When earlier this year or maybe going back to late last year, Toyota started recalling lots of its cars due to one defect or the other, I thought that maybe only a batch or 2 had been affected but the recalls continued. I believe over a million cars have been recalled to date. What's up I asked myself. Considered one of the most solid and reliable cars of the past 25yrs, they have combined elegance and reliability in their saloon cars and ruggedness and comfort in their 4 wheelers. They had something for all; conservatives, upwardly mobile, adventurers, explorers, armies and the many world and charity bodies whose businesses are traversing rough and rugged terrains. Suddenly 'KABOOM' and problems after problems.
First thing that crossed my mind was Industrial espionage/sabotage but who is responsible? Let us look at the natural suspects of which other car manufacturers must come first. There are the European, American, Korean and other Japanese car manifacturers. I was about to start sleuthing when certain things happened that forced me to start from a particular end.
Come late september/early october and it is Honda recalling cars. Late october and Nissan has recalled 2.1m cars. What da!!!. Is this a case of tit for tat, do me I do you, an eye for an eye sorry I mean a car for a car? Is this sweet revenge by Toyota? Maybe! Has Toyota taken revenge on the wrong rivals? Have they eliminated all other possible suspects?
What about Korea? Could it be Kim Jung-Il? I doubt that; he's working on bombing out Japan, South Korea, and just about anywhere else that irritates him. He does'nt do cars, it's too petty. But wait a minute! what about Kim Jung-Un, his heir apparent? Could he be practising to perfect his evil machinations in lieu of taking over from his father? This might just be a gift from his father. "Look here son, I dnt want you just hanging around doing nothing & waiting to takeover from me; You might be tempted to overthrow me which could be bad for our health. The idle mind is the Devil's workshop"(look who's talking) "Find something to occupy your time; terrorise those Chinese and Japanese fishing vessels or better still wreck the Japanese motor industry. That should be fun; I like that, get going kiddo" Kim Jung-Il says to Kim Jung-Un. I believe this is quite plausible or dn't you!!!
What about South Korea with potentially the biggest car market which is only being slowed down by the Japanese? They have come to the party looking good but are not getting enough attention so, sabotage the competition. If Japan recalls 5 million cars and South Korea can get 50% of the sale, it would mean the highest turnover it has ever had. I make South Korea my chief suspect.
I have not given Western Europe much of a look because most of their cars are over priced and have a patronage which could be said to be within the world of the conservative and the nouveau riche.
For the Americans, the motor industry has nothing good right now to talk about and recalling cars is not the injection they need.
It beats my imagination how so many cars can be recalled and yet the companies still stay afloat.
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