Time for Jeff Bridges to dump Hyundai

[Rt.66]

quote=Rt.66]The Japanese Gov. funded a large part of Toyota’s Prius development.
[/quote]

[quote=dbapig][And good for them. [/quote]
Your right, it is good for them and smart too.

[quote]I believe you are trying to portray how Toyota (and presumably Korean/European car companies) has unfair advantage due to subsidies from the Japanese govt. Toyota/Japanese govt had the wisdom to think long term. I don’t know if you can use that (govt ‘subsidizing’ Toyota) to place blame on Japan/Korea/Europe for the troubles the Big 2 are experiencing now. [/quote]

No actually I’m making a case against all the people who scream in anger demanding our Gov. NOT help OUR industry. From time to time it’s essential to help huge economy critical companies survive tough times so you can have jobs and tax revenue in the good times.

The previous Chrysler bailout saw the Gov. get all its money back plus interest, early. Plus… I believe our Gov. made something like $8 million on a Chrysler stock trade afterwards. Add in all the taxes our Gov. collected from Chrysler since then and income taxes from its well paid employees, and it shows that a little help sometimes can really pay off big in the long term.

Briefly, the unfair part is two pronged. On the Japanese side, they cheat. They manipulate their currency so their products are cheaper in America.

On our side our own Gov. refuses to create a level playing field. Healthcare alone creates a situation where in their own country, our manufacturers find it VERY difficult to compete in small (lower profit) vehicles against foreign makers (who enjoy national healthcare). Not cool. Read previous posts on this thread, legacy costs should be viewed as a badge of honor. We should give the Big 3 medals for 100 years of service, good jobs and lasting benefits; not a distinct trade disadvantage on their own soil.

[quote]
Weren’t GM/Ford criticized for focusing just on large cars because they were more profitable? I don’t think there was any ban placed on the Big 2 from making small/efficient cars. [/quote]

See above.

[quote]
Remember GM’s EV1? Celebrities actually protested on the street for FREE to keep the EV1 on the road but GM didn’t listen. Is that the fault of Japan/Korea/Europe car companies? [/quote]

Battery technology and the need to make a profit killed it right? Making prototype electric vehicles is one thing, making them affordable with existing technology (at the time) is another. I guess this goes back to your first point, perhaps if our Gov. had gotten behind it like Japan got behind the Prius we may have subsidized GM for losses for a time but also be much farther ahead with the tech now and be enjoying a market leading advantage.

[quote]
Japanese govt spends public funding in a sensible way (probably a drop in the bucket) to help develop a car that’s pretty much revolutionary. Meanwhile, because the management at Big 2 didn’t think long term, US govt spends boat load of $ (in panic) just to keep Big 2 afloat. That’s not the fault of anyone but the heads of Big 2. [/quote]

I agree wholeheartedly (to the first part), the Japanese Gov,. gets it. Jobs, trade surplus, tax revenue are all things a Gov. should defend at all costs. How do you know the big three did not think long term? Building the only vehicles your Gov’s trade policies dictate you can build at a profit sounds pretty much like survival and as long term as you can hope for, rolled up into one. The many, many stellar models they have now show some pretty forward thinking.

[quote]
All we can and should do is demand better products from the Big 2. No amount of ‘Buy America’ slogan will really make a big difference, imho. It’s great that the Big 2 are making improvements in the quality. Hopefully it will get better in time.[/quote]

They are building some of the best vehicles on the planet right now. A big part of this is support. In Europe and Asian countries they demand their Gov’s keep the auto industry jobs.. PERIOD! They send that message to their Govs. Their Gov knows the key to its survival is working to keep the jobs and keep the populace happy.

Here we start fax campaigns to demand NO bailout loans to the Big 3. We demand they go BK and our Gov. responds to our demands (on a level). So Obama’s plan is to force Chrysler to sell to Fiat, cut up GM, close domestic maker dealerships so foreign makers gain market share and send tons more jobs to China and NAFTA countries. That’s how WE handle a threat to our manufacturing base and jobs.

Other countries would be shutting foreign dealerships, never their own dealerships, in their own country. The American worker is just ignorant or just does not give a crap. So I guess it’s actually we, the American worker, who are stuck in immediate gratification mode and can’t see and plan for our own future tax base, deficits and jobs needs.

[jameswenn]

I travel for work weekly so i’ve driven half the models that Hertz carries. American cars are just crap compared to Toyotas and Hondas, but just a step below Nissans.

Nissans drive well, but they have the crappy interior design with the poor fit and finish of American cars.

Some of you may find solace in that Kia’s seem just as bad as American cars.

Here’s the best rentals i’ve driven:
Toyota Highlander, Camry, Prius, Honda Civic and Accord, and an Audi Q7.

The worst:
Cobalt, HHR, the new Malibu, Kia Rio, Focus, Pontiac G6.

American car manufacturers just need to hire designers away from Honda and Toyota, and they’d be set.

