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Wow, so Toyota is making a Prius with a Hyundai Tiburon body that is slower than my 4 cylinder Accord while only carrying 2 passengers...where do I sign up?
I think there is some work left to do here. It could be really cool, but its Toyota so I kind of doubt it. I am not saying it won't have a navigation system or a head up display to tell you your gas cap is missing, but so far the driving performance numbers don't add up.
you are very observant.
If I ever become world famous I want you to write my biography.
Building up new luxury models from scratch involves a lot of cash.
Hyundai does not only have significant managerial problems but it also is at risk of losing its investment grade rating which may mean costly and unaffordable funding for Hyundai in these tough debt markets.
In fact I am even willing to speculate that the reason Hyundai did not establish a seperate luxury marque like Lexus is because of a lack of cash and not because of marketing genius in terms of responding to a new economic enviornment that's not so infatuated with luxury marques as in the good ole days of last year.
I respectfully disagree.
The mark to market rule is not the problem. There are many financial institutions that hold mostly loans that do do not have to be marked to market and despite that fact these firms are facing the very same problems as those that hold mostly securities that need to be marked to market.
This is not a question of accounting. This is a question of the extreme high levels of non-performing loans/debts that are out there. That is the problem and that problem is not going to go away with these ridiculous new credit crisis measures that are announced almost every week by the Fed. .
This new absurd Bernanke proposal to buy hundreds of billions of longer term treasuries is idiocy to the extreme. Longer term treasuries do not need more liquidity since they are right now the most liquid part of the financial markets today.
US Treasures tend to be owned by overseas institutions and so the Fed's purchase of treasuries will help overseas investors more than US institutions and families.
And here's the biggest problem: These weekly new muti-hundred billion $ Fed/Treasury proposals reeks with desperation and not confidence. And it is confidence that the market needs most The one certainty is that this new measure will cause a Federal Bank's multi trillion dollar Balance Sheet Bubble to inflate even more, accelerated and likely uncontrollable inflation, a dollar crisis and significantly lower inflation adjusted living standards.
And here's the kicker. The new $300 Billion will be spent on longer term treasuries in the next 6 months What happens after 6 months? Yup you guessed it--- a more likely bigger spending program. The Fed's audacity is beginning to resemble a sub-prime borrowers audacity and that is not very promising for the future.
Guess what? The financial crisis will end next year! So, relax and ride it out. It won't be nearly as long as you thought.
My new business model doubled my revenues in just one month, and I am convinced that people and businesses are willing to spend if you just go about it a little differently than before.
As far as a trading range goes, I'm not sure yet I can predict that. I got out of the market earlier in the year and almost bought again at the recent low, but did not because I think there is one more hit to the market in store for us. If so, I am a buyer at the next big dip. If not, then we are all in for a healthier situation earlier than I thought... and that's not a bad thing.
Remember, next year the crisis is over. This year, things turn around. All quicker than many had thought. That's my prediction.
The bigger threats to the recovery at this point would be a serious terrorist incident, or a major political meltdown... not the economy itself, which will otherwise will be in a major healing mode by next year.
TM
Well... it would depend upon what you became famous for?
TM
Dewey,
Your argument appears to be sound. Obviously, you side with the "doom and gloom" crowd. However, I find it hard to believe that our major decision makers are all idiots and they do not know what they are doing right now. I just refuse to believe that.
I and everybody else here sure hope you are WRONG. I think you will be proven wrong, but in any case, I don't think it will take too long before we find out. If you are right, we should know within the next 6 months to a year. I know you hope you are wrong as well.
Personally, I believe we have seen the low in the stock market, we will not have hyper inflation, the dollar will not got to the crapper, and gold will not go any higher than $1,100-1,200.
The windblown puddle of mercury known as the Infiniti Essence concept car shown at this year's Geneva show tells volumes about where Nissan's luxury division is headed both stylistically and technically. The twin-turbo 3.7-liter direct injection V-6 in the Essence will debut, sans turbos, in the redesigned M sedan due in early 2010, making about 340–350 hp. The complex direct-injection technology, in which fuel is injected directly into the cylinder rather than in the intake ports as is more common, most likely will also make its way into the G37 coupe and sedan as mid-cycle upgrades before the cars are completely redesigned in about three years. Besides making more power, gasoline direct-injection technology is also needed to meet tightening emissions and fuel-economy regulations around the world
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Floors me I tell you... :surprise:
This is the VDS, which measures reliability of 3 year old cars, and unlike IQS, is actually a pretty good indicator of how a brand overall is doing. I'd be willing to bet that all of the problems with the 2006 GS cost Lexus the top spot.
