Toyota “Can Barely Cover the Demand” for Its Cars - Kelley Blue Book

[-]

gumol@reddit

isn’t “barely covering the demand” the sweet spot for any manufacturing to be in?

Reply

[-]

jsurico656@reddit

Why use Redact? Genuinely. Was it to "stick it" to reddit? Because you just made what could've been an extremely insightful and helpful comoment absolutely useful

Reply

[-]

steakpienacho@reddit

Yes. Extra inventory is money wasted

Reply

[-]

earoar@reddit

And Toyota is the company that invented LEAN manufacturing

Reply

[-]

sose5000@reddit

The US introduced it to them after ww2 and they ran with it.

Reply

[-]

Hypsar@reddit

The Toyota Way is essentially required reading nowadays for any manufacturing director/exec.

Reply

[-]

BlazinAzn38@reddit

They actually didn’t invent it they did perfect it. It was exported from the US to Japan and then the US sort of forgot it somehow

Reply

[-]

The_Vat@reddit

Ferrari's model is literally "[build one car less than the market demands](https://www.thedrive.com/news/29768/ferrari-boss-claims-maranello-will-always-deliver-one-car-less-than-market-demand)"

Reply

[-]

EmergencyRace7158@reddit

Until they went public after which market demand for perpetual growth has led to oversupply. There's a reason used 296 GTBs are cheaper than used F8s.

Reply

[-]

agnaddthddude@reddit

the 488 or the 458 were not limited and they still depreciate better. so im not sure about your example

Reply

[-]

Because the F8 is the last not hybrid general production car they'll likely ever make, just like manual 430s and 458s have appreciated compared to contemporaries. They went public years before the F8 entered production

Reply

[-]

redundantpsu@reddit

Ironic claim considering Ferrari sells more of their "exclusive models" than they claim

Reply

[-]

Euler007@reddit

Yup. Means your factories are the right size, operating at full efficiency and selling everything. As opposed to filling parking lots.

Reply

[-]

hodgen@reddit

This business methodology (and I'm not saying it's wrong) is what fucked them all other car markers, and caused both the new and used car bubble during and after COVID. Global supply chain slowdown caused every automaker's production to falter and their lack of pre-positioned inventory meant that what little was available sold quickly and demand outpaced supply for a long time before the automakers could catch back up to ensure production was perfectly aligning with demand again.

Reply

[-]

Important-Piglet5500@reddit

It would have fucked them in normal business markets if they didn't.

Reply

[-]

hodgen@reddit

Yeah, and that's why i said they "weren't wrong" for it, but i really taking about normal market conditions. Had any of them maintained excess inventory, they would have cleaned up over the others

Reply

[-]

Important-Piglet5500@reddit

This is like saying any sane person should have bought $10k in toilet paper just in case

Reply

[-]

Important-Piglet5500@reddit

Had any of them maintained extra inventory, they would have been in the red carrying depreciating assets before the pandemic. It's a stupid move.

Reply

[-]

Thoth_the_5th_of_Tho@reddit

Demand outstripping supply isn’t the end of the world. You’ll eventually catch up and meet the pent up demand. Huge warehouses of depreciating parts is just money down the drain, constantly.

Reply

[-]

Kidcharlamagne89d@reddit

Toyota was actually one of the only manufacturers during covid to maintain high production. Their strategy puts a heavy emphasis on local production of components and also having a warehouse of parts. It's one reason their cars barely receive updates over time mechanically because they have warehouses of parts to work through. There was a cool documentary on YouTube that covered it, I was curious because I car swapped a but during covid and the Toyota dealership always had new cars.

Reply

[-]

Euler007@reddit

Having low inventories is pretty common across industries, it's not just a Toyota thing.

Reply

[-]

hodgen@reddit

Yes, hence my reference to "and all the other car markers"

Reply

[-]

Euler007@reddit

I'm in oil and gas. Transformers, pumps, fittings, plate if you're ordering a lot. Everything is in low inventory and went crazy during COVID. All industries, not all carmakers.

Reply

[-]

Car-face@reddit

Yes and no. Supply chain resilience is more than just "stock more parts", but the lack of supply chain resilience *and* JIT can make bad situations worse.

Reply

[-]

bageltheperson@reddit

I mean, “just in time” is literally the Toyota Way. All manufacturing is taught their methods.

Reply

[-]

durrtyurr@reddit

I grew up in Lexington, 20 minutes away from TMMK (Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky) the largest output factory they operate in the world. Their concept of constant improvement (kaizen) is basically beaten into all of us as children.

Reply

[-]

bageltheperson@reddit

I work in manufacturing and Lean is something we teach everyone from day one. Toyota’s impact on global manufacturing is completely insane.

Reply

[-]

durrtyurr@reddit

I love Kaizen, it's the way I live my life. With that being said, I'd rather burn down a factory than work at one that implements Six Sigma. It totally wrecks morale for the employees.

Reply

[-]

Jah348@reddit

That was my first thought. Toyota is the gold standard and iirc the originator of lean manufacturing. This is the goal.