[jameswenn]

I travel for work weekly so i’ve driven half the models that Hertz carries. American cars are just crap compared to Toyotas and Hondas, but just a step below Nissans.

Nissans drive well, but they have the crappy interior design with the poor fit and finish of American cars.

Some of you may find solace in that Kia’s seem just as bad as American cars.

Here’s the best rentals i’ve driven:
Toyota Highlander, Camry, Prius, Honda Civic and Accord, and an Audi Q7.

The worst:
Cobalt, HHR, the new Malibu, Kia Rio, Focus, Pontiac G6.

American car manufacturers just need to hire designers away from Honda and Toyota, and they’d be set.

[jameswenn]

I travel for work weekly so i’ve driven half the models that Hertz carries. American cars are just crap compared to Toyotas and Hondas, but just a step below Nissans.

Nissans drive well, but they have the crappy interior design with the poor fit and finish of American cars.

Some of you may find solace in that Kia’s seem just as bad as American cars.

Here’s the best rentals i’ve driven:
Toyota Highlander, Camry, Prius, Honda Civic and Accord, and an Audi Q7.

The worst:
Cobalt, HHR, the new Malibu, Kia Rio, Focus, Pontiac G6.

American car manufacturers just need to hire designers away from Honda and Toyota, and they’d be set.

[jameswenn]

I travel for work weekly so i’ve driven half the models that Hertz carries. American cars are just crap compared to Toyotas and Hondas, but just a step below Nissans.

Nissans drive well, but they have the crappy interior design with the poor fit and finish of American cars.

Some of you may find solace in that Kia’s seem just as bad as American cars.

Here’s the best rentals i’ve driven:
Toyota Highlander, Camry, Prius, Honda Civic and Accord, and an Audi Q7.

The worst:
Cobalt, HHR, the new Malibu, Kia Rio, Focus, Pontiac G6.

American car manufacturers just need to hire designers away from Honda and Toyota, and they’d be set.

[jameswenn]

I travel for work weekly so i’ve driven half the models that Hertz carries. American cars are just crap compared to Toyotas and Hondas, but just a step below Nissans.

Nissans drive well, but they have the crappy interior design with the poor fit and finish of American cars.

Some of you may find solace in that Kia’s seem just as bad as American cars.

Here’s the best rentals i’ve driven:
Toyota Highlander, Camry, Prius, Honda Civic and Accord, and an Audi Q7.

The worst:
Cobalt, HHR, the new Malibu, Kia Rio, Focus, Pontiac G6.

American car manufacturers just need to hire designers away from Honda and Toyota, and they’d be set.

[Rt.66]

“The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 2 out of 23 Affordable Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 69 published reviews and test drives of the Chevrolet Malibu, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.” http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Chevrolet_Malibu/

Thanks for your input, the concensus of 69 “professional” car testers disagree with “your” rental car testing results. America and its workers appreciate the broad brush you use to paint your own countries cars as crap.

Guilty import owner much?

[Rt.66]

“The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 2 out of 23 Affordable Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 69 published reviews and test drives of the Chevrolet Malibu, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.” http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Chevrolet_Malibu/

Thanks for your input, the concensus of 69 “professional” car testers disagree with “your” rental car testing results. America and its workers appreciate the broad brush you use to paint your own countries cars as crap.

Guilty import owner much?

[Rt.66]

“The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 2 out of 23 Affordable Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 69 published reviews and test drives of the Chevrolet Malibu, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.” http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Chevrolet_Malibu/

Thanks for your input, the concensus of 69 “professional” car testers disagree with “your” rental car testing results. America and its workers appreciate the broad brush you use to paint your own countries cars as crap.

Guilty import owner much?

[Rt.66]

“The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 2 out of 23 Affordable Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 69 published reviews and test drives of the Chevrolet Malibu, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.” http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Chevrolet_Malibu/

Thanks for your input, the concensus of 69 “professional” car testers disagree with “your” rental car testing results. America and its workers appreciate the broad brush you use to paint your own countries cars as crap.

Guilty import owner much?

[Rt.66]

“The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 2 out of 23 Affordable Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 69 published reviews and test drives of the Chevrolet Malibu, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.” http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Chevrolet_Malibu/

Thanks for your input, the concensus of 69 “professional” car testers disagree with “your” rental car testing results. America and its workers appreciate the broad brush you use to paint your own countries cars as crap.

Guilty import owner much?

[Rt.66]

Preconceived ideas and opinions and preferences flavor our lives on so many levels.

When I drive a US car/rental, I am usually impressed and proud of the job we do. But I look for the positives and it flavors my thoughts on the car.

When I drive any foreign car I too often find myself looking for chinks in the armor, and it’s not hard to find them if you look, these are machines and no machine made up of thousands of moving parts costing just $20k is going to be perfect.

I try to step back from making comments slamming imports, I know my opinion is biased. I also know that every new car sold in the US is remarkably reliable and drivable. I try not to let my prejudices lead me to making outrageous statements to win people over.

