DETROIT AUTO SHOW: On The Eve Of The 2011 Detroit Auto Show, Do You Feel Any Different Today About USA Auto Companies?

Why are American cars so crappy?

There not many even beat out foreign makes now.

While there were and are many people who doubted and still are against the bailouts of GM and Chrysler, there appear to be clear indications that the bailouts were the correct approach to do. Further unlike still too many banks not lending money the auto companies are showing signs of life with new competative products again. And let's be clear over the last 25 years the US auto makers had lots of problems largely created by their own coporate culture. But that's not the ultimate reason that forced them into bankruptsy. No "the straw that broke the cammels back" was the bank melt down in 2008 and the repeal of the Glass/Steagle act by congress in 1999. Those 2 events in chronological order were the ultimate catalyst that not only affected the ability of the auto makers to sell cars but created the deepest economic recession since the depression of the 1930's. It is too easy to place the blame soley on the automakers. Both the Bush and Obama administrations made the right choice to bail out both the banks and the automakers.GM'S IPO has been clearly successful along with their new products. Chrysler is also showing signs of life with effective revamps of existing products.Marchionne has been a good stewart guiding the company so far.And even lending instututions are starting to loosen credit. Now you can get an auto loan and be a subprime buyer again. Like or not you must have sub prime buyers to successfuly sell cars in todays economy.Both the Bush and Obama administrations realized that you must have major manufactoring in this country if you are to compete on a global scale. The US has lost the steel and textile industry. The Automakers really represent the last bastion of large scale manufactoring in this country. Its good that the line was finally drawn in the sand.

Do I feel differently about American cars? Not so much. Just mere months after a multi-billion dollar bail-out, I think it's still too early to tell if the companies have made a turn-around to sustainable profitability.

With respect to the cars alone, I note a few cars that, in *my* opinion, are "good for what they are," but I don't aspire to owning one. Some are "okay looking" in terms of styling (to my eyes), but I can't think of one that's a head-turner to me. The US auto makers don't have several years of history behind them in terms of low defects, or excellent customer service. This *may* all be changing, slowly. If it is, then consumers' mindsets will change, slowly.

So far, the most compelling argument to buy an "American" car, is either "buy what your neighbors make to support them" or "keep buying foreign and pretty soon, you'll be out of a job." I don't subscribe to either belief.

Lastly, the biggest sticking point is defining what an "American" car actually is. Is it only a card badged by one of the big three, that is designed and built, in its entirely, in the good ol' US of A? Or is it the Ford car that's built on the assembly line in Oakville, Ontario, Canada? Or is it the BMW model that's built in the Carolinas, and then shipped world-wide?

Steve we all know that an American car is a car that when it is sold the money goes to an Automaker with it's world headquarters based in America.

The Big three have all see a huge rise in market share and GM and Ford stocks are on the rise while investors are saying to "buy". We see a huge shift in the American mindset when they choose what to drive these days because there are some real nice cars from Detroit and they beat and compete with the foreign cars.

Just wanted to share this......

"Are Foreign Cars Really Any Better than American Cars?
The Truth about American Cars

Buying American cars has always been the patriotic thing to do, but more than a few of us feel that it hasn't always been the sensible choice. After all, a Honda can outlast a Ford by at least 100,000 miles, right? Actually, American cars have come a long way. If you think names like Toyota and Honda are the only option for serious reliability, you need to think twice...
The Cold-Hard Facts

So you think you can't rely on American cars? J.D. Powers says otherwise. Their latest dependability study for 3-year-old vehicles shows that America's own Buick tied with Lexus for first place and Cadillac and Mercury
actually outperformed Honda and Toyota.

And it's not just J.D. Powers touting the benefits of American cars. Dan Gray from MPGomatic.com appeared on iReport recently, proclaiming the surprising reliability of American-made vehicles.

The question is, will resale values also improve, or do foreign cars still take the cake when it comes to the financial factor?
Show Me the Money

American cars
have been notorious for losing value faster than their foreign counterparts. Fortunately, that trend may change. Experts predict that since American cars have upped their reliability, as well as their aesthetic appeal, the market should start seeing a significant change in resale value trends.

And a lower resale value isn't always a bad thing -- especially if you buy used. A pre-owned Cadillac can cost a lot less than a pre-owned Honda, even though Cadillac beat out Honda in the latest dependability reports.

Not to mention the fact that buying American cars helps our economy. The automakers need sales to keep people employed. If we all start buying American, it can only have a positive effect on our economy.

So the next time you want to buy a car, don't assume a foreign name is going to give you more bang for your buck. American cars aren't just the patriotic thing to do -- they're now a sensible choice as well."

USA cars are still junk, sad but true. And the bailout was nothing to stealing government money and make the rich richer. Simple and it needs no argument at all, just accept and try to correct it. Get the money back and let the companies go to hell. We'd rather drive Kia cars.

to say you like kia cars tells us how smart you are

Kia was entirely bailed out by the Korean government in the Asian debt crisis. Of course, that was more than ten minutes ago, so nobody remembers. Now the governments of Alabama and Georgia pay for its US expansion.

US cars are great now. Back in the 80s they were junk, and in the 90s, boring, but now, they compete.

"Detroit" is more likely to pay an engineer from the US, a designer, a soft ware engineer, a banker, than an "import" company, even if the imports use American workers to assemble kits, just like they do in Ecuador or Venezuela. Those high-wage earners pay taxes, save in US banks.......and buy houses.

Maybe they'll buy a home in Florida, too.

Ford appears to be offering better product both in styling and engineering. Cadillac is also prodcing some interesting cars, especially the "V"s. However, competition from Korea is what Japan was in the 80's and U.S. auto makers need to rethink who there competition really is.