Reply

[-]

wip30ut@reddit

i think the problem is that Toyota gets accused of price gouging, charging a premium for their reputation. And of course there are cash-strapped critics who say that Toyota execs purpsosely scale-back production to inflate their profit margins on each vehicle.

Reply

[-]

italia06823834@reddit

Yup. Literally my entire job is right sizing production floors for our customers so that ideally they dont run out of parts, but also aren't holding excess inventory.

Reply

[-]

tablepennywad@reddit

Im not sure it is for Toyota. Most dealers here and a lot of others have 1 year wait lists for most cars that were not old 4runners. There are lots of people that need to replace their car NOW. I dont know how many lost sales they get from just not having some sort of goddamn inventory. Basically most people who want to buy a Toyota are turned away around here. My brother actually sells toyotas and he complains when i send people to him because he just does deliveries most of the day which is 2+ hours of paperwork.

Reply

[-]

TenesmusSupreme@reddit

Toyota also has the reputation of under producing on purpose. Seems like it works ok for them.

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

Which is not a thing they're actually doing — it's just a bunch of knuckleheads on the internet who think that. Actual Toyota production has been at record highs for most of the year.

Reply

[-]

willpc14@reddit

This is where every manufacturer should be in a theoretical perfectly competitive economy.

Reply

[-]

stupidber@reddit

Has nothing to do with the competitiveness of the market

Reply

[-]

Svr-boi@reddit

I mean ya , but for a customer that needs a new car quickly it’s hell like say after it’s gets stolen or totalled

Reply

[-]

The_NiNTARi@reddit

Yea means Toyota is nailing supply chain

Reply

[-]

mrteas_nz@reddit

You can twist any positive to sound negative if you really want to.

Reply

[-]

hi_im_bored13@reddit

yeah they've always been incredibly good at this, lowest time on the lot of any manufacturer

Reply

[-]

Bld556@reddit

Nothing but Toyota marketing/PR spin to cover up their artificial scarcity tactics.

Reply

[-]

Proof-Confection-797@reddit

That's the easy dumb lazy answer

Reply

[-]

Bld556@reddit

>That's the easy dumb lazy answer No, it's the simple smart diligent answer. You're just oblivious & too stupid to recognize facts.

Reply

[-]

BasketAppropriate703@reddit

Toyota has the best marketing and fraud in the business.

Reply

[-]

Bld556@reddit

FACTS!

Reply

[-]

Captain_Alaska@reddit

That wouldn't make any sense. Markup goes to the dealer, not Toyota, if Toyota wants more money they have to sell more cars.

Reply

[-]

Bld556@reddit

It doesn’t "make sense" to you because you & many other Toyota cheerleaders are drinking the Kool-Aid Toyota provided without the wherewithal to do any real due diligence of your own. Toyota figured out during COVID that selling fewer cars at full price makes way more money than flooding lots with vehicle rebates. **Fact:** U.S. Toyota dealers often operate with **below a 30‑day supply** — far lower than most competitors (often 60–120 days). Top-selling Toyota models consistently move faster than average, allowing the company to **keep incentives low** while nearly every car sells at or above MSRP. This clearly shows how Toyota deliberately keeps inventory tight while maintaining pricing power. And even if the extra markups may go to dealers, Toyota still wins, as nearly every vehicle sells at/ above MSRP, resale values stay high, & uninformed people think there's a real vehicle/model shortage. The illusion of scarcity at Toyota is a reality & it’s one of the company’s most effective strategies.

Reply

[-]

BasketAppropriate703@reddit

Not sure why you didn’t get upvoted, them are some facts :)

Reply

[-]

Captain_Alaska@reddit

> Toyota figured out during COVID that selling fewer cars at full price makes way more money than flooding lots with vehicle rebates. They sell 22% more cars globally than the 2nd best selling group, how is that 'fewer cars'?

Reply

[-]

Bld556@reddit

\>They sell 22% more cars globally than the 2nd best selling automaker group, how is that 'fewer cars'? Selling more vehicles "globally" doesn’t disprove Toyota's strategy of **deliberate artificial scarcity in specific key markets** like the U.S., which happens to be Toyota's ***largest market for vehicle sales***.

Reply

[-]

Captain_Alaska@reddit

Yeah and they're the 2nd largest brand in the US, so how is that scarce?

Reply

[-]

Bld556@reddit

>Yeah and they're the 2nd largest brand in the US, so how is that scarce? >Toyota has waitlists here in Australia too and they sell literally 1 out of every 5 new cars. You can literally add the next 3 best-selling brands together and combined they only sold 30k more than Toyota did. Your comment still doesn’t disprove Toyota's artificial scarcity tactics in specific markets such as the U.S. or prove your point in general.

Reply

[-]

Captain_Alaska@reddit

It does mate, you can't create scarcity and still sell significantly more cars than your competitor. That's called just being popular. The CRV doesn't rot on the lot because Toyota sells less RAV4s than Honda. Toyota is literally just brought online their 11th factory in the US specifically to shit out more hybrid transaxles so they can sell even more RAV4s and Camrys to you.

