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More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
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UDMan
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
Unfortunately, it will all come down to some form of market protection, similar to what Australia and Brazil did years ago. There will be new and unjustified "import duties" on everything foreign made, not just cars, but car parts, engines, transmissions, electronics, and such. This will penalize not only imports, but transplants like Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai as well. They will have to prove that the parts that go into their vehicles made here clear at least some percentage threshold before they can escape the dreaded duty.

You heard it here first.....
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Schm, enjoying his first desert winter. .
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
Remember, this guy was/is a professor at UC Berkley. I'm sure hes got a lovingly driven Volvo 240GL Estate parked next to his mini, with the requisite "Obama 08" and "1:20:09" stickers.

You can't blame him.
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MushyHeirloom
11/12/08

@Schm, problems around every corner: I was getting ready to make 1.20.13 stickers in the event of a McCain win. For my 244DL, of course.
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Mad_Science
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
The Vette Z06 gets 27mpg highway.

I'd take one of those.
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OG_
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
Well, maybe this guy was right. Mk1 Mini One does have a Chrysler engine. Therefore Mini One could be the most fuel-efficient American (engine powered) car.
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///Mink
11/12/08

@OG_: The Tritec engine is built in Brazil.
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OG_
11/12/08

@///Mink: And Nike shoes are made in China/Vietnam/Indonesia/whatevercheaplaborAsiancountry. So then is Nike an American corporation?
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Mad_Science
11/12/08

@OG_: Engine's not made or purchased by Chrysler. The did the engineering work, then sold the design.

In your analogy, Chrysler is the private industrial design company that designs many of Nike's things. Mini is Nike and the Brazilian plant is Ghuangzhu Garment Corp.
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mikedrawcar
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
there are two terrible parts of this:

1. the MINI is a niche "lifestyle" vehicle that costs more than the average small car. Sure, it gets good mileage, but it's a boutique car.

2. The fact that after he says he owns a MINI, he pauses, waits for the next question (which deviates from the MINI), and RETURNS to talking about the MINI and how great it is. Terrible interview.
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drewdrawshashtags
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
Hell, I can't name a single American car period that I'd like to own, much less a few efficient one.

I think the Littler-by-the-Day 3 have killed themselves with redundant, generic products and badge-engineering. Are Buick buyers really going to revolt if they kill the brand? Can most of them even stand up by themselves? Can anyone identify the different Buicks in the lineup? I know I can't and I keep track of things like that.

The product lines and marketing for these companies are dire and so will the sales until they start making the tough decisions.
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drewdrawshashtags
11/12/08

@DrewGradesPoo: That'd be fuel efficient, of course, dammit.
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Chairman Kaga
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
Man, if this aint the root of the Big 3's Big Problem, I'm not sure what is. Ask Joe the Plumber which truck or SUV he'd want, and I betcha dollars to donuts he'd say an F150, Ram, Silverado, or Tahoe, Escalade, Explorer, etc. Ask Joe the Plumber which sports car he'd like to drive, and he'd probably say Camaro. OK Joe, but not for another year. Of the sports cars AVAILABLE, which would you take? He might say Corvette or Viper, sure, but he's probably just as likely to generically say Furrari or Porsha or Mozzarotee. Then ask him which economical sedan he'd like, and he's gonna say Accord or Camry. Small car? Civic or Corolla.

Now look at car sales by volume, and tell me the Big 3 haven't screwed the pooch with a crowd watching in terms of their long range product planning by neglecting the segment that has remained the rest of the world's bread and butter throughout our fuel cost boomtime.
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jp182
11/12/08

@Chairman Kaga: the other problem being that the interior of GM cars all feel the same to a certain extent. I know when I'm in an economy GM car and when I'm in a luxury GM car that they are all GM cars. That plus the fact that the buttons and dials haven't changed much if at all in the last I don't know how many years. I was in a Chevy SS (SUV) the other day and it had a very similar interior to the first Taurus I ever got into back in the early 90's.
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MushyHeirloom
11/12/08

