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Toyota’s assembly misadventure continues
The explanation by Toyota Motor Vietnam’s (TMV) General Director Nobuhiko Murakami on why TMV assembled the cars with the forgotten engines has not satisfied the public.
Nguyen Manh Hung, Chairman of the Vietnam Automobile Transport Association, said that TMV has disrespected Vietnamese laws and disregarded Vietnamese consumers.
Hung said that Toyota would have to recall faulty cars in export consignments to the US or European countries. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, the manufacturer only offers swapping other cars for clients or making a present of 10% of the cars’ value.
A lot of questions have been raised about this case. Why were the 96 engines, left for two years at the port, only used to assemble Innova J models sold to taxi firms, not Innova G models sold to individual clients at higher prices?
If the forgotten engines were assembled for Innova G cars, TMV would not be as composed as it is now after it successfully negotiated with clients, and no one threatened to sue.
If Vietnamese individual clients had to spend VND500mil to buy Innova G, they would not accept the settlement and compensation offered by TMV.
Meanwhile, it was simple to get taxi firms to accept the proposed compensation. The firms would be able to enjoy the price discounts, while they could get preferences on subsequent deals.
That explained why TMV did not reveal the list of 13 clients who bought the special cars assembled with the forgotten engines
Local newspaper Tien phong’s reporters said that they have in their hands a document titled ‘Export problem report’ certified by Toyota Indonesia (TMI) engineers on November 30, 2007, which states that the maximum duration for the preservation of an engine is 90 days, not two years.
TMV General Director Nobuhiko Murakami on July 11 stated at a press conference that he was ready to argue with Vietnamese technical experts about the quality of the forgotten engines.
The director said that in good preservation conditions, engines could be in storage for 10 years or more and maintain good quality.
However, Hung of the Vietnam Automobile Transport Association, a former senior automobile engineer, said that the statement was erroneous. Hung said that even in very good conditions, engines will automatically deteriorate as a result of physicochemical reactions. Engines, though covered with nylon packing, will not remain unaltered in Vietnam’s climate.
It is unconvincing to say that only one engine was rusty due to a damaged nylon cover, while the remaining engines still had good quality.
The most suitable action would be for TMV to recall the cars assembled with the questionable engines.
Nguyen Van Khoa, Chairman of the Vietnam Automobile Industry Corporation and Chairman of the Transport Mechanical Association, said that with no one caring for, lubricating or preserving the engines for two years at the port, the engines would have been rusted by sea water.
VNN
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