Reply

[-]

Bld556@reddit

>It does mate, you can't create scarcity and still sell significantly more cars than your competitor. That's called just being popular. The CRV doesn't rot on the lot because Toyota sells less RAV4s than Honda. >Toyota is literally just brought online their 11th factory in the US specifically to shit out more hybrid transaxles so they can sell even more RAV4s and Camrys to you. High global volume vehicle sales doesn’t refute deliberate scarcity in specific markets/models. Toyota **controls inventory by model & region** to maintain MSRP/above MSRP sales, low incentives & strong resale values. Fast-selling "RAV4s & Camrys" move off lots quickly & additional production just meets demand, but it doesn’t mean supply isn’t managed to maximize profit per unit. Artificial scarcity here is about **pricing power & market perception**, not total global production/sales numbers.

Reply

[-]

Captain_Alaska@reddit

Nothing about that comment was about global sales.

Reply

[-]

Bld556@reddit

>Everything in that comment is US-specific. Just like all of my U.S. specific comments which you keep trying to conflate to global sales/production.

Reply

[-]

Captain_Alaska@reddit

Well yeah, I shouldn't need to point out their supply chain is global as are some of their cars, how many they sell in a specific market is limited by how many they can ultimately build. The fact they are selling so many more cars than anyone else would very much suggest they can't actually built much more because that capacity would just come at the expense of another market. None of which changes that Toyota dominates the US too and only misses out on the top spot because the Tundra doesn't sell like the domestic full sizers.

Reply

[-]

Bld556@reddit

Sorry, but that's not how Toyota allocates its vehicle supply. In fact, Toyota has repeatedly stated they **intentionally keep global inventory lean,** not because they ***can’t*** build more, but because it’s ***more profitable*** to manage their vehicle supply tightly. Moreover, A **2.9% increase in global sales to 2.4 million vehicles in the quarter, powered by a 15% surge in North America** (Automotive News via KBB) doesn’t exactly indicate a capacity limit. Thus, Toyota’s production clearly isn’t constrained, they’re just deliberately keeping inventory tight by artificially restraining vehicle supply, so nearly every car sells at or above MSRP while protecting their margins & brand value. This is **strategy, not shortage.** >None of which changes that Toyota dominates the US too and only misses out on the top spot because the Tundra doesn't sell like the domestic full sizers. More nonsense. Toyota is **behind** GM in U.S. overall sales thus far YTD & they will never catch GM again (Toyota got lucky in 2021) due to GMs superior BEVs.

Reply

[-]

Captain_Alaska@reddit

>Sorry, but that's not how Toyota allocates its vehicle supply. In fact, Toyota has repeatedly stated they intentionally keep global inventory lean, not because they can’t build more, but because it’s more profitable to manage their vehicle supply tightly All companies try to run lean, that's not unique to Toyota. >Moreover, A 2.9% increase in global sales to 2.4 million vehicles in the quarter, powered by a 15% surge in North America (Automotive News via KBB) doesn’t exactly indicate a capacity limit. I really, really appreciate you proving my point. You are literally demonstrating that they're production limited. I've already told you this but I will repeat it again, Toyota opened their 11th American assembly plant this year. It's dedicated to building hybrid transaxles. This plant in [Liberty, North Carolina,](https://pressroom.toyota.com/facility/toyota-battery-manufacturing-north-carolina/) came online in *June*. >More nonsense. Toyota is behind GM in U.S. overall sales thus far YTD & they will never catch GM again (Toyota got lucky in 2021) due to GMs superior BEVs. I literally said they don't have the top spot in the very section of my comment you quoted. You're telling me their sales increase 15% in the literal next quarter after an assembly plant opened and you don't think that's related to them being able to produce more cars?

Reply

[-]

Bld556@reddit

>All companies try to run lean, that's not unique to Toyota. All companies aren't utilizing Toyota spurious artificial scarcity tactics either > I really, really appreciate you proving my point. You are literally demonstrating that they're production limited. I've already told you this but I will repeat it again, Toyota opened their 11th American assembly plant this year. It's dedicated to building hybrid transaxles. This plant in [Liberty, North Carolina,](https://pressroom.toyota.com/facility/toyota-battery-manufacturing-north-carolina/) came online and started producing in *June*. You don’t have a "point," as you’re conflating limited production with artificially limited supply. There’s a difference between a company that cant build more & one that chooses not to in order to drive up margins & demand. >I literally said they don't have the top spot in the very section of my comment you quoted. You "literally" also stated that Toyota "misses out on the top spot" in U.S. sales due to the Tundra, which is misleading, as Toyota is trailing GM in overall U.S. sales YTD primarily due to GMs new BEV lineup now.

Reply

[-]

Captain_Alaska@reddit

> All companies aren't utilizing Toyota spurious artificial scarcity tactics either Right. But it’s not really a ‘artificial scarcity tactic’ to do the same thing everyone else does. > You don’t have a "point," as you’re conflating limited production with artificially limited supply. There’s a difference between a company that cant build more & one that chooses not to in order to drive up margins & demand. Right. If they weren’t production limited why would sales go up when a new factory opens? Wouldn’t they just continue selling the same amount of cars? Why would they open the factory in the first place? > You "literally" also stated that Toyota "misses out on the top spot" in U.S. sales due to the Tundra, which is misleading, as Toyota is trailing GM in overall U.S. sales YTD primarily due to GMs new BEV lineup now. GM’s EVs objectively are not making anywhere near as much as a dent in GM’s overall sales figures this year as the 422k Silverados and 250k Sierras are.

