Any relief for struggling US auto makers?

Question

US auto giants.They where so indomitable.Any new models which have been well recieved.Is the ford escape 2008 on sale.What abt GMC Acadia.Any plans to counter the situation

Answer 1

The relief at the moment is being made by the employees of the old big 3. Lower wages, doing more, working different hours.
As for quality of the domestic cars, I believe that they are at least as good as the foreign competition. I say this because I have seen the improvements on the assembly lines. Computers keep track of any operation that was not completed while it was within a set space of the work station. When the car/truck hits the end of the line, a report is issued and the car/truck is taken to a repair area to check those operations that did not meet standards. There are also more quality checks during the shifts to ensure that the equipment is in calibration.
The fuel economy of the new cars is improving all the time. And for those who say we don't build quality and safety, take a look at the IIHS safety ratings for the new Taurus and the Ford trucks.
People have the opinion that domestic autos aren't as good, well, it's time to take another look and fairly evaluate the new cars. We really need to keep our industry at home and the profits too. Once we lose this industry to foreign companies, the economic conditions of a lot of towns will drop and more and more Americans will be out of work. One of every six jobs in America is dependent on the transportation industry.

Buy American and keep us strong. It is more than a slogan.

Answer 2

I feel for all of the employees they have laid off over the past few years. I cannot care one whit for the folks that laid those people off. As a tax payer, I cannot see where I should pay taxes that are used to subsidize companies that have moved any of their operations out of the country. Because I do not believe for one instant that those companies are using my tax dollars inside my country.
Why should I buy one of the Big 3's vehicles, after they have put so many good people and tax payers on the states burden rolls? My tax dollars now have something more important to take care of, than whether or not they need another tax break.
Anymore I see the Big 3 and other companies like them, that have opted out for cheaper foreign labor markets as nothing more than special interest groups lobbying for those foreign labor markets. These companies are doing absolutely nothing to elevate the standard of living in those countries. Especially not while they operate under those countries laws. These companies are not even paying half the wages or benefits to their foreign labor that an American would get.

I plan on getting a Toyota Hybrid for my next vehicle. Simply because US automakers are unresponsive to demand.

Answer 3

There are a few new domestic vehicles with decent reviews (the Acadia is one of them). But here is the main problem -- more important than pension & labor costs --- our US manufacturers have not been able to build the best car in any major vehicle category for at least twenty years. Until Ford, GM, and Chrysler can build something to really compete with the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, or Pilot, they will continue downhill.

Answer 4

They'll only find relief when they raise fuel economy standards comparable to the levels of imported vehicles. I don't want to pay more for a car, put more gas in it, and have it break down earlier. Loyalty to American auto brands is quickly declining due to lack of quality vehicles. Hopefully, new legislation and those declining numbers will convince US auto makers to raise standards.