new truck sucks

[trojan]

Name an unique innovation the US car industry has produced, since the 70's - when the problem was first presented to the global car industry....
US "trucks" tow great - no argument. What else do US cars do that a jap/euopean car cannot out class them at?

[Boostinjdm]

I really want to see Honda build a v8 and put it in a fullsize truck....

[fabr]

Name an unique innovation the US car industry has produced, since the 70's - when the problem was first presented to the global car industry....
US "trucks" tow great - no argument. What else do US cars do that a jap/euopean car cannot out class them at?

That's a nice leading statement(bait but the ball is in your court .Please detail just what the jap/european cars do that US cars don't. Fly?

[T8erhead]

1 thing?  Easy.  Cost more.     Or you could look at safety features, clean deisel technology, or just the high quality of the finished product. 

[405dentech]

The foreign stuff may seem to have less mechanical issues but from my line of work I can definately say that they go really cheap on all of their interior stuff. When I get in a truck, I want it to feel like a truck. I don't want it to feel like a Honda Civic with a lift kit.

[fabr]

People that insist on supporting others in favor of their own neighbors and countrymen are IMO "less than wise" about the future of their own country.I'd make the same arguement if I was a Japanese citizen living in Japan and saw my neighbors buying American made cars. In other words ,IMO only again, if you don't support your own country first you're an unpatriotic citizen. I buy foreign products when I HAVE to. Not many superbikes made in the US so I HAVE to buy something else. The Wal-mart mentality IS the problem here in the US and elsewhere . AS long as it costs ME less I don't care what impact it has on ALL of the US (insert whatever country you wish here)economy and my future well being. Think about it guys,if you DON"T support your own there will not be a "your own" anymore.

[trojan]

That's a nice leading statement(bait but the ball is in your court .Please detail just what the jap/european cars do that US cars don't. Fly?

Everything.... Cornering, stopping, going, reliability......
That's not to say a range rover can't keep up with the best of them (better in most cases) at towing up to 3000kg.

People that insist on supporting others in favor of their own neighbors and countrymen are IMO "less than wise" about the future of their own country.I'd make the same arguement if I was a Japanese citizen living in Japan and saw my neighbors buying American made cars. In other words ,IMO only again, if you don't support your own country first you're an unpatriotic citizen. I buy foreign products when I HAVE to. Not many superbikes made in the US so I HAVE to buy something else. The Wal-mart mentality IS the problem here in the US and elsewhere . AS long as it costs ME less I don't care what impact it has on ALL of the US (insert whatever country you wish here)economy and my future well being. Think about it guys,if you DON"T support your own there will not be a "your own" anymore.

I agree with the sentiment BUT what good does it do to support an industry that willfully keeps it's developments to a minimum.
Appreciate the US car industry is basically solely responsible for the poor global reputation of US engineering as a whole... sad but true.

I think the US car industry needs to "grow up" and produce a competitive product. No it's the union's fault. They got wind of the scam the execs were on and blackmailed them for their share (fair or not). Don't just blame the piss poor work ethic, the designs suck balls in all but a few rare cases. WTF - Big FWD cars? WTF - the Buick V6 motor that's actually an 8 with 2 cylinders lopped off? what's the best pump fuel you get? is there a US AWD road car?

[fabr]

  You can believe that crap if you wish and it will be fruitless to argue with you but here goes............ The US car makers make, in general ,very good cars.You can say what you want about US automakers product and what you just said was true 20-30 years ago.Come into the present sir.

[plkracer]

I was looking at a pontiac G8 and 52 percent of the parts come from Australia. Infact, the car is finished there.

[T8erhead]

I buy local first.  Farmers market?  You betcha.  Farm co-op?  Damn right.  Local coffee roaster over starbucks?  WTF is starbucks!??  Olive garden or Lugano's.  That one's not even a question.  I don't care if it costs more or not.  I wish every dollar I spent stayed right here in the county I live in.  That's right county, not country.  If I could get everything I need within 100 miles, trust me I would.  It's not only the idea of keeping the local economy strong, but also reducing the embedded energy cost of transportation.  When a local isn't able to provide me with the goods or services I require, then I go elsewhere.  If the farmers market had a poor selection of lower quality produce, I would end up at the grocery store that week. 

Fabr, I am with you on the walmart mentality. That does not really apply completely here though.  I didn't buy the lowest price vehicle.  I bought the one that was the most capable, and suited my needs better.  Again, I bought my toy from a local used car dealer.  So, how much of that goes overseas?

Oh yeah, Crysler makes an AWD 300, and Charger, the Ford 500 can be AWD as well.

[fabr]

Maybe we're more on the same page than I thought!

[LiveWire]

The US auto manufacturers build what US consumers will buy. It isn't until recently that Americans wanted to pay extra to get AWD. Now that they are, you can get a Ford 500/Taurus and the Fuzion with it. I'm sure there are others. One of the most recent new technologies is auto shifted dual clutch lay shaft transmissions such as the VW direct shift. The dual clutch in the VW which is key to the system is made by Borg Warner. Ford could have used the system in the same time line, but shift feel is still like a manual. The average American does not want to feel their car shift. Ford is releasing a car with a similar system, but went to great efforts to get NVH (noise vibration and harshness) down to Ford acceptable levels.

People say how the American car companies only sell large SUVs as if the consumer is being forced to buy them. No one was buying the smaller cars when they did make them. My '84 Escort Diesel was bought brand new off the lot in '86 at a loss to the dealer. It got 62mpg. It had 144K on it when I sold it. '86 was the last year since no one was buying them. There was an Escort, Tempo and Ranger diesel. All the car companies have around 3.5 year development cycle for a new car. Gas prices were only just starting to go up 3.5 years ago and people were still buying SUVs and not small cars. Their adaptation to change in demand is only starting to be seen with the 2009 models and won't in fully until the 2010s. If Ford releases the diesel version of the Fiesta to the US that is sold in Europe, I will buy one. I doubt it will happen though as there still is not enough demand here to justify tooling up to build them here and it is too expensive to import.

[trojan]

Maybe we're more on the same page than I thought!

I think that's "truer" for us all.... more often than not

thanks T8, it was an honest question.

plk, they're made to US designs and OZ car manufacturing processes are hampered (in the main) by being subsidiaries of GM and  Ford.... garbage in - garbage out. An Oz made jap car is not as reliable as a jap made one and our industry is in the toilet, but still floating on the surface - fancy that

You can believe that crap if you wish and it will be fruitless to argue with you but here goes............

So the fuel then... What's the highest octane you can buy at the pump?.... what about Japan?

The US car makers make, in general ,very good cars.You can say what you want about US automakers product and what you just said was true 20-30 years ago.Come into the present sir.

I counter with the previously mentioned Buick V6
How many cars with "push rod" engines sell as new today?
Why is that even a relevant question?

The US auto manufacturers build what US consumers will buy.

I agree again with the wall mart sentiment BUT how many "informed" consumers are there? Marketing (as in "don't step in that marketing") and it's greatest vice "fashion" is what drives what sheeple buy.

My '84 Escort Diesel was bought brand new off the lot in '86 at a loss to the dealer. It got 62mpg. It had 144K on it when I sold it.

Nice. The old  dear got a diesel golf in '79.... what a beawdy! had more than 1.5mil km on it when she got the passat diesel wagon... another ripper.

[fabr]

 

[Boostinjdm]

You know Wal-Mart is a US company right?