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Smoke and Mirrors

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by malorn, Oct 28, 2005.

  1. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    As far as "hmmmm" goes, I see a sad LACK of personal responsibility, especially over the past 20 years. We seem to have become very good at passing the buck and falling back on the familiar "might is right" barrel-of-a-gun philisophy.

    What I see now is a sad collection of Generation X'ers who can barely function in society, not even knowing or caring that we represent a fraction of the global population. Or are you suddenly surprised that other countries are empowering themselves to our detriment?

    As far as "entitlement" in other countries, far from it, they simply hold the IOU's to the consumer and public debt in the United States and Canada. That's why both Democrats and Republicans speak loudly of protecting American jobs, and developing an isolationist trade policy, but never seem to actually pull it off.
     
  2. malorn

    malorn Senior Member

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    I agree, Toyota has embraced hybrids as a means to an end. What that end is we differ upon. Listening some of you blather on about toyota and hybrids reminds me more of religion than anything objective. Look at the way you stated it above Maytrix:" Toyota really believes in hybrids" You are almost giddy with joy. Again if they are as pure as most of you say why are they building a truck plant in Texas? I guess maybe their interest in NASCAR is only that they ae trying to get the NASCAR nation to see the light!
     
  3. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    Yep, I guess coolie labor is ok as long as "they" keep off our shores.
     
  4. LaughingMan

    LaughingMan Active Member

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    You are clearly not an engineer. If you were, you'd realize that the amount of effort they put into designing their hybrids doesn't add up to the gain if they were just using it to sell gas guzzling trucks.

    It's not a religion. It's a huge shift in automotive engineering. Hybrid technology isn't just this PR push that you have your nickers all in a bundle about... it was an engineering investment that cost them hundreds of millions of dollars at least, hundreds of thousands of man hours, and herculean effort expended...

    It just makes no sense for them to do it so that they can put it in 1 car, and use that 1 car as a smokescreen. They intend to put it in every single car they make, and it makes sense from a ROI point of view that they do.... it's the only way it makes sense. And moreover, there are signs that they are headed in that direction... the Camry Hybrid for example.

    And Maytrix answered your question. Because they won't stop selling Trucks as long as there is demand.
     
  5. malorn

    malorn Senior Member

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    did i ever claim to be an engineer? Toyota spent hundreds of billions of dollars on research? Come on! Not even Toyota could afford that. If they can make 4 billion per quarter for say 20 years they will recoup there investment?(300 billion)

    Yeah that is what they spent. And you guys think I'm a the psycho?
     
  6. LaughingMan

    LaughingMan Active Member

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    A typo. I fixed it.
     
  7. LaughingMan

    LaughingMan Active Member

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    Not having an engineering background is your weakness in this discussion. You don't have any idea of the scope of engineering involved in hybrid technology.

    You're just looking at it from a marketing point of view, and no more, and that's why none of us can get through to you.
     
  8. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    I thought they'd done very well at creating an isolationist trade policy. It's called NAFTA.
     
  9. micheal

    micheal I feel pretty, oh so pretty.

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    So a company cannot sell trucks and hybrids at the same time with the same goal in mind? The fact of the matter is that Toyota introduced a hybrid before there was mass market demand for them and that there were always be people who need a truck. So Toyota has diversified into trucks while maintiaining it's majority in cars. I don't see how anyone can look at the multitude of statements by Toyota about completely hybridizing their line-up of cars (there were saying this as early as 2004) and say it is just a gimmick. Why couldn't they build hybrid trucks in the plant in Texas?

    Is Toyota a green company with no environmental footprint, no, but it is much more of a green car company than any other car company (excluding Honda).
     
  10. LaughingMan

    LaughingMan Active Member

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    malorn keeps insisting that Toyota's hybrid push is just there to distract the American public from their truck business.

    I keep saying that that's completely short sighted of him to think that, and that he's completely discounting hybrids as Toyota's new strategy for the 21st century.

    He doesn't understand the technology, he doesn't understand the implications, and he certainly doesn't drive one himself...

    Toyota's hybrid push is certainly in part a PR push, but it is real, and is a fundamental technology for Toyota, not as marketing, but as a new drivetrain...

    They will release more hybrids in the near future, and will get to the point where their whole fleet offers a hybrid solution in each vehicle class... that, i am willing to bet on.
     
  11. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    It only isolates Canada
     
  12. Maytrix

    Maytrix Member

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    If Toyota can sell more trucks (taking business away from other truck makers - not from hybrid sales) and make more money and invest that money in more hybrids like they've already done, then I'm all for it.

    Bottom line - Toyota needs to stay competitive with US Auto Makers, just like the US Auto Makers need to stay competitive with Toyota. So Toyota NEEDS to make trucks, just like the US makers NEED to make hybrids.

    And Texas seems like a great place - Aren't a lot of trucks sold in Texas?
     
  13. maggieddd

    maggieddd Senior Member

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    I think this is about the time of the day Malorn takes his meds, he might be away for a while as the meds take some time to kick in.
     
  14. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    The rest of us seem able to communicate online, with or without our meds. Why can't Malign? Sorry, I mean Malorn.
     
  15. maggieddd

    maggieddd Senior Member

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    he's brainwashed
     
  16. 2Hybrids

    2Hybrids New Member

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    Well, we've pretty much figured out that Marlorn is just doing this to get us all roused up because that's how he gets his kicks.

    I don't think he even believes what he's saying - just an antagonist. The contradictions are just reactionary to whoever posts last.

    But....if he truly believes in what he is saying, then....

    He'll be back later after the Klan rally....I can just here it now....Marlorn yellin out: "Them 'forners are takin yer jobs!" "First it was dem thar N****ers, then dem thar Jews, now them thar Japs makin Toyoters" Then he jumps in his "Hemi" withe rebel flag in the back window and heads back to this forum.

    Stupid flag-waving elitist hillbilly. His rants are old school isolationist teachings....and it's downright close-minded, immature, and frightening to people who thought that train of thought left the station years ago.

    ...and Squid, you seem pretty supportive of his rants...you are scaring me too!
     
  17. maggieddd

    maggieddd Senior Member

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    was wondering about Squid myself
     
  18. Maytrix

    Maytrix Member

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    What is their connection to Nascar? I'm familiar with it.

    Regardless, they are a business and needs to do what makes sense for business. Cigarettes are bad for people, yet are Cigarette companies closing up shop, because they know they are hurting people? No, and what they do is far worse.

    Toyota is just looking to get more market share. There's nothing wrong with that.
     
  19. malorn

    malorn Senior Member

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    I have to admit that I am amazed at the allegiance and passion for Toyota on here. I guess I must be back form the klan rally and have finally found my meds. I am puzzled on one hand you are calling me a hillbilly and in the next paragraph an elitist? Wow!
     
  20. maggieddd

    maggieddd Senior Member

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    the rally is over