Impact of Earthquake/Tsunami on Japanese Vehicle Availability

[Klackamas]

Assessment of where each manufacturer stands...

http://www.autoobserver.com/2011/03/quake-aftermath-severe-deep-auto-sector-impact.html

[sportyaccordy]

Is all the damage insured?

[Klackamas]

Toyota Says It Will Shut Down North American Plants

Published April 04, 2011 | Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky -- A Toyota Motor Corp. spokesman says it's inevitable that the company will have to shut down its North American factories due to shortages of parts from Japan.

Spokesman Mike Goss says the shutdowns are likely to take place later this month, affecting about 25,000 workers. But he says no layoffs are expected.

He says the length of the shutdowns is unknown and depends on how fast earthquake-damaged Japanese parts factories get back in operation.

Toyota gets about 15 percent of its parts from Japan for cars and trucks built in North America.
The company has more than a dozen North American factories.

Goss made the comments Monday before an appearance in Louisville by Toyota's head of North American operations

[Klackamas]

The nuclear/earthquake fallout will hit many auto manufacturers in the coming months because many of the electrical parts and components in Japanese/American/German cars come from Hitachi, who has many factories affected north and west of where the nuclear plants blew up and earthquakes took place.

a Nissan service manager told me yesterday big shortages in parts are coming for everyone.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/21/idUSL3E7EL34A20110321

If you need repair work done or want to buy a car, you may not want to wait too long or add this info into your plans.