2nd Gen Solara Sales Big Disappointmennt

[pro956]

i didn't like gen2
sales sucked = changes
i have no problem with that...

[slingshot]

I think there are two major reason caused poor sale

1. the competition gots stronger (mazda 6, accord coupe, neon SRT, WRX...etc) At 99-2001, we dont have some of the car above to competit.

2. Some dealer know people like the new solara, they got cocky with it. This is their own marketing problem. For example, when i was trying to buy the solara for my gf, one dealer even quote me $400 mark up (wtf, its a damn camry) or not willing lower the price. They all said same thing "high demand cause the price fix". Also, whenever they have rebate and discount, the gen2 solara wasnt included. The gen 1 and gen 1.5 was included in the rebate program.

As far as the car being over-priced and/or some dealers charging over sticker: Sounds pretty odd to me. Many people on the Gen2 forum have gotten this car for invoice including me. You can't beat that deal. I disagree that the car is overpriced if Toyota has been giving such good deals on it from early on. I just think that it is a more competitive arena now than earlier.

[Jackass-Jeff]

They are selling pretty well here in the Los Angeles area. The first few weeks it just came out, a local dealer *WONDRIES* had $3,000 mark up on them x_x The SE V6 was going to cost more than a non marked up SLE. The best offer he could do was msrp+ tax and crap... and was shady in not letting me see invoice ! ! !

[VirtualSlayer]

the gen 2 will just end up like a supra, not enough ppl buy it, and they'll stop making. Then we wont get a Gen 3

[alext14]

On one hand its a good thing that the sales are poor, cause then maybe Toyota will redesign the Solara soon (real soon), but on the other hand if the sales get too bad then they just might drop the solara line all together, which would be a dissapointment.

However I completely agree with......


Toyota, just remake the Supra Please!!!!!!!!!!!!! [/quote]

[B_Master_Flash]

Toyota, just remake the Supra Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If the prototype pictures I saw in Road and Track are correct, the supra is being remade w/ a hybrid engine and it will be totaly gay.

[Jai_Jai_Binks]

Here's a gen 1 solara liker who's also a gen 2 liker (well, in a perfect world i'd have them both...but financial reality bites my a$$).

Toyota really needs solara and needs it to be a success more so now than ever! Celica demise has been predicted in 2006 (not sure about the mr2-spyder). So what would be the only coupes/sportscars from toyota would be solara and soarer (lerxus-sc) ...I see a lot of gen 2's everyday. Competition is very strong. There is great demand for high revving 4banger sedans...than v6 coupes like the late 90's.

Also, whats w/ all this generation gap hate....we're all toyotas...let's live in peace!

[TadS]

Here's a gen 1 solara liker who's also a gen 2 liker (well, in a perfect world i'd have them both...but financial reality bites my a$$).

Also, whats w/ all this generation gap hate....we're all toyotas...let's live in peace!

Well said. I will admit the promo pictures for the Gen 2 didn't look that great, but after looking at a Gen 2 in person, and taking it for a test drive I think one will be in my drive in late 2005, parked right next to my Gen 1. The car has good potential, but it hasn't really been exploited yet. Like many of the gen1's. I think it just needs some time to grow a personality. I like 2 doors and with Toyota considering killing the Celica that will limit my choices, especially if the Solara fails. .

[impactX]

After seeing a Gen 2 in person and parking side by side with one, I am glad I have a Gen 1.

[cdssolara]

I'm sorry to hear that they're not selling very well. I didn't like them at first, but since I've been seeing more of them they're beginning to grow on me. I really like the front view, the side view is fine, but I still don't like the back end. If Toyota could reduce the size of the rear and add a manual transmission, I think it would be a terrific car. Sure, a few extra hp would be great, too.

