I think most people make their first buying decision on looks. It could be the best vehicle ever, but if its really ugly who's going to buy it. The Titan is the ugliest and the Tundra is wimpy looking. Most truck buyers want their truck to look Mean!

 

Before I even drove a single truck, I went online to see what was available and the first thing that struck me was how much more customizable the domestic trucks were than the japanese brands. I figure that they can keep their overhead down buy having just a few packages, but the American pick up market thrives on customization. All the Nissan inovations are pretty cool, but when you can't get a bench seat with a simple off road package, there is a problem. Nifty gadgets are good, but so are choices. Toyota is the same way, but at least their truck isn't fugly as well, just underpowered and not quite full size (I seriously considered a Tundra, as it met MY power needs, but it was too small inside). Not a bad first try for either company, but we'll see what they learn about selling full size trucks to Americans, its all about the choices. At least both companies built the things in the USA, I wouldn't ever consider a vehicle that wasn't at least built here. I'm sure there are people who bought Tundras and Titans and are very happy, they are not stupid or foolish, they just bought the truck that was right for them. Bottom line is though that in order for that truck to be the right one for a lot more people they are going to have to offer more choices.

 

Good point FatMan.

People buy what works for them, nothing wrong with that. I think the indication is that the Titan does not work for as many as the people as they thought. I always felt the true measure of a truck was how many you see doing actual work, albiet that has changed with more personal use trucks. Take a look at a city public works yard and see what kind of trucks they have, do the same thing at a construction site, what do you see? Fords, GM's and Dodges. Maybe a few mini foriegn trucks, but the real work is done by the big 3.
Within 200 yards of my office I have two major construction projects underway, both several hundred thousand square foot buildings. I rarely, if at all, see anything other than the big 3 on the sites. Nissan and Toyota have aimed their trucks at the personal use market, and it shows. I think Nissan and Toyota, while they make decent trucks in their own countries, have a lot to learn about the USA and how we like our full size trucks.

 

Quoted from the original article:
"We're ramping up on Titan," Connelly says. "Trucks are unlike cars. We like to run a 50-day supply of cars. But we found out days' supply of trucks need to be higher - about 75 days. That's because truck buyers like to see a lot more models."

In otherwords, we are going to continue to build trucks as we think the consumer wants them, rather than let the demand dictate what we build. With very few options, this may work, but maybe they need to let the customer have a bit more choice, order what they want, and stop worrying so much about what level of supply they have. Same thing happened with the H2, they have huge stocks of them, but not many are being sold. At what point do you slow down and see what the demand is like. Seems like there may be a big stockpile of trucks at the end of the model year they are going to have to dump cheap, and cut the losses.

Maybe, once again, Nissan is missing the point. But I guess the marketing folks know much more than us consumers do.

 

I have to disagree with this statement, at least to a point. They are assembled in America. Many of the parts would be made in Japan, as with Toyota.
An example:
http://custom.marketwatch.com/custom...tory.asp?guid={DD4846A0-C2A8-4528-9460-A25CC352639A}&alias=/ht/nw
Another thing is that their higher paid employees, such as designers, engineers etc, would be overseas.
I don't like Nissan for another reason. They had to change their name because their products had such a poor reputation. The only place you will hear Datsun anymore is in Japan.

 

For the last time, THE TITAN DOES NOT NEED PREMIUM FUEL! Their was a misprint in one of their pamphlets about the titan but it will run fine on 87.

 

OK, OK, dont get your panties in a wad, it runs on 87 octane, whoop tee doo. It is still the ugliest vehicle Ive ever seen. No wait I stand corrected, I just saw an Armada.

 

It's all in the eyes of the beholder...but I'll register my disagreement with that statement anyway.

 

Now lets see just how unattractive (ugly is such an ugly word) the Titan really is.... lets say Nissan starting offering $5000. rebates ($4,000 more than currently on Screws) would we now have a situation of putting lipstick on a bulldog?

Let me get my pop corn and watch the reactions to this speculation.

Screwdrive

 

I'm gonna join you.

 

I still wouldn't buy one. Too much I don't like about it. Plus, I had a hard enough time buying a Ford. My wife's grandpa retired from GM (Fischer Body) and she tried to get me to buy a Chevy or GMC...but I was stuck on the new F-150. All is well now...even her grandpa likes my truck...as well as my dad who never liked Ford. I think he said something like 'wow...ford has really gone high tech...made a lot of good changes'. He's been a mechanic all his life. That made me feel good knowing my dad likes it. He's got loads of auto experience and I feel even better know HE likes it

 

Right on Kingfish. I hate when some butthead says, "well my ricemobile was built here and employed American workers" BS! It was only assembled here and if you all bought American it would still employ Americans. American car makers did not go with foreign labor until they had to compete with foreign auto makers labor costs. It's funny that I've never met an American that doesn't think they deserve to get paid top dollar for what they do, but so few are willing to pay someone else for quality work. If your Jap car is so great, why aren't there any 20 year old Jap cars on the road? I see old Fords and GM's (even a few Mopars)on the road every day, in New England where winter road treatment eats cars.

 

First, thanks for calling me a butthead. Fords have a helluvalotta parts made in Mexico and assembled in the US FYI.

Second, how many Japanese cars were imported into the US in 1984 in comparison to US cars in 1984? Of course you see many more US cars that are over 20 years old, there were many, many more US cars in the US 20 years ago.

There's a reason that Japanese cars are rated higher in quality every single year.

Grim

 

I really did want the Titan as it whips the Ford in every way (except the interior). I ended up buying the Ford because I can tow it behind a motorhome. I had to get the manual tranfer case shifter to do this. I have had several Ford and GM trucks and they all worked fine without many problems. Girls are pretty. These are only trucks.

 

First you are welcome!

Which parts? I think the vehicles assembled in Mexico was already covered in my comments.

About 25%, and I don't see 25% old Japanese cars on the road. And if they really are so much better, why isn't the percentage higher? Every one has their own experiences, but this is my seventh Ford, my fathers fourth and my mothers second. None give us any trouble, ever. My Dad's 86 Continental went 275,000 miles with pretty much 3k oil changes, I couldn't even get him to tune it up on time. My mom's 94 Grand Marquis still runs and drives like new, people unfamilar with model years still ask her if it's new. My 93 Ranger was great until needed more room last month. 103,000 mile, original battery, belt, hoses... you get the idea. Above and beyond that, the auto industry affects 1 in 6 jobs in America. I would like my daughter to have a job when she get's older. I don't like the way Japanese (all Asian auto makers) treat their employee's and refuse to support it with my money. Not everything in America is the greatest, but their automobiles are. The longevity and percentage of sales prove that. If the USA made only Fiat's maybe I would change my attitude.