Nice work Ken. Very well done. :TU: Some might not agree with the applicability of the parable, but I do.
Yup, there does seem to be a lack of management talent at the US automakers. However people still don't seem to understand the point of this thread. This economy depends on circulation of money. I buy something from you, you buy something from the next guy, and so on until someone buys something from me. When you buy something from overseas, that money stops circulating and that money never comes back to you. Get it? The trade deficit is KILLING THIS COUNTRY. It's not just the "big 3" automakers, either. Here is an interesting statistic: In 1995, the manufacturing sector was 55% of the US GDP. Now, it's just over 15%. That means that SO many Americans are now unemployed or underemployed, and NO LONGER ABLE TO PURCHASE THE GOODS OR SERVICES FROM YOUR COMPANY. I work for a manufacturing company, and fortunately we've been able to survive (barely). But it is amazing how many of our suppliers (local welders, sheetmetal shops, injection molding houses, etc.) are just GONE. We are constantly trying to find new suppliers for ones that are disappearing. Even my own company has shrunk considerably, which means that we are purchasing less from other American companies. Until Americans understand the ramifications of the HUGE trade imbalance, and that when you buy something from abroad you are putting YOUR OWN CUSTOMERS out of business, the US economy will continue to spiral downward. It is your right to buy foreign cars if you want, but you are cutting off your own nose to spite your face. And don't come crying to me when you can't find a job, just because you wanted to try to teach the US carmakers a lesson.
I think you've nailed it there, Bob. I have never seen the American public so "vindictive" in any area, in this case the US Auto industry. Whatever happened to rooting for the "home team"? K
Unfortunately Keith rooting for the "home team" is rooting for: themselves. People that bought new foreign cars but then complain that the US economy and their stocks are in the dumpster don't get any sympathy from me. Then again, I don't buy new American cars either......I buy used ones since they last a long time.......
I agree but what if your home team has abandoned you and no longer supports your home town and sends all the money and jobs that you are paying for over seas are they the home team or two faced lyers ???? cut all the top saleries to $200,000 per year or less a salery cap the HIRE home team labor
I will buy cars made in America by Americans. If that is a BMW made in Spartanburg, SC so be it. If you don't like your money leaving than buy shares in in the companies and bring those dividends back the the US. I would bet that each of your 401Ks or retirement accounts has Toyota in it. The guy who started this thread got mad when a person said something in poor taste. If I worked for a foreign car plant in the US I would be offended by this thread. You are basically telling people not to support their jobs. You are telling people not to support the local dealership which employees American sales people, staff and mechanics. If that happened hundreds of thousands of Americans would loose their jobs also. Is that what you want? The American on the Nissan or Toyota line to loose their job? You want the local mechanic at the Honda dealership to loose their job? I guess only some American jobs are ok with you guys. That is sad.
If people stopped buying foreign cars made in the US, and bought domestics instead, the lost foreign jobs would be made up by expanded workforces at the domestic car makers. Same for mechanics and other trades and suppliers. No lost jobs, just trading foreign owned jobs for American owned jobs. I'm not guilty here-- I buy American now anyway-- but that is a trade-off I would take any day! I hate Camrys or Accords or whatever else those damned things are called.
Good theory, but it is incorrect. The efficiency of the plants would allow for 30% of the workforce to be absorbed at best. This isn't a one for one kind of deal. If you told GM, Ford and Chyrsler today they would be absorbing the volumes of the JMNAs they would smile and add more robots to be even more efficient. That is the wrong direction to your arguement.
I guess they (CR) lied when they said that the Regal was more reliable than Camry or Accord....... http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2003-11-03-reliable_x.htm I guess GM didn't believe it either because the pulled the plug on the model and the name.
We sold our Son our 2003 Regal GS. He has well over 100000 Miles on it. The only thing he had to change is the MAF sensor. Plus he LOVES eating up the fart can crowd. They cruise back by with odd looks and wonder what just happened. A 4 Door Buick just ate up my Jap car? They just didn't see the Supercharged label on the back. Plus he gets 32 MPG on the Highway. Why did I sell that car to Him... PONCH
I back you my Canadian buddy! We are pretty much the same country anyway! :error: I definately have more in common with somebody from Winnipeg than I do somebody from Dallas. What I think sucks is that soon I will need a passport just to go there! (There as-in Canada) :rant: 'National Security' eh.
Argh! :spank: Never say never! I'd have to admit that quite a few Americans are not loyal to the American way of life in general, but there ARE some of us who think that they should be loyal in most regards to our Motherland. A battle lost, I think not, AND I don't feel as though I'm in the minority either. BUT, whatever. It's just one guy's thoughts on the subject and nothing to really argue and lose sleep over here on the board. Jim
The only thing I will chime in on is something I have direct experience with: Quality. Here are the results of my "late model" vehicle ownership--each one purchased used, some more used than others: 1994 Ford Escort Wagon. Purchased with 460 miles on it. 335,651 miles. Did transmission at 200,000. Maintenance items only. 1995 Ford Taurus Wagon. Purchased with 19000 miles sold with 265,000 miles. Power steering rack, water pump and an alternator is it for failures other than maintenance. 1992 Buick Roadmaster Wagon. Purchased with 102,000 now has 242000. rebuilt the trans a couple of times. Jump in it and drive it to LA tomorrow. 1999 Ford Taurus. Purchased with 19000 miles. 252,000 miles. I put a used motor in it when my wife drove it 35 miles after she lost a radiator hose. Engine ran after catastrophic overheat, but I decided not to chance it. Maintenance items besides this. Jump in it and drive it anywhere. 2000 VW Cabrio. put 50000 miles on it, here is what was replaced. Fuel system(pump, injectors, lines), water pump, alternator, transmission(twice), power steering pump, top motor. Terrible dealer experience on a brand new car. Everybody warned me the American junk I bought is a POS and they all were great cars with hundreds of thousands of trouble free miles of my family's abuse. But the resale is bad they say. Except I could buy TWO Tauruses for the price of one Honda Accord at the time. It better have a good resale since I have to bend over and grab my ankles when I make the initial purchase. On top of that I was farfenugened by the German Wunderkar and two lousy VW dealerships. You can say toyotas are better, but I wouldn't believe you. You can call me a dumb hillbilly, but I won't buy anything but American cars because it doesn't make sense for me to spend the extra dough on a foreign based company's cars. I will say it is going to be interesting since every industry is going to want to be bailed out now.
Honda and Acura paid my bills for 12 years. I own 2 Buicks 1 Toyota and 1 GMC. My Toyota was built by The United Auto Workers. Alot of US money stays in US pockets because of Foregin cars. Last set of GM brake pad I put on the GMC were not made in the US. Kurt
