Probably not surprising......for three reasons. First, it frees up the plant for more RAV-4 production....which they will probably need, if this new RAV-4 sells like I think it will. Second, in low-cost Mississippi, it would generally lower both labor and business costs for producing the Corolla. Third, it will lower those costs without subjecting the vehicles produced there to Trump's tariffs on vehicles coming in from overseas.

 

 

True, but the point I was making was that it lowers the production costs without adding any Made-in-Japan (or Made-in-China) tariffs. Sorry if I didn't make that more clear. Mississippi, on the average, has much lower wages than Canada.....it is a state that has been known for poverty and low-income for many years.

 

This decision to expand RAV4 (and it is "RAV4", not "RAV-4") production and consolidate Corolla production was made 3 (yes, three) years ago, and made, I have no doubt, because Toyota could see that RAV4 demand was growing and growing and growing. So the decision was NOT made because Toyota knew in 2015 that Mr. Trump would be elected and would threaten to impose tariffs on imported vehicles.

These production changes take years to put into effect so they are not made lightly and they are not made with short notice.

 

 

Trump was talking about tariffs as far back as three years, in 2015, when he first entered the Presidential race, although I agree wth you that companies were not necessarily making decisions, back then, on that prospect alone. For one thing, no one knew whether he would actually be the next President or not. But his propensity for tariffs is well-known......it is nothing new by any means,

 

i found it interesting that bernie was also pro-tariffs...

 

Bernie wanted them for a different reason, though. He wanted them because, as a Socialist, he basically believes in a Government-controlled economy. Trump wants them only to counter unfair trading practices from other countries and help level a unbalanced playing field.

 

Well, here in the D.C. area, they are now (finally) on their way from the factory. Some local dealerships have 2019 models marked "In Transit". So that means just a matter of time.

 

remove the personal politics leaning and it ends up being exactly the same thing.

 

Bit, which car is this that you have? It is nice indeed.