ShopTRD.com Blog

Cash for Clunkers Cools It

2009-09-04T09:42:00.002-05:00

The "Cash for Clunkers" program - also known as the "Car Allowance Rebate System" that wasn't really a rebate at all, by definition ("a return of part of the original payment of some service or merchandise; partial refund") - has finally come to a close. Lots of positive things came out of the program including getting many older vehicles, that polluted more than the new fuel efficient vehicles, off the road. Of course, if you had a vehicle that really poluted (i.e. manufactured before 1984), you were pretty well out of luck, as SEMA's lobbying saw to that. The money helped increase new car sales to their highest level in quite some time. But what did this cost? The simplest answer is just a number that means very little to the people spending it. $3,000,000,000, that is three-billion-dollars. This means that every man, woman, & child in the United States just paid roughly $10/ea. After all the bureaucracy it took to to get the program passed and administration of the program, etc. I would say we may, in fact, be looking at around $25/ea after everyone gets paid.

$25 (or $10 if you don't want to include the admin)/ea doesn't seem like a lot of money until you start to realize how it gets paid and who is paying it. There is a great deal of people who do not pay taxes, meaning the burden of the bill is shifted to a smaller group. Best I can tell, only about half of the people in the US actually even file income tax and of those roughly 1/3rd do not pay anything. This means that we are quickly closing in on each tax payer owing $100 for the cash for clunker program by the time you consider interest paid on the loan, etc. If all I had to do was pay $100 to cure the economy, I admit it would be tempting. Reality, though, is the program only helped the car industry (mostly imports over domestics) temporarily with no guarantee of future gains. In other words, on relatively small program (when compared to things such as the mult-TRILLION dollar "bailout") bills us out at $100 and does nothing. If you are a gambler, perhaps you are used to the odds being against you and throwing away $100, but I, for one, do not care to frivolously blow what little money I have on stupidity.

I am in the automotive industry (evident from this blog), but even I do not see the wisdom of this one. I just hope they cut their losses and move on rather than continuing to dig the hard working American people into a massive hole that will not be cured short of revolution or something equally massive.

Just one crazy guy's thoughts.

________________________
Jeff Rance, II
Online Part Sales Manager

Direct: 972.792.4823
E-mail: Parts at ShopTRD.com

|JT2Auto.com|ShopTRD.com|USAToyotaParts.com|

Toyota of Richardson Parts Department
404 Monte Blaine Lane, Richardson, Texas 75080-4606

Toll Free 800.527.2781 | Main 972.238.4460 | Fax 972.238.4470

Bogus Bailout

2008-11-12T17:25:00.004-06:00

Why are we having to "Bail Out" Everyone? What ever happened to the capitalist country in which I grew up? Since when are we, the American people, financially responsible for stupidity of a company just because it is American? Why not let the UAW (United Auto Worker's Union) take care of the tab since they are the party that has benefited from the OUTRAGEOUS labor costs at the "Big 3"?

________________________
Jeff Rance, II
Online Part Sales Manager

Direct: 972.792.4823
E-mail: Parts at ShopTRD.com

|JT2Auto.com|ShopTRD.com|USAToyotaParts.com|

Toyota of Richardson Parts Department
404 Monte Blaine Lane, Richardson, Texas 75080-4606

Toll Free 800.527.2781 | Main 972.238.4460 | Fax 972.238.4470

How did we get here?

2008-09-30T11:01:00.002-05:00

The past few days, I've been listening to the news and talk radio about the economic crisis that we are all trying to navigate through and ran across this video that really makes you think. Like so many things, it looks like there were many key indicators showing we had a problem long before we, the tax payers, were essentially asked for $3,400/ea (including children) to cover a ONE TRILLION DOLLAR Bail-Out package.

An aside... the whole "bailout package" in my opinion is not only STUPID and a band-aid for a MUCH larger problem, but a highly corrupt deal. The number of earmarks in this stuff has to be extreme... everyone is rushing to get this passed... why... because they don't want people to understand how bad of a deal it is (kinda' like the $300 billion they already wasted on Fannie & Freddie and ear marked MASSIVE amounts of money for liberal pet groups). I believe, though still painful, an FDIC-type insurance package for the sub-prime loans is a MUCH more reasonable option (with an estimated cost of $30-$35 BILLION, or $100/ea). I say after we get this "crisis" under control, we need to start throwing people in jail.

