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The way a car looks is high on my list. It always has been. Perhaps that's why I own several Corvettes and Camaros, a TA and a couple of Cadillacs. Also, straight line acceleration is important to me too.
Unfortunately, fast coupes with big horsepower just don't sell like they used to. I wish they did. And now, the SUV market will be slowing down a bit. The two markets they've been best known for the last 4 decades are drying up and they're being forced into a market they've never been great at - smaller mass market cars.
I just wish the Big 3 made more cars that handle as well as their German and Japanese competitors. And I wish they kept up with the interior design trends - that's one of my biggest gripes about most American cars. They have the straight line acceleration part of the equation down pat, and always have. It's the stuff they don't focus on that drives people away.
Unfortunately, fast coupes with big horsepower just don't sell like they used to. I wish they did. And now, the SUV market will be slowing down a bit. The two markets they've been best known for the last 4 decades are drying up and they're being forced into a market they've never been great at - smaller mass market cars.
I just wish the Big 3 made more cars that handle as well as their German and Japanese competitors. And I wish they kept up with the interior design trends - that's one of my biggest gripes about most American cars. They have the straight line acceleration part of the equation down pat, and always have. It's the stuff they don't focus on that drives people away.
I definitely realize that I am a nitch buyer. I truly believe that the best cars made were the GM cars from the late 60s to the mid 70s. If I could relive any automotive period, that would be it. The choices for a person like me were incredible. I was a big fan of the big GM cars of that time, especially with the large cubic inch engines.
Now if Chevy would put a good old 454 into the Camaro or Corvette, I would mortgage everything I own to buy one.
It was in the mid 70's that GM started losing their customers because of poor assmebly and downhill from there really.The GM glory days were from the mid 50-mid 60's.
Ford has the right idea. Now that the boomers are more responsible and getting thrown back in the seat ain't what it used to be, they've come out with some features that allow a parent to set parameters to control the teens foot from getting to heavy.
FORD will become the hero is this mess. The "buy American" crowd will turn to FMC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HighPlainsDrifter73
I'm a baby boomer and have never owned a foreign car and never will. I literally despise them, especially the 4 door, FWD japanes cars that look like appliances. The only foreign cars that would turn my head are Ferraris and Lambos. But what's the point of drooling over them. I'll never be able to afford such cars.
Nissan Altimas, Honda Accords, Toyota Camrys, Nissan Maximas, Hyundai Sonatas, Nissan Titans, etc....ALL built in the USA! While more and more so called "American" brands are being built in Mexico and have been built in Canada for years.
Run every toyoda/honda/suzuki/hundi driver off the road?
The fact is that these kids have not been thought why they should buy American. Of course I've had a couple that are looking for work that won't buy anything made in the USA that I've come to the sad conclusion, you can't fix stupid. American cars from GM, Ford, and Chrysler are every bit as good as the imported brands. In fact, GM and Ford both get better MPG from their rides than toyoda and honda!
Run every toyoda/honda/suzuki/hundi driver off the road?
The fact is that these kids have not been thought why they should buy American. Of course I've had a couple that are looking for work that won't buy anything made in the USA that I've come to the sad conclusion, you can't fix stupid. American cars from GM, Ford, and Chrysler are every bit as good as the imported brands. In fact, GM and Ford both get better MPG from their rides than toyoda and honda!
YOU REALLY NEED TO GO TO SOME AUTO WEBSITES OR PICK UP A CONSUMER DIGEST AUTO GUIDE AND LEARN THAT MOST OF THE BREAD AND BUTTER JAPANESE AND KOREAN VEHICLES THAT YOU THINK ARE "IMPORTS" ARE ACTUALLY BUILT IN THE U.S.A!!!
Nissan Altimas, Honda Accords, Toyota Camrys, Nissan Maximas, Hyundai Sonatas, Nissan Titans, etc....ALL built in the USA! While more and more so called "American" brands are being built in Mexico and have been built in Canada for years.
There was a reason I called them the "buy American" crowd instead of the "made in America" crowd. Perception matters. Toyota/Nissan/Hyundai/Honda are foreign owned but make many of their products in America, using American workers, paying American taxes. The reverse is also true for the "domestic USA auto companies". They make many cars in foreign countries. Thank you UAW.