Reply

[-]

Gorgenapper@reddit

Yeah there is no artificial scarcity going on here for something as crazy popular as the RAV4. These things are made and sold even before they reach the dealership, meanwhile the Honda dealership has over 30 CRVs that they can't move because everyone wants a RAV4.

Reply

[-]

EICONTRACT@reddit

plant near me is running forced saturday shift

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

>artificial scarcity tactics [Toyota's record sales run extends to a seventh month(https://financialpost.com/transportation/autos/toyotas-sales-seventh-month) — Aug 28, 2025

Reply

[-]

mags87@reddit

As usual, reddit's snarky and pessimistic userbase always goes with their anecdotal stories and gut feeling over the real life data thats easily findable.

Reply

[-]

teakwoodtile@reddit

Not sure I understand the hype. But then again, most people just want good resale and projected reliability. 4th gen Tundra? Yeah, never heard of it.

Reply

[-]

Vulnox@reddit

Agreed. We rented a well equipped RAV4 on a trip early this year. I would not spend what Toyota is asking for that vehicle and I’m shocked people find it so appealing. The engine was gutless, the key fob looked like it should be from a vehicle 20 years older, and the interior was not appealing or comfortable. It was a 2024 MY too with only about 8,000 miles on it, so it wasn’t an issue of rental car abuse or whatever. I know people claim reliability, but I would rather risk visiting a service center once or twice over five years than drive that thing every single day.

Reply

[-]

DenseSherbet1930@reddit

Everyone has different needs and wants. Renting a possible buy is excellent way to decide. Realizing one's opinion, tho viable, doesn't apply to others, isn't a negative, but just the way humanity works

Reply

[-]

teggyteggy@reddit

What are you comparing the RAV4 to? Compare it to the CR-V and the Mazda CX-5.

Reply

[-]

teakwoodtile@reddit

I rent a lot of cars, often Corollas, spend days at a time in them, and I totally agree. The engine sounds like a farm implement and the interior makes my Subaru feel like an Audi. There is a certain appeal to the "rugged" feel, but not for my money. Somehow a Versa SV has a nicer, better assembled cabin? Lol.

Reply

[-]

require_borgor@reddit

My girlfriend has a Corolla and I fucking hate it. Terrible NVH, sound system is ass, ride sucks, slow as shit. Good mileage and parts are cheap but it hasn't been particularly reliable either..

Reply

[-]

Ran4@reddit

The corolla drives great. Not sure if you're talking about a fifteen year old corolla of something.

Reply

[-]

require_borgor@reddit

2017, I guess you could say it handles ok? Under 200k km and there are rattles everywhere, I'm extremely unimpressed by it

Reply

[-]

handymanshandle@reddit

My boyfriend rented a Corolla hybrid when we went to Canada, while I drove there in my Elantra (somewhat long story to it). That Corolla sucked so much that even he wanted to spend time in my car over his rental. It was not a particularly good car.

Reply

[-]

teakwoodtile@reddit

The funny thing is, here in Canada, there's maybe a 3k difference between a top trim Corolla hybrid and Elantra N.

Reply

[-]

Innocent-Bystander94@reddit

>5 years There’s your problem. People buying Toyotas buy them to drive them for 15-20 years

Reply

[-]

Politicsboringagain@reddit

Right? You think a person in a car forum would understand why people buy cars. We buy Toyota because we want a car, not a status symbol like a BMW or a Mercedes. We just want to buy a car that will get us from point a to point B reliably for most of our life and then hand it do to our family at 180,000 miles plus without any major repairs.

Reply

[-]

ConfusedTapeworm@reddit

I feel the same. My dad has a Corolla. The thing saw 150k km with just regular maintenance and didn't even bat an eyelid. But the seats are uncomfortable as hell, both front and back. Assorted wind noises from at least 3 different spots on top of the copious amounts of road/tire noise. The trim sounds and feels like it's about to start falling off any second now. Infotainment looks like it was made by unpaid interns over the course of one single sprint by hastily mashing various UI components together. And there's this weird impracticality to the interior where you just can't really feel *settled in*, if that makes sense. The drivetrain feels asleep all the time. My dad tells me to buy one of those because they're so damn reliable but... no. I'd rather have something that doesn't constantly feel like I'm driving a low spec rental or a fleet car or whatever.

Reply

[-]

SirLoremIpsum@reddit

> the key fob looked like it should be from a vehicle 20 years older That's the appeal for some people. Some people like fancy tech fobs and screens and connected technology. Others like fobs and buttons.

Reply

[-]

DavidSpy@reddit

Exactly, all I need from a key fob is to be able to unlock the doors, nothing more. There is a trend towards throwing the kitchen sink at every design and it corrupts functionality. Case in point is how every flashlight needs 20 light modes you have to cycle through every time you use it.

