Why French cars (citroen, peugeot, renault) aren't imported in the US, while they are so popular in the world?

Question

Does it have to do with France not supporting the Iraq war?

Answer 1

Last I heard they were! But a lot of them are being imported as "american combo cars", -- they have american names on them, but are mostly foreign parts. This gets them through customs a whole lot cheaper, - the parts are shipped, then assembled in the USA.

I still see advertisements here in the USA anyway!

I once was a Renault factory certified mechanic, - but have qit because of age!

Answer 2

Primarily due to low sales, spotty dealer support, and a terrible reputation for build quality and reliability. The Peugot 405i was the last car imported here and was a good one, but still not as well built as other makes of the time. Combine this with really crappy dealer support and you can see why the residual value of these cars is really low. If you can find one that works and is not rusted into scrap, you will probably get a good deal.

Answer 3

The French don't make reliable cars, they are comfortable, well equipped, the sporty ones are fast and handle well and they do look the part in comparison to other marques but when they all hit 5-6 years old they just fall apart and you can do a lot better for reliability if you look elsewhere.

Answer 4

they weren't imported before they turned their backs on us. Besides they couldn;t stand up to the competition of japanese imported cars. The US does however spend billions on French made commercial airplanes...i.e. the Airbus.

Answer 5

They never sold well here so it isn't worth the cost of importing them.

Answer 6

Importing costs, brand recognition, market niche, or non-compliance with American crash regs

Answer 7

yes