Trauma at Toyota: Sales, image skid; Surveys say shoppers may flee; analysts see lingering damage.(NEWS)(Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.)

Byline: Jesse Snyder and Kathy Jackson

Toyota's meltdown has led thousands of car buyers to cross the brand off their shopping lists and has sent the company's vaunted image into free fall.

"The last time we saw something like that was when Southwest had to ground its entire fleet in 2008, said Ted Marzilli, managing director of BrandIndex Service, a New York market research firm. "We see Toyota on par or even greater than that.

Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. says it expects to lose 80,000 sales this year because of its escalating safety crisis. Market researchers paint an even gloomier picture as the bad news piles up.

Brand experts say purchase intent is shrinking and fewer shoppers are researching Toyotas. Assessing the continuing impact is hard until the barrage of new revelations eases, but early signs are grim for Toyota.

An online poll by Kelley Blue Book showed purchase consideration for the Toyota brand fell by 20 percent after the recent recall, dropping it …