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Savior Or Dictator? Michigan Mayor Tells City Workers To Buy American Cars Or Hit The Road!

Agent009 submitted on 09/18/2008 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 10:02 AM
from: autos.aol.com

[31] user comments | category: Misc News

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Savior Or Dictator? Michigan Mayor Tells City Workers To Buy American Cars Or Hit The Road!

A directive recently handed down by a Detroit-area suburban mayor has ignited the latest round of a seemingly endless debate -- one that always burns with more intensity in the home of the Big Three than anywhere else.

It's the debate that relates to cars and it goes something like this: "Buy American!" vs. "I'll buy what I want!"

That debate sometimes, but not always, begins as a civil conversation. But the Detroit area has been hit hard in the last five years by the ongoing, sometimes enormous financial losses posted by the Big Three. The Big Three's financial woes have had a direct impact on the Michigan economy with hundreds of thousands of layoffs and/or buyouts.

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uall - 9/18/2008 10:11:42 AM

+5 Boost

That's stupid...If these companies aren't able to compete they go bankrupt. That's free market economy.

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henbmw - 9/18/2008 10:19:30 AM

+7 Boost

All we ask is that American auto makers produce more good cars. As long as they produce more cars like the new CTS-V, we would have no problem buying them.

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kpaxx - 9/18/2008 10:20:02 AM

-5 Boost

American cars are just as good as anything else out there! I don't see why Americans should not be buying American!

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g2ok - 9/18/2008 10:49:05 AM

+2 Boost

Because it is a free country and what exactly constitutes American when all the parts come from other countries from the same suppliers for most makes.

KZ258 - 9/18/2008 5:17:30 PM

+3 Boost

i dont see myself ever buying an american car in my life so this mayor can shut the hell up

g2ok - 9/18/2008 10:49:48 AM

+1 Boost

Wait a second - didn't Detroit's Mayor go to jail ??

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IVANURI97 - 9/18/2008 10:56:04 AM

+4 Boost

The article says Detroit area...it is the mayor from Warren, MI.

09CTSVforMe - 9/18/2008 11:02:47 AM

+4 Boost

He needs to tell the Unions to hit the road so automakers can be more competetive.

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204E60 - 9/18/2008 11:14:28 AM

+2 Boost

Mayor Fouts is a total goon. He's both wrong and unconstitutional on this issue. And he, no doubt, is a McCain/Palin supporter. 'Nuff said.

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Brembo - 9/18/2008 11:25:29 AM

0 Boost

That dude sounds like a total tool.

MeanVulcan - 9/18/2008 1:54:59 PM

+2 Boost

I believe the unconstitutional and socialist are Obama/Biden who take from the deserving and reward the "what can my country do for me" mentalities which is what is driving the poor performance of the Big3.

We are NOT in an Open Market economy when some uninformed Mayor from the Detroit area makes such remarks. An Open Market is driven by competition which drives demand and supply. This mayor calls for buying American, which in simple terms means, subsidizing mediocrity. Let COMPETITION drive performance for the Big 3, otherwise do not expect this downward trend to end in anything but bankrupcy or consolidation.

sold2early - 9/18/2008 11:21:09 AM

+1 Boost

I strongly suggest that anyone who gets fired for not supporting his "mandate" should sue.

He needs to be fired immediately.

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B7FAN - 9/18/2008 12:08:38 PM

+1 Boost

I would tell the mayor to SHOVE IT UP HIS A$$ aint no one telling me what to do with my money what kind of car I drive he must have lost his mind

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Bmw8ter - 9/18/2008 12:37:36 PM

+1 Boost

"One of the reasons usually cited for the U.S. automakers' loss of market share are consumer perceptions that imports are higher in quality".

That's not just a perception.....they've only in recent years began to put quality and appearance before quantity. The Big 3 are all guilty of pumping out bareboned junkers not for the money conscious, but for fleet sales. For every one fully loaded, modestly appealing, model on their dealer lots, there's about 3 uninspiring pieces of crap that will be auctioned off at the end of the month to rental agencies.

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MeanVulcan - 9/18/2008 2:04:51 PM

+7 Boost

it's not the consumers' job to change perception, it is the manufacturer's.

They need to convince the consumer not by using subjective metrics like the joke metric from JD Powers that has no trace of scientific or intelligent means of measuring reliability, but by consistently puting out good designs, performance, features, quality and value. They need to prove their technology is actually useful and relevant. They need to prove their cars can actually compete against foreign brands - hint: running 200,300,500 laps around an oval against local brands does not prove anything, just bragging rights against the other mediocre brand across the street. They need an overhaul of their marketing agencies who focus on perception way too much when they should be focused on performance, then perception will take care of itself.

800over - 9/18/2008 12:54:57 PM

+2 Boost

Land of the Free my ass....

'economic patriotism' sure sounds like fascism to me.

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Hyundai - 9/19/2008 2:30:38 AM

+1 Boost

Bingo.

