JIM MATEJA: Salesmen respond to incentives

Q. I went looking for a new Toyota Highlander and found most dealers have only black, white or silver in stock. I told a sales-man I wanted a Limited in red, blue or green without a navigation system. I asked him to call me if he could locate one.

Car manufacturers posted dismal sales in June so you'd think they'd be trying to sell any and all SUVs, but I never heard from the salesman and that was six weeks ago. I presume business isn't all that bad for some folks.

- R.Z.
Mokena, Ill.

A. The salesman didn't call you back in six weeks, but in contacting you we found that you didn't call him back in six weeks, ei-ther.

Telling a salesman to "call me if you find one" doesn't motivate him like a deposit check does. How does he know you aren't look-ing on your own?

But the reason you can't find one, Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong says, is that those vehicles are ordered by the regional office based on what Toyota thinks will sell in different areas, and the Limiteds in your region came loaded, including with navigation systems.

You can keep looking or ask the salesman to find a Highlander without navi from another dealer.

Q. GM could resume production of the EV1 using Panasonic lead-acid batteries. It would be easy since the EV1 plant is empty and the batteries are available off-the-shelf.

Would-be purchasers of the EV1 clamored for a chance to buy the car for $25,000. Why not reactivate the EV1 fan club? It could be in showrooms in six months to quiet GM's critics, make GM some money, and attract new customers to other models.

We (lessors) were able to keep EV1 running and by buying one assumed the risk, but GM steadfastly refused to even let one survive.

- D.K.
Seal Beach, Calif.

A. Lead-acid takes you right back to the climate and recharging issues - no matter whose batts you use.

If you know how to get a new car to showroom in six months, you should send your resume to any or all automakers and enjoy the bidding war. If you know how GM can make money on selling the EV1 again after it lost more than $1 billion on it the first time around, you should send any extra resumes to the U.S. Treasury Department.

Many lessors who wanted to buy the cars said they'd sign a waiver absolving GM of liability. But those injured or killed by a way-ward EV1 would have made no such deal.

Q. If Toyota sells Prius at a loss to attract people to its other models, why can't GM re-offer its EV1 or let another company build it? It would improve their image far more than Volt.

- B.B.
Lansing, Mich.

A. If General Motors had $30 billion in the bank like Toyota, maybe it could sell hybrids at a loss to build market share.

Why offer EV1 when Volt will give you 40 miles without consuming a drop of gas, and another 360 or so while the gas engine re-charges the batts?

Write to Jim Mateja, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago IL 60611, or send e-mail to transportation@tribune.com. Due to the volume of letters, only those in which the reader includes full name and hometown can be read.)