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Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego

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Pessimippopotamus
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
Meh. Saleen did the opposite and look where it got them.
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1300ccsoffury
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
So how many jobs are left in Michigan? 17?
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Ash78, tryptophanatic
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
Yeah, I think Nissan's MI effort was just to take advantage of recruiting efforts in the industry. I doubt they would have chosen that spot out of thin air. Minneapolis is another example--nice place, but most people are scared of 30-below temps. But still that city has more Fortune 500 per capita than any other US city, due in part to a critical mass of talent (especially retail)

San Diego makes sense, as many design houses (auto and otherwise) are located there, along with engineering talent. The general CA Car Culture doesn't hurt.
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drewdrawsLA
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
Are they selling whole towns in Michigan yet? I'm thinking this might be the time to get into that kind of thing.

Drewdraws2n (pronounced Droo-DRAHS-ton), Michigan - where all your housez are belong to us!
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1300ccsoffury
01/27/09

@Drewdraws2 is short.: I got dibs on Hell, MI.
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Ash78, tryptophanatic
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
The good news: Great weather year-round

The bad news: You sell your house for a dollar and can't find a new one under $750,000
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leavethegun-takethecannoli
01/27/09

@Ash78: A dollar? Who the hell in their right mind is going to pay a dollar for a house in Michigan? That better be negotiable.

I'll give ya fiddy-five cent. not a penny mo'
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LTDScott
01/27/09

@Ash78: Actually house values have dropped here in SD quite a bit. But yeah, replace $750k with $350k and you're close to the truth.
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Boosted Lego Wagon
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
I'm shocked! Nissan has a design department?
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DoctorNine
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
Well, the attitude of most Michiganders was so hostile to transplant manufacturers, that I can I hardly blame Nissan. They can now go to where they are wanted.

I said something about this months ago, but no one was listening.

Maybe they are listening now up there. I hope so.

For everyone's sake.
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leavethegun-takethecannoli
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
I'd rather be in San Diego too. Mark my words, I predict California will become the new car capitol.
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LTDScott
01/27/09

@leavethegun-takethecannoli: Chrysler design left San Diego in the last couple of years.
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HDC
01/27/09

@leavethegun-takethecannoli: I dunno about that. Nissan used to have their Design HQ here just a fear years back, then moved it back to Michigan (or was it TN, not sure). They just can't quit Cali for some reason.

The overall business environment is just too unfriendly here. The state's been loosing businesses left and right because of the costs here. Things like insurance, disability, taxes, etc. have just been to onerous. And lately many of the new green policies der Gubernator has been pushing will continue to pile on the pressure. I would not expect manufacturing to be flocking here. The southern states are a better bet for the auto industry unfortunately.
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leavethegun-takethecannoli
01/27/09

@HDC: Yeah, but with California facing a budget crisis and other political factors, they will eventually have to provide a friendlier business environment. I think they will help lead the way with electrical car production. Detroit is carrying way too much baggage.
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mikedrawcar
01/27/09

@leavethegun-takethecannoli: yeah, sorry to burst your bubble, but people have been predicting that for years. In reality, the only thing CA has left going for it is high emissions regulations (which = more initiative for an innovative startup).

The internet and global economy have squashed many of the other benefits. In reality, there is no "car capitol", there are just different automotive sectors spread throughout the world. Nissan's operation in MI was tiny, as previously mentioned, so I wouldn't say this is a sign of CA becoming a 'new' center- it was just convenient because they had a larger operation that's closer to Japan already there.
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leavethegun-takethecannoli
01/27/09

@mikedrawcar: Are you really sorry? Really? j/k. I am addressing the innovative start-up possibilities, which could lead to a new "Detroit," in my opinion.
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Bentoboxx, My Tank is full of it
01/27/09

@leavethegun-takethecannoli: Nissan moved its HQ from Cali to Tennessee. I wish they were still here but their new building in Tenn is something to see. Oh well, good for SD.
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damnelantra™
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
i did not even know they had a shop in MI.

sad news... but really its only 110 people. thats like a drop in the bucket for the mighty mitten
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engineerd
01/27/09

@damnelantra™: In a former life I worked with some guys from their Farmington Hills office. Nice guys. I never quite understood why they even had an office here. The only thing I could really think of was proximity to suppliers. However, since most of their US operations are based in SoCal it seemed strange to have almost a duplicate office here.

Oh well. I wish those guys well. I'm sure some of them will stay. Detroiters are like that.
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SupermotoThud
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
I rather be in warm San Diego then Michigan any day.
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SubieBlast
01/27/09

Yeah, try moving an established family from one state to another ans see how great it is. Plus not everyone wants to live in La La Land with all the "aspiring" actors and crazy people.@SupermotoThud:
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engineerd
01/27/09

@SupermotoThud: Me too! I grew up in the LA area. Now I'm in Detroit. I blame Henry Ford. If he had been smart, he would have built his company somewhere with better weather.
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MikeHerbst
01/27/09

@edreyes:

You do know that "La La Land" and San Diego are different cities, right?

San Diego has nearly ZERO "aspiring actors" because they all went to Los Angeles.
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MrBangBam
01/27/09

@MikeHerbst: Hey! I'm in La La Land and I have yet to meet an aspiring actor. Just UNINspiring ones. I kid, Lame. Seriously though, yet to see a famous actor.
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Jo Schmo
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
those sissies couldn't take the cold
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Franzouse
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
I know there are a lot of "fans" of Carlos Ghosn out there, but not all of them realize that part of his managerial "success" comes from his utter ruthlessness when it comes to laying people off and closing factories. Just ask Nissan Japan employees 8 years ago.

/apologizes for excessive use of air quotes
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If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face
01/27/09

In reply to Nissan Design Leaving Michigan, Heading To San Diego
The Aurora, IL office? Ex-squeeze me? A-baking powder?
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