Now if they can make their CARS like the Germans!

Htay7500 - 9/18/2008 2:27:22 PM

0 Boost

That sounds like communism, government telling you what to buy or do. And this country was called the land of the free?

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neutral - 9/18/2008 3:55:17 PM

+2 Boost

Land of the free eh? Someone suggesting you buy American products is probably the least of the communist BS that we are subjected to in the USA.

This country is run by a bunch of people whose only purpose in life is to stay in power. So by appeasing extremist groups (MADD, christian conservatives, concerned pain-in-the-ass moms, etc) we have ridiculous laws that make us seem like a police state.

Go to a college campus, you will see. Underage drinking, case and point. There are cops waiting in bushes, pretending they're in Iraq just for the thrill of busting kids having a good time. Here in michigan, there have been cases of people committing suicide after a DUI. Mandatory sentencing laws just to make people feel safe about themselves, etc.

America has lost its way on many fronts and the way things look, it's probably going to get a lot worse.

S430 - 9/18/2008 9:13:08 PM

+1 Boost

What is American??. Take for instance, the Toyota Tundra... 100% made in America. Then look at the 'GM' Saturn Astra - made in Belgium!! Or the Chrysler Crossfire - made in Germany!!..

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woood - 9/18/2008 11:12:18 PM

+1 Boost

Dictator! Even if the employees do listen to him, Which I doubt, it will not help American car companies in the long term. People should want to buy these cars on their own and not have to be forced to buy them in order to measure true desirability and success.

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huu76 - 9/19/2008 12:22:11 AM

+2 Boost

If the big 2 1/2 built more cars in the US, the guy might have a valid point.

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neutral - 9/19/2008 3:16:51 PM

0 Boost

Even the way it is right now, if the Big3 had all of the Honda/Toyota sales, America would be a TON better off. There would be more domestic plants (See new union agreements) and the trickle down would be massive.

huu76 - 9/19/2008 12:25:10 AM

+1 Boost

204E60,
McCain is a free-trader, Obama and the Democrats are the union protectionists. Sounds like your just another uninformed liberal parroting whatever the great minds at Hollywood studios tells you.

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njshift - 9/19/2008 2:52:05 PM

+1 Boost

Your point makes absolute sense but some people around here are too thick headed to comprehend.

neutral - 9/19/2008 3:12:34 PM

+1 Boost

huu76,

What are you talking about?!?!?!?! Liberals HATE detroit. They blame the Big3 for everything, bad fuel economy, pollution, etc. Liberals in this country are so smug about themselves they would consider it a victory for the world is detroit exploded and everyone drove a Prius.

Barak Obama himself went to Detroit about a year ago and lambasted the domestic auto industry for making SUV's. WAKE UP CALL PEOPLE, IF NO ONE WANTED SUV's, AUTOMAKERS WOULDNT MAKE THEM.

I urge you to go to a liberal college campus and talk to some know-it-all liberal about cars, I have and they make you sick to you stomach.

Designer1 - 9/19/2008 6:52:30 AM

0 Boost

How is this for an answer to this patriotic mayor? Stop screwing the Americans and America, start building quality product then you don't need to bark like that again, Bastard!

It hurts me every time I see a failed product coming out of the garbage 3, they know one thing only how to destroy the name of the American product, yet have the nerves to come on and bark like this.

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neutral - 9/19/2008 3:08:01 PM

+1 Boost

Maybe you haven't looked at the lineup from GM/Ford in the past 3 or so years.

For example, GM has an entire array of high quality, good mileage vehicles. Ford is doing very well (especially in the quality rankings) and Chrysler... well we will see what Chrysler does in the next few years.

Comments like yours hold no validity since about 2003-2004.

volnedan - 9/20/2008 2:53:46 AM

+1 Boost

hey i live in metro detroit and work for supplier to GM-come live here for a month and you'll agree with what this guy is saying. I've seen hundreds of ppl lose auto-related jobs due to poor sales of domestic vehicles.

The quality of the vehicles are starting to get better, but so many folks have already written off the big 3 in terms of purchasing their products (including myself). However, blame is to be pointed at these manufacturer's as well.

In my instance, I bought a G37 coupe last year. I was in the market for a near-luxury sport coupe. No big 3 had a vehicle in this segment. Next year the CTS coupe is coming out. too little, too late for me. it seems at least now they are seeing their mistakes and are working furiously to catch up.

tell you what, my next car will definitely be the cts coupe. one sharp vehicle. i've driven pre-production cars at the GM proving grounds. very nice

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dodgedart - 9/23/2008 9:28:11 AM

+1 Boost

It's great to see people impressed with cars that go 100000 miles! What's the next big thing? A warranty that lasts that long too? Will Chrysler last that long? Maybe Chrysler will commission a regional model for the mayors people- Chrysler "Hindsight" with the Infinity*Infinity warranty. Do I get the "my boss will fire me if I don't buy it" discount? Does it come with the clear coat and floor mats?

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