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Last updated 11:43 am CT September 02, 2010.
Toyota Dealerships React to Sales Suspension
"It's hard to get used to," says General Sales Manager Trevor Moore.
Moore received news of the suspension through email Tuesday evening. He says the message could change business long-term.
"We have a group of loyal Toyota customers that are questioning their product at this point and they're asking themselves do I want to buy another Toyota?" says Moore.
The eight models suspended from sale happen to make up 80% of all sales at Tyler's Toyota in Mt. Vernon.
"We're looking at certainly well over a million dollars, perhaps a million and a half in unsellable product," says Moore.
So far, Toyota has given no timeline of when the suspension will end.
The company has long used safety as a selling point; one reason Moore says the sale suspension makes sense.
"Toyota took the proactive approach instead of the reactive approach," he says.
Toyota has also shut down production of the models affected. It's a move one bank estimates could cost the carmaker up to $500-million a week.
By: Christen Craig
ccraig@wsiltv.com
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