[Mrlakeside]

TMS USA-- Six months ago Toyota was sending out cease and desist letters to Tundra Solutions.com for trademark infringement.

I noticed that you are using this thread for 2 things. 1. To provide the latest information on the 5.7 camshaft problem. 2. You are using this website as a tool to reassure readers that information on other mediums is untrue.

Do you think Toyota is getting value by using this message board in a time that Toyota is doing some “damage control" on the Tundra engine issue?

If you do, I would hope that you can take this experience with you so that the next time someone in the Toyota legal dept starts sending out nasty letters. You can reflect on the value you received by being able to get your information out to your customers that are debating and wondering how bad the issue really is.

The camshaft issue is something that your customers are talking about TODAY in almost real time. I think Toyota has value in this message board in that Toyota can make a position and a statement faster and more directed than if you published that information else ware.

In some of your posts you say that Toyota is "steeped in tradition". You also say that you are slowing evolving into seeing a message board type format as a "win-win-win deal"

Will I say the fact that Toyota was able to publish information yesterday on this board makes it a win-win-win deal and to be frank Toyota is lucky to have a medium like TundaSolutions.com to make its point.

-Ryan





--------------------------------------------------------------------------

TMS USA wrote...

Thank you for your comments. We do support the efforts of quality Toyota-oriented enthusiast sites or forums. Some within the industry may not be as familiar with the extent and reach of these forums, but there certainly is a growing sense within Toyota that they exist as valuable communication and listening spaces across the web.

This is one of the reasons why within the past several months we have launched a consumer-generated or social media initiative meant to embrace and, where appropriate, participate in these important consumer dialogs re our products and services. I should say it is not without its internal controversy, for we are a company steeped in tradition--and those traditional business practices have brought us considerable success over the past many years. But we are slowly evolving across the Toyota enterprise to see it as a win-win-win deal, positively impacting consumers/customers such as you, dealers and us--Toyota corporate.

Are Toyota dealers supportive of online forums? I think so. (But not sure the term "bullet" will endear those who are not to come around!) The more technically and business astute dealers--many of whom are participating on this very forum--recognize the value to the business of specialized social media sites like TundraSolutions (brand image building, knowledge base for consumers--or the dealer in your case, breeding ground for poz buzz/WOM, highly influential).

That last attribute is probably one of the most important as a company like Toyota emerges from its 11th consecutive year of record breaking sales growth in the U.S. and embarks upon one of the most critical vehicle launches in our company's history with the new Texas-built Tundra. Current Toyota owners and those that might consider Toyota flock to these forums now in droves to seek out not only product information, but also the trusted opinions of online experts--in reality other consumers with relevant experience with one of our products or services.

It's like a giant 24/7 online cocktail party attended by folks who share a common bond--and you can drop in and gain information or share your own experience with others whenever and as often as you desire. How great is that? Those that host such "parties" are doing a great service to the auto biz, IMO. We also know that those who engage in such affairs--or merely exist as curious "lurkers"--trust these social networks more than anything else, more so even than that obtained from generally respected sources like our own brand website. That's powerful. That's influential. . . And that's one gem this company does not intend to ignore.
__________________

Corporate Communications
Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.