Reply

[-]

IAmA_Guy@reddit

We are waiting for our oldest Toyota to stop working so we can justify getting a new one. It’s almost 30 years old and showing no signs of stopping 😅

Reply

[-]

waituhsecond@reddit

I agree but the reliability/resale are probably what most non car people care about. You’d be surprised how many people treat their cars like crap, forgoing maintenance and beating them up. Toyota has developed a reputation that you can treat the car like crap and it will still run.

Reply

[-]

Ancient_Wisdom_Yall@reddit

I test drove a RAV4 and had much the same thoughts as you. Ended up buying a loaded Outback. The interior and ride quality was leaps and bounds above the Toyota.

Reply

[-]

AllYouNeed_Is_Smiles@reddit

I think for most people if they plan on keeping a car for 10-15 years or drive a lot then a Toyota/Lexus makes sense because of their reliability and costs of long term ownership after the warranty period is over. But for people who trade in their car every four to six years, it’s not as much of an attractive offering. The RAV4 is the standard for crossover SUVs still but it’s certainly not a standout with their competitors trying to compete in an already bland market.

Reply

[-]

Mustangfast85@reddit

100%. They’re so underwhelming in every aspect. I’d almost rather have a stellantis product just to spice up life a bit

Reply

[-]

No_Cherry_1423@reddit

Frankly if Toyotas were actually worth the hype and reputation every other car brand would be fucked. They’re just solid appliances that will sufficiently whelm most consumers, so other brands aren’t fucked.

Reply

[-]

ccouch5859@reddit

Not the case with tundras and tacomas. Lots near me have been sitting on a ton of them for a long time.

Reply

[-]

bngrxd@reddit

Does Honda have this problem?

Reply

[-]

Windows-XP-Home-NEW@reddit

Certainly not with the 11th gen Accord lmao

Reply

[-]

Lepryy@reddit

Honestly why is that? Is the Civic just the better buy?

Reply

[-]

MoistBaguetteLawyer@reddit

Hard to say. I think it took a big step backwards in the looks department compared to the prior gen. This one just looks a lot cheaper on the outside. The reviews are pretty universal that it's a better car overall, but it looks like a rental car now.

Reply

[-]

functioning00@reddit

But it's missing the 2.0t, so it can't be better. And yes I'm just saying this because I have a 2.0t. I don't hate how it looks though.

Reply

[-]

Godrillax@reddit

Most Honda shoppers do not care for the 2.0t in an economy car.

Reply

[-]

functioning00@reddit

I didn't say I'm most Honda shoppers

Reply

[-]

Godrillax@reddit

I didn’t either

Reply

[-]

functioning00@reddit

Then what's your point?

Reply

[-]

redundantpsu@reddit

The Camry is just a slightly better car, at least by perception so most people lean that way. Very similar to the Corolla-Civic sales. Over the last 20 years, the Civic solidified itself as the go-to compact car, similar to the Camry for a mid-sized sedan.

Reply

[-]

teggyteggy@reddit

I wouldn't call having eAWD just slightly better. It's DEFINITELY better.

Reply

[-]

Windows-XP-Home-NEW@reddit

- Price increases while offering nothing new or improved - Incredibly poorly equipped base model (this applies to the Civic too but the difference is that the Civic’s low price justifies this and makes it perfectly fine) - Lacks features all of its competitors have - Looks uglier and more boring vs the last gen - the death of sedans, obviously - Very minor crowd, but those who used to buy it for the sportiness or to mod it don’t anymore, because the new one isn’t sporty at all, and neither of the powertrains allow for modding - Higher trims are more expensive than competitors while offering less - Also probably a minor crowd: but no AWD So basically the most important reasons why it sucks are that nobody buys sedans anymore, it’s terrible value, and all of its competitors destroy it in every possible way (except for the boring factor). In this economy people are not willing to pay more to get less. Honda should take note.

Reply

[-]

Lucifers_Tits@reddit

My fiancee were shopping for a Civic a while back and every dealership was just rows and rows of 11th gen accords.

Reply

[-]

mada447@reddit

Well yeah, the Accord is ugly af

Reply

[-]

wayvywayvy@reddit

The civic is just a better buy Same passenger capacity More cargo space with the hatch Better mileage Good hp and torque figures for its class It’s a no brainer

Reply

[-]

Lucifers_Tits@reddit

It also looks better. Last gens accord looked better than its respective civic, and this time around it flipped. Also the civic is a big car now as well.

Reply

[-]

Windows-XP-Home-NEW@reddit

Not surprising in the slightest lol

Reply

[-]

toomuchredditmaj@reddit

The honda toyota would be insane though

Reply

[-]

magnament@reddit

No, they don’t make any Toyotas

Reply

[-]

Rynowash@reddit

Damn..

Reply

[-]

Vazhox@reddit

Ha! Got Heem

Reply

[-]

eric_gm@reddit

Lol. Get off the internet, dad

Reply

[-]

ninjanoodlin@reddit

r/unexpectedairplane

Reply

[-]

SirLoremIpsum@reddit

10/10

Reply

[-]

rhunter99@reddit

*slow clap *

Reply

[-]

Adorable-Rest9027@reddit

Me irl

Reply

[-]

deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

Reply

[-]

AutoModerator@reddit

No rage bait, memes, trolling, copypasta, or low-quality joke posts or comments. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/cars) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Reply

[-]

Hopeful_Morning_469@reddit

And somehow Tesla is worth like four times more than Toyota??

