http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9...;show_article=1

Im not one of those "Yeah, they can take my Ford from me, when they can pry it from dead hands" kinda guys. Im all about how well the car suits me and my styles of driving.

But I had to laugh at this. Ford went out of it's way to try to beat the mark on fuel efficiency and they are reaping the rewards. Chrysler lagged behind and sucked off the teat of big oil for just a few more months and they are paying through the nose. Im glad to see that at least one company finally gets that this is a world market and that its flexibility and adaptability that will allow them to succeed.

Its not the survival of the fittest, but the one most responsive to change.

While I lament Chrysler's inevitable demise, I cant help but feel that they made their own bed and did so knowing what could possibly happen.
( There is, however, a secret hope that they could pull some rabbits out of a hat and surprise us all. I really hope they do.)

Sad part is, if gas prices go down, all this will most likely be forgotten...but...

Kinda looking forward to see the others respond in the next quarter.

Chrysler has been in dire straits before. I don't know if they can get out of this one, but Ford has weathered the economic times better than GM and Chrysler, that's for sure. Their current promotions are pretty good, too. My sister just bought a 2010 Mustang.

It is ironic, however that what pulled Chrysler out before was the K-car, and sharing the same basic platform, the minivan. Both of which were inexpensive and fuel efficient alternatives to what the other American manufacturers were making at the time. Iacoca pulled off a stroke of genius there, though after a while, the K-car variants got a little old, and they never were very solid and reliable. For a while there, much of Chrysler's line-up featured that Mitsubishi drivetrain.

In any case, at that time, the Chrysler corporation was in real danger of going under, and they pulled it out of the fire. I think that they CAN do it again, but I don't know if they WILL. I'm seeing a lot of emphasis on the gas guzzlers when I look at the Dodge lineup. (Though I'll admit that it's the performance vehicles that I look at most. )

As a person in the market for a new car I can totally understand why GM and Chrysler are doing poorly. I have had nothing but problems from Chrysler products over the years and have a philisophical problem with supporting the Government Motor Corporation. It will take tough decisions to get GM back on it's feet and it's doubtful a government, beholden to the unions, can make those decisions.

Sorry, but it has to be said -

Let's not forget the political aspect of this. GM and Chrysler took Federal bailout money, Ford did not.

Many voters demanded their elected representatives NOT give handouts to these failing companies, and they were ignored. I haven't forgotten it and I don't think I'm the only one. I think many consumers will be voting with their wallets now and then with the ballot box in 2010.

It shouldn't surprise anyone that Ford got the most "Cash for Clunkers" money out of the domestic car companies. Although as a whole, foreign auto companies cleaned their domestic rivals' clocks with C4C. Eight of the top ten C4C purchases were foreign, and the only two domestics were both Fords. What does that tell you?

Your tax dollars hard at work - 3 billion dollars now stimulating foreign economies:

Top 10 C4C Vehicles Purchased

1. Toyota Corolla
2. Honda Civic
3. Toyota Camry
4. Ford Focus
5. Hyundai Elantra
6. Nissan Versa
7. Toyota Prius
8. Honda Accord
9. Honda Fit
10. Ford Escape FWD


Just my $0.02... (The other $0.98 went to GM and Chrysler in the form of "Extorted Charity"...)

Disneyland on the Potomac. My self I'm of the mind U.S companies should manufacture - in the U.S and no place other for sales intended in the U.S. & North America. Over-seas manufacturing for sale in that region is ok do to the overhead related to shipping overseas.

Though it is true this is a world economy, I believe the U.S has let things get out of hand and spread it's self to thin and need to refocus on strengthening its infrastructure.

About GM: They where at one time the largest mfg of military vehicles, and perhaps still are. The government wasn't letting anyone else get their hands on GM imo, think about it.

Then again, what do I know

@insertname: So you figure that the "Big 3" shoud close all of their Canadian manufacturing plants, and manufature all of their cars for sale in Canada in the USA as well? Well, that might be good for the US economy, but it might hurt sales of those vehicles as well. There are more than a few Canadians who will only buy a car made in Canada. Toyota really stresses that angle on the Corolla and Camrys. I know that many "Japanese" cars are manufactured here in Canada for sale in Canada. I'd imagine that Toyota and Honda have American manufacturing facilities as well, so those are still domestic jobs, the money is still going into the domestic economy.