The UAW has lost a lot of respect from a lot of people - they have a very real public relations problem. It's difficult for the vast majority of the American people to listen to the UAW whining about the past, talking about what they did did in 2007 (while it doesn't even take effect until 2010), retiring in their 50's while everyone else works until their mid-60's - while over 600,000 a month are losing their jobs and our taxes are bailout out these Union organizations and companies to the tune of Billions of dollars with no end in sight. YES, it's terrible for all these auto related people to be in danger of losing their jobs, but this is happening all over the country. Auto workers are no more special when it comes to job loss than those who worked at Linens & Things, Circuit City or Cessna Aircraft (just to name a few). It's beyond foolish to open the paper and read of some Union threatening a strike in economic times like these. The American people have no sympathy for this. FORD will be remembered as the company that stood on it's own feet and offered a top rated vehicle while doing so. That's the American way, not whining.
Perception matters, but so does reality - This is the 2008 Consumer Report on autos, the 2009 report is even better for FORD. IF Ford could do this, why couldn't GM & Chrysler do the same thing?
There was a reason I called them the "buy American" crowd instead of the "made in America" crowd. Perception matters. Toyota/Nissan/Hyundai/Honda are foreign owned but make many of their products in America, using American workers, paying American taxes. The reverse is also true for the "domestic USA auto companies". They make many cars in foreign countries. Thank you UAW.
The UAW has lost a lot of respect from a lot of people - they have a very real public relations problem. It's difficult for the vast majority of the American people to listen to the UAW whining about the past, talking about what they did did in 2007 (while it doesn't even take effect until 2010), retiring in their 50's while everyone else works until their mid-60's - while over 600,000 a month are losing their jobs and our taxes are bailout out these Union organizations and companies to the tune of Billions of dollars with no end in sight. YES, it's terrible for all these auto related people to be in danger of losing their jobs, but this is happening all over the country. Auto workers are no more special when it comes to job loss than those who worked at Linens & Things, Circuit City or Cessna Aircraft (just to name a few). It's beyond foolish to open the paper and read of some Union threatening a strike in economic times like these. The American people have no sympathy for this. FORD will be remembered as the company that stood on it's own feet and offered a top rated vehicle while doing so. That's the American way, not whining.
Perception matters, but so does reality - This is the 2008 Consumer Report on autos, the 2009 report is even better for FORD. IF Ford could do this, why couldn't GM & Chrysler do the same thing?
Good post. I was just trying to point out to some that are unaware of all the great cars that foreign owned companies build right here in th U.S. And there are even Toyotas, Mitsubishis, and Mazdas being built by UAW workers! This is a FACT!
Also a fact that GM showed it's "An Amercian Revolution" commercials with many vehicles built in Canada (Impala), and Mexico (Avalanche).
I remember when Toyata got into NASCAR a couple years back and all the die hard fans were lamenting the fact that they let a "foreign" brand enter the competition. One guy in a local newspaper in NC even said something like "it makes my American chest swell with pride when I read about how the Ford Fusion is so competitive and has high quality ratings..." The Fusion is built in Mexico! The other NASACR makes (ImpalaSS and Charger) are built in Canada, but the "foreign" brand is built in the USA!!! So yes perception does matter, but I wish that the truth would be pushed on the public a little more!
Consumers who want to be patriotic and "buy American" should do a little research when shopping for their next vehicle. They may be surprised about what they are buying.
YOU REALLY NEED TO GO TO SOME AUTO WEBSITES OR PICK UP A CONSUMER DIGEST AUTO GUIDE AND LEARN THAT MOST OF THE BREAD AND BUTTER JAPANESE AND KOREAN VEHICLES THAT YOU THINK ARE "IMPORTS" ARE ACTUALLY BUILT IN THE U.S.A!!!
You need to understand that the profits from those vehicles does not come back to the USA ! And that is the problem with claiming they are US vehicles. Maybe you have fallen for the smoke and mirrors idea those cars are American, but they are not when the profit leaves this Nation. And yes, I am just as critical of the US companies building vehicles in other countries and shipping them in. Those jobs should be here, not other countries.
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Camry-Made in USA; Fusion-Made in Mexico!
