Forbes: Why Can't All Automakers Be Like Toyota?

We have all heard someone say, "Why can't you be like...?" fill in the blank.

Well, it's not very often we hear of a major publications making the same kind of comparisons among automotive companies, but that's exactly what Forbes Magazine did in an online article.

In "Why Don't All Automakers Copy "The Toyota Way" In Order to Be As Reliable As Toyota?" the author basically asks all the younger automaking siblings, "Why can't you be like your big brother Toyota?"

Ouch. (By the way, I'm pretty sure that kind of parenting/constructive criticism is looked down upon with real siblings nowadays).

He points out that most automakers copied Toyota's production process to a point years ago, but seem to have lost their way or left out some key components that keep them from running as smoothly as Toyota: bureaucracy, worker strikes (from management and union workers alike), 'mandatory' overhead expenditures, and poor management processes.

"At Toyota, on the other hand, the production system rules were baked in. They had been an important part of Toyota’s business and culture since the first days Toyota started building cars. The bureaucracy reinforced the process, rather than challenging it."

Those sound like pretty big problems for those automaking little siblings and not like they really copied the "Toyota Way," but many have found their way back to the "Toyota Way."

The author states that nowadays many automakers copy Toyota "to a very high degree" because of its effectiveness, efficiency, and, simply, profitability, which allows it to invest in further part and technological development. This, in turn, creates an environment that manufactures vehicles with the high quality, reliability, and dependability everyone expects from Toyota.

What do you think? Why do you think Toyota is so successful that other automakers should (or are) copying it?

Allow us to introduce you to triathlete, and Team Toyota member, Sarah Haskins

Toyota GT86 vs Ford Fiesta ST: Video

Toyota GT 86

We get to watch our fair share of "car vs car" videos, but this seven minute video of a race trial between the Toyota GT86 and Ford Fiesta ST by EVO was genuinely entertaining. Maybe it was the driver's accent or his good descriptions of each turn or his honesty...or the fact that it looked like the Ford Fiesta ST might flip over at some point during this track battle. Yikes.

Let's start with the review of the Toyota GT86. Basically, the driver said the Toyota gets the win in 'fun over speed.' Which, honestly, I would gladly take if speed entails my rear wheel coming up off the ground as is found a couple times in the video while the driver is racing around in the Ford Fiesta ST.

"There is no question, it is huge amounts of fun," said the driver in the video.

Not only that, but it also 'well-sorted out' with good responsiveness that allows the driver to readily correct over-steering "without thinking too much." He compliments the brakes, but he states that the wheels are not great and hinders the performance of the Toyota GT86 because they don't grip as well as they could. The wheels were pretty much his only criticism of the Toyota GT86, which seems fine to us because wheels can always be changed.

What cannot be changed is how the 'small and urgent' Ford Fiesta ST has a tendency to leave the ground. To be honest, it was really unnerving to watch. And, while the Ford Fiesta ST may have finished the timed race around the track 1.2 seconds faster than the Toyota GT86, I would take a slower time over my tires coming off the ground. But that's just me and I freak out over stuff like that :)

The driver also stated that the Ford Fiesta ST was a "ball of energy" it was a little "extreme." It was also hard to find the balance of under-steering and over-steering. He also noted there was a lack of lateral control making it hard to get a grip in and out of corners. It is almost like the car can't handle the amount of torque the engine provides.

Check out the entire video HERE.

2013 Toyota Camry Redefines Midsize Car

2013 Toyota Camry

Did you know that 90 percent of Toyota Camry midsize cars purchased in the last ten years are still on the road?

Well, of all the millions of Toyota Camrys on the road, the 2013 Toyota Camry is sure to stick out with its athletic and sleek exterior and luxurious interior.

According to the press release, "It should come as no surprise that the 2013 Camry was awarded "Highest Retained Value" in its class by IntellChoice. Premium materials line the inside of the Camry, sewn together with elegant stitching. A moonroof allows drivers to appreciate nature and enhances the driving experience. All while wood-grain-style accents tie the sophisticated look together."

With race-inspired paddle shifters, two engine options and amazing agility, the 2013 Toyota Camry not only looks great but drives great.

