Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM) said this week that it saw a sales downfall from the July-September quarter for the first time in seven years. When auto stalwart Toyota sees a downfall, things must be bad. Of course, it's no surprise that U.S. automakers -- all of them -- are hurting like they haven't in over two decades (or longer, depending on how you look at it).

The reason given by Toyota for the sales halt: declining demand in the U.S. American customers just aren't buying new cars at the rate auto industry execs expected. Call it a lack of money, a lack of credit access to finance new vehicles or folks just buying cheaper used cars. Probably all three are reasons Toyota saw itself sell only 2.24 million new vehicles globally in the July to September timeframe.

Although Toyota saw decent success throughout 2008 in terms of global sales (due to the market share it has in fuel-efficient passenger cars), demand in the U.S. shriveled down to virtually nothing this past summer. Toyota is not even close to being under the financial pressures of either General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM) or Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), but the Japanese automaker will probably see sales increase at a sluggish pace as consumer credit unfreezes and huge decreases in gasoline prices spur new auto sales. For Toyota, it has SUVs, trucks and fuel-efficient cars all available to sell -- with the style and marketing customers want -- so any auto upturn will land success in Toyota's lap first.