Reply

[-]

DavidSpy@reddit

Just gullible retail investors who still believe autopilot fsd is coming Next Year(tm) for the last decade.

Reply

[-]

Next_Necessary_8794@reddit

found the Ferrari F1 fan. lol.

Reply

[-]

szaeawar@reddit

This is on purpose. Keep inventory low, automatically increases demand. Less discounts, more profit.

Reply

[-]

Aftershok@reddit

How does a car company that has been the highest selling brand for four years straight and is on a record high sales pace for 2025 intentionally “keep inventory low?” Explain how that would work - there is zero incentive tor Toyota to do this since markups on high demand/low supply vehicles go to the dealer, not the manufacturer, and ultimately means they sell fewer cars. It’s in Toyota’s interest to sell as many cars as possible and meet demand, not artificially limit it.

Reply

[-]

szaeawar@reddit

Remember most discounts and rebates are from the Manufacturer not the dealer. The interest rate is also from the manufacturer and banks, not the dealer. More demand, offer less discount and high interest for more profit. Toyota dealers are milking these car with records profits. I know one GM at a dealership, his bonus for last was over $1 million. Sink that in.

Reply

[-]

Aftershok@reddit

Your premise is that a reduction in supply relies in greater demand which is simply not true. Basic economics shows that when the supply reduces, *price* increases, not demand. The demand would be there, they would just not be taking advantage of it. Again, markups go to dealers. If every car they’re producing is getting sold anyway, what is Toyota’s incentive to intentionally make fewer cars? So the optimal strategy, according to this, is to manufacture a single car and make $1zillion in profit? At a 1trillion% interest rate? Toyota dealers are “milking profits” *because people want the cars.* Not because Toyota is making fewer of them.

Reply

[-]

szaeawar@reddit

There are other Manufacturers like Ferrari and Roll Royce. Same practice. Keep production limited, it results in more demand, keep prices high and resale value. With Toyota, same stagey.

Reply

[-]

Aftershok@reddit

Limited production keeps the price high, it does not in itself increase demand. In the case of Rolls-Royce, you are comparing them to Toyota, the latter of which has literally four *orders of magnitude* more individual vehicle sales than the former. Scarcity tactics might be a valid strategy in an ultrapremium luxury segment to raise the average transaction price, but it’s a totally different approach than Toyota, who, again, are literally selling more vehicles than *any other single manufacturer on the planet right now.* You still have not explained why a manufacturer whose income scales directly with volume would ever intentionally make *fewer cars* when every single car they make is being sold with among the shortest time-on-lot averages in the industry. They sure are raising the *prices* of their cars to align with their incentive to capitalize on the demand, but it makes no sense to reduce *supply* when they can continue to keep prices high and still move record volumes.

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

Yeah, it can't be emphasized enough people like u/szaeawar have no fucking clue what they're talking about. Toyota's been doing [record production numbers all year long.](https://financialpost.com/transportation/autos/toyotas-sales-seventh-month) Classic blind-leading-the-blind internet misinformation echo chamber.

Reply

[-]

szaeawar@reddit

Do you work at their dealership?

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

Do I work at whose dealership?

Reply

[-]

szaeawar@reddit

Toyota?

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

https://financialpost.com/transportation/autos/toyotas-sales-seventh-month

Reply

[-]

szaeawar@reddit

4%? So? Hyundai went from 10th place to 5th and now 3rd. Yet they have more inventory than they need. They now sell almost 20% of stock to Fleet. I love the Toyota brand but hate this practice. I used to work for Toyota. They did not exercise this practice in the past, but since covid, they are have taken advantage.

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

>They did not exercise this practice in the past, but since covid, they are have taken advantage. [Toyota overtakes Volkswagen as world’s biggest automaker](https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/business/toyota-volkswagen-japan-germany-intl-hnk) — January 28, 2021

Reply

[-]

tclark2006@reddit

Yea wouldn't be surprised if they got loads of inventory stacked up in Japan. That was pretty much how Honda was handling the Type R distribution to keep hype and markups going.

Reply

[-]

szaeawar@reddit

No, most of cars except for the 4 Runner and Land Cruiser, are build in Canada or US. But again, they limited their production to keep demand high. I know this, because i work in the industry.

Reply

[-]

jmbre11@reddit

The 70 tundras on the lot and zero percent at all dealers determined that was a lie.

Reply

[-]

biggsteve81@reddit

Now try and get a Rav4.

Reply

[-]

jmbre11@reddit

Zero for 72 or 139 lease rav 4 they have 41 on the lot and 100 in route. Another dealer 65 on the lot 20 in transit.

Reply

[-]

Realistic_Ear_3052@reddit

Great They are going to over produce a bunch of over priced hybrid battery reliant cars . Get your down payment monies up! Anyway it is most likey lies meant to force the car sales up.

Reply

[-]

1_BigPapi@reddit

Honestly I've been helping my friend car shop. All the dealers were quietish with minimal dealers except Toyota and Ford so far. But Toyota and Lexus both ... wow they had like 20 salesmen in there. Compare to most that had like 2 or 3.

Reply

[-]

I_amnotanonion@reddit

Toyota stores are generally larger than a GM or Ford store because they don’t want/allow a lot of extra dealers like GM and Ford. This usually means larger and busier sales floor. The American makers allow more smaller stores to cover more rural areas, and at least with GM, to cover their different brands

Reply

[-]

pdp10@reddit

Domestic brands had those dealers in the 1930s or 1950s, then laws plus contracts meant those dealers stayed forever. I think it cost GM a billion dollars to buy out the Oldsmobile dealers circa 2001. Whereas a new startup like Tesla or... Scout, doesn't have thousands of legacy dealers with contracts.

Reply

[-]

1_BigPapi@reddit

Interesting. Never thought about it. Makes sense. Tho I am in a city but even here you are right about more domestic dealers.

Reply

[-]

one_five_one@reddit

Yeah but they don't have any cars.

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

That's because they're selling them all, champ.

Reply

[-]

German_Smith@reddit

Like others have said, having extra capacity is money that was spent that wasn't needed at the time.

Reply

[-]

Intelligent_Top_328@reddit

Time to jack up the price.

Reply

[-]

FothersIsWellCool@reddit

Isn't that the plan because over-supply will reduce their profit on each vehicle?

Reply

[-]

avboden@reddit

The RAV4 hybrid has always been in short supply. Now that they’re going all hybrid that’ll only get worse. Nothing new

Reply

[-]

biggsteve81@reddit

The new Toyota Battery Plant in North Carolina just came online a couple months ago. They should be able to keep production up.

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

> Now that they're going all hybrid that'll only get worse. They're not halving RAV4 production bud, they're doubling hybrid powertrain production. It's the same number of RAV4s total, they're just all going to be hybrids.

Reply

[-]

avboden@reddit

Until the inevitable part shortage for the hybrid components

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

Totally non-sensical and unfounded scaremongering. The Camry already made the transition with no problem. Hybrids make up 50% of Toyota's global production. This is barely a lift for them, especially with the $14B battery factory that just went online.

Reply

[-]

avboden@reddit

Hope so, we shall see

Reply

[-]

qualifier_g@reddit

Toyota is famous for embracing lean manufacturing. I think this is pretty optimal for them.

Reply

[-]

zx666r@reddit

They don't even let you build a certain spec from the factory anymore. You can "request" a spec but unless a dealer is willing to pull some strings for a special allocation then the most they can do is try to make a dealer trade for that spec from somewhere else in the country. Toyota figured out during Covid that people will basically just buy whatever is available, so they scaled their production to meet that.

Reply

[-]

1PistnRng2RuleThmAll@reddit

I wanted a manual V6 4x4 extended cab. The salesman almost laughed after I’d only said extended cab 4x4.

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

>They don't even let you build a certain spec from the factory anymore. They never did.

Reply

[-]

zx666r@reddit

Ah, from my experience with other brands it seemed unusual, guess Toyotas are different.

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

Some brands do it, some brands don't. It also varies from region to region. It isn't unusual at all for conglomerates, though.

Reply

[-]

tablepennywad@reddit

More like anorexic at this point.

Reply

[-]

one_five_one@reddit

Their supply chain was absolutely destroyed by covid though. They were the #1 worst hit of all the auto makers.

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

[Toyota overtakes Volkswagen as world's biggest automaker](https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/business/toyota-volkswagen-japan-germany-intl-hnk) — January 28, 2021 [Toyota defends title as world's top-selling automaker in 2022](https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/toyota-defends-title-worlds-top-selling-automaker-2022-2023-01-30/) — Jan 30, 2023 [Toyota Beats VW as World's Top Carmaker for Fifth Straight Year](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-30/toyota-beats-vw-as-world-s-top-carmaker-for-fifth-straight-year) — January 30, 2025 Sometimes people on Reddit say things so wrong it's just flabbergasting.

Reply

[-]

Mustang1718@reddit

I was going to say that I remember very vividly this subreddit being very surprised that Toyota was doing fine. While they are known for the lean manufacturing, they also had a large supply of parts on hand already and we're not nearly as affected as other manufacturers.

Reply

[-]

Recoil42@reddit

>I was going to say that I remember very vividly this subreddit being very surprised that Toyota was doing fine. Just chuckling at the applicability of this sentence to any year of the past fifteen years.

Reply

[-]

Moronico60@reddit

Well of course they were, if they’re manufacturing the most cars then they need the most parts

Reply

[-]

Alepale@reddit

Well this is now another reason why the RAV4 used market is extremely expensive. On top of them just making very good, sturdy cars and having amazing warranty. Really wanted a RAV4 as my family is growing in size. But they're more expensive than any other SUV in their category. Maybe Mercedes, BMW and Audi can compete in price, but that's about it. Even 2020-models are going for like 40k here in Sweden. 45-49k for anything newer.

Reply

[-]

Deep-Television-9756@reddit

3 years 36,000 miles is an amazing warranty?

Reply

[-]

Alepale@reddit

In Sweden Toyota has a 10 year warranty.

