Click On Detroit – July 17, 2006:
The Wall Street Journal has offered its own solution to America’s auto problem by combining the “big two” and creating the “big one,” according to Local 4 business editor Rod Meloni.
“Now is the time for their conservative minds to consider something truly transformational: a merger of General Motors and Ford Motor,” the paper reported.
On the upside, the Journal said a combined Ford and GM would emerge stronger and more able to attack both sets of legacy costs. Together they will attain a staggering 40 percent of North American market share, Local 4 reported.
And by cutting brands such as Buick, Pontiac and Mercury, it will allow the major company to focus on better-selling brands, the station reported.
23,
ALSO dont blame Toyota, becuase there CEO makes Less money then OURS. By a range of 10 to 1, the US CEO for Ford,GM, and others make 10 times the money then the toyota CEO’s…
As well as the idea that EVERY US car made in the last 10 years, has parts that wont FIT on the next years cars, 90% of the time. Which makes the parts EXPENCIVE(maybe).
Profit margins on US cars is around $10,000.
Japan, CAME here so as to bypass the Tarriffs that ADD $8,000 per car imported to the US. And they are STILL lower priced.
they can call the new car “Teh Suck”
Everyone seems to be missing a few points. American cars, because of sheepish managers, are designed by committees and approved by focus groups after the lawyers sign off on it. This is a formula for crap.
#31 – xrayspex – “Sorry. Can’t explain women to you either.”
But I understand women 🙂
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#34 – tallwookie “they can call the new car “Teh Suck””
They can… If they happened to fail English class. I honestly hope 1337 speak never leaves the safe confines of the “1337”
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#35 – Right you are John. Beta testing and quality assurance tends to always be helpful. Focus groups, on the other hand, tend to always ruin things. I’m reminded of the Simpsons episode where Homer was put in charge of designing a car.
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I just want a car that is affordable, gets great gas mileage, and is reliable for about a decade or so. And I’ve met an engineer or two in my lifetime, so I kind of believe that isn’t really all that tall of an order.
33,
Umm, you think so??
Then I will get an older car, and you can get a NEWER car.
Lets test them.
600 mile trip, GOING the speed limit accross the desert.
Then a Tow pull. TORC vs high speed engine.
think about this…When we wanted to Pull a Stump out of the yard, we didnt go looking for a TRUCK.
When we needed to Move to another home, we LOADED UP the car, UP and OVER the car, and the shocks NEVER touched the ground, and the car DIDNT whimper.
When we had a 1ton truck, it wasnt to bad to load up about 10 tons, or Pull a trailor/RV MADE of steel…try it now and kill your truck.
Lets see…How about passing gear…YOU AINT GOT ONE…
What is odd is that both GM and Ford make and sell cars all over the world. Some of their overseas cars are great, and I think would do well in the US.
For example, both Ford and GM are missing a great opportunity to sell their Australian pickup trucks, called “utes” down here, in the US. The Japanese and Germans have nothing like them. They are powerfull, fast, sexy, and get good milege.
I wrote about it back in April.
[editor: Ron, use tinyurl for long url’s]
New cars are designed under the idea of SPEED to Torc.
Where the old ones were TORC to speed.
converting Speed to torc, SUCKS.
the radiators in the NEW cars are not sufficent to do much and over heat Very quick. thats whjy you need Coolant more then the old cars did.
the VW bug was decent as you couldnt over load it, and had great milage and went anywhere.
I have a 1978, Ford F150, 350 V8, Windsor and it will do everything but make the pancakes in the morning. I get 20 mpg in town and about 26 out on the open road. I can haul anything(living on a ranch/farm it’s a good idea), anywhere without any worries. I can do my own repairs and parts are cheap. Why would I buy anything else?
Ford, like GMC has always made far better trucks than just about anyone. That is until they started making them for Mom and the kids, instead of Dad.
41,
AGREED… and back then and in the last 10 years, they are Cheaper to buy. I still rember when a CAR didnt set you back a years salery, or cost as much as your home.
The sad fact is that all these companies will probably head overseas as everyone else has done already. On the other side of the issue is the fact that the cost of wages and benefits in the developed countries are going down. As long as the government has enough money to keep running and business can keep showing profits with those at the top taking no loss of wages or benefits then I don’t see anything changing. With the government working hand and hand with business it’s a guess to when or if they will wake up to the fact that this country was built on working people and if the working man can’t have a good life then they have killed the goose that lays the egg that keeps them going. So far this issue hasn’t even been on the map with them. In my mind, when future generations resign to the reality that they will not have a better life than those who came before them then the so called American Dream is dead.
And considering that 90% of the car was made Somewhere else Anyway..
Look at the parts, Mexico, Indonesia, Pakistan, Taiwan,…
Think about it.. The parts are made Everywhere except HERE anyway.
they send the parts Her, and put them together, and Stmap ‘Made in the USA’ on the side.
Even when they Do move, they wont lower their prices. They only make MORE profits.
more profits by having lower wages, Greater profits as they Force the Value of THAT countries money to go up(as they held over the old/original monies) and so forth.
On driving lights: I got’em on my S10, and I like the idea I never have to remember to turn them on at nite. I’ve drove this little sucker for over two years and never (after I figured all that out) touch the light switch. There is a sensor on the dashboard that turns on the dash lights and such.
The problem with the car market in general is that there are enough cars on dealer’s lots today to serve the need for at least five years, so in essence the dealers are selling a non-need to the public. I wonder what happens to all the cars that don’t sell? Be hard to sell a two year old vehicle as new, I would guess.
45 brings up the actual problem with Ford and GM.
Up until the 80’s, they built pieces of poorly fitted crap that disintegrated after six years. Then the asian and German cars came in, and started a quality race.
Cars just don’t wear out like they used to. It’s blindingly obvious in hindsight that it follows that people aren’t buying new cars like they used to, and that is a permanent state of affairs. Hell, my car is 17 years old, and after a few thousand dollars of work, is almost as good as when I bought it seven years ago. Why would I want a new car?
I’m still not sure why Daytime Running Lights aren’t standard on all new cars and trucks. Simple fact is, in daytime, lights on makes you more visible to other drivers, thus increasing your safety. What could be the possible downside of that?