GM launches incentive program for current Toyota owners

[SVT666]

GM launches incentive program for current Toyota owners
01/27/2010, 5:14 PM
BY DREW JOHNSON

   
With Toyota?s sales operations effectively on hold, General Motors is reaching out to those Toyota owners concerned about the Japanese automaker?s ongoing recall problems. Toyota was forced to halt sales of eight models following a recall announced last week.

General Motors says it is getting ?barraged? by Toyota owners looking to jump ship after the most recent recall of 2.3 million vehicles, with the Detroit automaker much obliged to make that transition a little easier. ?A lot of these customers were our customers, ? and they?re looking for help and we want to provide help,? Steve Hill, GM general manager of retail sales support, told the Detroit Free Press.

In order to aid that transition, GM is offering an incentive program for ?any Toyota owner?.

Per the terms of the program, current Toyota lease holders can get up to $1,000 to terminate their lease contract and get behind the wheel of any Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac or GMC vehicle. Toyota owners are also qualified for 0 percent financing for up to 60 months or $1,000 cash back.

The promotion is slated to run through the end of February. Of note, Toyota?s production shutdown is scheduled to run through at least February 5th.

[The Pirate]

Hehe, nice.  I'm rather liking the new GMs.  Were I shopping for a low cost midsize car (and the Fusion was out of the running), I'd probably get a Malibu.

[SVT666]

Hehe, nice.  I'm rather liking the new GMs.  Were I shopping for a low cost midsize car (and the Fusion was out of the running), I'd probably get a Malibu.

So in other words you would buy the Fusion first.

[The Pirate]

So in other words you would buy the Fusion first.

Well, yes.  But the point is that I wouldn't have even thought about a GM car a few years ago.

[giant_mtb]

Nice move, GM.   I like seeing this...it's as though now the auto companies are actually competing and aren't afraid to take a stab or two at one another!  I love it.  I think we're going to see lots of improvement and advances in the industry over the next 5-10 years while the companies try to take the big stake in the recovering market!

Competition!

[Vinsanity]

Good move, but what they should really try to do is figure out how to win all those prospective buyers who would have bought a Toyota, but can't, due to the freeze on production and sales.

[sportyaccordy]

Good reason to go for a Cobalt SS....

If the Malibu were a little smaller I'd go for that too; it's girth to me is the only strike against it when compared to the Fusion

[AutobahnSHO]

Good move, but what they should really try to do is figure out how to win all those prospective buyers who would have bought a Toyota, but can't, due to the freeze on production and sales.

haha Yes, GM should do well against a company which can't sell any cars.

[FoMoJo]

haha Yes, GM should do well against a company which can't sell any cars.

[BimmerM3]

In order to aid that transition, GM is offering an incentive program for ?any Toyota owner?.

Step 1: Purchase POS Toyota truck: http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/cto/1573807412.html
Step 2: Receive $1000 for buying a GM.
Step 3: Sell POS Toyota truck.

[Vinsanity]

lol, that looks like the Hilux that they tried to destroy in those old TG episodes

I bet there's a stipulation that you have to own the Toyota vehicle for a minimum amount of time, though...

[Submariner]

I somehow doubt GM is getting "barraged" from Toyota owners looking to jump ship just like that.  What, are other manufacturers not worthy of Toyota owners?

This seems like a desperate attempt at publicity, and on the heels of their "truck-off" between the Silverado and the Super Duty, I really think it's just that.  

Besides, people should admire a company willing to take such steps to ensure their product is properly fixed.  I have my doubt's that GM would take such measures if it were their product faced with similar problems.

I cannot believe I'm defending Toyota! 

[the Teuton]

I somehow doubt GM is getting "barraged" from Toyota owners looking to jump ship just like that.  What, are other manufacturers not worthy of Toyota owners?

This seems like a desperate attempt at publicity, and on the heels of their "truck-off" between the Silverado and the Super Duty, I really think it's just that. 

Besides, people should admire a company willing to take such steps to ensure their product is properly fixed.  I have my doubt's that GM would take such measures if it were their product faced with similar problems.

