Legacy car brands ADs

 News reported that the forever Toyota AD here in SG has to retrench. Obviously this is an outcome of SG love of EVs over the last few years.

With EV chargers seen almost at every carpark these days, it just feels like ICE car owners (and normal hybrids) are punished at carparks, since EVs (and PHEVs) can simply plug in and “park”. Just look at some popular open air carparks like the one outside Nex mall. There are like 6-8 lots converted to EV charging lots. This carpark is always full house but I can always park at the EV lot and charge and go buy my lunch lol.

Anyway, back to the Toyota AD retrenchments

I don’t think this is Toyota’s fault. 

Many of these old timer ADs that own the distribution rights of popular Japanese mass market brands in SG have it good for too long. Due to the price gap with EU cars, plus the perceived reliability of JP cars, brands like Toyota and Honda and Nissan were literally the default choice for most SG buyers. God forbid you go by a VW, Ford, Renault, Opel, even though prices are similar and the cars were more solid and handle better and have better safety features. 

I used to be one such customer, influenced by people around me. Went to Honda, Toyota, Nissan show rooms to check out their popular models. Showrooms of such brands were like mini shopping malls in SG. Packed full of customers. 

The sales people at such brands make a killing every weekend. The customers just queue to buy the cars, so don’t even bother to test drive. 

Well, being the young punk, I wanted to test drive, but I got rejected because they were too busy, along with the sarcastic comment “this car very popular, just buy. Why need to test drive?”. Such was the arrogance 

I was treated with way more respect at the dealers across the road for Ford, Renault etc. They know their cars and they are more than happy to explain and let me test.

Oh, and not to mentioned, the crappy default features we get from those popular brands ADs. Local installed “leather seats”, local installed “head units and speakers”. All BS and all to milk every $ of profit. The Renault Megane was sold with factory leather seats and factory CD radio speakers etc, and it’s $5k cheaper than a Thai made Corolla with some ugly ass low end Kenwood aftermarket head unit that has maybe 3 colors for the tiny screen. Basically ah Beng to the max. 

I am glad the Chinese EVs are here to whack these arrogant old timer ADs. Wake up lah. Customer service is still king. Don’t screw your customers 

There are so many good Toyota models in the world and in Japan, and yet we get the short end. 

The shake up is good. Though who is to say the new king, BYD, won’t evolve to such a crappy thing over time? 

Hahahaha