"The 2013 Toyota Camry is the best Camry yet," said Ted Klarich, general sales manager of Burien Toyota. "Everyone knows the Toyota Camry is dependable and reliable, especially with the Toyota Care plan, but the 2013 Toyota Camry is stylish and an incredible driving machine. Drivers will love driving it and being seen in it.

Check out the inventory of 2013 Toyota Camry midsize sedans at Burien Toyota HERE. Stop by Burien Toyota today to take the 2013 Toyota Camry for a test drive!

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/06/19/5507968/2013-toyota-camry-redefines-the.html#storylink=cpy

Maintenance Tip: Keep the caps on

You step out into driveway ready to start your morning commute only to discover a flat tire. How in the heck did that happen overnight? If the tire valve is missing its cap, the culprit might be a leaky valve. Those little caps keep out dirt and moisture that can cause leaks, so be sure to keep caps on all your tire valves. Another tip: When you replace tires, remind the tire shop that you expect new valves with the tires.

Courtesy of Rd.com

Olympic triathlete Andy Potts and Team Toyota provide you with some motivation

DIY Toyota Sports Car?

Would you build Toyota sports car yourself? How about as a project with your children?

Sounds like a pretty awesome bonding experience. Toyota recently unveiled the Toyota Camatte57s at the Tokyo Toy Show. It is an electric sports car that takes DIY to a whole new level (I'm sure it will be all the rage on Pinterest in about two weeks).

Check out a video of the Toyota Camatte57s HERE.

"The three-seat car features interchangeable body panels that can be mixed and matched to create the tiny little roadster of your dreams."

Apparently, the idea behind it is to increase enthusiasm for cars among young people. And, you know what? I think it's brilliant. I'm not the working-on-the-car-type (I'd rather take it to Burien Toyota for any maintenance or repairs), but if it were possible for me to a build a car for my kids that they could actually drive, I'd be all over that. And I can guarantee they would want to help every step of the way and the fact that they would get to drive the fruits of their labor would probably turn them into car lovers...or at least car appreciators.

The article states that Toyota has no plans to put the Toyota Camatte57 into production, but I think we should change that! Perhaps we should start a letter writing campaign...or just leave a comment below!

Maintenance Tip: Fill with washer fluid only

Don’t add water to the windshield washer reservoir. It won’t clean as well as washer fluid, and it may freeze in cold weather and damage the system. Don’t try to run your windshield washer system once you suspect there’s no more fluid in the tank, or you may damage the washer fluid pump.

Courtesy of Rd.com 

AAA Warns Voice-to-Text Technology is Dangerous to Public Safety

With an announcement of what many may have already suspected, the triple-A auto club warned of a “public safety crisis” from voice command technology that allows drivers text and send emails.

According this article, “The head of Triple-A’s Foundation for Traffic Safety says when people are distracted by another task, they can develop what researchers call “inattention blindness.” They look straight ahead, but fail to see what’s in front of them — like red lights and pedestrians."

With more than 9 million cars and trucks on the road that have infotainment systems (and an expected 62 million vehicles by 2018), Triple-A is insisting that it is important for the technology to be used for "core driving tasks" -instead of making dinner reservations, updating Facebook, or purchasing movie tickets while driving. 

“There is a looming public safety crisis ahead with the future proliferation of these in-vehicle technologies. It’s time to consider limiting new and potentially dangerous mental distractions built into cars, particularly with the common public misperception that hands-free means risk-free,” said AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet.

According to this article, the Triple-A study is the most comprehensive of its kind and studied drivers' cognitive abilities and awareness as they performed different activities while driving. Listening to the radio was the least distracting, talking on a hands-free or handheld phone both had moderate risk, "and listening and responding to in-vehicle voice-activated email features rated as an extensive risk."

Which sort of makes sense, right? If you are using voice-activated technology to send an email to your boss, there is no doubt you are going to want to READ it (and, therefore, take your eyes of the road) to make sure the emails says what it is supposed to say and not something embarrassing. And the cognitive energy it takes to create that appropriate email may take more focus because your mouth moves faster than your hands can type meaning you have less of a filter...which may require more editing...which will require more thinking about what you're email says and not what is going on on the road.

