NO NONSENSE SALE
author: Leon Botha
As most of you and especially Toyota owners will know there was a bit of a scramble at Toyota all over the world over the past few weeks after scientist discovered why most Toyota owners' hair pointed straight backwards and their kid's noses were flatter than that of most other human beings?
All had to do with sticking accelerator pedals and recalls of millions of cars to fix what might become a problem in future.
Typical of an industry where you are surrounded by competition that is actually doing a hell of a lot worse than you are - the GM's and Chrysler's of the world probably spent more on creating negative publicity for Toyota - the world leader - than they did on getting their cars not to look like shit.
Yeah, I know that Toyota has also recently failed to impress my taste in cars, although the economy did much better in chopping down my taste buds anyway, there has never been any doubt in my mind that they manufactured better cars than most and that their reputation as a company that cared about their customers was never in doubt.
Paging through some of the issues I could not help but smile when I read how their honesty caused them some unnecessary problems a while ago.
In 2003 while testing a vehicle on the Dynamometer they discovered that a clip on the petrol pedal was missing. They immediately investigated the matter without being forced to and after thorough inspections discovered that that was an isolated case.
Notwithstanding the tasteless competition jumped in and tried to make an issue of this - something that was grabbed by the media.
Then a bit later the floor carpets caused problems in many models when not correctly fitted after removal and …you know the story.
I have to place on record that even today - especially in my wife's car where she thought it necessary to fit a loose Persian (I swear) carpet on top of the special safety designed carpets in her Merc - ignoring my warnings that a loose carpet is nothing but a hazard in any car. When I asked her if the carpet was there to impress the Emergency Rescue guys after the accident - her typical "Women are from Venus" reply was that her Mercedes was not a Toyota and that she is surprised that the whole thing did not happen with Subaru - a taste in cars that according to her has more to do with a medical condition than preference?
So after a serious recall on some models Toyota in South Africa is having a sale of used petrol pedals on the 11th and 12th of February 2010!
This would have been a good one for April 1?
Only joking…but seeing that I probably have about 10% of your potential attention, it will pay you to note that Toyota Motorsport will be holding a sale on the 11th and 12th of February 2010, from 9am to 4pm at Signs 4 U building, 68 Richards Road, Midrand. Parts on offer will attract discounts.
All parts are to be sold "Voetstoets" without Toyota packaging (which means you will have to guess where the part fits?). No returns or refunds will be allowed (trespassers returning with stock in their hands to find out where it fits will be shot and packed into all the empty Toyota packaging!)
Invoicing will be done immediately (but do not complain if you have to wait a while in the queue) and payment can only be effected with a credit or debit card. No cash (the most legal tender in the world) or cheques will be accepted, neither can deferred payments terms be negotiated (which means don't even think about it!").
Kindly arrange own transport for any purchases to be made (you will not be allowed to load any thing in a taxi or a vehicle if you can not prove ownership of such?).
All goods to be removed immediately after payment have been effected.
It always amazes me when I read "customer unfriendly" notices - like the other day I wanted to park in front of a Woolies store to go an buy a few things at their overinflated prices.
"Parking Strictly for Woolworths customers - maximum time allowed 15 minutes. Cars will be towed away and R500 fine given!"
I held up the line of cars behind me while I sat there calculating if I will make it out of the car, run while half cripple to get a trolley, grab whatever it was that I could remember to buy, pay for it with a shaky hand and rush past the old ladies you usually get in these stores who brake without signalling, turn in the opposite direction in which they leaned and don’t say thank you when you allow them to go ahead of you after smoking your Bata's to avoid an accident, in 15 minutes?
The guy behind me hooted and I got out to ask him what he thought I should do - or to make it easier what he would have done in my place. I made him go sit in my car to do the calculations while I sat in his car hooting at him! He came back white in the face telling me that he could not work out the time span while I made such a noise!
Then there was this empty store with a sign "No trolleys are allowed inside this store, no smoking, no eating, no unattached children, if you break you take, no touching, no loitering!"
Anyway I am sure we will get used to all this one day - as having cash on you is dangerous, trusting people working with you to accept cash and place it in the right place is also not easy. Cheques …well I am sure that some people do not have credit or debit cards as they had to cancel them the last time they used it once, and the payments went through four times!
To think that Louis Armstrong actually put some feeling into it when he sang "What a wonderful world…."?
I am not sure where you can find out what will be going on sale on the 11th and 12th, but if you have anything to do with a Toyota in motorsport I am sure you will find a bargain waiting for you somewhere.
I normally do not attend these things as it always seem if everyone pitch to buy exactly what I had in mind - which normally means it has been sold out by the time I get to the front of the queue!
The fact that I will be doing the Route Notes for the Total Tour Natal ensures that I will not have to watch my step at this massive sale!
Good luck to you all - remember stand up straight in the queue, have your credit or debit card ready, don’t pretend to have cash in your hand…
GPS 26'00" 33.94S and 28' 07" 34.63E
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