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Disaster In Japan To Blame For Toyota Production Loss

ARDMORE, Pa. (CBS) -- The disaster in Japan is having effects worldwide. Today, Toyota announced new details about last months earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and its impact on production at manufacturing plants in Japan. Since the earthquake Toyota Motor Corporation says it has experienced a production loss of 260,000 cars.

"If there's a most common question, it's are we going to run out of cars? The answer is no," said owner of Max Paul's Ardmore Toyota.

Paul said this morning he received an email from corporate explaining how the loss in production will impact his business and other across the country. "For the short term it's business as usual. I think as we go deeper into summer inventory, it going to get slimmer," said Paul. "Fortunately, most of our inventory is built in the United States so that inventory is going to come back much quicker than the Japanese production."

Meanwhile, there's no shortage of older models. "I knew exactly what I wanted when it came in but it's not a new car it's a used car," said customer Carol Lesch. Lesch is not alone. Since the disaster in Japan, the dealerships General Manager Bob Coppock says used cars sales are up 15%.

Toyota expects production levels to be back to normal by November or December of this year.

Reported by Jericka Duncan, CBS 3

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