Survey shows owner loyalty for Toyota dropping

you're complaining 8% is huge and ignoring 13%? And I think you forgot about all the negative publicity Chrysler and GM have been having. They were the ones that "failed" that's almost as bad as being known as the ones that killed people.

ahh, nice number manipulation, how about we manipulate numbers even more?

Toyota lost 1,261,000 loyal customers per year
Chevy lost 245,000 loyal customers per year

Are you really so blind as to attribute drops in Toyota's loyalty only to 'bad press' but claim that Chrysler and Chevy's drops MUST be due to "shitty" products?

Come on dude, be smart here. Toyota had bad press because they issued a few recalls and have admitted that their product quality has dropped, PERIOD! Chrysler and GM were a part of the HUGELY controversial bailouts and bankruptcy that got press for 5 or 6 months.

Can you honestly look yourself in the eye and say that your original statements are 100% true?

Seriously how is this economics (which I haven't taken since high school)? If anything this would be psychology or marketing. In this case psychology is what you are discussing. You are saying that because of the negative press over Toyota's recalls the formerly happy owners of Toyota vehicles are less loyal. That is psychology NOT economics.

On the same point I am using psychology to point out cognitive dissonance, the feeling caused when two contrary ideas are thought together. In this case you have one basic example: loyalty is dropping among the brands Toyota, Chrysler, and Chevrolet. Instead of utilizing Achems Razor (the simplest postulate is usually the correct one) to say that likely a single cause exists for the drop (like inferior products or negative press) you are using 2 different arguments (Toyota has had negative press and Chevy makes 'shitty' products) to try to balance your previous ideals. In this case the 1st dissonance is as follows: you believe Toyota makes perfect products and yet the simplest solution is that the loyalty is dropping because both Toyota and Chevy products are under performing for the customers. If you deny the fact that this is true then the other postulate is that negative press is driving down the loyalty of both Toyota and Chevy. It seems your cognitive dissonance with this is that you can't believe Chevy builds decent products and is affected by negative press in the same way that Toyota can be.

Perhaps you should take a look at this more objectively rather than letting your bias affect you so much.

I recently replaced my old runabout 2001 Honda Civic with a 2009 Camry SE. Its my first Toyota and I love it. From now on I will be a loyal Toyota customer.
As far as this story goes I'm sure that brand loyalty took a hit across the board the past year. Between cash for clunkers, major incentives and dealers making deals lots of people have bought different makes and models. I wouldn't worry about it.
The best thing about numbers is that they are easily manipulated to prove points.
T

I was thinking about buying an 09 camry too. Saw one for $12,900 an extremely low miles. Cant beat that.

Good the myth of meritocracy in continuous improvement and bland style has failed...finally!

Toyota cars where once great but today the improvements of the entire industry have put many automakers neck and neck with toyota quality wise,

I love Toyotas, they maybe boring to drive, but I don't care, I'd rather be comfortable then drive a sporty Mazda (Even though the Mazda 3 is pretty awesome). People say Toyota is boring to drive and what not, but Toyotas weren't built to have fun behind the wheel, Toyotas were built for comfortable, smooth and reliable transportation. I love em'

All the hand wringing about 'yota's drop is a sure sign this automaker has lost its luster and the bullet proof vest is so chock full of holes, it is no longer serviceable.

'yota will recover but it will never be considered the best anymore. Just average.