Time to buy American

[TruckWEB]

Edmunds, Time to buy American

Some quote from the text :

The fundamental underlying weakness of the American car industry isn't labor cost (though that needs to change, too), but that Americans aren't buying American cars. Even the good ones.

Meanwhile, it's impossible to argue that cars like the Chevrolet Malibu, the Ford Fusion and the Saturn Aura aren't competitive with the Accord and Camry.

Patriots know that one of the things that makes America great is that it has an auto industry. And patriots don't want Ford, Chrysler and GM to swirl down the same toilet bowl that flushed away British Leyland and the rest of the English car business.

Look, you may want a BMW 5 Series and you may even deserve a BMW 5 Series, but right now it's important to do the right thing and buy a Cadillac CTS.

So, what do you guys think? Is it time to buy American? Will the people willing to buy American cars that are worth half their price just as soon as you leave the dealer? Is it important to you that GM / Ford / Chrysler stay in business?

I'm a Canadian, but I've been driving GM cars since I drive, all on lease so never had any long term or resale problems. In fact, I never had/have any problem with my GM cars.

[shockz]

I've been in the car market for awhile... and I'd love to get a GM car again... they have come around in the past years in terms of quality... BUT... if they go bankrupt... who knows what will happen to warranties, parts, not to mention the resale value (which is crummy as it is) would go down the tubes.

I'm going to wait and see what happens the next couple of months... if they do go bankrupt then its another honda accord for me.

[Ultomato]

the only gm i would buy is the Volt if it ever comes out and it its cheap enough. their econo cars just suck.

[shihchiun]

I'll buy American only when I feel that they are superior to their competition. Which isn't now.

Supporting a free market is just as American as buying American cars.

[+SOOPRcow MVC]

I will always buy what ever I think is the best quality product.

[TruckWEB]

Well, I'm not feeling any patriotic vibe around here!!! :huh:

BUT... if they go bankrupt... who knows what will happen to warranties, parts, not to mention the resale value (which is crummy as it is) would go down the tubes.

Going bankrupt does not mean the end of GM, it's just a good opportunity for them to restructure their business, slack off over-paid employees and stop paying huge pension plan.

the only gm i would buy is the Volt if it ever comes out and it its cheap enough. their econo cars just suck.

Right now, the Volt is set for a 2011 product release and will be around $40,000 but you'll have a $7,500 tax rebate on it (in the U.S.)

Supporting a free market is just as American as buying American cars.

You're not helping to save American jobs by supporting a free market.... Or maybe you do, if the car you choose is built in the States.

[shihchiun]

You're not helping to save American jobs by supporting a free market.... Or maybe you do, if the car you choose is built in the States.

It's not my fault the American car companies are in the situation they're in. While I feel bad for people that may (probably) lose their jobs (actually, who am I kidding? I don't care, just like they don't care about my well being), I can't afford to make a $20,000 donation, which is what I would be doing if I bought an American car without believing that it is the best product for my needs.

[revvo]

I'll buy American when the Americans deliver.

I'll buy a Ford when Ford stop treating us like **** and delivers a real Focus. I'll buy GM when they bring small turbodiesel cars that are better than gasoline hybrids. I'll buy American when the interior is finally made of quality, and not cheap plastic.

Am I saying there are none? no. The good American cars are pricy. In the $20-25,000 range, the Japanese delivers more than what you expect.

[BGM]

no offence, but you shouldn't have to force yourself to 'buy American' in order to support the flagging auto industry...

capitalism is harsh, and the people with the best product should win at the end of the day. If GM have to lay off people to survive, then they have to lay off people, fact. It's very naive of the OP to assume people are going to buy an inferior product (US cars) for the sole reason of supporting a failing market.

The companies need to sort themselves out on their own. The might involve going bankrupt, it might involve sacking people... that is the way that the capitalist market corrects itself, and it isn't always pretty, but people need to live with it.

FYI my next car will be a ######. Probably an A5

[afusion]

The oil companies have a monopoly over the auto industry, a big chunk of it. With the constant lobbying they've pushed the best out of American's reaches.

The CEOs are engulfing profits only for their own and allow their own companies to crash in hell.

I can't support such a corrupt nature of business as it's forbidden in a free market enterprise.

[Sophism]

I love my fusion and have had no problems with it. I would not have problems buying another Fusion. Quality is good.

[gollux]

Played the patriot thing, bought American and got burned.

Bought American again, a car created by American Workers and Japanese Management and it's still on the road after all these years.

I've decided to support Capitalism and vote with my money. Our major problem is that the wrong end has been outsourced. We could get real cheap executives overseas and free up a lot of money for R&D or to just lower the price of the vehicle in the first place.

The UAW and Management have done more to destroy the American auto industry and lose jobs than can be comprehended. Their adversarial cohabitation has retarded automation, materials handling and rejected most of the efficiency that has allowed most other manufacturing operations to overtake them in productivity. The possibility of losing a few jobs to automation is way more important than the total loss of future jobs because the company has been driven into bankruptcy by the avarice of Management and the Unions.

