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Scandal damages Toyota’s sales in Vietnam
Vietnamese customers now refuse to purchase Toyotas, even models that have no problems with accelerator pedals, although Toyota has been a reliable brand name in the eyes of Vietnamese consumers for many years.
Car importers complain they have never seen such a gloomy business season as this one. They had hoped that after Tet sales would be better and allow them to clear their stock.
The recalls of Toyota models and higher taxes by customs agencies have combined to dash these hopes.
“Terrible!’ Nguyen The Hung, Chairman of Kylin Company (Specializing in imports from the US), exclaimed when asked about sales in the first month after Tet.
Hung noted that just two months ago, Camry 2.5 LE (Imported from the US) was a customer favorite. After the recalls, no one wants to purchase the model.
“Before Tet, we sold 30 Camrys. Now, we cannot sell any,” Hung complained.
He added that Toyota has been a very famous brand in Vietnam and the US for many years. No one could imagine that the market share of Toyota would drop so dramatically, especially, sales of models on the “black list.”
MT Auto also provides imports from the US and faces the same situation. A salesman admitted that before Tet the cars sold like hot cakes, with over 20 cars purchased. After the holidays, only three Toyotas have been sold.
Vu Manh Thuan, Director of Manh Thuan Import Car Company, also admitted that “Sales have been going very slowly.”
Manh Thuan has proven to be luckier than Kylin, selling three cars after Tet, including one Camry 2.5LE and a Lexus imported from the US.
Due to the Toyota scandal, car dealers who specialize in US imports have become “jobless.”. Many others are scared stiff and want to clear their stock as soon as possible to pay back the banks.
Nguyen Anh Tuan, owner of a company specializing in wholesaling Venza and Camrys from the US, asserted that no one would be foolish enough to purchase models on the “black list” right now.
“If you purchase a Camry 2.5 LE from the US at this moment, you will have to pay $63,000. Meanwhile, with the same sum of money, you can purchase a BMW 320i or Mercedes C200, two brands in higher positions than Toyota,” Tuan explained.
Hung described the Toyota car market as “frozen.” He went on to say that people do not have sufficient information about the VIN numbers, which can reveal which cars need to be recalled, and so they are all puzzled.
He said that loyal clients of Toyota will purchase them from Japan, Taiwan or those made in Vietnam.
Nguyen Thanh Long, Director of Sti Company, who owns a Toyota RAVF from the US, also admitted that Toyotas made in the US would certainly be less attractive in the eyes of Vietnamese customers.
Pham Huyen
vietnamnet
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