630land Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 (edited) Should have just called them "Toyota Scions" all along, now looks like 'flop'. But also, they can now discount the cars, instead of 'one price' like Saturn. But then again, Ford dropped Mercury. Edit: found these observations on web: "Scion achieved its goals so well, they are putting a bullet in its head" and "Toyota never had a clear vision other than 'they are cheap' " Edited February 3, 2016 by 630land Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerM Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 (edited) Now Fiat and Smart can take Scion's share of the crappy pointless small car market. I agree that Smart and Fiat fill that niche very well. Thing is, you don't have to have a crappy car at a (fairly) decent price point anymore. I rented multiple economy cars in the last year (e.g. Nissan Versa, Ford Fiesta) that I'd say aren't bad at all; so long as you aren't expecting every option. Even the small Chevy Sonic/Spark (I can't remember which one I had) wasn't as decrepit as some of the econoboxes I rented pre-2010. The Yaris I rented once truly sucked. Edited February 3, 2016 by RangerM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Except it was never intended to be an experiment, that's just spin. And honestly - if they didn't sell as Scion models why would they sell as Toyotas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Except it was never intended to be an experiment, that's just spin. And honestly - if they didn't sell as Scion models why would they sell as Toyotas? Name recognition and perception 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 At the time Ford poached Jim Farley from Toyota, he was being widely celebrated for launching that brand successfully in the US. Scion didn't do much after Farley left and now he's being put through the 'future CEO' rotation of jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Except it was never intended to be an experiment, that's just spin. And honestly - if they didn't sell as Scion models why would they sell as Toyotas? The Scion line was a big hit for old geezers trying to recapture their youth...now, they'll just by 'em as Toyotas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted February 4, 2016 Author Share Posted February 4, 2016 Name recognition and perception How so? Scion where/was sold at Toyota dealerships...I hope people aren't that stupid to think that they where that different then Toyota. All it was as failed attempt to draw in younger buyers since Toyota is quickly becoming the car of choice for the retirement set baby boomers The Scion line was a big hit for old geezers trying to recapture their youth...now, they'll just by 'em as Toyotas... I often wonder about Youth branded/marketed cars...I think alot of the ages are skewed by parents buying cars for their kids in college out of high school..thus why you see older average ages. Not sure if there is a metric that measures actual driver age vs who is signing and making car payments for it. I think the reason why old farts driving these cars stick out is just antodical. I know I saw my fair share of grey hair people driving Honda Elements, but my friends sister got one also. IIRC the Mazda 3 was a car with one of the lowest average age of ownership at 36 years old or so...if I remember correctly seeing that couple years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boss doc Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Which is just the pitch to appeal to an 18 year old! Hey! Why join your friends at Elitist Private School With Suspiciously Vague Promises of Financial Assistance when you could go to Mom And Dad University--approved by your parents and your parents' friends and other people that age?? My son chose to go to a state U at a bargain price. The lure? A Mechanical Eng. program that ranks in the top 10 nationally by the automotive industry. Could have gone to IUPUI for same at 20k more per year. Savvy kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 My son chose to go to a state U at a bargain price. The lure? A Mechanical Eng. program that ranks in the top 10 nationally by the automotive industry. Could have gone to IUPUI for same at 20k more per year. Savvy kid. IUPUI's in the same conference as my alma mater. If your kid went to Oakland, they used to be in the Summit as well. IUPUI will be in Brookings this Saturday for the "Pork Classic". A doubleheader in which the whole arena smells like pork barbecue and they auction a live pig at halftime of the men's game: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlRozzi Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I suspect dropping the Scion name is due to the complete buyout of Daihatsu. So will we see Daihatsu sold here again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker16 Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Except it was never intended to be an experiment, that's just spin. And honestly - if they didn't sell as Scion models why would they sell as Toyotas? The aggregate of Sales of Scion vs the sales of individual vehicles, Some Scions will be phased out over time, not die at the same time as the brand. The investment has been made, Toyota is going finish the Product cycle and then make a decision on each product. unlike mercury or Pontiac Scion were not direct re-skins of other models but usually EU of JDM products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneekr Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Sales are rising and new vehicles are being added. That's exactly what the Scion brand experienced four years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneekr Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 unlike mercury or Pontiac Scion were not direct re-skins of other models but usually EU of JDM products. Correct. The main exception is the tC, which will be discontinued after MY 2016. