Why is it so difficult to get a manual transmission Solara Sport SE? The default transmission is a manual, but the dealer says getting one is almost impossible. Why is this? Would it be better to go to Kentucky and pick up the car from the factory (if made in Kentucky).
Tony
"ajocius" wrote in message news:DbSdnUvgnaWTWRHZnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@insightbb.com...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I may be able to give some definitive information about these matters, because about three weeks ago I took the factory tour at Georgetown KY. 100% of all Solaras for worldwide sales are made at Georgetown, as are 100% of Avalons and 80% of Camrys....even the right hand drive edtiions made for right hand drive countries. All the cars made at Georgetown are sold to the Toyota Sales Corporation, which handles distribution, so chances of picking up a car at the factory are none and none. If anyone is in the vicinity of Kentucky, it's a real eye opener to visit the plant and see how the cars are made....you'll be able to see everything but the painting department, which is closed even to other plant "team members", due to two factors - the fumes require that only properly equipped (with respirators) employees work there, and the second factor is a surprising one - if visitors were allowed in, the possible fumes from people's perfumes and aftershaves would possibly contaminate the paints! They crank out two cars every 55 seconds there, and each operation in the assembly is timed to a 55 second schedule, with two exceptions - the painting, which takes hours to dry, and the installation of the Solara convertible top, for which ten minutes is allowed. It's a great place to work, because among other benefits, if you have a perfect attendance record for one year, your name goes into a hat with all others with perfect attendance records, and 15 of the names are pulled, and 15 new Toyotas are given away to these 15, and Toyota even picks up the sales taxes, and pays the registration on the free cars! Over 10,000 people work at the plant, about 1/4 with college degrees, about
1/4 are female, and less than 1% are Japanese. They make most of the vehicles there, from parts made by about 80 suppliers in 33 states of the US. They even fabricate the plastic bumpers and their reinforcement at the plant, having found out that they could make them cheaper and better than their former suppliers. An amazing place to visit. They even have the first car made there in 1988, a white Camry, in the lobby.MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.