Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnR
Its not the "bad engineering" so much as the overall costs. When a GM or Ford needs to keep a model for 7 years between redesigns to realize a profit on that model and a Toyota or Honda can go 4-5 years between major redesigns. If it costs 2 billion dollars to design a car - forget building it or the parts - and a Japanese manufacturer can get that back in 33% less time they can spend on more and faster engineering.
Americans, can build and engineer fine. They have also learned lots from their mistakes of the 70s and 80s, not foolproof but significantly better with a very tight quality gap, but from a labor costs they've been fighting with one hand behind their back for some time... (I still can't explain though why I hear Power Steering whine from a new Ford or GM, WTF? )
I've had 5 new American built vehicles (4 Fords + 1 Chevy) from the 90s and 2000s and 3 Toyotas in the late 80s and I have been extremely please will ALL of these vehicles. In the past 11 + years I've been putting my money where my mouth is and happily buying American.
I would suggest some of the people beyotchin about it buy a domestic vehicle or at least one that is build here (surprisingly high amount)....
One thought about the Global economy though, agree or not agree, it is believed that the integrated global economies have prevented regional or perhaps larger wars. For example, Pakistan -v- India, and China -v- Taiwan/US. Less likely to kick off war if it is bad for business (of course, if business is bad  ) |
Gotta disagree on many points here John.
As the saying was for years in the industry with the big 3 american auto makers
"Make them last as long as the average auto loan" then they start falling apart and they keep you coming back!
That mentality worked with older generations (especially anyone alive during WW2) but those days are long gone.