I sure hope the American people realize (helped by this video) that we do not need to trust those who burnt the Thanksgiving Day Turkey with cooking the Christmas Ham.

________________________
Jeff Rance, II
Online Part Sales Manager

Direct: 972.792.4823
E-mail: Parts at ShopTRD.com

|JT2Auto.com|ShopTRD.com|USAToyotaParts.com|

Toyota of Richardson Parts Department
404 Monte Blaine Lane, Richardson, Texas 75080-4606

Toll Free 800.527.2781 | Main 972.238.4460 | Fax 972.238.4470

The Truth About Toyota

2008-09-03T12:27:00.002-05:00

While browsing the web, I found something a little weird... a website claiming
Toyota: Not as green as you think." The website (http://TruthAboutToyota.com) seems almost as if a competing manufacturer grasping for something to use against Toyota funded it. The website seems to associate Toyota's stance against strict government regulation to raise average fuel economy standards fleet-wide to 35 MPG by 2020 and other similar regulations mandating 75% of all vehicle production be Flex-fuel capable by 2015, and 100% by 2020 with Toyota not wanting to save the environment. The claim is that the regulation, if implemented, would...

-Save 1.2 million barrels of oil per day (more than double the amount currently imported daily from Iraq)

-Save American consumers $25,000,000,000/year (nearly $900 for a family of 4)

-Remove more than 200 million tons of pollution per year from the atmosphere

So with all these claimed benefits, wouldn't the choice be OBVIOUS? As a leading environmentally conscious company, shouldn't Toyota unequivocally back any legislation that would allow this to be our future? My (along with most vehicle manufacturers' - including Toyota's) opinion is NOT NESSICARILY. Why, you ask? According to an Automotive News article, lawmakers seeking 100% flex-fuel vehicles and exceptionally high fuel-efficiency standards by 2020 may not be quite in touch with reality. The cost for the Research & Development in addition to the cost to produce such vehicles might be higher than the average consumer would be willing to pay. Another major concern is the relative lack of availability of alternative fuels now (fewer than 1% of the 170,000+ fueling stations nationwide even offer E85, and currently more E85 vehicles are produced than could even be sustained).

For the sake of argument, let us say that Toyota and all the other manufacturers in the world said “no problem!” and even exceeded the minimum standards of 35 MPG average across their fleets. What would the consumer be sacrificing?

-Performance - Would the BMW drivers of the world simply have no more “Ultimate Driving Machine”?

-Comfort / Convenience - Would drivers simply have to learn to deal with fewer comforts and conveniences to decrease weight and production costs?

-Fuelling Availability - Would consumers have to grit their teeth while a new network of Hydrogen or electric fuelling stations were developed?

-Price - Would vehicles offer the same or better performance with similar or better amenities while the Retail Prices soar?

In all likelihood, it would be a combination of the above, but principally pricing, and secondly, perhaps, fueling availability. One of the business courses I took in college had a simulation that ran the course of the semester where we were divided into teams and had to develop widgets and continually improve them by making them smaller with higher technology and modifying pricing accordingly. My team took what we believed to be a very intelligent, well-planned out course. We would devote the majority of our budget to R&D in the early stages and automating the production process, minimizing money spent in other areas (such as marketing, etc.), and after we had a significant advantage over the competition in both cost to build and superior technology, we would devote the majority of our resources to marketing. Over the course of the semester, our team created the smallest, highest tech, best overall priced widget… AWESOME, right? Wrong. We wound up struggling financially due to poor sales. Why? Although we had the best product, by far, and some of the most competitive pricing – even with reasonable margins - the reason we failed (according to the professor) is that we so far ahead of our competitors and the market that the “Sim Population” was not ready for what we had to offer. On paper and in theory, we should have KILLED the competition (I’m still a little disappointed about it), but the reality of the simulation was that the infrastructure to support our INCREDIBLE widget was not in place. Much like the auto industry is now facing. While I am ALL FOR the development of nifty new technologies that will make things more efficient and “Save the Earth”, I can’t help but feel that if congress tries to force a bunch of R&D work on the automotive manufacturers and leaves it to them to develop the best widget, Toyota will probably not only meet, but exceed their request. The ability to develop the technology, to me, is not the issue with which manufacturers have a problem. I see the issue as two-fold:

