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Are Journalists Really Bias Against American Cars, Or Just Telling The Truth?

Agent009 submitted on 01/19/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 1:15 PM
from: www.forbes.com

[81] user comments | category: Spy Shots

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Are Journalists Really Bias Against American Cars, Or Just Telling The Truth?

Detroit executives will tell you that journalists have a bias, that we write that everything the foreigners make is great and that American vehicles are not as good. Robert Lutz, for example, the vice chairman of General Motors, is outspoken on the issue. Then again, many of the same executives act as if the foreigners build them better. Lutz, for example, is leading the charge to have GM’s German engineering used as the base for American cars. Future Saturns will be versions of German Opels. Chrysler’s advertising campaign this past summer emphasized the German (Mercedes) connection to Chrysler’s cars. Ford Motor is betting its future on vehicles built off either Volvo or Mazda architecture.

Sure, there may be some bias on the part of journalists. Yet the reality is that American retail consumers buy a higher percentage of foreign brand cars than of U.S. makes, especially after you net out the large volume of passenger cars the U.S. companies sell on the cheap to fleets, such as rental companies. The foreigners are gaining traction in trucks, too.

Are millions of car buyers just wrong? Sure, there is some subjective opinion that goes into vehicle ratings, but it is also possible to be objective about some of the shortcomings of American vehicles, such as balky manual transmissions, automatic transmissions with fewer gears than the competition and technologically dated motors.

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99gs400 - 1/19/2007 1:47:54 PM

-3 Boost

With the internet and all these diff resources, anyone with half a brain knows american cars are junk. until the day the big 3 can prove the consumer wrong, it will keep staying that way. So in concusion NO IS NOT A BIAS IT IS THE TRUTH !!!!

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toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 2:42:21 PM

-10 Boost

99gs400 your an idiot!

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 2:43:35 PM

-10 Boost

You don't have half of a brain for believeing everything and everyone's "OPINION"!

MercBasher - 1/20/2007 1:10:14 AM

-1 Boost

Actually I think Lutz is biased. He thinks he is good in his job - I don't.

bmwdrvr - 1/19/2007 2:04:01 PM

+2 Boost

i would have to disagree, there are good american cars, just like there are bad ones, and that goes for every country. the bias comes in when a car is bad because its american and thats it. that doesnt make any sense. neither does a car bias make sense in general, they are just cars, a true car enthusiast sees 1. its just a car, and 2. there are good and bad in all countries cars. im sure the cadillac cts will be trashed simply because its american as will every other new american car some sites are good for this...to them the cts is headed in the right direction lol when reality its just as nice as everything else, the defense to anything poor from a japanese car, is well its japanse it will last longer, and is built better...thats all perception....the old g35 had a horribly cheap interior as did the fx, and basically every than new nissan, but in a test the cts would be discussed for having a cheap interior, and the g35 would be number 1 or 2, and no discussion on it. than some mags would say something about it...just proving my point

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jasaero - 1/19/2007 2:12:28 PM

+1 Boost

That is true. I think there is a somwhat over emphasis put on the quality and reliability of Japanese nameplates. I think in the past that was somewhat true, but even then I think they made more of a deal about it than they should have. Primarily because I think the differences in reliability in particular have NEVER made up for the differences in what it costs to fix a foriegn car when it does happen to have an issue. Also, when you compare what might go wrong with different vehicles I think many of the issues that really hurt the perception of american vehicles are issues related to things not required to get you from point a to point b. Very annoying stuff though none the less. But, I think some studies have shown that in the life of most foriegn vehicles, even if it has less problems and costs about the same as an american car when new, it will still cost the owner more over it's life because it will cost so much more to repair when something does go wrong with it.

jasaero - 1/19/2007 2:06:09 PM

+1 Boost

I think it is the truth, but only in some respects. I think the single biggest factor making people sway toward foriegn cars has to do with initial quality and reliability. Many foriegn makes HAVE been ahead of detroit for the last 20+ years in both those departments. The latest vehicles out of the Big 3 may not get good word from journalists partially because of a feeling that even when an American car has everything it needs to be better than the competition the journalist still has this pesky feeling that everything won't hold together as well as it's foriegn counterparts. If initial quality reports from the last 2 or 3 years are the start of a trend, I think we will be finding that American cars of today and tomorrow may be almost or even better than their forign counterparts as the initial quality and reliabilty reports come out in the coming years. If those reports are accurate, people still buying those cars will also be letting others know of how few problems they are having. I think a lot of the products being made by American companies today are more competitive than ever and even better in some respects for the first time in a LONG time. This will not be realized by most for several years though. So, I think they are headed in the right direction on products, but I think they need to start looking into programs that accelerate the perception change needed to actually get customers back. Time will tell just how much ground they have regained from a product stand point, but it will take even more time to make public the fact they are making up lost ground fast.

