Why is it that GM, FORD, and DC (Dodge) sales are down while the Japanese brands are up?
Management differences?
Fuel economy?
Perception of reliability?
I used to think that american vehicles suck in the reliability department but my Dodge (96) Ram is going and going (150k miles) with no issues...
Ford V10 F250 (2000) is fine at 100k miles
Ford 7.3 F250 (2001) is fine at 116k miles
But I have to say that most domestic passenger cars look like crap compare to the looks of the japanese cars though....
When I look at a typical domestic car, it gives me an impression of "cheap" while the japanese cars look "classy"...I have no idea why I feel that way
I think we worry about the whole domestic and import thing way too much. Personally all I care about is quality and if the vehicle was produced by and American worker then that’s all the better. GM and Ford are the only 2 domestic left and even they’re traded globally so how “domestic” are they if people around the world own a part of them? The comical part is you have just as good of a chance buying a vehicle built out of the country from them as you do from Toyota, Honda and Hyundai.
Some foreign car makes simply make a better product. Toyota has screamed up the ladder due to their attention to detail and what the market needs. I used to work at a crash test facility and out of all the manufactures we tested for, domestic and import, they were the only ones that wanted to be hands on and be a part of the process all the way from start to finish. You could see they cared a lot more then the others and their sales numbers show it. Honda was another good one. Now with the cheaper imports I think price plays into that some because the quality that we saw wasn't the safest. With everything being a global market and "foreign" car companies keeping the UAW busy I couldn’t care less who I buy from as long it's nice. It's funny, the last "domestic" I bought was built in another country, the last "import" I bought was built here in the USA.
Management philosophy. "big" 3 = reactive, Japanese makers = proactive.
The cost of hybrid ownership aside, Toyota and Honda can't keep them in stock and have huge waiting lists for them. If a potential hybrid buyer can't wait for one, that manufacturer may get "rewarded" with a purchase of another highly fuel efficient vehicle instead from said buyer. If I wanted a Prius, but I won't pay the premium, I ain't going to the Dodge stealer for a Stratus, but maybe try an Echo. An Escape hybrid, though, would be a choice worth thinking about.
Find me a non-hybrid in the "big" 3 with that kind of game going right now.
As for the sedans, I really don't look at them, so I can't give you great input on that issue.
A lot of people believe the crap they read in Consumer's Report, Car and Driver, etc. I see people basing their purchase of a washing machine on an article from a magazine. Me, I buy nothing but a Ford. I don't care what the "journalists" say. I go with 80 years of testing-my grandfather, my father, and myself.
Other people think that buying an import is sexy. Afterall, anything that their parents bought can't be the best.
You may notice that most things the Japanese add to their vehicles were developed by another company. They are real good at copying technology. Much cheaper that way.
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Why do all of the interesting discussions get locked out by the powers that be?
1973 Bronco
1994 Explorer
1995 Bronco
2004 Excursion
Further, "Foreign" manufacturers take care of their customer better on the Service End...after the sale. Better customer service, better repairs! Drive it in get it out...fixed! Reliability, Reliability, Reliability...and a history of the same
The only place that Toyota, Honda, Nissan and all don't compete is in the heavier personal trucks. Like the F250's and GM 2500's.
Historically, these "foreign" manufacturers can't produce a truck that can endure the rigors of construction site rigors.
See a Nissan Titan or Toyota Tundra on a heavy construction site??? Not!
I think they will be coming to this market, and many of us have waited with some baited breath about this. Toyota and Nissan has failed in the past at said attempts.
OH for a one ton Toyota that has a Cummins diesel engine!!!!
What is foreign? I just read as comparison test in C & D comparing The Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry and the Ford Fusion. Three were assembled in the USA and one was assembled in Mexico. The Ford was the one assembled outside the USA. Anyway, the Fusion ranked second, beaten only by the Accord. BAck in 88, I had a new Mercury Tracer that was a Mazda 323, assembled in Mexico with mostly Japanese and Mexican parts.
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2004 XLT Regular Cab, Short Bed, 4X4 with 5.4 and 3.73.
When it comes to V8 engines, nobody can build cars or trucks or suvs like Ford, GM and Chrysler. But when it comes to smaller engine (4-cyl and V6) - the Japanese are just better. And since most of the cars have smaller engines - Japanese win. I would never buy domestic car that doesn't have V8. I had enough problems with Escort, Taurus and Intrepid (Mustang only have 33,000 miles and few issues so far, but I don't have any major complains so far).
Last edited by IB Adrian; 11-18-2005 at 09:34 PM.
Reason: "japs"
I think Ford really lacks in the integrity part - while they will run and run and run forever-there drivelines are solid,but there's always something small going up in them, a door lock here, a power window motor there, radio going out, electrical problems. I really do love Fords, but this is one thing we've noticed after owning many Fords and many toyotas/nissans.
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-Paul |B|R|O|N|C|O| .. my anti drug
-88 Mustang 5.0/5spd mild restoration in progress
-78 Bronco 460 and things
-2003 F350 Supercab shortbed FX4 6.0 PSD
What I think it comes down to is that no car will be perfect forever. I think a lot of the reason that people have moved to "import" cars is there is a skewed vision of reality. A lot of people I know had American cars that fell apart after 5-15 years (with the former being people who drove like idiots and the latter people who drove well) and then as lots of little problems happen (as things tend to do in cars over the years) they decided their American car was crap. They buy a Japanese car and are just now getting to the point where they realize....all cars break.
They probobly sell better because the fuel economy, longetivity, and price. Great gas mileage 4 bangers that last a long time that aren't very expensive, sounds like a good deal. I've got all those except economy.
captain p4 has a good point. All the recalls ford had for small stuff everyone hears about doesnt help.
Plus, the economic ford and chevy cars just dont look as good as some of the ricers in my opinion. A civic, camry or integra look way better than a focus, cavalier or sunfire, i think they do anyways. Still wont buy any of them.
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88 F150 RC LB 300I6 Comp Cam, Hooker Super Comps 4 spd
03 Silverado 1500 RC SB 5.3l auto 3:73 Outlaw intake, Flowmaster 40's, 93 oct Wait4me tuned PCM 14.9 @ 91 with 87 tune & flows.
Sales are down? Last I checked, Ford sold a record breaking 127,000 F-series in ONE MONTH like 3 months ago, and have sold almost as many in the following months...I don't see any Japanese company doing that.
Sales are down? Last I checked, Ford sold a record breaking 127,000 F-series in ONE MONTH like 3 months ago, and have sold almost as many in the following months...I don't see any Japanese company doing that.
That was during employees discount during summer. I think last month Ford sold around 54,000 F-Series or so. Last time I checked sales of F-Series are down a lot this year (less than 700,000 in first 10 months which is a lot less than 940,000 last year).
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