1.) The problem lay in the fact that there is not the infrastructure to support alternative fueling options including Hydrogen (such as BMW’s Hydrogen 7) fuelling stations; Plug-in Electric (such as Tesla) fueling stations for long-range trips or even at apartments / parking garages, etc.; E85; Algae power; or fuel cells, etc. If the United States is serious about relieving dependence on foreign oil, they need to start planning renewable, attainable, scalable alternative fuelling networks now. E85 is not a realistic option, as it offers lower power output/gallon than its oil-based brother, and would require an immense amount of land to actually sustain the entire United States’ energy demand. Clean, mass-producible energy (such as Hydrogen) appears to be the clear choice. So the United States would need to make a commitment to a new standard (say Hydrogen, for argument sake), and then make a commitment to create a nationwide infrastructure by 2020. They need to regulate more than just the automakers to make it economically feasible.

2.) The average consumer is not going to willingly pay large premiums over previous generation vehicles just to “Save the Earth”. The vast majority of people looking to “Go Green,” in my experience, are not simply buying a Toyota Prius because of its low emissions. People are most interested in what directly affects their pocketbook. It is not by mere coincidence that retail sales of the hot-selling Toyota Prius sharply increase each time that gas prices raise another 10 cents – when I used to sell cars, our paycheck seemed directly proportional to the price of a gallon of gas. Sure, people love the “warm fuzzies” of being a good steward of the environment but when that stewardship shows a monetary return is when it is most effectual. There will always be the die-hard environmentalists that will pay whatever they perceive it takes to “Save the Earth”, and early adopters that are not swayed as much by price as they are by having bragging rights to ownership of the coolest new technology. As for the rest of us… we are interested in what gives us the best overall cost of ownership for what we are looking.

New technologies take time to create and implement. While I’m certainly not trying to suggesting that companies not be innovative, I am proposing that the United States government and its citizens need to realize that the impact may not be as immediate as they hope, and they, therefore, should encourage companies to continue Moving Forward (as Toyota would put it), but not over-regulate and cripple the companies’ ability to sell cars in the mean time. Toyota didn’t introduce a Hybrid of every model in one year, they started with the Prius and are starting to have the technology permeate the Toyota lineup (including my personal favorites in the Toyota lineup: Toyota Camry Hybrid, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Lexus RX400h, Lexus GS450h, & Lexus LS600h). Rome was not built in a day. Rather than a website picking on Toyota for not wanting a government to force them to spend a LOT of money with little initial return, perhaps they should look to the automotive manufacturers that have been resting on their laurels and, perhaps, never heard the saying “It wasn’t Raining Before Noah Built the Ark.” If you must get upset, look to those who have seen “the writing on the wall” for years but – due to laziness and complacency – have decided to not pursue more efficient technologies for their product offerings. Still, the beauty of capitalism is that people have the ability to take stupid companies and “vote them off the island” when they choose to spend their money elsewhere (see Toyota & Honda).

________________________
Jeff Rance, II
Online Part Sales Manager

Direct: 972.792.4823
E-mail: Parts at ShopTRD.com

|JT2Auto.com|ShopTRD.com|USAToyotaParts.com|

Toyota of Richardson Parts Department
404 Monte Blaine Lane, Richardson, Texas 75080-4606