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SSP350 - 1/19/2007 2:20:17 PM

+1 Boost

I think journalists are telling the truth. I've driven in many American makes and they all can't stack up to the German and Japanese counterparts. Its just simply cheap. An example, the Pontiac G6 is suppose to go against the Honda Accord. If anyone have driven a G6 before knows that the interior of the G6 feels extra cheap and is extremely cheaper than the interior of the Honda Accord. I've driven both cars. And the drive feels cheap too.

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jasaero - 1/19/2007 2:27:07 PM

+2 Boost

Many are saying the same thing about the new Camry also though. And the G6 is also 1 generation behind the Saturn Aura, which is a Generation behind the soon to come Malibu. So when you drive the new Malibu later this year, please get back to me.

cynic - 1/19/2007 3:03:25 PM

+2 Boost

I would agree. I travel quite a bit for business and have the opportunity to drive several makes. I would say that American cars, although not as horrible as they used to be, are still not up to par when you consider the competition.

TruenoAE86 - 1/20/2007 3:07:51 AM

+3 Boost

I think there is a poor generalization that all Japanese cars are reliable. The most reliable brands from Japan, actually, the most reliable brands of the auto industry are Toyota and Honda (also, Lexus and Acura).

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Sauceboy01 - 1/19/2007 2:35:25 PM

+1 Boost

The bottom line is this.

American cars just do not have the Technology, the expertise, the quality and most importantly the DESIGN in order to keep up with their competitors. This has been the case for as long as I remember.

Maybe American cars are built with the American mentality. CUTTING CORNERS.

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Sauceboy01 - 1/19/2007 2:36:54 PM

-1 Boost

Also, designing and building a car is pure ART. If you cut corners you're going to have an incomplete worthless painting. In this case that's exactly what we've been producing.

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 4:28:52 PM

-2 Boost

GM is still #1, you mean toyota trying to keep up with FOrd and GM!

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 5:15:09 PM

-5 Boost

The foreign auto companies copied off of Henry Ford's technology of the assembly line! OWNAGED!!!!!!!!!

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 2:44:06 PM

-11 Boost

German and japansese cars are JUNK!!!!!!!!!!

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EL34i - 1/19/2007 3:24:43 PM

+1 Boost

Shake that mullet with fury!

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 2:46:15 PM

-9 Boost

This is the stupidiest question of a topic I have seen on this website, DUHHHHH they are biased! They hate America cause America is superior!

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MercBasher - 1/20/2007 1:15:03 AM

+2 Boost

Which would buy with your own money
G6 vs 328i
Malibu vs Passat
XLR vs SL550
Cobalt vs Civic
Impala vs Avalon
etc. etc.

mini22 - 1/19/2007 2:46:47 PM

+4 Boost

Well-American cars on certain models have gotten better particularly in the sedan segment.When I say better I mean in terms of reliability. In some cases they have kept up pace with Japanes makes. The problem is of in percieved quality. For example cars like the Dodge Caliber or current Chevy Malibu use VERY cheap interior plastics. You would not find this on Japanese or Euro cars. So until the US auto makes match the Japs or the Euro cars on interior quality(especially platics)on ALL vehicles the perception of American cars will continue to remain lower then the both Euro and Jap cars.

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toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 3:00:22 PM

-11 Boost

That's your Opinion, and guess what, NOBODY CARES!

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 3:12:56 PM

-6 Boost

Ummm, toyotas, VW,s MBWs, Hondas, and Audis all have plastic interiors too!

SSP350 - 1/19/2007 3:18:48 PM

+1 Boost

Thats my opinion too.

SSP350 - 1/19/2007 3:22:06 PM

+2 Boost

Thats true "toyotasucks", but I've never seen any German's or Japanese, as of yet, with a plastic steering wheel. Let me know when you do find one. All the Dodge Neons have plastic steering wheel. Not even the Honda Civic have plastic steering wheels.

