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Automotive News & Views Does America Even Need Its Own Automakers?
1788 messages, Last post on Mar 03, 2009 at 2:18 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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Replying to: joem5 (Mar 01, 2009 8:24 am) And yet you just did. If you are touting a law firm, then yeah, an ad post will get booted. China has decided it doesn't need so many automakers. 10 major ones will do, instead of the current 14 major ones and 100+ minor ones. China's Auto Bailout Takes a Different Route (Time) |
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Replying to: boaz47 (Mar 01, 2009 10:31 am)  But let's say for argument's sake that the Scion was no better than say...a Pontiac. Yes, I would say quality is not in direct proportion to success, all by itself. The Big Three need to do more than just build better cars...they need to build more *appealing" cars. Say what you will about the Scion xB, people loved them then and love them now. If somehow you could plot a graph on the relative relationship between people loving their cars and reliability, I don't think the relationship would be all that strong. A car is, after all, not only transportation but a projection of dreams, desires, status, aspirations, aesthetics, etc. In other words, the Big Three could top the charts in reliability and still fail....yes.
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Mar 01, 2009 10:37 am) A car has no soul. It will run just as well or just as bad for someone that steals it as it did for the owner. It doesn't care how much you love it when it breaks down. It is a tool and nothing more. It will fail on you no matter how much you plead at the worst possible minute and so dependability has to count for more than something. As far as loving the xB people loved the Baja and they hardly even put them up for resale. Still a dead duck. If a car represented hopes and dreams to more than a hand full of people cars dealers would be hurting. As is demonstrated by the decline in car sales during this bad economy. If they had to be exciting then Camry and Accord Sedans wouldn't out sell coups. The Italians made some very sporty cars as did the French and they were driven from these shores. I will conceed they can be attractive and even a work of art. The xB is not however. 
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Replying to: boaz47 (Mar 01, 2009 11:02 am) Can you even point to a modern automobile ad that does not portray a dream, aspiration or aura of status and/or personal identity? People's idea of beauty covers a wide range. Ever been to a dog show?
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Mar 01, 2009 10:37 am) Sure, once you modified it. My sister bought the Mazda3 of the Corolla because she said the Toyota felt "tippy." As a bonus (in addition to the sway bars), she got rear disc brakes and a decent tire. Sounds like about what you had to do to get your Scion to be "satisfactory."
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Replying to: boaz47 (Mar 01, 2009 11:02 am) If people really felt that way, everything would come down to cost, and the '05 Taurus would still be the top selling car in the US. |
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Mar 01, 2009 11:43 am) I was reminded of that every time I used to go to Scorekeepers in Ann Arbor.
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Mar 01, 2009 12:03 pm) Here's an ad for a 2006 Scion xA. The asking price is exactly what I paid new for it! $13,100. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ctd/1054819475.html Here's a 2006 MINI (not an S) Asking price is $19495. I priced out a 2006 MINI in 2006 for $20, 480 (I still have the print out, so that's how I know). http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/ctd/1055023974.html Pretty amazing, even if you cut 10% off these prices. Think you're gonna get these prices for a 2006 PT Cruiser? Don't think so. It's $8499, low miles from a dealer. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/ctd/1054724214.html
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Mar 01, 2009 12:06 pm) 
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Mar 01, 2009 12:04 pm) I am not sure falling for advertising shows strength of character. But like I said, the most popular vehicles tend to be the one that have the least personality.
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