Comments on: Is the American Auto Industry Dead?

By: Hammy

Hammy — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:26:43 +0000

This is just great. Another poor-managed industry running to the American public to bail them out from a situation that they created themselves. I agree with some of the comments above, let the companies go bankrupt so they can re-organize themselves. Congress needs to do a better job than just handing out checks to these companies. Ford, GM and Chrysler aren’t actually creating good cars, their cars are inferior to the Japanese, so why should we support and industry that create bad products? Like a few of the readers said up there, Congress should help the American taxpayer by giving them the cash, so they can pay off their debts,and lifting the economy up in the process.

By: Morokiane

Morokiane — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:34:55 +0000

Let ‘em die. If they are going to let Unions bury there business…bye bye. There are other car companies in the US that these workers go too. All major car companies have plants in the U.S. just the corporate hq is usually in their country. My tax dollars shouldn’t go to a company whose car I don’t even drive. As for the person comparing Mazda and Chevy. Mazda is Ford.

By: mhg

mhg — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:01:51 +0000

The US auto industry has been coddle to long. They know the government will always bail them out. Why would any politician ever want to have that on their record as being part of allowing the US automakers to fail.

Just like an overprotective parent to a spoiled child the US auto industry will continue to feed the executives first at the expense of consumer quality. Who gets the short of the stick? Tax payers who are always footing the bill to bail them out so we don’t loose jobs. It’s about time US automakers learn their lesson.

Yes GM has the Volt coming out but what happened last time when gas prices went down (as they are now after the 2008 elections) when they tried to push an all electric car out. GM shredded everyone they made so there was no proof they even tried. I have a feeling GM will scrap the Volt just like the EV to continue to line oil executives’ and politicians’ pockets. The excuse: Gas prices went down and they were not popular. Umm did you guys forget there is an actual waiting list for a Volt and gas prices will fluctuate just like other market trends?

By: sawtoothbarbie

sawtoothbarbie — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:06:27 +0000

Thank God that American car companies are allowed to compete in foreign countries as freely as those foreign companies are allowed to sell here.

And it’s especially wonderful that the American government takes care of health care for all of its citizens, just like those other automobile selling countries; otherwise they’d have to pay for employee health care by adding it in to the cost of the vehicle.

Uh wait, oh, I see — those statements above are incorrect.

We don’t have free access (no tariffs, extraordinary rules) in other countries. And the car companies have to pay for health care for all of its employees (especially legacy retirees).

Never mind.

By: Nothing Is Too Big to FAIL, Except… : phil baumann /rn/

Nothing Is Too Big to FAIL, Except… : phil baumann /*rn*/ — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:30:51 +0000

[...] Is the American Auto Industry Dead? [...]

By: DAN

DAN — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 08:50:13 +0000

ALEX:
100 mpg carb on real lifesize car? what have you been smoking?

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:05:58 +0000

The American auto industry should shoulder a major blame for the problem that they’re having. They refused to look into alternative energy sources for the autos. They colluded with the oil industry and allowed the oil industry to dictate to them what types of drive systems are appropriate for cars. The auto industry dumped steam even though the old Stanley Steamer held the land speed record for over 50 years and didn’t need gasoline. They dumped the electric car, which didn’t need gasoline, in the 1930s even though it could have been further developed. They refused to bring the 100 MPG carburator out even though it existed for over 50 years and would force the oil companies into a backlog of gasoline. And still the oil industry is dictating that they absolutely must be an integral part of the drive system of the automobile.

By: Urban Underbrink

Urban Underbrink — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:44:56 +0000

No amount of money can help the American Auto Industry unless it makes some drastic changes. Back when the USA had no real competition in manufacturing, we could compete here at home even with the high cost of Unions. Now we are in direct competition with the entire World and must become competitive if we are to survive. We must rid ourselfs of all the Demons dragging us down.

By: nathan g.w

nathan g.w — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:01:11 +0000

With the golbal money crisis it really hard to see american firms like ford aston martin doge or any other firms .. makin any profit some uk firms have alredy started to cut productivity by more than 40%. from what i can see it looks like all car firms are losing more money than they are making.

By: severne

severne — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:28:34 +0000

The American Auto industry has lagging a lot in the pasts few years. The Japanese market has taken it’s place here. Many build their cars here. It will be hard to recuperate from that, if they even can. I think a huge portion of the problem is the reduction in quality of American cars. Until they can get in touch with their consumer base again I thing they will continue to lose customers.

By: pbjtime

pbjtime — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:15:35 +0000

well, I don’t want to get involved in this discussion, but I for one am very fond of turtles.

By: cirian75

cirian75 — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:15:26 +0000

Recently the US car industry has really improved the quality of its cars to the point where they are exportable to europe

By: Eddie Ringle

Eddie Ringle — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:14:11 +0000

I’ve been telling people this for awhile, let the companies go bankrupt, it’ll be good for them. They’ll restructure and come out a better company.
Why should the government waste any more money on them?

By: juan

juan — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:14:09 +0000

i think that they will be on the low profile for a while, but then when they finaly go no gas they will come back

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:06:51 +0000

I think the auto industry is fading away, but I think there is a good chance that we will see it bounce back up if our economy gets fixed. So in my opinion, we won’t see it come to an end, but it will fade for quite some time.