Comments on: NY Times Says Toyota To Get Leaner, Um, More Lean? Super Lean? http://www.leanblog.org/2009/05/ny-times-says-toyota-to-get-leaner-um/ Mark Graban's leanblog.org - Lean Healthcare, Lean Thinking, Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:59:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gina Green http://www.leanblog.org/2009/05/ny-times-says-toyota-to-get-leaner-um/#comment-7047 Gina Green Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:19:35 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/05/ny-times-says-toyota-to-get-leaner-um-more-lean-super-lean/#comment-7047 I have bought a new Toyota 2009 because I was told by my Toyota salesmen that is was the safest car and it is not safe. I wanted to use it to drive with my family, instead the $22,000.00 Camry is standing in my driveway since the recall and now it’s sales are suspended because the car I bought could kill me and other people. Toyota does not know how to fix the problem. I have called the dealer and wanted to return it but they said they would give me $ 16,000.00 for a new car with only a 1500 miles driven . I feel cheated, I feel lied to and very angry that Toyota has violated my trust as well as participated in false advertising, breach of implied warranty and negligence and although they have sold me a lemon they don’t want to return my money. The car is impossible to stop because the neutral gear position is difficult to find because it requires the driver to move the shifter both laterally and vertically; and when the throttle is in the open position it requires a brake pedal force of 150 pounds to stop the vehicle, five times more than the 30 pounds required when the vehicle is operating normally. In addition, Toyota vehicles are not equipped with a brake-to-idle failsafe, which many other manufacturers already incorporate in their designs. This failsafe brings the engine to idle when both the throttle is in the open position at the same time the brake pedal is being depressed. I have bought a new Toyota 2009 because I was told by my Toyota salesmen that is was the safest car and it is not safe. I wanted to use it to drive with my family, instead the $22,000.00 Camry is standing in my driveway since the recall and now it’s sales are suspended because the car I bought could kill me and other people. Toyota does not know how to fix the problem. I have called the dealer and wanted to return it but they said they would give me $ 16,000.00 for a new car with only a 1500 miles driven . I feel cheated, I feel lied to and very angry that Toyota has violated my trust as well as participated in false advertising, breach of implied warranty and negligence and although they have sold me a lemon they don’t want to return my money. The car is impossible to stop because the neutral gear position is difficult to find because it requires the driver to move the shifter both laterally and vertically; and when the throttle is in the open position it requires a brake pedal force of 150 pounds to stop the vehicle, five times more than the 30 pounds required when the vehicle is operating normally. In addition, Toyota vehicles are not equipped with a brake-to-idle failsafe, which many other manufacturers already incorporate in their designs. This failsafe brings the engine to idle when both the throttle is in the open position at the same time the brake pedal is being depressed.

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]]> By: Matt May http://www.leanblog.org/2009/05/ny-times-says-toyota-to-get-leaner-um/#comment-4959 Matt May Thu, 14 May 2009 15:56:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/05/ny-times-says-toyota-to-get-leaner-um-more-lean-super-lean/#comment-4959 Nice insight Mark...all great points. Nice insight Mark…all great points.

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]]> By: Jason M http://www.leanblog.org/2009/05/ny-times-says-toyota-to-get-leaner-um/#comment-4958 Jason M Thu, 14 May 2009 14:44:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/05/ny-times-says-toyota-to-get-leaner-um-more-lean-super-lean/#comment-4958 I think those unfamiliar with lean think that great gains are made in the initial move from a traditional operation to one that is lean, but after that, only small incremental gains are possible. In financial terms, a company may think they can save $2 millon in operational costs Year 1, but once all the "low-hanging" fruit has been picked, Year 2 will only yield $500K in cost savings, Year 3 will be $250K, etc.<br /><br />I personally don't believe this but some have this mindset. Lean is almost viewed as one-time program or project that delivers results and then it's done. I think those unfamiliar with lean think that great gains are made in the initial move from a traditional operation to one that is lean, but after that, only small incremental gains are possible. In financial terms, a company may think they can save $2 millon in operational costs Year 1, but once all the “low-hanging” fruit has been picked, Year 2 will only yield $500K in cost savings, Year 3 will be $250K, etc.

I personally don’t believe this but some have this mindset. Lean is almost viewed as one-time program or project that delivers results and then it’s done.

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]]> By: Mark Graban http://www.leanblog.org/2009/05/ny-times-says-toyota-to-get-leaner-um/#comment-4956 Mark Graban Thu, 14 May 2009 12:12:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/05/ny-times-says-toyota-to-get-leaner-um-more-lean-super-lean/#comment-4956 Interesting points, Tonyj.<br /><br />I'm further hi-jacking my own Toyota post with Dell talk... back in the day, Dell's huge orders (for corporate customers and the military) were all build to order and all configurable to a lot size of 1 even if they shipped 500 at a time.<br /><br />So it wasn't batch production then. It sounds like it's more so now, with big batches of identical computers being shipped from abroad. Interesting points, Tonyj.

I’m further hi-jacking my own Toyota post with Dell talk… back in the day, Dell’s huge orders (for corporate customers and the military) were all build to order and all configurable to a lot size of 1 even if they shipped 500 at a time.

So it wasn’t batch production then. It sounds like it’s more so now, with big batches of identical computers being shipped from abroad.

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]]> By: tonyj http://www.leanblog.org/2009/05/ny-times-says-toyota-to-get-leaner-um/#comment-4955 tonyj Thu, 14 May 2009 11:37:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/05/ny-times-says-toyota-to-get-leaner-um-more-lean-super-lean/#comment-4955 A most interesting assessment and illustration of push and pull. When you are considering "taking control of what you can fix," a company can not focus only internally at its operations. It must also consider it's market and it's cash flows, for what can be fixed and what, such as the sudden recession, that can not. There may be no irony in Dell's changing business model. If you look more closely you may find that Dell is gaining a larger profit in selling in batches to the stores vice selling one-offs to individual customers. If you want to take control, I believe you need to follow the money, not just the product. A most interesting assessment and illustration of push and pull. When you are considering “taking control of what you can fix,” a company can not focus only internally at its operations. It must also consider it’s market and it’s cash flows, for what can be fixed and what, such as the sudden recession, that can not. There may be no irony in Dell’s changing business model. If you look more closely you may find that Dell is gaining a larger profit in selling in batches to the stores vice selling one-offs to individual customers. If you want to take control, I believe you need to follow the money, not just the product.

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