Buying American Cars What Does It Mean?

7263 messages, Last post on May 27, 2009 at 4:31 AM

You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires

What is this discussion about? Car Buying

With parts coming from everywhere, does "Buying American" have much meaning anymore? Is quality and price the bottom line?

Outline

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#6819 of 7263 Re: You know what's funny? [62vetteefp] by gagrice Dec 17, 2008 (11:53 am)
Replying to: 62vetteefp (Dec 17, 2008 11:50 am) If GM had filed before they got so deep in debt they may have had a chance to survive. It looks less likely with every passing day.
#6820 of 7263 Re: You know what's funny? [62vetteefp] by andres3 Dec 17, 2008 (12:16 pm)
Replying to: 62vetteefp (Dec 17, 2008 11:50 am) Are you implying the Big 3's looming doom are due more to the weak economy and housing forclosures rather than: 1) Poor quality, reliability, and customer service for decades. 2) Overpricing and Overbuilding their undesireable products. 3) Poor engineering and design no one wants to buy. 4) Paying UAW workers $70+/hour after benefits. 5) Paying UAW workers to not work. 6) Paying for nice Lear Jets rather than paying for quality parts in the vehicles they sell. 7) Putting the money into bonuses and paychecks rather than for quality fit and finish and build quality in the vehiclesx they sell. 8) Not stepping up to the plate to honor warranties for known issues, even after the warranty period. P.S. Without asking for it, I got an email from Sony the other day that stated that my SXRD model year 2006 50" television just had the optical block warranty extended to June 30, 2010 REGARDLESS of the purchase date. Chrysler would NEVER in a milllion years do something like that. I've heard Honda did something similar with their V6 equipped vehicles that had less than durable auto trannies and extended 100K warranties to them. Replies to this message: steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 12:43 pm) circlew (Dec 17, 2008 1:52 pm) andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 2:15 pm) steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 2:19 pm) cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 3:01 pm) gagrice (Dec 17, 2008 4:30 pm) cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 7:34 pm)
#6821 of 7263 Re: You know what's funny? [andres3] by steve_ HOST Dec 17, 2008 (12:43 pm)
Replying to: andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 12:16 pm) Sony isn't doing so hot either. They really haven't done much since the Trinitron days, except for the Playstation pop. Honda had tranny problems with Odysseys that were addressed as a part of a class action suit and there's talk of a new one. Honda has been proactive with fixing busted CR-V AC compressors out of warranty. Chrysler issued an EXTENDED WARRANTY ON ALL 1997-2000 CARAVANS/GRAND CARAVANS for all AC compressor repairs (emphasis from the link). They were skinny on the VINs covered but they covered some. Replies to this message: circlew (Dec 17, 2008 1:52 pm) andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 2:15 pm) steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 2:19 pm)
#6822 of 7263 Re: You know what's funny? [62vetteefp] by circlew Dec 17, 2008 (1:50 pm)
Replying to: 62vetteefp (Dec 17, 2008 11:50 am) If they were the world class industry leaders that they should have been, they would have weathered the storm far easier. Their current condition forces some form of bankruptcy protection now. I am hoping in 5 years their products will lead the world again. Regards, OW
#6823 of 7263 Re: You know what's funny? [steve_] by circlew Dec 17, 2008 (1:52 pm)
Replying to: steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 12:43 pm) Sony is the GM of Electronics, in case you haven't considered. Way overpriced and not leading in any technology. I keep laughing when a huge company thinks it can survive on name only and blind customer loyalty. Regards, OW
#6824 of 7263 Re: You know what's funny? [steve_] by andres3 Dec 17, 2008 (2:15 pm)
Replying to: steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 12:43 pm) Chrysler must be VERY SKINNY on VIN's they grant extended warranties to because none of the 3 Dodge Dealers I visited in CA offerred to pony up for my AC compressor, my head gaskets, my leaking gas tank, my faulty parking break, my faulty auto transmission, the faulty serpentine belt, the faulty batteries, the faulty starter cables and wires, the faulty structural frame and body, nor any of the other numerous repairs I paid for at Dodge dealers thinking that someone taking it to the dealer would lessen the amount of repair trips required because theyd' somehow catch and/or predict the next part about to receive imminent failure. It didn't work, that car was in the shop every 3 to 4 months. I received absolutely NO out of warranty assistance, and the A/C literally gave out within 100 miles or 1 month of the 3 year 36K warranty expiring. Replies to this message: steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 2:19 pm)
