I'm appalled at the lack of American cars
If Detroit haden't dropped the ball and made a reliable fuel efficient car that i liked instead of 900 variations of SUV's and trucks, id agree.
However, i live on a tight budget as a college grad on his first job, and have had zero mechanical problems and a great gas bill since getting out of college with my Toyota Yaris. I love the little thing, and it was quite affordable as a first time car buyer.
Would i rather own a mustang? sure. but thats not practical, when you consider gas mileage and frequency of matinance.
and i suspect im in the majority of American's on that eval, and thus Detroit's current problem.
(sedan model, the hatchbacks are ugly. The sedan is no looked, but at least it looks like car.)
There's plenty of American cars that are more practical than a Mustang. And there's nothing wrong with a little maintenance if it means having a car that runs better/longer, unless you're a teenage girl that is.
now your just being flippant for no reason.
I understand your view that we should buy american, but thats no reason for this kind of response. I looked at American cars too, and what Detroit offers in my price range, which was lower than i liked, but certainly not unreasonable, is nowhere close to the quality toyota offers at that price point.
and Toyota's are some of the most reliable cars on the road, and last forever if well maintained, which i do with mine. It's been nothing but good to me, and been a joy to drive.
and why should i put up with breakdowns and have to buy parts/ put in labor just to prove im not a "teenage girl" in your eyes?
I didn't buy my car to prove im some sort of macho man who can fix'er up myself when it needed constant tuning and parts upkeep, I did that all through high school and college with my 98' F-150.
I bought my car based on my budget, the value for the dollars i was putting in, It's reliability, and it's possible upkeep costs.
When i weighed those factors, I had a clear choice, and it's given me no cause to regret it. IF that somehow doesn't jive with what you think is my responsibility to American car manufactures to buy an inferior product to prove something to myself about being patrotic or supporting American labor, so be it.
It's that attitude of entitlement that has gotten Detroit in trouble, and unfortunately, with the government's willingness to string them along with handouts rather than letting the free market solve the problem through competition that will ensure American cars continue to lag behind. I hope for our economy's sake that the big 3 realize that.
Summary: If you want me to buy an American car in 4-6 years, build a better product. Shocking stuff in this brave new world of bailouts for companies who don;t make a superior product, i know.
I'm not sure i was being flippant.
I can't really argue with anything you said, I just simply disagree that American cars are inferior. You might think that the problem with Detroit is lack of sales due to bad products, but in my mind it is ignorance of Americans. People see lower prices and less maintenance and jump.
Can you blame them? Im sorry but if someone offers me a product that is cheaper and needs less maintenance, I am gonna jump. Thats how it works. Im capable ot fixing a lot of problems on cars, but do I have the time to? Not usually. Do I enjoy it? Not when it costs me a saturday afternoon when I could do something better than being under a car.
Not to mention most Americans cant fix their own cars, and add in the steriotypical service writer/mechanic thats always out to screw you out of money, you end up with a majority of people that want to avoid having to take their car to a dealership at all costs....so they buy a product thatll keep them away from there.
Theres nothing wrong with buying American and being proud of the fact that you can fix the problems that come along with the car, but just b/c it's ok for you doesnt mean it should be ok for everyone else.
You said it perfectly. This is the reason why our car industry is failing, not inferior products. If foreign companies made better products I would see a reason to buy them. If I had the money I'd buy an Enzo. But hurting our economy for an equal product so you can personally benefit will only hurt us in the long run.
That's quite a read on his post, it isn't what i took out of it.
It's only equal if your willing to do the maintenance, and part instal which the more realable car (specifically toyota, there's a reason they consistently stomp cars at their price point on quality and why they stay on the road so long) doesn't even need, yourself...
how does that make it equal? your putting time and money into your car that you would not have to if you had bought the better car in the first place.
Yeah No kidding. He completely contradicts himself. "Buying an equal product so you can personally benefit." How can be it be equal if you can benefit from one over the other?
Also, Economics isnt my area of expertise, but wouldnt making the superior product to begin with, which would cause Americans to put all their money into that american product be better for our economy instead of what he suggests?
Seriously, why dont I just go out and buy the House from the movie "The Money Pit" because it would be good for our economy.
Well, you guys don't seem to understand my views. Don't be thinking I'm the idiot though because plenty of people feel like me.
I didn't contradict myself. Just because something benefits you now, doesn't mean it won't hurt you in the long run. Most people don't know enough about the economy to realize this. For the people that do know, I'm not gonna be able to change their minds.
I was just raised this way, my family would never buy a non-American car.
no ones calling you dumb, we're just disagreeing with you.
and i understand your view , even if you did call me a teenage girl for owning an import
but i still fail to grasp how this makes any logical sense, which is what your trying to put forth:
you have around 18k to spend-
company x's Car costs 16k, has great gas mileage, and rarley needs service, and is known to be a car you can drive for upwards of 150k miles, and is an import.
company y's Car costs 16k, has less gas mileage (more $$), needs service and parts more often (more $$), and also runs for upwards of 150k but is from America.
Wouldn't it behoove the consumer to support company X in a free market society, which we encourage thus forcing company Y to make a better car, which will in turn force X to make a better car, leading to better overall value for the consumer in the long run?
I see little capitalistic value in rewarding company Y for making a inferior product, simply because they are from America. My view is the should make a better product, and attract my business.
Instead, in what i consider an illogical move, our goverment is hell bent on spending american tax payers money to keep the inferior product afloat. that's not best for our economy long term or short.
What's better for the economey is to let the major american car companies stand on thier own, get back to making the high quality products they used to in the 80's and early 90's (when they were on the cutting edge) so that they can survive without govermental assistance.
thus, as a capitalistic person, i bought the best product. If the next time i go looking for a car, (hopefully) with more money, company y will have uppe'd it's game and made a more competitive product for me to consider.
Topic: What are you driving these days? (Read 16826 times)