Originally Posted by topless63

After growing up a GM man and having wrenched on cars at the local bowtie dealership many moons ago, I currently own a Mustang Cobra, Eddie Bauer Explorer and a spanking new loaded Ford SC F150 4X4 for daily drivers. As for the fun cars their all Chevrolets! Funny how that works out! Two 1963 Corvette Convertibles and a original #'s matching 1969 Z/28. I feel proud to support our American auto workers, the products the are producing are once again on top of the market in quality. I too have owned the Toyota's and Nissans, you can keep'em, Go to Japan and see if you can find one the road after 5 years, they know they are crap and make them difficult to re-register. Most of them get shipped down to Okinawa or the Philippines to live out the remainder of their years.. or just get scrapped/crushed and made into new one's for us to buy. The only thing I feel guilty of is supporting all the terrorist harboring countries we buy oil from to power all my V8 vehicles, but that's a separate issue!! "Sore subjects for $200 please"

Originally Posted by hoolies

i do not know more than anybody,but am 2nd generation with many
pickups over the years,we are ranchers and use these trucks dailey,
we how have 4 in use.the f150 is to small for that trailer,it will pull it
but is not enough truck for it.the f-250 would be alot better and safer.
there are many reasons for this.if i can help let me know.my 2cents.
hoolies

Originally Posted by JWD01

HEY MODERATORS - please move this to the appropriate forum. It has nothing to do with C1's or C2's.

Originally Posted by Seaside63

I'll let you all in on a dirty little "secret" about Japanese cars.

They all need new motors after as little as 70,000 miles.

There is a huge business in replacement used engines for Japanese cars. These engines are cheap. Typically an entire engine can be swapped into a disabled Japanese car for $1,000-$1,300 bucks.

People that have the engine blow up on their famously "reliable" Japanese car are too embarrassed to admit that theirs wasn't as perfect as it was supposed to be and quietly get the motor changed.

The market for used late model Japanese engines is over 100,000 a month just in the United States.

My daughter's Toyota MR2 blew its engine at 72,000 miles even though it was meticulously maintained and carefully driven.

Imagine our surprise to learn "they all do that".

Look into it and you will be surprised at what you find.

Here's just one... http://www.used-japanese-replacement...OVMTC=advanced

Toyota in the last few years has been battling a huge issue with Camry and Sienna v-6 engines that blow up due to "engine gel". They blame the customer yet most have strict documentation of their maintenance.

Toyota refuses to admit that these cars are junk and they refuse to honor warantee claims.

Look into it and you will be amazed at what you find.

Read this: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff21562.htm

Another one: http://www.corolland.com/sludge.html

It's everywhere.

Originally Posted by Solid327

Basic economics:

The auto business is a mature industry in North America. There is excess capacity over need or demand. Unless the manufacturers build compelling products we just have to own, we can drive what we already have until it wears out. Cars last a heckeva lot longer than they used to and the age of the fleet here in the USA is relatively young.

If there is growth to be had, it will come from foreign markets outside of Europe, where both GM and Ford have operated for years. GM and Ford know that to grow and remain competitive in a global environment, they have to position themselves for the growth markets in Asia, (India and China). That means building cars there. It's likely that some of those cars will get exported to the USA. Better by GM or Ford, than an Asian or European car company who will also be operating there and competing for those markets. At least the profits come home.

Rising healthcare costs have hurt Ford and GM more in the USA, than the various foreign companies who build cars here. They also have huge pension and healthcare legacy costs from their retirees, due to UAW contracts previously negotiated. To offset that cost disadvantage, GM sources parts from their plants in Mexico, Brazil, and Canada, where healthcare, labor, tax treaties, and or, currency advantages offer them a savings advantage. By contrast, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda all have lower healthcare and legacy costs, and source the majority of their parts here in the USA. Many of their models are also designed and engineered here in the USA and are exported to other markets. That means jobs and investment in the USA, but the corporate profits go home. You can however, purchase stock in any of the Japanese automakers and participate in their fortunes, good or bad. The shares trade as ADR's on the NYSE.

UAW hourly workers contibute less than 10% of their healthcare costs, while the average American worker contributes almost 30%. Rising healthcare costs are part of the reason companies from all industries are exporting jobs overseas. Even your credit card company likely has call center workers in India, rather than Anytown, USA. You can see this problem is not unique to the domestic auto industry.

Rising litigation costs is part of the reason that healthcare costs are rising faster than inflation and that also ties over into the high costs of pharmaceuticals. Tort reform is badly needed. However, since the lawyer's lobby speaks louder than we do, and since the majority of legislators are lawyers, (who may return to private practice someday) it is unlikely that much progress will be made on this front.

Technology marches on and automation technology has replaced probably as many, or more, manufacturing jobs than have been lost to foreign workers. Technology has also contributed to improved quality and performance in the end product.

I have a Chevy truck, a Corvette and two Japanese cars. When we buy our next car it will be a GM product. It may be a Cadillac (CTS), or a Chevy ('06 Impala V-8 SS) and I also plan to look at and drive the Saab 9-3 Aero (GM owned) and the Subaru Legacy GT AWD (partially GM owned).

Buy what you want, expect and demand value for your dollars spent. GM builds the best pick up trucks, as demonstrated by resale value and percentage still in use. Everyone I know who has a Duramax diesel loves it. Very quiet and very strong and in case you didn't already know it, that engine was jointly engineered with Isuzu for GM.

Originally Posted by magicv8

I read that the CEOs of the two largest drug companies in the USA got 80-90million bonuses last year (and that's just two guys). This is one of the only countries without profit restrictions on drug sales. Why would someone believe our rising health care costs are due to illegal aliens?

Between the drugs and the insurance costs (driven by litigation), the people caring for your health are getting a bad rep with the term "health care costs".

IMO the term should be renamed "excessive drug and lawsuit profits".

Originally Posted by Soonerjim

Does that mean we should just fall in line like good soldiers?

The union workers number about half of what it was 20 years ago. If we get on the same page as the management, another twenty years may bring no more american built cars. We were told the other day, that 30% of all GM cars coming off the line, are bought by GM workers, and their families. The lost of market, is not our fault.

Originally Posted by Solid327

I believe in America, we have the talent and raw resources in our system to maintain our lead in the world but the others are catching up.

Originally Posted by firstgear

I bought an Avalanche......then I had to buy the trailer......already had the cars......trailer optioned with electric winch....have no problem one person loading any kind of car as long as its got wheels....and they don't have to have air in them....car just has to clear the deck when being pulled up the ramps........great trailer....1150 pounds....will gross out to 7000. More than enough for a Corvette....trailer is a 16ft....had the C1, C2 and C5 up on it with no problem...