ElSparquito - 1/19/2007 3:29:00 PM

+3 Boost

toyotasucks - not all plastics are equal. The more expensive plastics have lower levels of durometer hardness and have better textures. The cheap plastics are harder and, if not fitted correctly, creak badly.
Besides, can you show me one vehicle from any large auto manufacturer that does not use plastic in their interior design? And what the heck is an MBW?

cynic - 1/19/2007 3:05:26 PM

+2 Boost

This toyotasucks guy is really weird. Wondering if he's had the opportunity to drive many types of cars, cause once you do...you understand.

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jt716 - 1/19/2007 3:16:33 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

You have the good american cars n the bad! Most people think they are very unreliable but in fact are as reliable as the japanese! And as for design you have few good looking cars there is the Saturn Aura, Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan/Lincoln MKZ and other few like the upcoming Chevy Malibu and upcoming Cadillac CTS.

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toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 3:17:54 PM

-4 Boost

cynic is like a little kid saying I'm weird, grow up, your probally a teen. And yes I have test drove many types of foreign cars, and they are not as well built as they say they are, especially the 2007 toyota camry which rattles for some odd reason. Just face it American cars are built better!

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jasaero - 1/19/2007 3:23:20 PM

+2 Boost

You are bit on the extreme side. I am a fan of American cars, but you seem to take things a bit to the extreme. There is good and bad aspects to both American and foriegn cars. Kinda hard to call any better than the rest. On a particular model you might be able to do that, but it becomes harder when you are talking country of origin or even brand. Toyota has some good and bad cars. They also have some good cars that bad in many respects, but still overall good cars. Same goes for GM. I am HUGE GM fan, but would say GM still has a few cars far closer to total suckdom than anything GM has. They also have a few cars though that are greater than anything Toyota has ever even dreamed up.

cynic - 1/19/2007 4:51:35 PM

0 Boost

It official, he's gone over the edge...time to stop caring and responding to what he posts.

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 3:19:37 PM

-6 Boost

You never see any toyota's or old toyotas, at the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction, and you know why? There not worth crap and they are sitting in junk yards rusting!

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ElSparquito - 1/19/2007 3:37:10 PM

+3 Boost

Go to www.Barrett-Jackson.com and look through the 2007 list again - you may find some there.

OK, we get it. You like American cars. Do you have anything constructive to say?

Rupert - 1/19/2007 3:55:37 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

american cars suck! the cheapest interiors in thw world, the worst engines, questionable looks, just cheap cars!
there are good ones of course but not too many. how many people here would have a lincoln navigator over a range rover? how many would pick a dts over an 5 series or M45? american ford focus over a european ford focus or honda civic?
and as for "toyotasucks" statement "american cars are built better" that had me laughing for a while. seriously, you're NOT supposed to be able to stick your fingers between the dashboard and stereo. think of the last cadillac escalade and the travesty that they called a "premium" interior. one giant piece of injection molded plastic, cheap switches, plastic and fake wood steering wheel, hard plastic everywhere, and compare it to an X5, LX or Q7. no contest.
american cars suck.
period.

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Greenlight - 1/19/2007 4:01:13 PM

+1 Boost

Couldn't agree more.

And the only reason American cars are still barely surviving is because of tards like "toyotasucks" who know nothing of quality or engineering just put the biggest damn engine you can in a tin box and they'll call it a "GT".

Oh..and don't forget the homophobic attitude and cupholders to fit their 32Oz. Pepsi's.

trash.

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 4:25:29 PM

-4 Boost

Your an idoit, Range Rover is American, it's owned by Ford and your comparing a Lincoln(also ford owned) to it, I don't think you can't get more stupid than that folks!

Rupert - 1/19/2007 5:52:53 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

your comment is so stupid, because the range rover was developed by BMW.
idiot.

truckmen - 1/20/2007 2:39:38 AM

+2 Boost

Anything is more reliable than a Range Rover! I would tale the Ford any day!

1995e34 - 1/19/2007 4:06:44 PM

+1 Boost

just because something is biased doesn't mean it's untrue. i don't think journalists are lying to conspire against the american industry, but they do have favorites. those favorites have earned their spot in some manner, whether it be in quality, looks, comfort, sportiness, whatever.

watch out though, te americans may be on the rise more than an other cars

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raikkonen - 1/19/2007 6:01:06 PM

0 Boost

That's because American cars can only go up from where they are now (can't imagine it's possible to suck any more than they do now). It has nothing to do with being better for them - just sucking less. It's like going from -10 to -5. A big improvement? Yea. A good car yet? Nope.

