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Would You Avoid a Manufacturer Because of Bad Public Policy? - READ ONLY

56 messages,  Last post on Mar 12, 2007 at 8:37 AM

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Messages Page 6 of 6

#47 of 56 rockylee... by iluvmysephia1

Mar 05, 2007 (10:20 am)

my thoughts on the Hyundai case go like this. You could call my view unethical, but, when I go shopping for a car I don't research their lobbyists to see how they've bought out a certain politician. Lobbying extends beyond Seoul or Washington, D.C.
 
You see, when I express myself on how much I love my Kia(and then go about doing so in great detail on forums like this)I am lobbying for Kia Motors.
 
Anyone on Edmunds for more than a few months knows how much good I have done for the brand on this and other forums. Kia represents hope for the automotive industry. Companies like Ford and DCX and GM are giant bringdowns for the car industry.
 
They charge a lot but don't deliver on their promises. You could argue that Kia hasn't provided excellent quality up-front product for everyone. Indeed, my first Kia, a 1999 Kia Sephia, had weak brake pads which caused premature rotor wear. I had them replaced at around 52,000 miles. I just paid the bill myself and didn't feel like involving myself in a class-action lawsuit.
 
I traded in the Sephia just after the two jets crashed into the WTC in NYC. I was itching to trade in and was going to buy a 2002 Kia Spectra sedan. My wife eschewed that idea within the first minute we hit the Kia sales lot! I looked at a 2002 Rio Cinco station wagon and even sat in it. She would have no part of it. She said that she's always liked Kia Sportage's and wanted a Sportage. So, we bought a Sportage. It's been a great litle SUV.
 
Without writing a novel on my Kia experiences I will say that I do love the brand and Mitsubishi has swayed me into liking their new Lancer. But I will always love the Kia brand.
 
And if someone within Kia broke some South Korean laws I will still love the brand. I am buying the car not the workers and front-office personnel and people involved in bribing officials. I have always been treated fairly by the two Kia dealerships I've done business with. If something didn't work right I'd tell them and they'd fix it. These Kia's have been very cheap to own and operate. Besides regular maintenance I have probably put about $500 in to buy an alternator and brake light switch. That is in 5 and a half years of ownership. I call that very low cost of ownership over 5 1/2 years. We're at about 126,975 miles right now. My OEM Hankook(Korean)tires lasted 102,000 miles and the top of Lincoln's head still was plunging below the tread! Incredible!
 
Ford and GM are a bunch of jerks who not only overlooked the American car buying public by over-milking their large pickup and SUV market here for way too long but they haven't been able to provide a good small car(the Geo Metro is a possible exception here...but it was made by Suzuki and marketed by GM). That was a dumb, bone-headed mistake on their part. Too little too late. The Pontiac Solstice is a positive step but it's too little too late.
 
GM stands the best chance of surviving financially because of good moves like their 2002 acquisition of South Korea's Daewoo Motors. And for some weird reason the American public's idea of a nice rig still seems to be a large pick-em-up truck or SUV. So they'll continue ad naseum to sell these largre, ugly monstrosites that are stinking and polluting up our environment to the hilt. Go figure.
 
Anyhoo-buy what you like but I think that Hyundai and Kia Motors America are well-established here. Sure, you have the CEO in trouble with S.Korea's legal system and large amounts of inventory available in Hyundai cars. They'll sell 'em off at discounts and continue on.
 
I'm just glad there's a variety of rigs to choose from and IMO the best vehicles to buy are either Japanese or South Korean. The Germans rigs are hideously pathetic and the Americans best just shut down their carmaking operations altogether and try to get work at Boeing building airplanes.
 
Learn how to put other people down constantly and build yourself up. In a while you'll be wearing nice clothes to work and ordering people around and calling yourself hotshot. Join the union and carry your union card proudly. Boeing does not frown on their workers drinking Starbuck's coffee and listening to music on their headphones while working. It's a good job with good pay and excellent benefits.
 
America has become, for whatever reason, crappy at making cars. Like it or lump it it's true, gentlemen.

#55 of 56 Let's stick to the subject please by pf_flyer HOST

Mar 12, 2007 (5:09 am)

We do not need yet another version of the imports vs domestics arguement that keeps coming up all over the place.
 
This is supposed to be about whether you'd avoid a manufacturer because of a bad public policy, not a debate about which models or manufacturers are your favorites.

#56 of 56 Re: Let's stick to the subject please [pf_flyer] by jrdwyer

Mar 12, 2007 (8:37 am)

Replying to: pf_flyer (Mar 12, 2007 5:09 am)
In case no one bothered to look up what my initial beef was with the Governor of Indiana and his supporters (Toyota and others) on this measure, it was a DOUBLING of taxes (tolls) on Indiana I80/I90 right away and then 75 years of higher tolls at the inflation rate or higher thereafter. This "lease" was purchased by a foreign consortium with an up-front check.
 
So in other words, sell off the state assets and spend the money now and be sure to give work/favors to those who support you in this endeavor. THIS IS GOVERNMENT AT ITS WORST!
 
I really believe Mitch Daniels has Short Man's Syndrome and such ego boosting projects as Major Moves are his way of dealing with his own insecurities.
 
Let's hope that all the publicly funded interstates and highways in the USA aren't sold to the highest bidder.

Messages Page 6 of 6

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