Reply

[-]

Deep-Television-9756@reddit

That’s a half truth. The warranty only extends to 10 years if you exclusively maintain the vehicle at a Toyota service center every single year. You can’t bring it to third party mechanics.

Reply

[-]

WarCrimeGaming@reddit

Every car including the new Landcruisers are basically sold before they hit the lot. I had to put a refundable deposit down to look at a Supra this weekend.

Reply

[-]

zx666r@reddit

Tell that to my local dealer with a lot full of Tacomas and Tundras. A few Supras sat for a couple months, GR Corollas sitting too. They're not selling as soon as they hit the lot EVERYWHERE as most people would lead you to believe.

Reply

[-]

Mjolnir12@reddit

The tundras at least had engine failure issues that don’t affect the land cruiser and 4runner which may have reduced demand. They are also made in north america instead of japan.

Reply

[-]

WarCrimeGaming@reddit

I wish I could get a Supra that day. Where do you live, Oahu? That’s the only place I’d see that happening.

Reply

[-]

zx666r@reddit

Midwest, they actually have one on the lot right now. 65k for a white on black 26 MT.

Reply

[-]

Falanax@reddit

Tacoma and Tundra aren’t selling well.

Reply

[-]

BigConscience728@reddit

Bc they are junk compared to the competition

Reply

[-]

hehechibby@reddit

> Tacoma and Tundra aren’t selling well. Tacoma specifically is on track to having it's best sales year to date in the US, Tundra had it's best year recently in 2024 since 2007

Reply

[-]

bearded_dragon_34@reddit

That’s hilarious, considering Toyota doesn’t manufacture the Supra (neither, for the record, does BMW). But I’m sure Toyota doesn’t commission very many Supras.

Reply

[-]

Intentionallyabadger@reddit

Same goes for the 86 in my country… but in my case, they aren’t even sure when it will come in.

Reply

[-]

dayvieee@reddit

I have a Toyota and Honda dealership I pass by once a month and the Toyota lot always has like 20-30 cars while Honda is always sitting around 100+

Reply

[-]

therusskiy@reddit

Our local Toyota dealer has dozens in Tacomas, Highlanders, 4Runners, and RAV4s and have no problem selling them

Reply

[-]

GeneralCommand4459@reddit

And this despite the attitude of a lot of Toyota salespeople

Reply

[-]

ApexDog@reddit

I love Toyotas but man are they expensive

Reply

[-]

Big_Smooth_CO@reddit

They have still not caught up from Covid demand. It’s interesting though. With the taco, tundra and the bug suv all having big engine problems their track record is starting to diminish. That engine is hurting Lexus too. I personally won’t buy a vehicle with it. Hell I passed on my reservation of a GX 550 as it’s a worse vehicle then the 460. Actually getting ready to buy another 460 and finish off my current that I daily with it’s off road conversion

Reply

[-]

hehechibby@reddit

> With the taco, tundra and the bug suv all having big engine problems their track record is starting to diminish. eh not the taco since it doesn't use the engine in the bigger suvs. Tacoma is about to have it's best sales year ever in it's history in the US

Reply

[-]

Big_Smooth_CO@reddit

Over a million cars recalled for a back up camera issue and I may not be correct on this as I don’t have the recap post in front of me but it’s like 450k engines with the debris issue. That’s over the lx,GX, Tacoma and tundra models. Tacoma may be having its best year ever but I still wouldn’t own one with the cheating of interior and engine issues. They are the top for mid sized truck still though. I had one tundra multiple old runners 2 89s & a 96. Sold countless used Toyotas. Owned a Tundra 2012. Lexus won me over with this GX 460 though. That being said I don’t see myself buying a 550.

Reply

[-]

Big_Smooth_CO@reddit

Ahhh you are right about the Tacoma. I should not be including that in there. I was reading about the Tacoma recalls and just included it in the engine for some reason. Tacoma has had two recalls this last year. Both pretty bad but also in very limited numbers. 6k for one and I don’t remember the count in the other but I didn’t think it was high either.

Reply

[-]

Occhrome@reddit

Crazy how the whole building quality cars 30 years ago has paid off. Meanwhile the American cars were just worried about making a quick buck.

Reply

[-]

sharkeymcsharkface@reddit

When I bought my sienna last month there were almost no cars on the lot to be sold… they were all already spoken for! I was impressed.

Reply

[-]

TurtleCrusher@reddit

My 24 Corolla Hybrid SE was not built to the standards they had on either of my Prius copies. Rattles everywhere, several week one fixes, and the drivetrain is poorly spec’d for body and wheel sizes. For a $27k vehicle I think they missed the mark completely. I traded it in for a used ID.4.

Reply

[-]

BannytheBoss@reddit

This is why I'm just keeping my old vehicles.

Reply

[-]

V8-Turbo-Hybrid@reddit

It's one of popular models model now so make sense. It isn't just best selling model in North America, it's also besting selling model in other worlds too. Consider Toyota planning to export more American made models, RAV4 shortage is very likely. Japan, Taiwan, and some of worlds would receive American made models, as they open and allow more imported models from America. American models also includes American made Japanese models.

Reply

[-]