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 The aggregate of Sales of Scion vs the sales of individual vehicles, Some Scions will be phased out over time, not die at the same time as the brand. The investment has been made, Toyota is going finish the Product cycle and then make a decision on each product. unlike mercury or Pontiac Scion were not direct re-skins of other models but usually EU of JDM products. That makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 That's exactly what the Scion brand experienced four years ago. Scion doesn't have any history and they're targeting completely different demographics. Apples and Oranges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grbeck Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 (edited) I often wonder about Youth branded/marketed cars...I think alot of the ages are skewed by parents buying cars for their kids in college out of high school..thus why you see older average ages. Not sure if there is a metric that measures actual driver age vs who is signing and making car payments for it. I think the reason why old farts driving these cars stick out is just antodical. I know I saw my fair share of grey hair people driving Honda Elements, but my friends sister got one also. Some of the Scions (and the Honda Element) appealed to older people because they were inexpensive to buy and operate, easy to enter and exit, and could carry bulky items easily. A fair number of retired people want to "downsize" their expenditures. A Scion xB and Honda Element were inexpensive, versatile vehicles that appealed to retired people looking to save money, but still planning to enjoy hobbies (gardening, woodworking, etc.). Edited February 4, 2016 by grbeck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 That's exactly what the Scion brand experienced four years ago. I don't think that was the case with Scion four years ago. More like seven or eight. Also think about the margins & b/e for a pile of entry level cars vs. luxury products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzcat Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I suspect dropping the Scion name is due to the complete buyout of Daihatsu. So will we see Daihatsu sold here again? Those two things are completely unrelated. Scion is a marketing exercise in the US market. Daihatsu is a central plank in Toyota's emerging market strategy for selling more deathtrap cars. We are not going to see any Daihatsu in the US. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Some of the Scions (and the Honda Element) appealed to older people because they were inexpensive to buy and operate, easy to enter and exit, and could carry bulky items easily. This. Cheap sells and if that's why they're buying the exterior styling or badge doesn't really matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerM Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 My son chose to go to a state U at a bargain price. The lure? A Mechanical Eng. program that ranks in the top 10 nationally by the automotive industry. Could have gone to IUPUI for same at 20k more per year. Savvy kid. With STEM degrees, it’s not the school that matters In terms of pay, it may not matter whether you went to a prestigious, top-tier school, middle tier or a local state university. Your pay may be little different from that of your peers. In a new study, researchers looked at STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) salaries 10 years after graduation. It compared the salaries of more than 7,000 people and found little difference in wages for STEM graduates. But students who left with liberal arts degree, for instance, from a top school did earn more than students from a lesser school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Unless you're competing for post graduate spots at a prestigious school or a few very specific professions I don't think it matters much where you get your degree. A lot of parents seem to be reliving their youth and choosing their kids' schools for social reasons rather than academics. Or a combination. I told my son he could go anywhere he wanted as long as it was a public in state university where he could get hope scholarship assistance. He got his MBA 2 years ago 100% on his own. And he lives alone in Seattle and works at Starbucks. If you want it you can get it. My friend sent both his kids to a very nice very expensive private liberal arts college. One is a married middle school music teacher and the other is in journalism in Calfornia. I'm sure it was a fantastic experience but really had no bearing on their careers. If you want to do it then it can be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazerdude20 Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Unless you're competing for post graduate spots at a prestigious school or a few very specific professions I don't think it matters much where you get your degree. A lot of parents seem to be reliving their youth and choosing their kids' schools for social reasons rather than academics. Or a combination. I told my son he could go anywhere he wanted as long as it was a public in state university where he could get hope scholarship assistance. He got his MBA 2 years ago 100% on his own. And he lives alone in Seattle and works at Starbucks. If you want it you can get it. My friend sent both his kids to a very nice very expensive private liberal arts college. One is a married middle school music teacher and the other is in journalism in Calfornia. I'm sure it was a fantastic experience but really had no bearing on their careers. If you want to do it then it can be done. When you say Starbucks in Seattle, do you mean as a barista or in the main office? Big difference in pay scales there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 When you say Starbucks in Seattle, do you mean as a barista or in the main office? Big difference in pay scales there. Shift supervisor. He's been trying to get a corporate job since he got his MBA but they seem to be few and far between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
630land Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 (edited) So many posts about how young people cant afford new cars. But, imagine in the Great Depression, a new car was a far away dream. Edited February 4, 2016 by 630land Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 So many posts about how young people cant afford new cars. But, imagine in the Great Depression, a new car was a far away dream. Imagine back in cave man times, a new car wasn't even a dream yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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