[PermaSt0ne]

be patriotic and support them while they outsource over seas? no thank you

my $12k honda civic beats any other $12k car from Ford or GM and will last for years. damn good mpg to boot

[TruckWEB]

It's very naive of the OP to assume people are going to buy an inferior product (US cars) for the sole reason of supporting a failing market.

Remember, it's from Edmunds.... Not me! I have eyes, believe me, and seeing the big 3 CEO flying in private jets in order to cry to the Senates to get $25B is crazy. GM was able to get tons of cash from my Gvt (Quebec) a while back with the promise to keep a shop alive and working (Boibriand, made Camaro there), guess what, they got their money, closed the shop and ran with it. IF GM was to get some money now, my guess is they would use that money to complete their new shop in Russia to build the Chevrolet Traverse. No money would even land in the great U.S.A. But that's just my guess....

Those big old CEO are just full of it. They don't want to change, they don't want to cut their salary.... In fact, I don't think they even care about the millions of people who would lose their jobs....

I'm saying, I did not have any problems with all the GM cars that I had and currently have. But my next car will probably be from some other maker.

[Chicane-UK Veteran]

I love how they play the 'patriot' card here. Basically you're supposed to feel bad for not buying American cars. And why the hell should you if they're not as good as imports?

Screw those companies. I really really REALLY sympathise for the workers who may end up losing their jobs - but the greed (and flat out stupidity) of the upper management is totally to blame. It's the management that deserve to get punished for this. They reap the rewards when they're succeeding, yet expect to gracefully skip out of the back door when it all starts going belly up?

String em up IMHO. And no American should feel guilt. Patriotism has **** all to do with it.

[MulletRobZ]

Oh, please! That is the most pathetic article ever! My Honda Civic is far superior than the Cobalt and Focus, and guess where the Honda Civics are built (for North America)? Right in Alliston, Ontario (1 hour drive north of Toronto), so you can't say I'm not supporting Canadian jobs! :p

Maybe if GM had the Cruze here now instead of in 2010 and in Ford's case, the Euro Focus, I would have been more willing to reconsider. After all, quality, fuel efficiency, and the fun-to-drive factor determine my car purchases, not the country of origin.

[revvo]

The only reason I see myself leaving Honda's is if they can make a car as reliable and nice looking and fun to drive as a Civic in that price range and that it would cost me less in insurance. The latter is the only downside I see of Civics, my 98 2 door si/ex costs me $1100 of insurance per year.

[BinaryFragger]

Oh, please! That is the most pathetic article ever! My Honda Civic is far superior than the Cobalt and Focus, and guess where the Honda Civics are built (for North America)? Right in Alliston, Ontario (1 hour drive north of Toronto), so you can't say I'm not supporting Canadian jobs! :p

Maybe if GM had the Cruze here now instead of in 2010 and in Ford's case, the Euro Focus, I would have been more willing to reconsider. After all, quality, fuel efficiency, and the fun-to-drive factor determine my car purchases, not the country of origin.

I recently drove a Cobalt LT sedan rental, and the fuel mileage averaged 8.7 l/100 km. The last Nissan Altima (a significantly larger and more powerful car) I drove actually burned slightly less gas (8.2 l/100 km). Both cars were driving under similar conditions, a mix of highway and stop-and-go traffic.

Detroit knows how to make good trucks, but their North American-market economy cars need to catch up to the competition.

Getting back to the article's title, how is 'American' defined? My mom's Civic was built in Ontario, and my dad's Toyota was built in California. The aforementioned Altima is built in Tennesse, and the Ford Fusion is built in Mexico.

Heck, some Hyundais are built in Alabama.

[shockz]

Going bankrupt does not mean the end of GM, it's just a good opportunity for them to restructure their business, slack off over-paid employees and stop paying huge pension plan.

Perhaps... or it might be the end of them. There have been plenty of cases where yes... the company can start over... but there's also a lot of times where they don't come back. And going bankrupt doesn't help resale value... regardless.

[kombolcha]

it's funny how a lot of people don't realize that the government has been protecting the auto industry for a long time, giving them that chance to be more innovative and superior but all they have become is cheap and inefficient for the most part.

to edmunds, i already bought American, when i bought my Nissan Altima that was built in North Carolina.

[cork1958]

Edmunds, Time to buy American

Some quote from the text :

So, what do you guys think? Is it time to buy American? Will the people willing to buy American cars that are worth half their price just as soon as you leave the dealer? Is it important to you that GM / Ford / Chrysler stay in business?

I'm a Canadian, but I've been driving GM cars since I drive, all on lease so never had any long term or resale problems. In fact, I never had/have any problem with my GM cars.

What do you guys think? What do you think, we think?

It's BEEN to late!

Hindsight does not work here.

They can easily come back, but I'm amazed how many people I've heard asking about or inquiring about this same thing. Should've BEEN thinking that way all along!