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Automotive News & Views What Do You Want To Suggest To The Detroit 3?
13 messages, Last post on Jan 23, 2009 at 11:11 AM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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First and foremost, I wish you good luck, and hope you survive, in the near-term, and thrive in the long-term. Second, congratulations on the progress you've made thus far. Your new vehicles are much improved over your offerings of just a few years ago. Unfortunately, the perception among many consumers lags behind this reality. Of course, you're very aware of this, and are working to address it. Third, I suggest that the decision makers in your companies drive the leading import brands, and really understand what it is about them that prompts consumers to choose them over your cars. I know you compare your cars to the imports regularly, but your long-term success depends on understanding consumers enough to leapfrog the imports. |
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The following is a letter in response to a review of the '09 Honda Fit that appeared in CBSMarketwatch.com. I think it may reflect the feelings of a significant number of consumers who feel Detroit has neglected their needs... "The car makers still don't get it! Many, many consumers don't want to pay >$10k for a car. I drove a 1990 GEO Metro (made by Suzuki) and a Ford Festiva (made by Kia)for many years. Both got > 40 mpg and I drove them for 200,000 miles each with no problems. In the mid '90s, you could buy a brand new GEO for less than $7k. They were the most cost effective vehicles on the road. And for us farmers, where are the Chevy Luv's and Ford Courier's of the same era? Many farmers, who really do need a pickup truck, don't want to pay $25k, $30k, or $50k for a pickup. It is simply to much money. Figure it out Car Makers! We consumers have figured out that you have been inoculating us for years with marketing campaigns to get us think that it is somehow ok to spend a year's pay on our vehicles. You have crushed us with 0% financing, cash back programs, 5 years loans, and unsufficiant milage. Coupled with with our monster home loans, student loans, and credit cards, you have broken us. You have managed to drive a marketing stake through the heart of the advice our grandparents taught us about keeping debt loads small or zero. It will take a generation to dig out. No more! We are done! There is no more left! From now on, it is OUR money and we are going to keep it. Bring us inexpensive, high quality, high mileage vehicles and we will buy American every time - and we will pay cash! I don't want to buy a Honda even if it made in America. Come on American car makers you can do it. We are counting on you."
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Replying to: hpmctorque (Jan 11, 2009 7:45 am) That's a lot of money for a subcompact, even today. |
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Chevy has announced that it will sell the Spark in the U.S., a smaller-than-Aveo subcompact, based on the Beat concept car. Between this entry and Ford's 2010 Verve, it looks as though Detroit has heard the farmer who wrote the letter in message #2.
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Replying to: hpmctorque (Jan 12, 2009 6:37 am) I rented a Ford Focus in November and was pleasently surprised. On the highway, my fuel economy was 36-37 mpg (onboard computer). The only negative was the backseat leg room was not as generous as in some other compact cars like the Civic and Elantra. |
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I haven't got a whole lot of suggestions for Ford and I still cannot figure out why they get lumped into the same category as GM and Chrysler who clearly could use the advice. Mulally is making good moves, there is no need to suggest that they're in trouble like the other 2.
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Replying to: anythngbutgm (Jan 13, 2009 9:49 am) Here comes another reference to CR....Consumer Reports put out their best and worst American cars. Out of the 9 best, 7 were Fords. The other 2 were GM. No Chrysler which was no surprised (when are they going to start making cars again????) The worst list featured 3 GM and 3 Chryslers, I believe. Ford was a no-show on this lists. It's too late for GM to mortgage their plants like Ford did a couple of years. Everyone had the death watch on Ford but they are looking good for the future. They have the products in place. They simply need time. GM needs a more drastic re-structuring than they are proposing simply because cash is thin and credit for them is non-existent. If they could get a loan or additional investors, we would not be having this discussion. No one wants to invest in them which should be a big bright sign that your business model sucks!!!! Sell Saab and Hummer for whatever you can get for it. Neither brand has a future. Get it off your books. the more cars you have to build to support these brands is more money out of your pocket. Move the Saturn lineup and future plans to Pontiac. The exposure from the the larger dealer network alone will sell more Saturn cars. Stop selling Buick in the US. If the Chinese like Buick so much, let them have it. Buick sold 137,000 units in 2008. It's not worth keeping anymore. Integrate future products to Pontiac or Chevy. The loyalists will get over it. If they don't, tell them they should have bought more Buicks. GM is not a charity case. Chevy: clean up your lineup and continue to focus on quality and reliability. Keep the bean counters out of the design room. 1-subcompact, 1 compact, 1 midsize, 1 large car, 1 small SUV/crossover, 1 midsize crossover, 1 large crossover/SUV or Suburban, 1 Corvette. If you keep some of the other vehicles that overlap in these categories, they should be kept for the fleet and rental sales only. maybe one niche car every 5 years but limited production only. Cadillac - See the CTS and copy. 5-6 models. Did I forget anyone????
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Replying to: dtownfb (Jan 13, 2009 10:50 am) All auto makers need to focus on quality and reliability. If they build safe reliable vehicles the people will come. Over the years I only bought from the Big three but in 2003 I gave up. I was tired of fighting constant trouble with my new cars. I wouldn’t dare keep one after the warrantee ran out. In 03 I bought a Hyundai. I was skeptical about a Korean car company, but with a great warranty I’d give them a try. Boy am glad I did. The car is now 6 years old, 60+k on the clock and I’ve had NO troubles with it. Routine maintenance is a bit higher with these cars to keep the warranty but that’s ok with me. I’ll second the motion to keep the bean counters out of the mix. When a problem with designs is noted, FIX it. GM let the intake gaskets on the 3.1 and 3.8 V6 engines go on for 10 years before they addressed the problem. Chrysler with their known transmissions issues. How many potential customers did they lose? Big 3 bean counters theory on reliability…Design/build to last 3 years or 36000 miles After that it’s on the customers dime. Thanks for listening |
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Replying to: andyz3 (Jan 13, 2009 3:25 pm) I agree. I own a 2000 Intrigue. The alternators (voltage regulator) can cause the headlights to flicker. People on the Chevy Uplander forum are reporting the same problem on a 2007 Uplander. Steering column issues, cooling system issues, DRL issues (those models that use the turn signal), braking issues, etc. Also owned a 2001 Malibu (remember the "car you knew America could build"). I remembered the braking issue, electrical issues, leaks, AC problems, etc. But the reason for GM problems is the credit problems and high gas mileage. Nothing at all to do with past performance.
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Replying to: dtownfb (Jan 13, 2009 6:43 pm) Gee, thanks. |
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