If you and I drove a Honda back to back, made notes and then compared our experiences they would be obviously vastly different , but I guarantee you’d not be able to discount the faults I observed how ever small, because they exist in all machines if you want to nit-pick.
No need for me to say “Honda’s suck, buy American”, that’s silly, Honda’s don’t suck niether do Chevys.

I know I could buy a Honda, Chevy, Dodge or Hyundai and with proper maintenace likely go 100k miles with very little or no problems and then onto 200k with care and some repairs.

I like to focus on the fact that I can chose to buy American and reduce our deficit, keep money circulating in OUR country and support a maximum amount of my fellow workers, all the while not giving up anything substantial in any reasonable person’s book.

Why try and make any of them look like shitty choices, unless you are feeling guilty about something?

[Rt.66]

Preconceived ideas and opinions and preferences flavor our lives on so many levels.

When I drive a US car/rental, I am usually impressed and proud of the job we do. But I look for the positives and it flavors my thoughts on the car.

When I drive any foreign car I too often find myself looking for chinks in the armor, and it’s not hard to find them if you look, these are machines and no machine made up of thousands of moving parts costing just $20k is going to be perfect.

I try to step back from making comments slamming imports, I know my opinion is biased. I also know that every new car sold in the US is remarkably reliable and drivable. I try not to let my prejudices lead me to making outrageous statements to win people over.

If you and I drove a Honda back to back, made notes and then compared our experiences they would be obviously vastly different , but I guarantee you’d not be able to discount the faults I observed how ever small, because they exist in all machines if you want to nit-pick.
No need for me to say “Honda’s suck, buy American”, that’s silly, Honda’s don’t suck niether do Chevys.

I know I could buy a Honda, Chevy, Dodge or Hyundai and with proper maintenace likely go 100k miles with very little or no problems and then onto 200k with care and some repairs.

I like to focus on the fact that I can chose to buy American and reduce our deficit, keep money circulating in OUR country and support a maximum amount of my fellow workers, all the while not giving up anything substantial in any reasonable person’s book.

Why try and make any of them look like shitty choices, unless you are feeling guilty about something?

[Rt.66]

Preconceived ideas and opinions and preferences flavor our lives on so many levels.

When I drive a US car/rental, I am usually impressed and proud of the job we do. But I look for the positives and it flavors my thoughts on the car.

When I drive any foreign car I too often find myself looking for chinks in the armor, and it’s not hard to find them if you look, these are machines and no machine made up of thousands of moving parts costing just $20k is going to be perfect.

I try to step back from making comments slamming imports, I know my opinion is biased. I also know that every new car sold in the US is remarkably reliable and drivable. I try not to let my prejudices lead me to making outrageous statements to win people over.

If you and I drove a Honda back to back, made notes and then compared our experiences they would be obviously vastly different , but I guarantee you’d not be able to discount the faults I observed how ever small, because they exist in all machines if you want to nit-pick.
No need for me to say “Honda’s suck, buy American”, that’s silly, Honda’s don’t suck niether do Chevys.

I know I could buy a Honda, Chevy, Dodge or Hyundai and with proper maintenace likely go 100k miles with very little or no problems and then onto 200k with care and some repairs.

I like to focus on the fact that I can chose to buy American and reduce our deficit, keep money circulating in OUR country and support a maximum amount of my fellow workers, all the while not giving up anything substantial in any reasonable person’s book.

Why try and make any of them look like shitty choices, unless you are feeling guilty about something?

[Rt.66]

Preconceived ideas and opinions and preferences flavor our lives on so many levels.

When I drive a US car/rental, I am usually impressed and proud of the job we do. But I look for the positives and it flavors my thoughts on the car.

When I drive any foreign car I too often find myself looking for chinks in the armor, and it’s not hard to find them if you look, these are machines and no machine made up of thousands of moving parts costing just $20k is going to be perfect.

I try to step back from making comments slamming imports, I know my opinion is biased. I also know that every new car sold in the US is remarkably reliable and drivable. I try not to let my prejudices lead me to making outrageous statements to win people over.

If you and I drove a Honda back to back, made notes and then compared our experiences they would be obviously vastly different , but I guarantee you’d not be able to discount the faults I observed how ever small, because they exist in all machines if you want to nit-pick.
No need for me to say “Honda’s suck, buy American”, that’s silly, Honda’s don’t suck niether do Chevys.

I know I could buy a Honda, Chevy, Dodge or Hyundai and with proper maintenace likely go 100k miles with very little or no problems and then onto 200k with care and some repairs.

I like to focus on the fact that I can chose to buy American and reduce our deficit, keep money circulating in OUR country and support a maximum amount of my fellow workers, all the while not giving up anything substantial in any reasonable person’s book.

Why try and make any of them look like shitty choices, unless you are feeling guilty about something?

[Author]

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