@jp182: I swear Ford used the same power window switches for every single car/truck they built from about 1992-2004.
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B1663R
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
unfortunatly it's true... there is not a single American car that i like that i can afford.

i like caddies, can't afford them. i like the vette, can't afford the vette

dodge caravan blows, caliber, nitro, cobalt, focus, fusion and a crapload of GM cars do not appeal to me. the designs are dated, low quality materials, just a general feeling of crappyness.

oh but GM has got their new 100,000 mile warranty!! good to know when my car is in the shop once a month.
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Cognitive Friction
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
Answer: the Honda Civic, built in East Liberty, Ohio
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WilliamG.
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
Well, it's kind of a loaded question, 'cause if you say Cadillac CTS-V, then you kind of come off looking like a douche. And if you say Chevy Malibu or Ford Fusion or anything even less prestigious, you look like a total liar. And if you say Tesla Speedster, well then, you look like a pompous ass.
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MushyHeirloom
11/12/08

@WilliamG.: I'd take a Malibu or Fusion, sure. That's about it, but it's a start, isn't it?

Oh yeah - G8.
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theeastbaykid
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
This reminds me of when Sarah Palin was asked to name a Supreme Court decision that she didn't agree with other than Roe v. Wade. The ulterior motive was clearly to expose the fact that Sarah Palin couldn't actually NAME another Supreme Court case other than Roe v. Wade. Actually, this is a difficult question for even those who can name more than one Supreme Court decision-after all, most of the cases you'd remember are those that have a positive outcome. To give Palin the benefit of the doubt, she probably remembered Brown v. Board of Education or perhaps even Marbury v. Madison-but she was faced with the tricky choice of either admitting she didn't know a case other than Roe v. Wade or stating that she in fact was familiar with Brown v. Board but disagreed with the ruling.

Matthews, meanwhile, either has to say that he can't name a single fuel-efficient American car, or state that he in fact would LOVE to own a Chevy Aveo or a USDM Ford Focus. Hobson's choice, really.
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Saboth
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
Volt? You mean the car that is going to cost about 35% what a house costs?

But yeah...you can't blame the guy. The list of cars like that is really short. Of course you could throw in all the focus, aveos, etc, but the kicker was "that you'd like to own."
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TheGuinnessTooth
11/12/08

@Saboth: Damn I didn't realize the Volt was going to cost over 70k.
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MushyHeirloom
11/12/08

@Saboth: I'd like to own an '00-'04 (or so) Focus, sure.

A Cobalt/HHR SS would be a hoot.

And I wouldn't turn down an Astra.

As for Chrysler...

*runs away*
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Deartháir II
11/12/08

@TheGuinnessTooth: I think he meant a house in Detroit.

So... $12.85?
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Mad_Science
11/12/08

In reply to More Proof The Big Three's Lobbying Efforts Kinda Blow
I'd blame their advertising and marketing more than their lobbying efforts. The public at large just doesn't seem to know or car about most domestic cars.

It doesn't help that the domestic manufacturers have a habit of abandoning model names every 3-7 years. I remember when the Cobalt first came out, and the buff books were touting it as completely re-invented and way better than that crappy Cavalier. Good or not, at least people were starting to remember that the compact Chevy was a Cavalier.

In contrast, everyone knows what a Civic, Corolla, Accord or Camry is.
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pdude
11/12/08

@Mad_Science:

They change names in hope that ppl will forget what crap they've bought. The big 3 assume ppl will buy that junk again in 3 years, just with different sheet metal and name. Taurus/500 LOL
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MushyHeirloom
11/12/08

@pdude: The problem is that they only change names when the products don't suck (at least, in the last 10 years) - think about Malibu over the last 10 years, for example, going from not-so-good to on-par with Accord. Meanwhile, they tried to change tactics with the Five Hundred (which was competent, if bland) before renaming it... and effectively dooming it to rental duty.

A shame, as Ford and GM have some genuinely good products now.
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