Dude, that's classic......never even thought of that!!!!

 

Some of the younger folks may not remember the disasters of the early '70's for Ford. The last early 1970's Torino I saw was somewhere down south. My Mom's rusted through in about two years with a hole big enough to throw a LARGE cat through! We were worried in a big way for ALL the US automakers. Quality was way down, gasoline was way up and pretty much all there was available were big engines except in "standard" models. And the first pollution controls made them all run like crap. I bought an Opel in 1974, didn't care for any US made models.

They will bounce back.

Oh, the legacy costs (pensions) some were writing about...while they were agreed to during the good times, they are still a lawful obligation of the company, even during the lean times. These places are no fun to work at. How many would have gone elsewhere years ago were it not for the lure of the pension? We (our government is) are already paying the legacy costs of our failes steel industry. And everyone wants to blame the "overpaid" workers. Doesn't anyone remember the steel companies lack of investing in updated facilities. Many of our government's policies ranging from employment taxes, corporate taxes, extreme environmental requirements, and its general anti-(American)business foreign policy has chased OUR jobs overseas over the years.

Dave

 

Very well thought out post but I think there's a few current differences.

Back then, US automakers got caught with their pants down concerning economy.....you had the Pinto, Vega and IMPORTED Cricket.

While you're 100% correct concerning reliability/durability, I don't remember the Japanese having a stellar record back then either.....totally rusted out Toy pickups/my Corolla only went 100K before a rod knock, and I remember pulling a 2 speed automatic Honda trans before not too many miles.

During that time, the family's LTD went 150K with minor repairs but got a whopping 10 MPG!!!


It's different now........the US has comparable cars but they always seem to pale when compared to the Asian competition. Whether that's perceived or true, it is the general concensus.

What also weighs on the back of my mind is the trend to shift production out of the US. Like the clever NASCAR comment above, when you root for a Camry you're rooting for the ONLY car in the series that's assembled on US soil!!

Even if the big 2 survive the latest; what does it really mean if the jobs are elsewhwere???


I predict the next post will have something about the profits staying here....which I've never understood.

 

Profits staying here would be good but the bad part is the losses also stay here.

 

Sigh...........we've been through this ad nauseam.

Who cares if the profits stay here when Ford/GM uses those funds to build factories outside the US???

Isn't the NASCAR comment ironic??? Tabacky chewin' redneck rootin' for the Ford Fusion built by Mexicans and booing the furrin' cars that may be employing his cousin/brother/uncle (could all be the same) cause it was built in Kentucky!!!


At least the Japanese are employing US workers.....employing US workers....employing US workers....employing US workers...


Dang broken record!!!

 

Yes, that was the engine I was thinking of....and being retired for so long, I forgot the correct engine size. Of course anything built after 1979 doesn't interest me much, regardless.

My comments inre to the 500 came from car mags like MT and C&D.

I like the 500, but it's gutless...and failed the Hacienda Heights Hill Climb, by being unable to sustain 30 MPH from the bottom of the hill to the top.

But at least the trans didn't burn up!

In 2004, my wife drove a new Tahoe on a test drive...she's a bit kinder with cars than I am. By the time the Tahoe reached the top of the hill, smoke was pouring from the tranny...the salesman said..."Oh, we can fix that!"

No thanks...

 

Here is where I think all big 3 should make changes!!

1. Get rid of many of the un-productive workers as has been already mentioned, but then.....
2. When you buy a F-150 F-250 or F-350 make the standard packages come with everything Lariat or King Ranch the standard trucks. Have more competitive pricing. Still offer the XL for construction comapnies etc..............If GM and Dodge do the same thing, you will re-gain the market share and steal it away from thoe [edited - BigF350] companies. You can give 0% interest till your blue in the face, but if you give consumers a very good loaded up with options product and they will buy!! That's a better deal than 0% interest!
3. Improve quality by using higher quality materials. Engineer parts to last longer and have better quality control during the assembly process!
4. Stick with a product name, the Corrolla and Accord have been around for 20-30 years. Quit marketing all of these different named cars that keep changing every 2 years. Escort, Focus, Taurus, 500, sell a car based on quality not a a new name every couple of years! Damn the American companies are terrible about this! GM Dodge and Ford!! Every time I turn on the TV an new different named car comes out, I can't even keep track! Names don't sell, Quality does. When you think of Honda or Toyota you auto matically think Civic, Accord, Camry, Corrolla etc......Someone try to name the last 15 years of american cars.........good Lord!