However, some are not convinced by the Triple-A's study.

"According the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the study conducted by the team from the University of Utah and AAA could be misleading, claiming the study suggests hand-held and hands-free devices are equally risky. The Alliance wishes to wait for other academic studies to come out so a complete body of research can be reviewed.

"The AAA study focuses only on the cognitive aspects of using a device, and ignores the visual and manual aspects of hand-held versus integrated hands-free systems. There are many other academic studies under way, and road safety will be enhanced by letting the complete body of research drive policy recommendations,” said Wade Newton, Communications Director for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers."

What do you think? Do you think dashboard technology makes your driving safer or are you distracted even more?

The 2014 Toyota Corolla is on the scene

2014 Toyota Corolla Style is Making Waves

2014 Toyota Corolla

The recent unveil of the 2014 Toyota Corolla is making waves in the midsize sedan segment of the auto industry. With is fresh, dynamic new look, the Corolla is no longer that 'boring but dependable' car it may have been considered to be in the past.

"The 2014 Toyota Corolla looks incredible," said Ted Klarich, general sales manager at Burien Toyota. "I expect that it will attract a lot of younger buyers and people who want that Corolla reliability and gas mileage but also want to make a statement of style."

Here's a happy little clip debuting the 2014 Toyota Corolla.

Where did all this style come from? From feedback from consumers like you who said that having a stronger style statement was really important. According to this article, the 2014 Toyota Corolla actually kept a lot of the style from its concept car, Furia, which surprised a lot of people because many times the dramatic stylings of concept cars are found on the chopping block when it comes to production models.

We didn't realize the Corolla has been around for 47 years! That's like 562 in car years (we totally made that up). "As a result of more than 40 years on the market satisfying consumer needs, this compact car has developed into a pillar supporting Toyota’s famed reputation for quality, durability, and reliability.  The Corolla, maybe more so than any other Toyota sold globally, has been the answer for consumers in the market for a reliable, efficient, and affordable compact vehicle."

After this long on the market, it makes sense that the Corolla needed a dramatic remodeling and the 2014 Toyota Corolla is just that. 

Expect the 2014 Toyota Corolla be available at Burien Toyota (and around the U.S.) in the fall of 2013. We can't wait! Until then, check out our current inventory at Burien Toyota that will no doubt go on sale so we can make room for the new model this fall!

What do you think? Are you excited for the 2014 Toyota Corolla? If you owned a Corolla in the past, will you buy the 2014 Toyota Corolla.

Tuesday Maintenance Tip: Keep leather from drying out and cracking

Leather cars seats are durable and don’t require a lot of maintenance. After a few years, however, the seats can become soiled. Use a leather cleaner to remove dirt and stains.Then apply a leather protectant formulated for pigmented or top-coated grain leather (the leather used for most leather car upholstery). Protectants will resist stains and make the upholstery easier to clean in the future. Choose a protectant that includes conditioners to keep your leather supple.

Courtesy of Rd.com 

Toyota Unveils New 2014 Corolla!

2014 Toyota Corolla

Yesterday Toyota revealed the much-anticipated 11th generation Toyota Corolla: 2014 Corolla! The Toyota Corolla has long been one of the best-selling vehicles in the United States and that is continue to be the trend as Toyota has updated the 2014 to keep up to modern car-buyers' standards.

The 2014 Toyota Corolla exterior is shaped with the dynamic, sleek, and dramatic lines. To keep up with that modern look and functionality, it also comes standard with LED lights and has a sportier feeling. According to the official press release, "The Corolla’s design theme dictates a more advanced, modern-looking vehicle with a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs, resulting in an athletic stance with greater presence.  More pronounced flared wheel arches, and the impactful simplicity of cleanly sculpted surfaces, help lend the Corolla an exterior elegance."

See more pictures of the 2014 Toyota Corolla HERE.

The interior of the 2014 Toyota Corolla has been designed for the high technology standards that the average Corolla driver has. It comes standard with great features like eight air bags and Bluetooth connectivity. Also available on specific trims:
Some of the available equipment includes the following:

• Touchscreen audio
• Apps accessible through the audio head unit
• Smart Key/Push-button start
• Power moonroof
• Back-up monitor
• SofTex™ Seats
• Available Paddle shifters
• Rear deck lid spoiler

Click HERE to see video about the 2014 Toyota Corolla.

One of the most important features to people considering a Toyota Corolla almost always seems to be
gas mileage. And not only with the 2014 Toyota Corolla get great gas mileage, it will get even better gas mileage than the previous model with the help of new Valvematic engine technology, Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and improved aerodynamics. The Corolla Eco-badged models will get 40 mpg!

"The Corolla LE and S offer a newly developed continuously variable transmission (CVT).  This new advanced transmission, named CVTi-S (“i” for intelligent, “S” for shift), helps increase the Corolla’s fuel economy and provide its smooth and efficient power transfer.  It has also been engineered to offer improved drivability and mitigate the “rubber band” feeling associated with traditional CVT’s under acceleration.   The new CVTi-S has been engineered to strike a balance between addressing fuel economy targets and higher level of drivability to meet consumer tastes."

Click HERE to find more details about the specs of the 2014 Toyota Corolla.

The 11th generation Toyota Corolla is designed to be chiseled and expressive, has high-level of standard equipment, is made of top-quality materials, and is designed to maximized efficiency.

"The 2014 Corolla will elevate the consumer’s experience for the world’s most popular sedan with modern, expressive styling, a more premium interior experience, improved fuel economy and performance, and a strong menu of available features. Vehicle pricing, final grade content, and option packages will be made available closer to launch timing."

Look for the 2014 Toyota Corolla at Burien Toyota later this year!

Video: Buying Cars with Kids, Car Salesman Prank

2013 Toyota Sequoia

Like we've mentioned before, we love watching Toyota commercials. We especially love finding commercials from around the world because we don't get to see them as we are watching our evening shows.

Personally, I LOVED the first commercial shown in this article. Yes, it does a great job of showcasing some of the best qualities of the Kluger (similar to the RAV4) in a brief amount of time. But, mostly I love it because I have been car shopping with kids. Two young kids. And their dad. And, personally, I would have loved it if their dad had run around and played with them like this. Anything to keep them occupied through the car-buying process.

Yes, the kids had a good time playing the cars in the show room, but the whole time I was worried they were going to lock themselves inside, cause damage that would force to buy a vehicle above our budget, or slam their fingers in the doors as they opened and closed them. Sound familiar?

It's for reasons like this that families who are looking to buy a car should go to Burien Toyota. Burien Toyota is family-friendly and its professional staff will do everything it can to make sure you are not there longer than you need to be and that everyone (big or small) has an enjoyable car-buying experience.

If you are looking for a new family car like the 2013 Toyota RAV4, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Sequoia, Toyota 4Runner, or Toyota FJ Cruiser. But don't forget that Burien Toyota has some of the best used cars in the region, if that's what you need.

P.S.
I was looking for a video about how the experience of buying cars with kids can really turn out ugly, but I couldn't find an appropriate one. INSTEAD, I found this fantastic video of NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon pranking a car salesman. I thought you might like it.

P.P.S
It's super funny.

The Toyota RAV4 offers a magical experience

Tuesday Maintenance Tip: Wax to protect your car’s paint job

No way around it! Waxing your car is work. But it’s satisfying work that will help keep your car looking new. Car wax preserves paint by slowing oxidation and forming a barrier against bird droppings, sap, and pollution. Plus driving a nice shiny car is just plain fun.

Here’s what to do to ensure the maximum in protection:

• Liquid and spray waxes are tempting to use — they make the car shiny with less work than rubbing in paste wax. But there’s still no beating paste wax for the hardest, longest-lasting finish. Look for paste with a high carnauba wax content.
• Apply a thin, even coat of wax to the car’s surfaces with a damp sponge. Avoid applying too much, or it will be difficult to remove and some residue will inevitably mar your finish.
• To avoid fine scratches, use a clean, soft cotton or microfiber cloth to remove wax once it has dried.
• Apply an extra coat of wax to the nose and hood. The wax film in these areas wears away quickly.

Courtesy of Rd.com