Is It Time To Buy Stock In American Automakers? Japanese Plants Remain Crippled After Quake

GM stock went up about 50 cents last week (about 1.6%) on news of the quake and impact to the Japanese auto industry, but at at right now, it's resuming its 3 month downward trend.

The worst thing that US brands can do right now is to raise prices in response to the anticipated Japanese auto shortage. This would paint them as gouging opportunists.

Good counterpoint. But the question remains who will pick up the pieces, who will go under, and how long will it take.

Obviously not all models will run out due to this, but in the case of Infiniti a majority of their models are made in Japan.

This however does present an interesting issue. Should they restart the high cost factories in Japan or move overseas? In some aspects the slate is clean.

Agent009: My advice is to talk to the milti-millionaires and billionaires in your circle of friends, and ask them what *they* think. These people who have practice at generating huge wealth tend to think differently than the common folk. After all, that's a big part of why they're billionaires and we aren't. I suggest that *they* would have insights into the big picture, taking many more factors than just the quake into account.

I bet you will see a lot more companies increasing their production at overseas plants(EI-USA) to compensate. Further Infiniti could start making cars at Nissan plants over time.I think that's most likely how
the Japanese will cope with the disaster.

I will just wait a little longer for the Japanese car, problem solved, not really a big deal.

Time to buy Japanese Car Co. stock.
Will go down more, dropping like a rock.
Media hype will cause more drop than real production issues.
TM: 95->80
HMC: 45->37
MZDAF: 3.0->2.2
NSANF: 10.5.->8.5

inventory destruction and logistics issues still loom, Nissan has confirmed that nearly 2,300 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles waiting for shipment at the port of Hitachi were destroyed when the tsunami swept through the area.

Ports along the coast have been affected by the tsunami, and shipping has been disrupted as priority is being given to disaster relief efforts. Internally within the country, road and rail lines have been destroyed throughout the regions north of Tokyo, so even if ports operate normally, the ability to transport goods overland is severely compromised and is likely to remain so for some time.

In a nut shell it will be a while before anything of substance rolls out of the affected areas.

Tell that to Infiniti... lost 1,500 units for export to the US at one dock.

The bigger issue is the supply chain. Your plant can be operational but if you are missing one key part you could be dead in the water for an entire line.

No better time to make money than in a time of crisis? Now I know why I'll never be a millionaire. I have too much heart.

Now let me leave before my stalker nonofyobus comments on my reply with something that isn't relating to cars at all. Probably something like "Get your head out of Parez's lap", or some other childish adolesent comment. LOL! All because we don't agree on something car realted. What a child!

A list of Vehicle Potentially affected:

Honda
U.S. Vehicles Potentially Affected: Honda Fit, Honda CR-Z, Honda Insight, Honda FXC Clarity, Acura TSX and Acura RL. A percentage of Honda CR-Vs are also produced in Japan.


Mazda
U.S. Vehicles Potentially Affected: Mazda3, Mazda2, Mazda5, Mazda MX-5, Mazda RX-8, Mazda CX-7 and Mazda CX-9

Mitsubishi
U.S. Vehicles Potentially Affected: Mitsubishi Lancer, Mitsubishi Outlander and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Nissan

U.S. Vehicles Potentially Affected: Nissan GT-R, Nissan 370Z, Nissan Leaf, Nissan Quest, Nissan Cube, Nissan Murano, Nissan Juke, Infiniti G Series, Infiniti M Series and Infiniti FX Series

Suzuki

U.S. Vehicles Potentially Affected: Suzuki Kizashi, Suzuki Grand Vitara and Suzuki SX4

Subaru

U.S. Vehicles Potentially Affected: Subaru Impreza and Subaru Forester

Toyota

U.S. Vehicles Potentially Affected: Scion xB, Scion xD, Scion tC, Toyota Yaris, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Land Cruiser, Lexus LX 570, Toyota Prius, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Lexus ES, Lexus GS, Lexus GX, Lexus LS, Lexus LX, Lexus LFA, Lexus HS, Lexus IS and Lexus CT 200h

Why do you have Lexus listed in the area under "Toyota"?

Even when the plants are up and running who will take a chance on a car made in an area where high levels of radiation is present?