Will the Perfect Storm unleash in the U.S.?

Question

Are the American automobile manufacturers ever going to wake up?

After witnessing the collapse of the GMC, and large amputations of the jobs in Ford, we must learn something.

The former head of Nissan's engineering team said after the fall of GMC, "the American automobile industry failed to listen to what the consumers demand."

Sure, our flashes are being eaten off by the Japanese and other foreign autos, but I do not see any sign of getting better.

Will the perfect storm come to the U.S. automakers? Will the Americans see the major fall of the American auto industries, significantly affecting our economy and bring the nightmare? (well, we are sort of having the nightmare already...)

Will the Americans get up from the comfort zone? Or will we change after the horrible events wake us up? Or will we fall into the deep, unwakeable sleep forever?

I want to hear what you think.

Answer 1

GM will not fail. They will figure out a way to cut the head off of the UAW snake and those payments to people who do not produce any product.
I have a friend who worked for GM Arlington for 35 years and is currently enjoying his pension. He is worried about losing it, too. That's sad and un-American to take it back.
The golden goose is dead.
Americans want quality American cars and trucks.
GM and Ford must produce what people want, but sell vehicles at lower prices to fight off China's plans to dump cars here.
If inflation and $6.00 gas plague us, I will still buy a GM or Ford.
Let's see who can react to the market fluxes. No one knows yet.

Answer 2

The americans are having a problem trying to grasp what americans want sometimes and as you said got into a comfort zone. People think they want the econobodies popular in the rest of the world, but once they are almost run over in america's car crazed culture, I will think the cars such as the Ford Fusion will do better because of it.

The imports also built a better name in relaiability as they don't try to cost cut like the americans do and seem to loose at, at times.... But the Japanese are starting to suffer also as worldwide quality is going down IMO.

Americans want their power,size and fuel economy.. the imports are doing it to a point as they worry more about the economy whereas the americans try to satisfy US buyer appitite for power... Unfortuneately americans want all 3 that can't happen currently

The Ameicans won't go into an unwakeable coma, but right now is just a replay of the 70s and the 80s when the americans woke up and produced what america wanted until the latest crunch got them.

And BTW, the Koreans are building cheaper cars, but when people find the valve drops hard on them (causin them to go into rollover on the next car usually) as well as quality issues... I won't call them out, but will take a few more years to get anywhere IMO

Answer 3

it already has
the retrirement of the baby boomers hurts the domestic in 2 big ways
first a loyal customer group is switching and the boomer employees are retiring
a shrinking market and higher exspenses
and at the same time MORE competion, Korea and soon China
run out now and buy a Ford Fusion

Answer 4

i hope so, but i wouldn't hold my breath. there are a lot of things keeping this from happening with the main one being the unions. i grew up in a union family so i know what unions can do. on the flip side i also know what they don't. which is actually give a damn about their jobs or the products they produce. so until the big three can reel the unions into their way of thinking it will get worse before it gets better