Toll Free 800.527.2781 | Main 972.238.4460 | Fax 972.238.4470

SCC Ultimate Aero TT

2008-08-22T13:35:00.006-05:00

I found this clip on Jay Leno's JayLenosGarage.com thought it looked pretty cool. I wasn't actually aware that anyone had beaten the Bugatti Veyron for the title of "World's Fastest Production Car", but evidently the SCC Ultimate Aero TT (priced at less than half of the Veyron at a mere $600,000) has dethroned the European with a great big "Made in the USA" competitor. If I were Bill Gates or Michael Dell, I'd have to get me one of these bad-boys... but alas, "I am just a poor boy from a poor family" and I'll just have to imagine it in my dreams - of course, I'm not sure my family would unleash me with this car even if I had the money, lol.
Some Quick Stats (Bugatti Veyron Stats in parenthesis)...
Top Speed: 257 MPH (254 MPH)
0 - 60: 2.8 seconds (2.5 seconds)
Max Power: 1183 BHP (1001 BHP)
Anyway, enjoy the clip. I'm glad the title, for the time being, is held by the good 'ol USA.

________________________
Jeff Rance, II
Online Part Sales Manager

Direct: 972.792.4823
E-mail: Parts at ShopTRD.com

|JT2Auto.com|ShopTRD.com|USAToyotaParts.com|

Toyota of Richardson Parts Department
404 Monte Blaine Lane, Richardson, Texas 75080-4606

Toll Free 800.527.2781 | Main 972.238.4460 | Fax 972.238.4470

Prius Power!

2008-08-14T13:59:00.001-05:00

After finding this video, I've really been unable to decide what I think of this. I like the concept of fixing up Hybrids to make them less bland and give them better performance (both in MPG and speed/handling). I'm not a big fan of stuff that isn't functional, however, and I think that these doors (while they look cool( would really suck for getting in and out regularly. I would like to see a turbo charged Prius with some nice wheels, a cool body kit , and upgraded suspension and brakes. The Kenstyle Body Kit is one of the better ones I've seen for the Prius. I would like to see more Toyota Racing Development (TRD) parts for the Prius, so that an Economically & Environmentally Pious Prius could not be synonomous with the term "dork". As far as the Hybrid Technology is concerned, I have to say I'm the most impressed with the Toyota Camry Hybrid... you get a LOT of bang for your buck and the ability to customize it similiarly to the non-Hybrid versions (I love the TRD Wheels). I'll try to post some stuff dealing with the Hybrid Camry, but in the mean time - and without futher adue - check out this highly modified Toyota Prius Video...

________________________
Jeff Rance, II
Online Part Sales Manager

Direct: 972.792.4823
E-mail: Parts at ShopTRD.com

|JT2Auto.com|ShopTRD.com|USAToyotaParts.com|

Toyota of Richardson Parts Department
404 Monte Blaine Lane, Richardson, Texas 75080-4606

Toll Free 800.527.2781 | Main 972.238.4460 | Fax 972.238.4470

Label Whores: Your Dream Laptop has Arrived!!!

2008-07-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

I have a great passion for technology (my colleques poke fun of my 24" widescreen "TV" monitor attached to my docking station ... not like its one of the 30" Apple Screens ... and of my obsession with having the latest technologies), and awesome cars (my girlfriend is jeoulous of my 335i sometimes, despite assurances that I love her more), however I'm thinking that Ego Lifestyle may have taken things a little too far. I found an autoblog article a few days ago about a "Bentley Laptop" and did a little investigating. The only place I found that actually could sell the laptop was the Avant Gallery in Miami Beach, FL. I called to inquire about this Bentley Laptop and I must say, they were very couteous. It would appear that a sales price of $19,200+Tax (wait time of 3-4 weeks) allows them to be well-compensated for their excellent service. The specifications of the laptop could be found in a Dell notebook for, probably, around $1,000. So the break down appears to be $1,000 for the notebook and $18,200 for the exclsivity, design, and brand name. Unlike some critics, I gotta say, if you're an automotive enthusiast, the Ferrari Laptop (Acer) & Lamborghini laptop (ASUS) have a cool look and feel and are both, for their time, high-end technology. Personally, I like them. I'm just waiting for "The Ultimate Driving Machine" to unleash "The Ultimate Web-Surfing Machine" with a BMW Logo. That being said, some people might think of people like me as a label whore... evidently one that is good enough for a Ferrari or Lamborgini Laptop (around $2,000), but is not even in the same league as the Bentley Laptop that costs 10x as much with far less impressive specifications for the price. In all honesty, I'm not even sure that Paris Hilton could justify that purchase... but then again, no one ever accused her of thinking logically. All this has gotten me thinking... maybe I should start a company called "Label Whores R Us" and financially rape as many people as possible. Ok, maybe the name is a little much, but you've got to admit... Anyway, I've posted some pictures of the Laptop below. If you're Paris Hilton, go for it. For the rest of us, we'll just have to dream about it. On second thought, if I had to have a dream about portable computers, I'd rather dream about an OQO.