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 4:26:57 PM

-6 Boost

Toyota's are made of recycled soup cans!
foreign cars =GARBAGE!

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Rupert - 1/19/2007 5:59:40 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

well good that they're recycled...what's your point? you've just said toyota's are made of aluminium, an advaced material. yay for toyota. at least toyota doesn't use straw to stuff the seats, unlike GM.

foreign cars - better.
you have fun in your buick lesabre or whatever junk you drive.

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 4:34:30 PM

-9 Boost

If you want to buy toyotas and hondas then move to japan and learn to speak japanese! Same goes for german junk!

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Greenlight - 1/19/2007 4:41:19 PM

-1 Boost

hmmm... now your sounding like a laid off employee of an American car company because you got your ass kicked by superior overseas automakers over your POS products.

In your own words : "That's your Opinion, and guess what, NOBODY CARES!"

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 5:13:06 PM

-4 Boost

Greenlight don't be mad because the USA is a superpower and GM is still #1. Greenlight I know you wanna be like me and try to steal my phrase "That's your Opinion, and guess what, NOBODY CARES!" YOU ARE A POSER! If it wasn't for Henry Ford, toyota or any foreign car company would not exist today, the foreign auto companies stole our technology.
OWNAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!

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SilverAero - 1/19/2007 5:33:20 PM

+2 Boost

Dude shut up, you're making us American car fans look bad.

Rupert - 1/19/2007 5:54:51 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

if it wasn't for karl benz and wilhiem maybach the car wouldn't exist.
and yes, we all hate american cars because america is a superpower. amazing logic...

MercBasher - 1/20/2007 1:17:47 AM

+2 Boost

If it wasn't for Spanish and British imperialism the US wouldn't exist as it does, but how is this relevant to products on sale hundreds of years later - it isn't!

no1listensanyway - 1/21/2007 3:28:58 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

No Mercbasher, our founding fathers saw what would happen if we stayed under Spanish and British imperialism thats why we declared oursleves independent. Almost every country that was colonized by the Europeans was exploited of their resources and thier pride.

Now, we have capitalism. An oppurtunity that not many countries in the world enjoy. I am 20 years old and I own my own succesful business and drive a Cadillac. Capitalism is unfortunately a catalyst for consumption. Based on people I know, they replace their cars every 3 to 5 years. Form what I see on these forums Europeans tend to keep their cars longer and defend them to their death. American cars are not meant to last, they are meant to be replaced every couple of years thats why their quality is lower and their prices cheaper.

toyotasucks - 1/19/2007 5:48:57 PM

-2 Boost

Silver you aint a American car fan, your a toyota bandwagon jumper!

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adoptgreyhounds - 1/19/2007 6:23:17 PM

+1 Boost

Most journalists are biased but you have to laugh at them. Most can't afford the cars they test and then proceed to comment how bad they are or could be improved. The only magazine you guys should read is Car.

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1995e34 - 1/19/2007 10:38:47 PM

+1 Boost

Car is good. expensive though

EL34i - 1/21/2007 4:44:04 AM

+1 Boost

An example of Sustainability: The Town Car can be up-cycled into a high-end casket for its driver.

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bugeyed14 - 1/20/2007 1:51:48 AM

+1 Boost

toyotasucks your a god damn idiot! if it wasn't for the dodge brothers, henry ford would have never even started making cars, the only thing he started was the industrial revolution!

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no1listensanyway - 1/21/2007 3:08:18 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

No, Ford started the assembly line, the Industrial Revolution was already happening in England.

truckmen - 1/20/2007 2:52:07 AM

-3 Boost

I love and hate them all equally! For working on vehicles I would rather work on a Toyota than a Ford.Heres an example:My ford F-250 slave cylinder for the clutch went and that required the tranny to be dropped so I let the shop do it for $750. For my Toy truck with the same problem it costs me $175. and half an hour of my time with merely 3 bolts to undo, You have to see the Toy is engeneered better! Just the tip of the iceberg.I am not a big fan of German cars, they costs a lot to maintain and break down more than American cars, its all biased! You can't compare a $30,000. German car to a $20,000. American car.Send some hate male please! lol

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Bill - 1/20/2007 10:16:45 AM

+2 Boost

People like you are so full of it. German cars were amongst some of the most reliable and durable cars on the road. They still are although they've been suffering from some electrical problems as of late. And as great car manufacturers, they are no doubt working to improve these faults. So stop your JD Power / CR whining because those reports mean nothing to me. I drive a 2006 model German car and I am completely satisfied with it.

