Ask the Car People.SM


Tariffs to Help Domestic Manufacturers? - READ ONLY

631 messages,  Last post on Apr 13, 2007 at 2:10 PM

You are in the Automotive News & Views-Archives Forum.

What is this discussion about? Mitsubishi

Messages Page 64 of 64

#622 of 631 Re: I havent read this whole thread [rockylee] by m1miata

Jan 02, 2007 (10:32 pm)

Replying to: rockylee (Jan 02, 2007 9:15 pm)
No, I doubt Cobalt excites American markets much--so Japan???. When I think of cars in Japan, I think of those like the Scion xA or the Fit. That really is something which is not American specialty.
 
Anyway, back to tariffs. Tariff wars have the potential to get pretty ugly. Best to avoid unnecessary tariffs.
 
I personally think it best that the domestic car manufacturers concentrate on unique cars, with some style and grace, while providing performance and reliability. And listen to the customers with problem cars and find a solution, even when it takes going the extra mile, and buying a car back. I realize it is only part of the equation, and is not as simple as just those elements for successfully winning back customers. There's a whole lot of work to do, and trying to simply clone a Japan car is not going to work. I think GM got it right with the CTS. The car is not a BMW, but instead is a pretty good effort at making an entertaining auto to drive and interesting looking car which a Cadillac owner can be proud of.
-Loren

#623 of 631 Haven't read this thread hardly at all( 32 pages) by harrychezt

Jan 02, 2007 (11:40 pm)

There is a 2.5% tariff on cars, and 25% on body-on-frame suv's and trucks, last time I looked.
I dunno about currently.
 
take care/not offense.

#624 of 631 Re: I havent read this whole thread [fintail] by kdhspyder

Jan 03, 2007 (12:59 am)

Replying to: fintail (Jan 02, 2007 8:50 pm)
IMO, a lot of money would be spent to crack this market, and that expense might not be recoverable. Once you get the cars in, you have to convince people to like them. That's a huge deal.
 
Good point. Toyota just launched Lexus in Japan and the reaction was..'So What'..'Where's my BMW?' It will take a lot of money and effort by Toyota, imagine that, to break the stranglehold of the German makers there.

#625 of 631 Re: I havent read this whole thread [rockylee] by tpe

Jan 03, 2007 (6:18 am)

Replying to: rockylee (Jan 02, 2007 9:15 pm)
I seriously doubt GM and Ford will turn their fortunes around with subcompacts like the Cobalt. Does Ford make any money on the Focus? And that's actually a pretty decent car. Even your favorite source, CR, recommends it.
 
If the domestics need tariffs to compete with the Japanese in this country how could they possibly compete over there? Even if that market was more open it's not like the Japanese are going to place tariffs on their cars in order to make the US cars more attractive.

#626 of 631 The old myth about Japan not permitting American Cars in... by lokki

Jan 03, 2007 (9:03 am)

The story about Japan not permitting American Cars in WAS true.... about 25 years ago. However, the Americans have now been there for a long time now..... without success.
It's the same problem as in the U.S. - the product.
 
I was in Japan for 2 weeks a few months back, and foreign cars (i.e. Non-Japanese cars) are common enough to spot in traffic. My impressions pretty much mirror those stated in the article below - Lots of BMWS, and Mercedes. The Volvos and VW's were reasonably common - Some small European Fords (half Mazda?), the occasional Jaguar or Land Rover,and very few GM cars. The ones I saw were mostly those that appeal to the 'show-off crowd' A couple Vette's, a hot-rodded Camaro, and an XLR. Oh, and one lonely green Buick.
 
A BusinessWeek article from November 2006 Stuck In The Slow Lane In Japan
 
To be fair, the general appeal of American cars is never going to be great for Japanese until Detroit designs a right-hand drive car that suits Japanese roads, and takes note of the fact that gas is (at the best of times) $5 a gallon and that most of your time is spent in city condition traffic.
 
However, here's the bottom line from the article:
 
"...U.S. automakers have also been dented by the perception of poor gas mileage and lingering questions about quality, despite surveys that show U.S. brands catching up to the likes of Toyota. "Sins of years past continue to dog them," says Christopher Richter, an analyst at brokerage CLSA Asia Pacific Markets."

#627 of 631 Re: I havent read this whole thread [rockylee] by robr2

Jan 03, 2007 (9:35 am)

Replying to: rockylee (Jan 02, 2007 9:15 pm)
Yeah the BLS.
 
Actually the BLS has turned out to be a dog in Europe. It's looked at being too down market and is doing nothing to enhance the brand.

#628 of 631 Re: I havent read this whole thread [robr2] by british_rover

Jan 03, 2007 (4:36 pm)

Replying to: robr2 (Jan 03, 2007 9:35 am)
I have heard the same thing from a couple of different sources.

#629 of 631 Well.......... by rockylee

Apr 13, 2007 (1:35 pm)

It looks like instead of putting tariffs on imports the Bush administration has lifted the 2.5% tariff on cars for the South Koreans.
 
Rocky

#630 of 631 Re: Well.......... [rockylee] by robr2

Apr 13, 2007 (1:42 pm)

Replying to: rockylee (Apr 13, 2007 1:35 pm)
And if I understand correctly, exempts them from the 25% tariff on pick up trucks. Look for a Hyundai soon!!

#631 of 631 Re: Well.......... [robr2] by rockylee

Apr 13, 2007 (2:10 pm)

Replying to: robr2 (Apr 13, 2007 1:42 pm)
I think a Hyundai Pick-up could become the "Cadillac" of pick-ups. They need to drop in a 400+ hp. Tau V8.
 
Rocky

Messages Page 64 of 64

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement