From knock-off old-man's electric vehicles to industrial giant

Chapter 258 What does it mean that the giant is bleeding again?!

Huang Yongqiang's psychological judgment of the market is close to accurate.

Online car forums.

The Highlander owner community is very lively.

Many posts are filled with angry curses and relentless criticism of the car.

I bought it at a premium because I trusted it so much.

As a global automotive giant, it's unbelievable that they would make such a huge mistake, betraying the car owners who supported them with their hard-earned money.

The resale value has been further reduced!

"Brothers, the dealership sent a message saying they've lowered the price. The cars are 4 yuan cheaper than the previous price. Is it a good time to buy?"

"What the hell are you talking about, garbage truck!"

"Whoever buys this will be unlucky!!"

"I've lost so much money. Yesterday I checked the used car market and the price had dropped by 30,000 yuan."

...

In the comments section of a post, longtime car owners vented their frustrations.

I'm truly beyond tears now.

There is no way to protect their rights.

Even if the fuel pump is replaced, its resale value will never be recovered.

However, some people have other opinions.

"The collapse was indeed unexpected, but it interrupted the nationwide trend of price increases, which is actually quite welcome."

"I went to check it out in person yesterday, and it's true that not only are they not raising prices, but they're also offering discounts on the cars they have in stock."

"Toyota is a big brand after all. The Highlander has been overpriced for several years. This incident has squeezed out the excess. If you don't buy a new car now, the price may go back up in a few months to half a year. People who really know cars can see the current trend. It is indeed a good opportunity to snag a bargain."

"Are you all idiots? You're even trying to pick up bargains on a badly damaged car?"

"So what if there's a scandal? Which brand hasn't had similar issues? Does it stop them from selling their cars all over the world?"

For a while.

The quarrel started again.

But it has to be said.

Some people who read these posts actually experienced a strange feeling.

It's like seeing a leading stock plummet to its lowest point; if you don't buy some, you feel uneasy.

Zhang Xiaobo is such a used car dealer.

He specializes in the luxury used car business, and thanks to his unique business acumen, he has built his own car dealership over the years.

This online controversy brought him to the attention of the Highlander.

And they sensed an opportunity in it.

A few years ago, the market for imported Toyota Alphards experienced a fluctuation, which allowed him to seize the opportunity and make a fortune.

"These people still don't understand the resale value of Japanese cars. Those high-end models owned by older owners can definitely be bought at a discounted price while the market is in a good mood, and you can make a fortune."

Adhering to the principle of "being greedy when others are fearful," Zhang Xiaobo began scouring for available cars from his peers and various channels.

Japanese cars have a high resale value, which is based on years of experience.

It can't be dried out.

(Laughed)

Highlander and Prado, aren't they all kings of resale value?

In just two days.

There were seven or eight more Highlanders in the store.

Zhang Zhe, the younger brother who was his partner, stared wide-eyed.

"Brother, aren't you going a bit too far? Buying so many cars while the market is down? This car has strong competitors!" He was lost in thought.

"You don't know anything. When it comes to buying a car, it all comes down to the brand. No matter how good domestic brands are, they can't compete with imported or joint-venture brands. That's experience." Zhang Xiaobo narrowed his eyes slightly, revealing a knowing smile.

Actually, he didn't initially intend to hoard so much.

Unexpectedly, the local 4S store had a batch of cars in stock. Because the fuel pump had been replaced, they were being sold at a discount as 0-kilometer defective used cars, so I simply bought them all at once.

The price we negotiated was quite favorable.

He was certain that the price of this car wouldn't drop any further in the short term, and he was just waiting for it to rebound a little before making a purchase.

"However, I still don't really like the 'small life' model. It feels too hypocritical. What 'craftsman spirit'? This time it's all just empty talk. I think the development of domestic new energy vehicles is really good. I also quite like that Xingchen Motors..." Zhang Zhe expressed his opinion while scrolling through his phone.

Zhang Xiaobo laughed and scolded, "Don't talk nonsense. I've been dealing in used cars for so many years, I've seen all kinds of situations. If we relied on domestic cars, we would have lost a fortune long ago... Kids, stop playing on your phones while eating!"

Zhang Zhe was speechless and prepared to turn off his phone to focus on eating hot pot, but just then, a news push notification from Toutiao caught his attention.

"Brother, look at this news... Xiao Rizi Company has gone bankrupt again?" He was slightly taken aback.

"How could that be? Have these media outlets run out of new material and are just publishing the Toyota scandal news again?"

Zhang Xiaobo felt a nameless anger rising within him.

What are GAC Toyota and FAW Toyota doing in China? Why aren't they spending money to reduce the hype?
That's when.

He caught a glimpse of the headline on his phone.

Kobe Steel of Japan issued a public statement offering a sincere apology for falsifying technical data related to its products.

Further explanation is provided below.

Kobe Steel is Japan's third-largest steel conglomerate, and its steel and aluminum products are mainly used in the manufacture of automobiles, Shinkansen bullet trains, and aircraft...

See this line of words.

Zhang Xiaobo was stunned.

My blood pressure spiked!
……

News reports indicate that the incident occurred yesterday morning.

Kobe Steel received documents from the U.S. Department of Justice requesting the submission of materials related to substandard products sold to U.S. customers.

In the afternoon, Tokyo Railway Company issued another statement.

It is claimed that some steel components manufactured by Kobe Steel and used in Shinkansen trains do not meet the industry standards set by the Japanese Industrial Standards Survey Committee.

These two things are quite significant.

Because the case was brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, Kobe Steel slid its knee even faster than Denso.

In just over a day, a statement was issued and all senior executives appeared at a press conference.

He bowed deeply in apology!

Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and other Japanese automakers were subsequently stunned.

Especially Toyota!
Akio Toyoda, who had just announced to the outside world that he would take full responsibility for the global recall of vehicles that had been involved in scandals, had not yet caught his breath before he appeared at a press conference for the second time.

no solution anymore.

You can only bow twice!
It's important to know that Toyota has long used Kobe Steel's rolled aluminum products to manufacture engine cylinder heads and body aluminum panels, affecting a very wide range of models!

And after their urgent investigation.

Without exception, they all failed!
All steel products and aluminum parts failed the inspection!

The tensile strength test results don't match the quality certificate at all! The data for Kobe Steel's steel products was apparently filled in by hand!

Despite Toyota's repeated insistence that the falsified areas did not involve the core safety structures of the vehicle, the online backlash speaks volumes.

For a while.

The stock market is experiencing another major shock!

The fuel pump incident has barely cooled down, and this incident is like adding fuel to the fire!

The giants are bleeding again!
The New York Stock Exchange.

Retail investors and shareholders who bought Toyota shares at the bottom in the past few days are now bewildered!
It was like being struck by lightning!

"Ah! I've been fucking split open!!"

"Two scandals in one week, that's inhuman!!!"

……

(End of this chapter)