____________________________

Jeff Rance, II
Online Part Sales Manager

Direct: 972.792.4823
E-mail: JT2 at JT2Auto.com

JT2Auto.com ShopTRD.com USAToyotaParts.com

Toyota of Richardson Parts Department
404 Monte Blaine Lane, Richardson, Texas 75080-4606

Toll Free 800.527.2781 Main 972.238.4460 Fax 972.238.4470

Gas Gone Wild!

2008-07-18T11:00:00.002-05:00

Well, it appears that today's topic of much conversation is that of HIGH gas prices. Some of our friends over in Europe have been experiencing ridiculous prices for quite some time now; as a matter of fact, one of our guys just got back from a vacation in Germany and was amazed to find common gas prices of $7-$8 per gallon. Even more shocking: people all seemed callused to it. Maybe it's because it sounds better when quoted in Liters rather than Gallons (imagine paying by quart for gas... yuck), more likely, however, they have just resigned themselves to the fact that they're not in America - maybe that's why the world has such a bad attitude toward us... we get gas cheaper than them, haha.

Anyway, back on topic: I tend to believe in the incredible ingenuity of the American and Japanese (Toyota being a Japanese Brand) people, especially when it affects their pocket-books and livelihood. We are not like the French on that clip of End of Ze World on YouTube "but I'm le Tired...then have a nap... AND THEN FIRE THE MISSLES"... we get pissed off and immediately get moving on finding a solution... that's the beauty of Capitalism!

This being said, what is up and coming and what is already here?

Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive
Toyota currently leads the marketplace with their Hybrid Synergy Drive that combines the power of gasoline engines with that of electric, thus allowing impressive performance and fuel economy. At the present time, the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive really does seem to be the most cost-effective way to save on gas and have decent performance - faster than a Moped :-). I'm going to get on my soap box for minute and address the people that say that you pay a huge premium on all Hybrid vehicles and it will take forever to earn your money back via gas savings. Let's take a closer look... a Toyota Corolla is NOT the equivalent to a Toyota Prius... that's the end of that comparison (just like a Toyota Yaris is not a Corolla); the Camry Hybrid (187HP), comparably equipped to the XLE Trim costs about $500 more than the I-4 (158HP) and $1,500 less than the V6 XLE (268HP); the Highlander is the largest difference in price, with about a $5,000 premium over a comaparably equiped V6, but offers additional safety features (VDIM) and 3rd Row Seating as standard. If you're looking for something economical and need it now at a price less than your house, Toyota is your best bet (no other manufacture has a better Hybrid System than Toyota. period). Read More Here.

Tesla Motors' Electric Supercar
There is another up and coming automaker, Tesla Motors, where for a cool $110,000, you can get from 0-60MPH in 3.9 seconds while achieving the equivalent to more than 250MPG. It cost less than 2 cents per mile to drive compared to my current 25 cents per mile! If not for the 6-digit price tag, I'd definitely check into getting one. The way I calculate it, I'd have to drive it 261,000 miles (@$5/gallon) to get back the savings over my BMW 335i (or about 14.5 years @18k/yr). Sell it for $60,000 and we might have a deal! Read More Here.

BMW's Hydrogen Sedan
Okay, I know I work for a Toyota Dealership, but I gotta' say, I LOVE the drive of a BMW. Don't get me wrong, my Camry is great for my day-to-day commuting, but there is just something about knowing that you could smoke just about anything on the road on a whim and kill it on any track in the world. BMW (last I heard) had 20 working prototype vehicles known as the Hydrogen 7 that combines the fun of driving with incredible efficiency of essentially burning water. BMW is also developing their version of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive as an interim while attempting to build demand for Hydrogen refueling stations, but I'd much rather put water in the tank for guilt-free driving (and, in my opinion, their not going to be able to catch up with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive any time soon... especially by partnering with Chrysler of all companies... go figure... I guess they and Mercedes want to keep it in the German family). I gotta' say, the free maintenance - well pre-paid if you consider the price of a BMW - should add assurance that the Hydrogen system will work...or at least is paid for if it doesn't. Read More Here.