More interesting is that the QX56 has apparently stopped decimating Infiniti's score, and they are now up there with the best. Audi also has definitely turned a corner, and is now more reliable than average BMW and below average M-B.
VW and LR's terrible scores are no real surprise, but what is going on with Scion? Aren't they just rebadged JDM Toyotas? It also seems that except for the 3, everything Mazda makes falls apart.
But Jag? Jag?
Well, the scores are weighted by sales numbers, and I have to assume that X-type and S-type sales were pretty minuscule by '06. I think their good showing was probably due to the XJ and the last year or the previous generation XK. It will be interesting to see what the '07 XK does to them next year. We'll have to wait awhile for the supposedly bug-riddled XF to show up in VDS.
I confess to having ignored it almost entirely. I thought I had read that the sales figures were good, and that's about as far as I went. Didn't really care for it from day one, though that's all personal taste talking and of course latent inflexible image of what a Jaguar should look like.
Apparently it has struck a cord in some way, though.
Any impressions in the lounge on this cat?
I dont view this as a regular postwar economic cycle. This is a financial breakdown of the whole global economy.
To say that everything will be OK by 2010 and the consumer and businesses will carry on growing as they always have is a fantasy made in Technicolor. The consumer/businesses have boosted the US economy by going into deeper and deeper debts. New debts consistently increasing faster than GDP(income) for the past few decades cannot be a sustainable condition without insolvency.
When I speak of the USA I am also speaking of Canada since Canada is dependent on the US economy as Iowa or New York is dependent on the US economy
I am still investing in stocks because there are so many that trade near their cash balances or significantly lower than their assets and that means even if the economy sinks far lower these companies will still have a very wide margin of safety.
Anyways I hope for the best.
But I do expect the worst.
Now I am likely to buy the Prius mainly because JDP, CR, and almost every single survey I can think of ranks the Prius as Numero Uno.
How reliable is your Toyota Prius?
If you read in the news that someone from Toronto senselessly torched his BMW 335i out of frustration then you will find out whether my Dewey name is solely a forum name or a real name.
my bad,
I meant to address that Prius post to Lilengineerboy and not to you. It was too late for me to delete my prior post.
Analysts pointed out that, in contrast to German premium carmakers Daimler and Audi, BMW had avoided piling up inventory of unsold cars. “They were much faster in cutting production than their rivals,” Arndt Ellinghorst, analyst at Credit Suisse, said.
The company burned almost no cash in 2008, reflecting the fact that it did not pile up unsold cars. Its rival Daimler posted a negative free cash flow in its industrial business of almost €4bn in the past year.
“Liquidity and free cash flow are top priorities in such economic times,” Mr Reithofer said, pointing to the €8.1bn net liquidity of the group at the end of 2008.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3840568e-13f0-11de-9e32-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check- - =1
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Great stuff, IMHO. Less weight needs less HP's and better economy and road performance.
Regards,
OW
In the time my MIL has owned it, its gone back to the dealer only 2x for unscheduled visits, one was a warning light and one was some technical service bulletin (and its debatable if the car *needed* that service performed vs her friends freaking her out about it). She got it new just after the rush on the current generation ended.
The 2003 G35/6 speed sedan has yet to have an unscheduled service visit, the Legacy and Sienna have only been serviced for self inflicted injuries, and the '07 Accord has just required oil changes as well. Even my '96 Contour, which was used in amateur motorsport events every other weekend, only required tires, brakes and wheel bearings at shorter intervals (I had a bad habit of using the berms at Buttonwillow and Streets of Willow to rotate the car).
I guess my point is its been very reliable, but so has everything else. I don't think that is a factor in most modern cars anymore. The sound of a car not starting is almost foreign to me now (especially after replacing the main relay in the old '93 Accord).
