When the American automotive industry stood on the brink of collapse a couple of years ago, I heard quite a few of the typical stereotypes about American cars. Poor quality, bad gas mileage, low resale value, etc. The funny thing that I always wound up pointing out was that these stereotypes are largely untrue. American cars do fine in each of these areas of evaluation when compared to their foreign competitors.
Cars weren't selling for a few reasons, such as a tanking economy, shrinking personal wealth, and people being paranoid about high gas prices. (You'll note that we went right back to buying SUV's and pickups as soon as the price of oil came back down.) Car companies were broke for other reasons, such as retirees' health care costs and a complete failure to set aside enough money for a rainy day. The companies lived beyond their means, largely on credit, as many of us have done ourselves. When the credit dried up, there they were, begging for a handout.
In neither case (sales or solvency) was quality the issue. There was a time when the Japanese and Germans were making better cars, but Detroit has caught up over the course of the last couple of decades. Things really do have to be evaluated on a model-by-model basis, rather than a generic overview. Since I'm not in the market for a new car (hopefully for a while... hopefully), I haven't exactly been out test-driving the new models. And since I'm from a Ford family (think employee discounts and so forth) and Ford never took bailout money, I won't be test-driving any GM or Chrysler products whenever I do look for a new car. Screw 'em. When my own financial interests and my values regarding national economics happen to align perfectly, it's not hard to see where my money will be spent.
So the closest I'll ever come to trying out the new offerings from Detroit will occur on the odd occasion when I have to rent a car. For the last week I was driving a Dodge Avenger. Nice car. Today I picked up a Chevy Cobalt. What the...? That car is a piece of shit. I don't mean to imply that it's in bad shape or anything, because it's not. It's brand new. But what a piece of shit. Noisy, uncomfortable, no power, no amenities. Hopefully Government Motors isn't hanging its hat on this one. I had taken a pass on a PT Cruiser because, quite frankly, I think they look pretty gay. Now I'm wishing I hadn't done so.
The cars are exchanged, the laundry is done, and the workout is complete. Nothing exciting, of course, but that's pretty much how it goes with these days off, isn't it? Back up to Saginaw for two stops tomorrow.
how do you post at 11:59 everyday?
ReplyDeleteQuite a few Japanese models are now made in the states and Canada so are they then not an import? Living in Canada if the car I drive isn't made in Canada then that is an import.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the PT Cruiser is pretty lame. The Cobalt is much the same. If the driving public really wanted that size of car then we would have continued to buy them even after the price of gas went down. I do remember a post of yours that explained how the electric car development should go and I still think you were and are spot on. They are talking about putting in "charging stations" in the public parking garages here in SA. Looks like tax dollars will be used to install them. No mention if you have to pay to use them or not. Give me my lifted F-250 and lets have some fun.
ReplyDeleteIf I post after midnight, I back up the time to 11:59pm in order to keep everything straight on the navigation sidebar.
ReplyDeleteMy Mazda was assembled in Flat Rock, around ten miles from here. The parts largely come from Canada and Mexico, but the brand is ostensibly Japanese. Then again, I get a Ford discount on Mazda products, meaning that maybe the brand isn't quite so Japanese. I guess people can pick and choose which criteria they want to apply.
I saw a handful of Cobalts on the highway yesterday. The notion that someone would actually pay money for that car is bizarre to me. I'm sure that electric GM thing will also be a real treat whenever it comes along.