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Toyota Goes Country to Sell Big Trucks

By Joe Benton
ConsumerAffairs.com

May 12, 2006

• GMAC Changing Name to Ally Bank • New Car Sales Show Improvement From May • April Dismal For U.S. And Foreign Carmakers • Chrysler Files for Bankruptcy, GMAC Takes Over Financing • Auto Sales Stagnant, But Hope Appears • What Would a Chrysler Bankruptcy Mean For You? • U.S. Carmakers Getting More Federal Aid • GM Cuts More Jobs, Eyes China • New Car Sales Plunge in February • Car Buyers Seeking Higher Fuel Economy • Video: Do Women Really Hate Car Shopping? • GM Plans New Minicar, Electric Cadillac • GMAC Becomes a Bank • White House to Loan Carmakers $17.4 Billion • Chrysler Closing Car Plants for 30 Days • What Would a Washington-Designed Car Industry Look Like? • States Want Stronger Used Car Rule • Industry Troubles Cloud LA Car Show • Carmakers Get Neither Love Nor Money From Congress • Taxpayers Headed For Automotive Bailout • Time May Be Running Short for U.S. Carmakers • Feds Move Closer to Carmaker Bailout • New-Vehicle Buyers Turn to the Web in Record Numbers --- • More about Auto Sales ...

As part of a campaign to sell more full-sized pickup trucks in the U.S., the Toyota Motor Corp. is boot scootin' into the heartland of the U.S.

The soon-to-be No. 1 automaker in the world has announced a two-year sponsorship deal for country music stars Brooks and Dunn.

Brooks and Dunn brought us the Boot Scootin' Boogie before they took up with Toyota.

The Japanese automaker is taking aim at boot scooters now lining up for the Ford F-150 pickup truck series, the Chevrolet Silverado line of trucks and the Chrysler groups Dodge Ram trucks.

America's big truck buyers are the last remaining part of the U.S. market still fiercely loyal to U.S. automakers. Nevertheless, all of the U.S. Big Three continue to encounter difficulties with pickup truck reliability that have spurred thousands of complaints to ConsumerAffairs.com and other consumer organizations.

Truck owners have reported major problems with Dodge, Ford and GM products, suggesting that large U.S. pickup trucks could well be vulnerable to Toyota sales campaign.

The company is counting on its reputation for quality and fuel efficiency to help beat back any potential political backlash this new assault on the U.S. heartland might cultivate.

However, prospective truck purchasers shouldn't think American-built trucks are the only ones to experience problems. Toyota owners fault their Tacomas and Tundras for engine problems and excessive brake wear and often find Toyota no more anxious to make things right than their American counterparts.

Toyota is moving into America's pickup truck heartland with a style that is difficult to ignore. The company is sponsoring a professional fishing tour, several NASCAR truck racing teams and plans to sponsor NASCAR stock car racing with several teams next year.

All the while, the Japanese automaker emphasizes its contributions to the U.S. economy with advertising messages that are intended to appeal to the heartland truck owners who might otherwise buy American.

Toyota plans to double production of the full-sized Tundra pickup truck for 2007 with the addition of a new assembly plant in San Antonio, Texas. Truck sales at Toyota have increased by 6 percent so far this year but most of that is due to sales of the smaller Toyota Tacoma pickup.

The new Toyota campaign focuses on the big pickups.

Toyota would not disclose the cost of their deal with Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn but the two are one of the biggest selling groups in country music.

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