[Jon11582]

Toyota really needs solara and needs it to be a success more so now than ever! Celica demise has been predicted in 2006 (not sure about the mr2-spyder). So what would be the only coupes/sportscars from toyota would be solara and soarer (lerxus-sc)

Before I say anything, I wanna say I like both Solaras. I think the Gen2 looks good in person (Esp. in red or black) and the interior is heads above what we Gen1'ers got.

What I was going to say was, when I going for my first car, I was choosing between the Celica and the Solara and ended up with the Solara. Toyota doesn't really need the Solara IMO. Its the sportest car they got if the Celica drops, but the two biggest markets for the Solara are young people looking for a sporty ride, which overlaps the Celica market right now, and the older people who want a nice riding car, but dont have the beans to shell out for the ES330, and would rather not drive a Camry, but want the Camry reliability. (You know, the stock Solaras you pass on the highway, first looking at it and admiring the car, but then looking in the window and seeing some older man/woman driving it 5 under the limit.) The enthusiast crowd, which is what most of us are since we surf this forum, is pretty small for the Solara so we dont really factor in.

If they drop the Celica and the Solara, I dont think the older market would take too much coaxing to get them in a Camry or ES330 (In my eyes, the ES just about as sporty-looking but 4 doors and a way larger pricetag. Gen5 Cam's not so bad itself).

Now what about that young market? They got the new Scion tC, which actually fills the niche pretty nicely at the same or slightly lower pricepoint. Think a lightweight Solara 4banger supercharged.

I think that if Gen2 sales dont turn enough sales, they won't have too much problem dropping it off thier product line. Think about how much advertising they pumped into the Gen2 compared to the Gen1. You think the product manager of the Solara is going to impress the CEO enough with "forecast numbers" to get the go ahead for a Gen3 if the Gen2 bombs and the tC picks up nicely?

A gen3 Solara might be my next car if its ever made, but we may never know.

[ChrYstiE]

A gen 2 will be my next car, hands down. After I beat mine to sh*t and give it to my sister, I'll get a used gen 2 and start all over again. I don't care what anyone thinks. Big butt or not, this is what cars of the future will look like. I just think it might be just a little ahead of its time.

-Chrystie

P.S. Jon- when are you giving me your tails ?

[xyntax]

I think that's sad news. I really hope that someone or some people in Toyota actually tried to prevent this from happening and said "I told you so" right now.

If you talk to non-toyota fans out there, the most common comment you would hear from them would be "Oh yeah, Toyotas can run forever but they look like ass"

I'm 50/50 on the 04 Solara now. The more I see it, the more I lean 60/40 between the two sides

[CASTRO]

i personally drive a 97 camry, so i know what it feels like to judge a solara gen1 vs gen2. My uncle just bought a new gen2 solara fully loaded and i must say... for 3.3 VVT-i etc etc, it is one fatty porker. I mean, what was Toyota thinking when they went to build up the body? No hate or anything, it is an amazing car and all, but How is it that my Camry feels just a bit more peppy than something that is a 2 door, and supposed better motor and tranny combo. Jsut sad that after such a sweet motor and tranny upgrade, it gets crapped on with extra weight. Personally, I would want to find a wrecked gen 2 and swap that bad boy into my car. Not sure if its a weight issue, but even in handling, the car showed its increased weight.

[Whatever]

I think the gen 2 solara doesn't look that bad, it's just different taste for different people. Well everybody likes their own car, and that's probably the main reason ppl who owns gen 1-1.5 doesn't like the gen 2 solara as much. I know this one girl who really like the gen 2 solara and she keeps on telling me that my car is ugly n' such, I didn't really care because I thought she just don't know much about gen 1-1.5 solara:drinking: hhaha. anyway as long as I love my car I don't care what ppl say about it, cuz they don't know my car better then I do. Gen 1-1.5 has it's speciality and so does gen 2. Also I think UltraslowSolara was totally right about those cocky toyota dealer (well not every one, but most of em' are pretty cocky) They just don't know how to do business with ppl. Once there was this dealer who told me that he sells 200 camry per month, I was like err........sure you do.