You can't possibly compare Toyota to Microsoft the dynamics are completely different.

 

This makes no sense.

1. Toyota vehicles especially the Corolla are anything but endless bugs, confusion, viruses, and on and on

2. Apple products sell for a very high premium. If a Toyota is a Microsoft product, then a similar segment product would have to sell for 3-5 times the cost of a Corolla.

If anything, consider the Corolla a standard reliable Macbook Air computer for $1000, good computer but not the top spec, then think of the Corolla competitor a Microsoft computer spec'd out with more features and power for the same $1000, then add in all of the endless bugs, confusion, viruses, and on and on that you speak of.

These Apple comparisons are very strange. Generally speaking, a Microsoft computer can be better spec'd dollar for a dollar than anything Apple. Even the iPhone can be out spec'd and has already been.

 

Yes they never have. For a while Toyota had some seriously catching up to do in the engine power compared to the rivals. I have always like Toyota's and Lexus models for the most part as they were easy to drive, have good easy to use HVAC/Radio controls, relatively quiet, aged pretty well, is good on gas, cheap to maintain, cheap to insure, etc etc. Toyota sells 1.2 million Corollas worldwide every year, they must be doing something right?

 

It makes no sense to me.

 

His point is not to compare Toyota and Microsoft, its to illustrate the point that consumers often don't choose the best product, they choose what is easy and familiar.

There are two sides to this, on the one hand its a business and one cannot deny Toyota's success as a business.

However, as enthusiasts of the products these companies produce, IMHO Toyota no longer makes what I would consider very good cars. They don't lead in any way, they're not particularly well built, they're not particularly refined. IMHO there isn't any segment where they make the best car in the segment, or the most appealing car in the segment. Like I said, their products are aggressively mediocre. That extends into Lexus too unfortunately nowadays.

As an enthusiast I want them to do better...unfortunately I can see my long history as a customer of the brand drawing to a close for one reason or another. For Toyotas because I think competitors make better cars in the segments where I'm a buyer, and Lexus mainly because they're beginning to style me out (and I was originally a spindle fan).

 

Windows was shoved into the market people didn't choose it at all. There has been extremely strong competition in the auto sector for decades.

 

totally false. windows and even its predecessor had (and has) plenty of competitors who all fell by the wayside because windows was 'good enough' and microsoft did a good job courting developers (something apple did later with apps!). the biggest threat to windows right now is probably chrome / chrome os. pretty soon we won't need pc's at all, just use the phone with a bluetooth or widi connected keyboard/mouse/screen. in fact, microsoft has even demonstrated this with their own newest phones so they get the threat.

and that's what i want toyota to do. stop being boring, bean counters, safe, patron saints of mediocrity. that is precisely what almost put gm out of business. back on the microsoft track, their last ceo, steve balmer took microsoft down a similar track - he was clueless. now their new ceo is focused, and gets the urgent need of constant innovation.

 

thank you. awesome post.

 

Nada problemo

 

Nope. Windows succeeded in large part because it ran on the PC architecture the competing operating systems at the time were designed for specific hardware.

 

Corolla will always be the boring appliance even if some trim levels offer sporty or semi-Luxury amenities. Toyota 's competition has raised the bar in this segment, so as they sing at Christmas, Toyota better watch out...

I helped a co-worker pick up a 2015 Civic, similarly configured, at the time, the Civic came in $4K cheaper. Even if you consider that they were being moved due to the refresh, the MSRP still favors the Civic.

 

I would of waited for the new 16 Civic, even if it looks bad.

 

It was a conscious decision, the 2015 met all his requirements and was available at a steep discount. Nothing he "needed" in the incoming 2016 and it wouldn't have been discounted. It didn't help that the Corolla was also in limited allocation so it wasn't being discounted either. All in all he is happy.

 

Some of the parts used in Toyota interiors aren't very impressive, as is also the sheet metal solidness on some of its models.....but, on average, the paint jobs are still first-rate, the drivetrains smooth/refined, and overall reliability still at or near the top. I agree that other manufacturers sometimes produce competing products today, even in the same price range(s), with a better overall feel of solidness, even if they don't, in fact, equal Toyota's reliability.

 

That's all good. I still would of paid more $4000 more for a new Civic.