AUTO_UNION - 1/20/2007 3:23:23 AM

+3 Boost

If it wasn't for homo sapiens who settled Europe thousands of years ago we wouldn't exist.

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AUTO_UNION - 1/20/2007 3:24:08 AM

+1 Boost

Just having some fun.

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Bill - 1/20/2007 10:14:47 AM

+2 Boost

Bashing...

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S4cabriofoxone - 1/20/2007 11:44:39 AMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

What's with the picture of the 3 Series?

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kart1 - 1/20/2007 11:58:29 AM

+1 Boost

It's an American car ;).

kart1 - 1/20/2007 11:56:14 AM

+1 Boost

Ok after all that here what I have to say.

In terms of reliability American cars are really picking up the speed so congratulations. However there is more to the story than just that. The fact is that the build quality and materials quality on European and Japanese cars are much better than American cars. The design of GM cars inside is horrible and only now they look like they have gotten into the nineties and left the square shapes behind. The engines are less refined and less technological than Japanese and European cars (obviously a contributor to reliability). Now not all American cars are bad, but I will not say a car is good just because of it's origin. Plus a lot of Japanese and Korean automakers are moving on shore - thus helping the manufacturing economy unlike Ford and GM who will be shutting down many plants. I think if a person argues for American cars should realize that within a couple of years those companies won't produce anything in America anymore and it will be the Japanese who make the "actual" American cars because they will be built in America. So watch your words as some of you might have to move to Mexico or Brazil to buy a American car. A good car is a good car period, nothing else.

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kart1 - 1/20/2007 11:57:14 AM

+1 Boost

*Ok after all that here is what I have to say.*

cdoke - 1/20/2007 4:34:01 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

I see something which I must address; and that is this concept of "German Engineering". I am presently a graduate student at a very preseigious enigneering institusion, at which I also did my undergraduate coursework [not MIT: but often referred to as "the MIT of the West"] Now in my honors program course work we did an exhausive analysis of "engineering" as a whole. There is such a thing as "German Engineering" as engineering does have cultural functionality, but it is not "better engineering". Truly it is little more than a marketing scheme. Technically, every engineering solution is the optimal one provied the heuristic approach used to solve it and the primary stipulations upon which those are based.

In addition, the immediate assuption that quality is indicative of "good engineering". This is incorrect and really results from not understanding what engineering actually is by the general public. If that were the case then german cars are horribly engineered. There is something called "engineered obsolescence". Everything fails eventually. To have dual components fail at very similar times is desirable in some cases, and this type of failure at times, prevents systemic failure. Even when Jaguars were low quality, they were experts at engineered obsolescence. I remember with mine after 10 years both fog lamps failed within a day of eachother. That is actually excellent engineering.

Don't get me wrong, there is bad engineering and stupid decisions are made at times. Big example: Maybach believe it or not. Some may consider this minor, but it truly isn't. If you have ever been in a Maybach on the center console they have inlaid metal into wood. This really shows how little the people who made the decision actually know. You never seen sucha thing in a Rolls Royce for example; and there is a reason for that.

Anyone who has ever taken a materials class knows that the expansion of a homogenous material due to themal expansion

delta=alpha*del(T)*L

Where delta is the expansion dimension, alpha is the coefficient of thermal expansion, del(T) is the change in temperature, and L is the original dimension in any direction. All other things being equal: the tendency is expand is signified by the coefficient of thermal expansion. for wood it is about 1-1.5 [I believe that is in mm/deg F] but for metal it is between 10 about 15 and 20. Thus the tendency of the metal to expand far exceeds the capacity of the wood to expand, thus the differential expansion over time fatigues the wood and the varnish and causes it to crack. Woods of similar composition and very similar themal expansion tendencies even do this, as anyone who has been in an older Rolls-Royce knows. The Maybach is a german car designed to compete with the English ultra-luxury brands, and it really does not surprise me that their understanding is a bit difficient.

But I digress. Anyway, so what you purchase when purchasing a car is the culture that produced it to a large extent.