#6825 of 7263 Re: You know what's funny? [andres3] by steve_ HOST Dec 17, 2008 (2:19 pm)
Replying to: andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 2:15 pm) Not all CR-V owners have been paid in full or partially for out of warranty AC compressor repairs either. But some, like some Chrysler customers, have been taken care of. So you can't simply say "never." Chrysler has taken similar actions with minivan clocksprings. And some other stuff, but perhaps as part of a settlement of class action suits.
#6826 of 7263 On a SIDE note by andres3 Dec 17, 2008 (2:23 pm)
Sony is not the GM of electronics. Sony has always consistently been the best TV and Monitor maker bar none! They have never failed to remain in the lead on reliability, durability, and picture quality on their TV's and Monitors, and flat screens. Now... their other electronics outside of that..... yes... that is GM-like. But monitors and TV's are Sony's Acura.....oh wait, GM doesn't have an Acura (Cadillac closest thing). Sony still made the best big screens with SXRD technology, and they make some of the best LCD flatscreens, leading the way with new technologies like the new 11" super flat organic gizmo TV thing. Overpriced.... hardly... I've heard of so many issues with other TV brands that I can understand while people will buy extended warranties on electronics even though CR tells you to never do so. Having had Sony TV's in our family almost my whole life, I understand what durability and quality are, starting with an 87 Trinitron that still works, and a '94 Trinitron that still works almost like new! Extended warranties woudl have been a waste of money on those sets. On the more recent big screen phenomenon, yes, reliability has gone down with the new HDTV tech, but I convinced Sony to pay for the parts to fix my 2 year old set 1 year after warranty. I paid labor (fair deal; though they would have been smarter to just pay for the whole thing (now I own a 26" Sharp TV in addition to my 50" Sony). So they opened the door to me considering other brands, but they still retained my business. Had they paid the whole shabang, I'd of never bought any other brand (they met me halfway). Now Sony is one company that can blame the economy for their recent poor performance. I don't think an electronic company that is doing well right now even exists due to the depression/recession. However, Sony is hit even harder because they really are the Acura/Lexus/Audi/BMW of TV's, so now people are buying the Honda's, Toyotas, VW, and MIni's instead Dell, Vizio, LG of TV's would be the more lowly brands). Replies to this message: cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 3:05 pm) steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 4:19 pm) andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 4:30 pm) and 1 more... imidazol97 (Dec 17, 2008 5:29 pm) gagrice (Dec 17, 2008 5:36 pm) m1miata (Dec 17, 2008 10:30 pm) and 1 more...
#6827 of 7263 Re: You know what's funny? [andres3] by cooterbfd Dec 17, 2008 (3:01 pm)
Replying to: andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 12:16 pm) That's exactly what we are saying. I'm not saying that the issues you bring up are meritless, as they do have plenty of merit, but what GM has been able to do is restructure their debt as needed, using the credit to pay for things while saving their cash. Now we are in a "credit freeze" and none of the banks are lending the money. So, they must burn through their cash, and now push has come to shove. BTW the employees DON'T make $70/hr That's a FALLACY!!! Their loaded rate is compareable to others in the industry. It is the legacy costs of the retirees that are costing them a total of about $70 per man hr. The new contract is supposed to rectify this added cost, but with bankruptcy hanging heavy, everything is in flux now. Replies to this message: gagrice (Dec 17, 2008 4:30 pm) cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 7:34 pm)
#6828 of 7263 Re: On a SIDE note [andres3] by cooterbfd Dec 17, 2008 (3:05 pm)
Replying to: andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 2:23 pm) "..... lead on reliability, durability, and picture quality on their TV's and Monitors, and flat screens." HAAAA!!! Tell that to my parents, whose Sony TV was always dark (They've had it 2.5 yrs). If not for the extended warranty, it would've cost $1200 for a new projector. Replies to this message: steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 4:19 pm) andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 4:30 pm) cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 7:36 pm)