Caprice, Zephyr, Cavalier, Escort, K cars, LeBaron, Cordoba, Vega, Pinto, Malibu, S-10, Colorado, Aztek, Taurus, Regal, Delta 88 & 98, Parisienne, and th hilarious laughable list could go on for miles!!!LOL

 

The domestics have caught up with the Japanese but it will take some time to convince Toyota buyers that Toyotas are not so perfect. The huge number off recalls on there vehicles as off late is pretty embarrasing for the perfect car company. Fords car side off the business is doing quite well with the new model cars. Really no reason to buy a Toyota now. Theres no gap anymore. Actually accor Corrolla an Camry turn me off. 500 an Fusion an Zephyr definitly better more catchy names.

 

Also, get rid of those "BOLD" move commercials. You see a bunch shots not associated with cars and then at the end there is a car with the catch phrase Bold Moves. What the hell does that mean and what is the point??? Inquiring minds would like to know?

 

Instead of marketing all these different named cars, maybe US carmakers should market higher quality vehicles behind these names!!!!

Ford marketing car names:
Probe, Tempo, Merkur, Mystique, Escape, Aspire, Aerostar,Contour, Bronco, BroncoII, EXP. Festiva, Fusion, Windstar,Fairmont, LTD, RAnger

Dodge marketing car names:
Avenger, Charger, Colt, Lancer,Caliber, Neon, Nitro,Monaco, Omni, Raider, Shadow, Rampage, Stratus,Diplomat, Dynasty,Caravan, Aries,Lancer, Mirada ..................

G.M. marketing names:

Citation, Cobalt, Colorado, Blazer, Berretta, Celebrity, Corsica, ElCamino, Express,Impala, Laguna, Lumina, Luv, Malibu, Monte Carlo, Prizm,Nova, s-10, spectrum, Venture, Equinox, Regal, Delta88 &98, Cutlass, Grand Am, GranPrix, Sunbird, Ventura,..................

Sorry I started thinking and typing and humored myself laughing my head off as I typed.....................
Oh sometimes I wonder who is running these car companies, You know why they change names, because of the horrible reputation that ends up with some of these vehicles. Make a high quality car and then you don't have to change it's name!!

 

Don'tr get me wrong I like US cars and Trucks but no wonder people switch to Honda and Toyota.............It's kind of funny, because when you buy your american car you have to wonder if your type of car will even be around in 2 years???

 

Please, we dont need the racial slur, thanks.

You are probably right for the "typical" buyer, but not for me. One advantage the "domestics" used to have was the ability to select lots of individual options, while the "imports" used to come only one way, or with very limited choices. Now, all I see on the lots are just what you describe, fully loaded models. They are already doing that and its not working. If every truck on the lot is "loaded" then the price has to be higher, and the discounting spiral continues.

Jim

 

Sorry I meant to say Japanese cars...............

 

Assume for a minute the worst, and Ford just can't comete in today's market. What is everyone's opinion of what should happen to them? Should the government step in and save them, a la Chrysler? Should they be bought out by another company and broken into pieces? Should they just be put down like a lame horse?

I have a couple of opinions:
First, if you are a believer in capitalism, then you pretty much have to agree that if a company cannot compete in the market based on its own merits, then it deserves to fail. What big government did for Chrysler shold not apply in today's market- succeed or fail, it's up to your leadership. Now, it pains me to say it, but if Ford cannot succeed, it has to go. I want to see it succeed, but a time comes when you just have to cut your losses.

Second, I believe I could live with Ford being owned by another company, as long as the Ford name is still on the trucks. What if another company bought Ford out and dissolved all but the truck division? Would it survive then? Would you still buy them?

Shutting the company down is such an unliklihood that I won't even talk about it.

 

No way should the government help any US car maker, taxes are high enough I want some more tax cuts! Bailing out GM or Ford is not a good idea! I could elaborate but then this would get very very political! I may buy a Ford if it was owned by GM or Daimler Benz, but never if Nissan or Toyota owned them!