Scion: comment from a toyota dealership

[hjr]

in Muncie, IN. Spoke to a few guys ata Toyota dealership this weekend. I asked where's the Scion's, and they said they are not participating in it(yet?), Due To The Cost Of Starting Up a Scion Franchise(it is expensive, I had been told).

There is only One Dealership in about 100 miles participating in it( Richmond and Muncie dealerships are not participating, and neither are 3 of 4 Toyota dealerships are nto participating in 2 counties, Darke and Montogmery(Dayton).

They are taking a "wait and see" attitude, before sinking a ton of money into the franchise.

One fellow mentioned "Genesis" project(Echo, for example, as Youth car/entry level,etc) and now it is gone in 5-6 years.

Some think that even if it survives(Scion), most places will not rake in a lot of money, or enough to make it worthwhile to pay for the franschise.

Shocked me. I figured, the way numbers were being touted(4 sales), they would all be jumping on the bandwagon called Scion!

One salesman said he felt that Scion may fail, like ECHO did.

They think it is a fad, like PT Cruiser sales and new beetle sales were when they first came out, then fade.

[Brian Gluckman]

I think Scion will be steady.
Constant updates and facelifts will make sure 'what's in' doesn't go out of style and turn into 'what's out' too quickly...

Those dealerships are already too late... I mean, they should have been there all along. Too bad Scion is just for USA. Even if I was still in Canada, I wouldn't have had a chance to check them out.

[hjr1]

2lazytosignin.
What I read is the reason(s) why Toyota has Scion here is that 1) To fight HyundaiKia(taking their youth sales away)
2) to get youth customers to Toyota(from HyundaiKia, lol).


I honestly believe if Hyundai and Kia had failed 5 years back, we would not be hearing of Nissan Cubes possibly coming here, or Scion, or Honda little 10K msrp car in a year or two.

[Brian Gluckman]

Scion does not target Hyundai and Kia.

It KIND OF relates because Toyota has many older buyers, as opposed to Hyundai with more younger ones... but I wouldn't say that SCION exists because of Kia and Hyundai.