I have changed my tune on the Prius though, mostly after reflecting on the conversations in this forum. I think its a phenomenal vehicle (along with the Camry Hybrid and Ford Fusion Hybrid), especially for those who live in the city and have urban commutes or shot errands.
I think those people who just need to get from point a to point b with a minimum of fuss and want to feel like they are doing everything they can do to reduce a dependence on foreign oil and damage to the environment are a great audience, and there are plenty of people like that. I appreciate that other people are willing to do that; I'm not.
Regards:
Oldengineer
Yes, they are. But you have to take note that the Scion cars are cribmates to the Yaris, Echo, Tercel, et. al. at the very bottom end of Toyota.
From what I've heard, the first year launch has been rather troubled, with even the press cars being glitchy.
From Autoblog: "Automobile's long-term XF has been afflicted by a litany of issues ranging from faulty window regulators and bad rear axles to a failed power steering system. TrueDelta surveys owners and has found the XF requires far more trips to the dealer than competing models such as the BMW 5 Series, Cadillac CTS and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. While the other models range from 33 to 97 dealer visits per year for every 100 cars, XF owners ended up back in the service bay 141 annually per 100 cars."
Somebody else's car, maybe C&D's, was leaking oil and they thought it might be a rear-dif problem, but never clarified.
I came close to buying an XF SC, but went with the S6 instead which has been trouble free.
There could be a lot of growth potential for Infiniti here, especially as their cars continue to gain in refinement. They offer 90% of the BMW driving experience and at least 90% of Lexus reliability in a package that remains more affordable than most of the competition. What's not to like?
I'm not sure it's that. All of the German brands have been talking about reducing their cylinder counts for awhile. V12s and V10s are out. Blown 8s, 6s, and 4s are in. The talk about a V6 though is surprising.
I may not care for the new styling direction personally, but I hope the marque lives on and thrives. My father had an XJ-6 from '86 until late 2004 when it made way for a TL. The car had frankly more than its share of nigglings, but nothing catastrophic, thank goodness. My, but it was a pretty thing, and not a bad drive for a big sedan. Comfy too.
Well, 'tis said "never buy first gen first". How often that ends up as wisdom.
I haven't looked at the S6. Well do I know the song of the 4.2, but what kind of music is the V10 playing? Obviously from these few posts I've made, it's a bigger package than I like, but I think Audi makes the prettiest sedans available today, and hands down they're the best interiors I've seen in the mainstream.
While sealing the deal on my TTS (which won't be here until Thursday - grrrr), I talked shop with my salesguy. They're moving S5s. Fast. I found that interesting, that in unsure times, a performance tuned personal luxury coupe is hard to keep in stock.
I've owned a lot of cars... too many perhaps, although maybe the more the better, and my 2005 Jaguar XJ Vanden Plas has been the single most perfectly trouble-free vehicle I've ever owned. Go figure. But true.
Not only trouble-free but a tremendous value. The most comfortable driver's seat for long term trips and awesome fuel economy coupled with nice driving dynamics. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.
Kudos to Jaguar.
But, in spite of it all, I believe there is no future for Jaguar, unless it is a subsidized one.
TM
Heresy. Outright heresy. Hear that? Flames crackling...
Subsidized by who. UK which has a more serious debt problem than the USA? Inida that has a significnatly worse debt problem than the UK?
Tata Motors was like a sardine that swallowed a whale with its Jaguar purschase
. The company has a $2 billion debt due in June -- residue from last year's ill-timed acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover -- and little cash to cover it.
In the meantime, the company faces tumbling sales and alarmingly low cash balances; a month ago Tata said it had only $100 million on hand. On top of the $2 billion it owes for Jaguar, Tata had another $2.7 billion in net debt as of end-December, accumulated from loans raised for operational expenses.
As it goes about raising new funds, its borrowing costs will surely rise; ratings agencies have already cut Tata's debt.
The company has secured some financial aid from its parent, Tata Group. But it has since failed to announce any agreements to roll over the Jaguar debt or arrange other solutions -- such as selling part or all of the luxury brand.
I am a pessimist by nature and I just cant help it since I was born that way.
