American Cars: Is It Too Late?

Discussion in 'Conversations Between White Women and Black Men' started by Malik True, Mar 31, 2009.

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These days would you buy an American car?

  1. Yes

    7 vote(s)
    43.8%
  2. No

    9 vote(s)
    56.3%
  1. Blacktiger2005

    Blacktiger2005 Well-Known Member

    The American automotive industry gets what it deserves.
     
  2. Sir Nose

    Sir Nose New Member

    I prefer American Cars, especially classics. I have owned a 68 Impala and a 71 Olds before which I really enjoyed.

    When I move back to the states I may look for another classic.
     
  3. glt1980

    glt1980 Well-Known Member

    Let me first say that I totally disagree with the Gov't basically forcing the CEO of GM out. I don't believe that the government should be in private businesses telling them who they can and cant have running their companies. Yes I understand that the company took government money and basically when its the taxpayers money there are a different set of rules.

    That being said, the Board of GM and the stockholders should have gotten rid of him a long time ago.

    Just look at what he has done in his years at GM:
    -GM stock when he took over around $60, today $1.93
    -In 1999 he was the driving force behind the axing of EV1, the first modern production electric vehicle from a major automaker. In favor of producing more SUVs and Light trucks, while Ford, Honda, and Toyota were all working on developing their hybrids.
    -After taking over as CEO in 2000, GM lost $30 Billion in the year over the next 3 years.
    -Finally over the last 4 years GM has lost a staggering $85 Billion.

    This is one of the fundementals mistakes that american companies seem bent on upholding. Rewarding failure. It is not just the car companies and the banks that do its all american companies that follow this. Companies loss money and they pay the people that are responsbile millions of dollars in salary and bonues. Whereas in Japan the management screws up and they apologize and admit their mistakes, its a mark of shame to fail.

    With all this though I would buy an american car, I am actually planning on buying a new mustang in May. I have to say if you look at it Ford is the one american car company with its act together, the only one that didnt take any bailout money, the only one with any foresight to evolve with the times, and give its customers what they want.

    Just like Intriguedone said, they suffer because they are percieved as the typical American Car company, with inferior products when in reality that is just not true.
     
  4. tuckerreed

    tuckerreed New Member

    I hope Fiat gets Chrysler and i hope the rest go down in flames. i loved the American cars when they were American and not run only by unions and idiots who jack up the price of a car like they inflated the price of homes. Union workers dont produced the best cars, ask non union Toyota that cranks out the best cars on the road
     
  5. dj4monie

    dj4monie New Member

    Wait!

    Fly Girl has great taste but anyway...

    Buy Non Union??? Homie you haven't been paying attention have you. That or you weren't paying attention in your US History class.

    The issue is not the UAW, never has been.

    Is the lack of real social democracy in this country. Legacy cost are killing Detroit, no other reason. Conservatives have been dismantling the middle class of which many have/had Union jobs since the early 70's.

    Americans are at fault for telling GM, Ford and Chrysler what to build. Look at this thread, your the problem. When fuel prices are low (or lowered) you want a Caddy SUV? When they are high you chime in with your Congress and say "GM (sic) doesn't know what its doing and builds cars nobody wants..." What a crock of horse shit that is...

    It cost GM for example $1500 extra to build EACH car because of legacy health care cost. Yet when all three auto makers are being crushed by health care cost, they aren't jumping up and down and supporting Universal Single Payer Health Care, when it would save them billions of dollars.

    Conservatives and Big Business would like to do away with Unions, especially the UAW one of the last remaining strong unions in this country. You guys really believe everything your told aren't you? Malik True's post(s) is the only one that made any sort of sense.

    GM is not dead and under the leadership of Bob Lutz and yes Rick Wagoner as well, has turned the corner and is building best list of products in its history. The quality gap between Germany, Japan and America is super narrow yet a Generation of Americans live 5-10 years behind where GM, Ford and Chrysler are currently.

    Wagoner was just made the escape goat for Obama to show the Conservatives he's tough like Regan was on the Air Traffic Controllers, its Smoke and Mirrors.

    GM might see Chapter 11 but will come back a much stronger company and unlike many companies in America the Auto Companies are much more reluctant to close plants and dealerships because of all the lives that depend on them.

    They'll be fine this is a rough patch they'll get through and I currently own American and would buy American again I have no concerns.

    [​IMG]

    88K, 100+ 1/4 mile passes, valve cover has never been off it - 400+hp

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Malik True

    Malik True New Member

    Hit cars have supported the domestic manufacturers through tough times in the past, and the Camaro could be a new profit engine for GM. The company took 14,000 confirmed orders from consumers before production even commenced, and had 800,000 inquiries from potential customers through the company’s Web site.
    “The Camaro is evidence that GM does indeed produce cars that Americans want to buy,” crowed Troy Clarke, president of GM, North America. Of course the new car faces the dreaded “headwinds” which are blamed for every missed profit target in American business, but what better to counteract a slumping market than a hot product?

    Muscle cars on the return or the come up?



    [​IMG]
     
  7. Bug

    Bug Well-Known Member

    I love the look of the Camaro above, based on looks appeal i'd say it was a winner!

    Here a vid where Brits top gear, test a few old American cars a Camaro being one of them and actually if you watch the full version it wins.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZJ7thnYqLk

    Sorry will have to be just the link as embedding is disabled.
     
  8. dj4monie

    dj4monie New Member

    Top Gear usually throws American auto makers under the bus like Britain somehow has a vibrant automotive industry, it doesn't.

    To be fair they don't cut them any slack, but in the last series they praised several American cars mostly GM's. As I said GM has turned the corner and because so many Americans rely on them for employment, they have been reluctant to close down factories, cut off pension funds, medical care, close dealerships and just generally fire people.

    That's because so many people at GM are LIFERS, they are many times apart of a 2nd or 3rd generation of GM Employees.

    You can't say the same thing for Wall St. Who made sure the top exc. were paid before it came crumbling down and actually workers of the company were just told to leave and apply for unemployment.

    Because Americans are generally uninformed about most things until its too late, they shouldn't be allowed to give an opinion as its just another pie hole flapping their gums just wanting to be heard or read by somebody.

    You heard it here first -

    GM will be Chevy, Caddy and maybe Buick and that's it. That will be your new slim downed General Motors.

    Read Autoblog for up to date information.

    Watch Autoline Detroit to in-depth coverage of the industry

    Failing that, pick up the Detroit Free Press....
     
  9. dj4monie

    dj4monie New Member

    No Americans just like torque... They buy HP and drive Torque an Audi NA rep said that once and I believe its true.

    Americans are fooled by Badge Engineering too....

    GM like Chrysler just couldn't justify loosing sales too the Mustang anymore and came out with the Challenger and now Camaro. Ford has given a mild restyle to the 2010 Mustang -


    [​IMG]


    I really like the glass roof they started putting on the 2008 cars as an option.
     
  10. Malik True

    Malik True New Member

    DJ I could be wrong but I thought the redesigned Camaro had been in development for quite some time, I don't believe Chevy was salty because they were losing sales to Ford? BTW Buick will survive the cut and stay on the team, they've invested quite a bit into the redesigned 2010 LaCrosse which is leaving mouths agape and the Enclave is still selling quite well.
     

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