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cdoke - 1/20/2007 4:34:50 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

the rest:

Which is why I am so shocked that anyone would purchase what they consider to be a luxury vehicle from the Germans. Their luxury aesthetic is the opposite of their normal aesthetic which is very utilitarian. Thus, they make their cars seem complex, and they believe it to be luxury: this expalins why BMW refuses to acutally fix that horrible, I-drive system. sorry it's so long.

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cdoke - 1/20/2007 5:09:22 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Incidentally, if anyone would like to learn more about the principles and practices of engineering I recommend "Definition of the Engineering Method" by Koen.

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A4ORCE - 1/20/2007 5:57:09 PM

0 Boost

Haven't we already had like 17 threads on this topic in the past week? I guess this isn't enough huh?

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MunichRob - 1/20/2007 11:35:14 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

If the future is bright for any of these 3 auto-makers...I'd put my money on Chrysler. They seem to have got it right with their RWD 300c platform, & the upcoming Challenger IMO is the best looking out of the modern day muscle car's.

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cdoke - 1/21/2007 1:07:53 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Of the three, I would have to agree, but Chrysler has some problems. The 3rd quarter of last year was the first quarter in 12 quarters that they had lost money [$1.5 billion]. This was the impetus for derating the lookout for all of Daimler-Chrysler during that period. This event is largely the result of legacy costs. In addition, I was surprised to learn that chrysler is the most hevily dependent upon truck-stlye vehicle sales [this category accounts for 70% of thier U.S. sales]

From my personal point of view , all I can say is that if Chrysler builds the Imperial concept. I hope BMW/Rolls-Royce sues them to high heaven. The 300C was accused of being a rip off of Bentely, but the Imperial is so blatant that there is absolutely no doubt. I find that behavior entirely reprehensible.

S4cabriofoxone - 1/21/2007 11:56:41 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Well, BMWreplicat, I agree with you 100%, but actually...

A lot of new money buy Escalades.

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S4cabriofoxone - 1/21/2007 11:57:22 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Woah, BMWreplicat's post just got deleted.

Was he booted?

KostinC - 1/22/2007 7:10:48 AM

+1 Boost

I think the answer is very simple and it also covers Japanese cars.No,journalists are not against American cars or Japanese because even if one magazine writes biased articles there are many left to write the contrary and i DON'T belive in conspiracies.
American cars are cheaper compared to European.Let's take one example.A Grand Cherokee 3.0 Diesel in europe is about 45K Euros and a Touareg 3.0 Diesel is about 50K and the Touareg is a SUV and it should be cheaper.The 5K Euros difference,about 7K Dollars is normal to determine the quality difference between the two plus the fact that the G.Cherokee offers more standard features.You cannot build luxurious,beautifull,reliable cars at a small price.This is the point where Japanese cars come into the picture,most of them reliable and cheap cars but with cheap plastics,cheap design and relatively cheap technology.When Japanese build expensive cars,they don't come cheap and the good example is Lexus.Personally i'm a European car fan but i will choose American over Japanese anytime at least they're beautifull.

P.S.:Shame on Hummer for discontinuing the H1 :))

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SSP350 - 1/22/2007 9:42:14 AM

+1 Boost

Japanese use cheap plastic? Dude, you need a reality check. Why don't you compare a Dodge Neon to a Honda Civic or maybe compare it to a Chevy Cobalt, then tell us which one looks a lot cheaper. American made cars are a lot cheaper interior than their Japanese counterparts. Mostly because, they pay their employees too much to use a more adequate interior for their cars. American cars take a lot of short cuts and its obvious to the naked eye. I'm sorry, but American is not better than Japanese in terms of vehicles. Notice how many employees had to be cut in order for them to come out with vehicles with quality material.

Kostin - 1/22/2007 10:38:58 AM

+1 Boost

I've never owned a American car and i didn't say American cars are better because i know they are not.I just said in the ending of my post that i like American cars because they are more beautiful than Japanese.I don't live in USA so i'm not too familiar with US market models.You're probably right about Americans being too much paid but that's the American economy it's a good thing they are well paid.The only solution to this problem is moving their factories outside US.Europe has a big advantage because there are many EU countries where the labor market is much cheaper than Germany,France or Britain and they don't have to pay extra taxes because those countries are EU members as well.Cheers!

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answer - 1/22/2007 12:17:37 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

American car companies continue to improve in both quality and design each and every year.

The problem is that the American companies remain far behind their Asian and European rivals in those respects.

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