so the ones who take the easy way out pull a letter out
> of a stack of forms that most closely matches the situation, and the others
> do some research with the engineering or service department.
>
> Toyota had Diesel Corollas, turbo Camrys, and pickups in the U.S. in the
> early 1980's, and while they didn't fail catastrophically, they were pretty
> hard starting and were not commercial successes.

Toyota is working with a Japanese automaker (I think Isuzu) to get
diesels. I think they own a portion of the automaker.

> I'm sure Toyota's Diesel
> technology has come a long ways since then, since Toyota sells Diesels in
> Europe and Asia. Even Toyota does not have unlimited R&D funds, so they put
> their eggs in the hybrid basket, while other automakers have put their R&D
> eggs in the Diesel basket. So far, it seems like hybrids have been a
> commercial success; we'll have to see how they do compared to Diesels in the
> North American market.

Actually, the smart move is to put the eggs in several baskets. Like
toyota is doing with their big trucks, suvs, big cars, little cars and
hybrids. And diesels too.

Jeff

"Jeff" <kidsdoc2000@m> wrote in message
news:Zl75i.11203$kf1.455@trnddc01...
> Ray O wrote:
<snipped>
> Toyota had Diesel Corollas, turbo Camrys, and pickups in the U.S. in the
>> early 1980's, and while they didn't fail catastrophically, they were
>> pretty hard starting and were not commercial successes.
>
> Toyota is working with a Japanese automaker (I think Isuzu) to get
> diesels. I think they own a portion of the automaker.
>
> Jeff

I'd read that Toyota bought a portion of Isuzu from GM, and the speculation
was that Toyota did so to get some of Isuzu's medium-duty diesel technology.
That speculation did not make much sense to me because Toyota already has
its own medium-truck division, Hino, with Diesel engines. AFAIK, Toyota
does not need Isuzu's technology or sales and distribution points so my
guess is that Toyota invested in Isuzu to gain production capacity. For
example, the SIA (Subaru-Isuzu America) plant in LaFayette, IN will be
producing Camrys.
--

Ray O