Recently I had just pigeonholed all Lexus fans as people who want to discuss anything but cars. Well guess what? All my posts are about everything (economics, debts) but cars too.
So I guess that new Lexus is beginning to look real good to me.
Seriously though a humble Prius with its overengineering ( a traditional German attribute indeed) and superior reliablity (another traditonal Mercedes Benz attribute that has been forgotten and that I happen to have a new love for) is beginning to look real good to me as I am still awaiting my dealership's verdict on what new problem needs to be fixed with my BMW 335i.
I will test drive an Audi A4 Avant real soon.
All this talk about Audi has got me all crazed and delirous about that four circle logo.
So my interest boils down to the following three vehicles that dont even compete with each others:
A Lexus RX 450h
A Audi A4 Avant
A Toyota Prius.
And if I can wait another year with my BMW 335i without getting a nervous breakdown and torching it and if the stockmarkets dont reach zero (just kidding--unless a Red Square revoltuon happns with Pelosi leading all her comrades to a beloved Red Revolution of new wealth redistributions) than I may look at the next generation A5 Avant which may be a very interesting car.
BMWs and V6s mix as well as oil and water.
Well today that is not the case. Please refer to my prior BMW 335i posts to find out the real reason for my indifference.
The V10 makes great noises. It's one of the very few that does. Most V10s, the M5's included, sound rather agricultural most of the time, but Audi's is excellent. It doesn't have quite the wail of the Gallardo's 10, but it's good.
The S6 for me was a downsize from the LS430, so it actually feels compact compared to where I was coming from. Obviously an S4 could run rings around it on a track, but it's a well balanced executive cruiser with a nice performance attitude.
Audi is definitely leading the luxury industry in styling right now. Supposedly the new A8 will herald their latest styling direction - its supposed to be edgier and more aggressive than the current car. I hope they don't ruin a good thing.
It's definitely worth a look, as the A4 will beat the pants off any Prius, Honda Fit, and probably even the RX in the snow. Make sure your tester has the sport package.
A Lexus RX 450h
A Audi A4 Avant
A Toyota Prius.
I think your interest will go even more, the more cars you see the more complicated it gets!
If you'll wait for the next gen A5, the new 5 series will also be available.
I've owned a lot of cars... too many perhaps, although maybe the more the better, and my 2005 Jaguar XJ Vanden Plas has been the single most perfectly trouble-free vehicle I've ever owned. Go figure. But true.
I think I might have the answer. you never use your jag, its always in the garage, your always with your 1 seri, or with your porsche (which is sold now).
How many miles on the Jag?
True, but in heavy snow you need ground clearance, which only the RX can offer.
Really? :surprise:
Maybe your 335i just doesn't like you :P
Replacing the 2010 S5 v8 with a supercharged v6, even further in 2014 with a v4 turbo, yet at the same time bringing a v10 R8 :confuse:
Wait a minute, is the v10 a diesel engine :confuse:
I haven't bought many cars, but they have all been new. Got a phone call today that I'll be sent a survey on the S5. Initial quality obviously.
Don't know what it will look like, but past minor gripes aside, I can think of only 1 item to complain about that doesn't work as designed. Incoming Bluetooth calls are 50/50 in giving me the option to answer. Rest of the time, I get only replace or ignore options, even from the same #'s.
Not a big deal for me, I just call back, but for all I know, it could be my phone. I'll have them take a peek @ 5K service.
The R8 V10 is easy for them to do, basically take the Gallardo's V10 and slot it in the Audi. It's detuned a bit of course, but it still allows the Audi to play in the supercar class with minimal effort. Whether Audi should be taking sales away from Porsche or Lamborghini is a different matter, but in-fighting isn't exactly a new concept to the VWAG. You're thinking of the R8 V12 TDi concept, which I don't think will ever make production.
The R8 isn't a volume model, so they can basically use whatever engines they want with it. That said, the next gen model could see smaller, forced induction engines replacing the current normally aspirated engines as with the rest of Audi's cars.
Certainly that would be in keeping (with rare exceptions) with the quest for weight reduction previously mentioned.
I am a pessimist by nature and I just cant help it since I was born that way.
You mean, there is a chance you might be wrong about your doom and gloom scenario :surprise: :surprise: ?