kenmack

How soon we forget
Mercedes spewing clouds of diesel smoke
Audis with trim that fell off driving down the road
Nisssan/Datsuns that started to rust the day after you drove out of the dealership
Honda civics you could actually stop by pushing hard on the passenger floorboards.
Hyundai ponys that were the joke of the 80's
Toyotas that were bland and uninspiring,and for the most part still are.
These are just the ones I can remember.
Yah the big 3 made mistakes,they all did.But the big three had 10 times as many products and models.

P.S.I believe the loan they received is repayable.That doesn't sound like a bailout to me.
My $0.02
COMMENTS I guess it's fashionable to drive an import and knock your own.

stax68

Just about everyone in the US can remember problems they had
with a US car...so that's why the whole US Industry gets
trashed. Basically though the cars made now are pretty good.

However the better the car that is made..the less
need to buy a new one. In essence all the car makers have
become a victim of their own success.



.

JLC629

I don't believe that buying a big three made vehicle makes one any more or less patriotic. I spend my money based upon what I like to look at,what meets the needs that I have and what potential resale value may be.Additionally,the treatment at the dealership;sales and service come into play as well.When I bought my '03 Z06 brand new off the showroom floor,the salesman was initially rude and condescending until he realized that I was serious about the car.The service department was staffed by people who didn't care about the customer or for that matter their own jobs.In short,it's the little things like this that put a sour taste in your mouth about the big three,they got to a point where they believed that we as consumers had no other choices and when they finally realized that we did,it was too late.

FourG63 97GST

I love my DD Toyota. had it for 9yrs, 160k+ miles.
an runs like a champ, dont leak, dont smoke. only thing I had to replace on it was brakes, fluids and belts

If I get rid of it, it would be for another Toyota.
It's not about being patriotic. If the system is proven in my situation, why would I change it.

Bowtyeguy

You can start with the cars BUT, I bet most of your clothes, TVs, Electronics, shoes, furniture, toys are all made overseas. We let it get away and have no one to blame but ourselves.

kenmack

Some excellent points made here,particularly about dealership attitude.That's a big one and I've never heard it mentioned and I think you are pretty accurate.They need a major attitude adjustment.
Hopefully that is coming.

~Josh

It would be nice to have all/some of those United States manufacturing jobs back right about now.

leadfoot4

I completely agree that the "Made In America" tag that used to be proudly attached to all our products was very nice to see. Problem is, for VARIOUS reasons, it got too expensive to buy US goods. Those reasons are twofold...even in the manufacturing sector, we became a "two-tiered" economy.

There were those that worked in "union shops" that made pretty good money, and could afford the extra expense. Then there were the rest of us, who at one time DID make a pretty good wage, but saw our standard of living taper off over the years. We had to cut corners somewhere, and that brought on the rise of places like WalMart, and their lower priced, imported goods.

kenmack

Compared to most people and most countries our standard of living over the last 40 years has become obscene,wasteful.
What happened to replacing something because it was worn out.
Now we throw away perfectly good things because we have to have and can afford to have the LATEST,NEWEST WHATEVER !!!!!!
and in our quest for more money and things we've run ourselves into a worldwide financial collapse originating WHERE ??? Wall Street downtown North America.

Bowtyeguy

I would have liked to see the Gov give anyone that buys a car from the big 3 a 10k rebate if the car is over 25k. A 7500 buck rebate for cars under 25k. NO BAILOUT to the Automakers, just as with the banks NO ONE knows where the money goes. My way it would sure as hell make more people buy American cars, and the Gov can send the check and control the money. Wont ever happen this way.

leadfoot4

"Kenmack", I understand what you're saying, however that is what kept our factories operating. Look at what's currently happening...People have been tightening their belts the last few MONTHS, and factories are laying off staffs by the THOUSANDS!

This is the result of a lack of "frivilous purchases". It may not make sense, but it kept the economy going.

kenmack

Point taken. Pretty vicious circle eh !!!!
If I'm not mistaken Wall St. was a bailout.
GM and Chrysler a loan REPAYABLE,because they couldn't get the money from Wall Street lenders.?????
Hmmmmmmm what's wrong with this picture.

JoesC5

About your comment on Walmart. The first Walmart I set foot in was in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1971. They were a competitor to Kmart and Woolworth's, which were around before Walmart. They had the same American made merchandise as their competitors. The origin of their merchandise changed simultaneously with their competitors. Walmart did not start out as a retailer of imported goods, but changed as the world did. Today Walmart does not carry any more imported goods then like stores.