I cannot believe I'm defending Toyota! 

If GM would have acknowledged and taken action with the manifold gasket design on many of their V6 cars through 2002, it would have bankrupted the company. Not like it mattered then -- I guess it was only a matter of time.

[r0tor]

I believe GM's fix in the late 80's for exploding gas tanks in their trucks was sending the owners a $500 rebate for the purchase of a new GM truck...

[AutobahnSHO]

Besides, people should admire a company willing to take such steps to ensure their product is properly fixed. 

It's not entirely voluntary. Some other article pointed out the Feds were making Toyota do the recalls. They're keeping just one step ahead of MANDATORY recalls. Toyota has done a good job of making sure it looks voluntary though...

[93JC]

I believe GM's fix in the late 80's for exploding gas tanks in their trucks was sending the owners a $500 rebate for the purchase of a new GM truck...

Yeah, because there was no problem with exploding gas tanks.

NBC's Dateline staged it.

[hotrodalex]

[S204STi]

If GM would have acknowledged and taken action with the manifold gasket design on many of their V6 cars through 2002, it would have bankrupted the company. Not like it mattered then -- I guess it was only a matter of time.

Id say the severity is a bit different.  I mean, intake leaks at 90k miles versus fiery death.

[2o6]

Good reason to go for a Cobalt SS....

If the Malibu were a little smaller I'd go for that too; it's girth to me is the only strike against it when compared to the Fusion

Chevrolet Malibu:

Length: 191.8"
Width: 70.3"
Height: 57.1"
Wheelbase: 112.3"

Ford Fusion:
Wheelbase: 107.4 in
Length: 190.6 in
Width: 72.2 in
Height: 56.9 in



They're the same size.

[the Teuton]

Weight?

[2o6]

Weight?

Irrelevant.


Malibu: 3435lbs
Fusion: 3342lbs.


Both are for 4-cylinder, automatic transmission models.

[the Teuton]

Irrelevant.


Malibu: 3435lbs
Fusion: 3342lbs.


Both are for 4-cylinder, automatic transmission models.

Big cars.  You can get a manumatic Malibu I4, though.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Chevrolet Malibu:

Length: 191.8"
Width: 70.3"
Height: 57.1"
Wheelbase: 112.3"

Ford Fusion:
Wheelbase: 107.4 in
Length: 190.6 in
Width: 72.2 in
Height: 56.9 in



They're the same size.

Fukin a', I can't look at specs all jumbled up like that.

	Chevrolet Malibu	Ford Fusion
Height (inches):	57.1	56.9
Length (inches):	191.8	190.6
Width (inches):	70.3	72.2
Wheelbase (inches):	112.3	107.4
Weight (pounds):	3435	3342

[SVT666]

Big cars.  You can get a manumatic Malibu I4, though.

You can get a Fusion I4 with a slick 6 speed manual.

[The Pirate]

You can get a Fusion I4 with a slick 6 speed manual.

And that's the diamond in the midsize, affordable sedan market today, IMO.

[the Teuton]

You can get a Fusion I4 with a slick 6 speed manual.

Point Fusion.

[Eye of the Tiger]

It needs a turbo. Ecoboost 4cyl 6spd Fusion.

[the Teuton]

It needs a turbo. Ecoboost 4cyl 6spd Fusion.

MazdaSpeedFusionFTW.

[SVT666]

And that's the diamond in the midsize, affordable sedan market today, IMO.

I was surprised that it was actually fun.  The clutch is a little on the light side, but it engages in the same place as my SVTF.  The tranny is slick.  I was really impressed with it.  I've given some thought to replacing the SVT with one of these and get an aftermarket suspension for it.  Steeda offers a handling pack for it which includes springs, shocks and struts, rear sway bar, and strut tower brace for $699 and it also lowers the car by 1.5".  Steeda makes kickass Mustang suspension pieces, so I trust their Fusion stuff would be good too.

[Raza]

And that's the diamond in the midsize, affordable sedan market today, IMO.

Yeah, if you exclude the Passat and CC.