So we've explored a few different technologies (both available and coming) that each cost more than your base, run-of-the-mill four banger, but as time goes on, I'm sure it will be like any technology, and prices will continue to become more affordable, yea even the industry standard.

A few additional options to increase fuel economy available that we've not discussed include...

* (but who cares about the added efficency when you're paying 25% more for it... which REALLY doesn't make sense, as a bi-product of regular gasoline refinement; additionally, this isn't really a new technology),

*Ethanol (nice idea, but like Diesel, costs more than it's worth)

*Superchargers / Turbochargers (I'm all for better performance AND fuel savings, but this isn't really a new technology either... great idea, though... and a direction BMW, Mercedes, & Ford seems to moving toward).
___________________________________

Jeff Rance, II

Online Part Sales Manager

Direct: 972.792.4823

E-mail: JT2 at JT2Auto.com

| JT2Auto.com | ShopTRD.com | USAToyotaParts.com |

Toyota of Richardson Parts Department

404 Monte Blaine Lane, Richardson, Texas 75080-4606

Toll Free 800.527.2781 | Main 972.238.4460 | Fax 972.238.4470

Great Political Campaign... Vote Toyota for your next Vehicle!

2008-07-17T08:10:00.000-05:00

Wow... what do you think?

___________________________________

Jeff Rance, II

Online Part Sales Manager

Direct: 972.792.4823

E-mail: JT2 at JT2Auto.com

| JT2Auto.com | ShopTRD.com | USAToyotaParts.com |

Toyota of Richardson Parts Department

404 Monte Blaine Lane, Richardson, Texas 75080-4606

Toll Free 800.527.2781 | Main 972.238.4460 | Fax 972.238.4470

The Redesigned 5.7L Toyota Tundra Leads the Competition

2008-07-16T13:50:00.000-05:00

Here are some great videos of the Toyota Tundra kicking some tail...or pulling it, rather...

2007 Dodge Ram v.s. 2007 Toyota Tundra 5.7L

2007 Ford F-150 v.s. 2007 Toyota Tundra 5.7L

2007 Chevrolet Silverado v.s. 2007 Toyota Tundra 5.7L

I keep telling our New Car Sales Team they need to do this, but alas! I must resort to using another dealerships demonstration. I think the redesigned 5.7L Toyota Tundra is a lot like the Supra in it's day... WAY AHEAD of it's time. I'm still waiting for some customer footage of the Toyota Tundra 5.7L with the TRD Supercharger; that should be some fun!

___________________________________

Jeff Rance, II

Online Part Sales Manager

Direct: 972.792.4823

E-mail: JT2 at JT2Auto.com

| JT2Auto.com | ShopTRD.com | USAToyotaParts.com |

Toyota of Richardson Parts Department

404 Monte Blaine Lane, Richardson, Texas 75080-4606

Toll Free 800.527.2781 | Main 972.238.4460 | Fax 972.238.4470

This could be the beginning of a beauuuutiful relationship!

2008-07-15T16:43:00.000-05:00

Well, ShopTRD.com is now officially blogging. What can you expect? Well, mainly we're going to highlight new offerings and post some videos and pictures of customer's vehicles, and just cool stuff we have found dealing with Toyotas, Scions, Lexus and the occasional non-Toyota product. Stay tuned, we've got some great stuff to come!

___________________________________

Jeff Rance, II

Online Part Sales Manager

Direct: 972.792.4823

E-mail: JT2 at JT2Auto.com

| JT2Auto.com | ShopTRD.com | USAToyotaParts.com |

Toyota of Richardson Parts Department

404 Monte Blaine Lane, Richardson, Texas 75080-4606

Toll Free 800.527.2781 | Main 972.238.4460 | Fax 972.238.4470