[Virginia1]

Bottom line for thread: Foreign cars are surpassing the Amercian cars in sales steadily for the last 25 years. UAW workers are only allowed to park Amercian cars at work. The big 3 have been really slow in waking up to the quality, mpg, more horsepower in 4 cylinder cars, and reliability of foreign cars. American cars are catching up, but very, very slowly. The big 3 are slow to hybrid cars (Japanese have been getting better and better in that technology). Big 3 autoworkers get discounts to buy there cars. College towns in Michigan have more foreign cars. Hmmmm I think that's it. Okay time to move on

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by fivestar

Japaneese (*sp) cars are cheap and they have high gas mileage

American cars are expensive, are made of plastic, yet still get no better of gas mileage than maybe 25 mpg.

Michigan is broke, because no one else in America wants American cars either. As it is, Chrysler just sold its company to some Japaneese company, or at least a large portion of it (this is what I was told). I know for a fact that next year, Chrysler will be debuting a Japaneese car that costs something like $7,000 brand new.

And, America is self destructing! We pay our workers too much and are too lax about allowing companies to obtain their labor in other countries. Thus, companies go off-shore, and Michiganders loose jobs!

And again, Japaneese cars are CHEAP and GOOD ON GAS; thus, when michigan is down and out (out of work), we buy Japaneese!



-make sense?

Nope, still doesn't make a lot of sense to me but I'm not real intelligent either so you'll have to excuse me.

And Chrysler selling "it's company to some Japanese company?" ...that I don't get at all.







As for this thread being a waste of time, I agree! *laughs*

The only reason I started it is I wanted to see if things had changed much since those days several decades ago where I'd would've been a little hesitant of driving a Japanese car in Michigan. I think back on that incident where a Chinese American guy got killed because somebody thought he was of Japanese ancestry. So I just wondered if and how things have changed in Michigan. Like I said, I've never been to Michigan. My question wasn't necessarily practical for I'm not planning on visiting Michigan anytime soon. It's just was theoretical.

I had my question answered and I really do thank all of you who responded on this thread! Thank you.

--'rocco

[M TYPE X]

Originally Posted by Virginia1

Bottom line for thread: Foreign cars are surpassing the Amercian cars in sales steadily for the last 25 years. UAW workers are only allowed to park Amercian cars at work. The big 3 have been really slow in waking up to the quality, mpg, more horsepower in 4 cylinder cars, and reliability of foreign cars. American cars are catching up, but very, very slowly. The big 3 are slow to hybrid cars (Japanese have been getting better and better in that technology). Big 3 autoworkers get discounts to buy there cars. College towns in Michigan have more foreign cars. Hmmmm I think that's it. Okay time to move on

All the Japanese automakers have tech centers in SE Michigan, specifically Ann Arbor, except for Honda. Nissan has expanded their Farmington Hills facility greater. Although Honda seems averse to investing within Michigan, Michiganians outside of the UAW bubble love Hondas. Anecdotally, I think Hondas outsell Toyotas in Michigan (it's nearly even in Ohio; of course, American Honda basically calls Ohio home).

Nationally: Toyota sells the most cars at retail than any other brand (i.e. Chevrolet or Ford). Chevrolet and Ford of course sell a lot of vehicles, namely trucks and rental fleet vehicles.

[iamweasel]

Originally Posted by sci311

Thanks for answering my question, apparently nobody has read the earlier posts. I'll agree with you on one thing, we are wasting our time on this thread because almost all the stuff on this page has already been written about pages ago.

There are so many people just spewing inaccurate data I don't even know how to respond to it.

[iamweasel]

Originally Posted by M TYPE X

Chevrolet and Ford of course sell a lot of vehicles, namely trucks and rental fleet vehicles.

This year Toyota will sell more rental cars than Ford. When the (old) Taurus ceased production last fall that dropped Ford's rental sales.

The Fusion is a great selling car and they don't need to pimp it out to rental fleets. Toyota sells more Camrys and Corollas to rental companies relative to the Fusion and Focus.

Ford learned their lesson. Even the 500, which isn't selling as well as they'd like, they've restricted rental sales to 15% of total 500 sales. Once you start selling more than 15% to rental fleets it becomes a problem with the resale value, etc.

GM, however, is #1 in rental sales mainly because of the Impala, Malibu and Cobalt. GM's biggest mistake was not re-badging the Alero/Intrigue/Aurora as Chevy's when they killed Olds. Those cars are far better than the Cobalt/Malibu/Impala.

[M TYPE X]

Apparently, the Toyota Sienna is becoming increasingly popular as a taxi fleet vehicle. The last time I was in a Ford Windstar at Washington-Dulles, I thought I was gonna be sick.

[mike jones]

I spotted this sign at an used car dealership in downtown South Lyon.

Save Michigan, Buy
GM
Ford
Chrysler

When are these morons gonna realize the forces of market economics are in control and not them.

People buy certain cars because they LIKE THEM not out of duty to the state.

The Japanese cars are not to blame for Michigans economic woes.

[sci311]

Originally Posted by mike jones

The Japanese cars are not to blame for Michigans economic woes.

No, Japanese cars are not to blame for Michigan's economic woes. Unfair trade policies are (in significant part). This also was written about pages ago.

[Andre5140]

Originally Posted by mike jones

I spotted this sign at an used car dealership in downtown South Lyon.

Save Michigan, Buy
GM
Ford
Chrysler

When are these morons gonna realize the forces of market economics are in control and not them.

People buy certain cars because they LIKE THEM not out of duty to the state.

The Japanese cars are not to blame for Michigan's economic woes.

First off, they aren't morons...the Union leadership is a bunch of morons for trying to be isolationists.

I drive a Toyota and honestly don't really care for it. Regardless of the reasons, you should want to buy American to help the economy... whatever you "think" the cause is.

I also wonder where people think GM and Ford and fine with continuously producing bad quality vehicles. Have you did any comparison shopping lately? Didn't think so.

I currently have a Toyota Tacoma and owned a 2004 Mazda 3 that felt like it was built with recycled milk jugs. What a cheaply built piece of crap. You should buy American because it helps our country. What do you have against America? I agree that the Big 3 should comptete for market share but come on! Even if you don't work in the auto industry, surely many multiples of people WILL be effected by the demise of the Big 3.

[M TYPE X]

Originally Posted by Andre5140

I currently have a Toyota Tacoma and owned a 2004 Mazda 3 that felt like it was built with recycled milk jugs. What a cheaply built piece of crap. You should buy American because it helps our country. What do you have against America? I agree that the Big 3 should comptete for market share but come on! Even if you don't work in the auto industry, surely many multiples of people WILL be effected by the demise of the Big 3.

No one forced you into a Toyota, which is the "new" General Motors.
If you disliked the quality on your Mazda, you could have moved into a Honda or a Nissan.

Hyundai is increasingly important as a competitor as well.