Still, what this tells me is that Ford got something right. They're positioning themselves to be able to deliver the vehicles that they buying public wants, at a price that they are willing to pay, and by doing so they don't NEED bailout money. A quick look at Ford, Dodge and GM, to compare a Mustang, Challenger and Camaro tells me that I'm looking at 2,000 to 4,000 dollars more for the Challenger or Camaro, (with V6 engine, premium audio) and that was getting additional options for the Mustang, like the heated leather seats. So if I were looking for such a car, that gives them the $$$ edge right off the bat.

I'm of the personal opinion that any product sold in a country should be manufactured in, and supported from, the country it's sold in.

At one time that may have been a good idea, but now we have too much interchange between countries. Try looking at certain electronics, machinery and other creations and you will find that they contain parts from SEVERAL different countries. I have a Saturn View.

Seats? Canadian
Dash ? Louisville KY (?)
Matts? Deal of the week.
Carpets? US
Tires? Deal of the week
Engine and tranny? Honda...god only knows where.

This is fast becoming a world economy and I think Ford saw that and responded. The Unions, the laziness and the sloppy innovation are all taking their toll.

I have never owned a Ford, but I might be tempted the next time.

Thank You, Jack. As I've pointed out to several locals who whine about people buying foreign cars on the c4c program, My current car ('03 Ford Escort ZX2) was built in Mexico, but my previous car (91 Toyota Camry) was built in Indianapolis. Which is really the American car?

As to the argument that US companies should only manufacture in the US, by that same token, the Toyota workers in Indianapolis should be put out of a job.

One of the finest cars I ever had (1995 Toyota Camry DX Sport Coupe) was made in....Kentucky!

The Camaro, for example, was exclusively mfg in Canada before its end in 2002 and sold in the US and I would image Canada as well. I'm glad it created jobs ect for those folks however, those very same jobs could have been use here in the U.S as well. To another extent Chevy small blocks are common to have Honcho En Mexico on them too.

Perhaps I'm mistaken, perhaps I'm unaware of companies form other countries who move mfg to the U.S and then ship the products back for use in their respective countries.

Trade is an exchange of goods. Its also fosters competition and innovation. The problem with the current world economy as it applies to America is that it really isn't trade. We buy alot from other countrys and sell next to nothing.

It's like a small town that opens a Walmart. Since they can undercut mainstreet, people save a buck and buy from them. This leads to a downward spiral in the local economy. All the mainstreet merchants eventually go bankrupt. The money that normally circulated through the town gets sucked up and transferred else where. On a grand scale this is what is happening to America.

American workers are incredibly productive. The reason our prices are higher is based on things like social entitlement, health care, environmental standards etc. We have made the world we live in and I personally like it.

Trade agreements such as NAFTA (although it has it's flaws) does try to impose certain standards such as environmental controls. In this way productivity, design, and quality became the bases of competition. I don't know about Mexico but I do know that Canada and the USA has benefitied enormously through trade and competiion.

The real issue is how do you deal with a country that can't or won't meet the basic standards prevalent in most industrialized countries. There are many approaches but I prefer something simple. If a country meets minimum standards then it's free trade. If they don't then we impose a scaled import tax based on any trade deficit. No trade deficit, no import tax. If they meet minimum standards then no import tax. In this way they are encouraged to raise their standards or buy more products from American (IE. TRADE).

I was unaware of that actually, but I'm pretty sure that if that's the case, it would have been because GM wasn't selling enough of them to put assembly lines in more than one place. I do know that the decision to stop production on the F body cars was made because they weren't selling enough of them to keep even that one assembly line working to capacity.

As for why other places don't send their stuff to the USA to have it built, then import it back, there's a very simple reason for that. The cost of labour is generally higher in the USA, enough so that it's not worth the extra in shipping to do it. Labour in Mexico and China is cheap enough that American companies can have factories in those places and save money, even after shipping things both ways. The converse just isn't true.

Pretty much everything you say about the US applies to the UK as well. Except our prices are higher than yours. Our currency has sunk like yours, and we've lost 90% of our manufacturing ability. Trying to buy British would mean you'd never get any parts, regardless of the price - I've been trying to source screws from the dozens of "screw manufacturers" around us in Bilston (near Wolverhampton - it was called the Black Country due to all the steel work and heavy industry, but these days the air is too clear.) I've yet to find one that actually makes the screws and bolts rather than importing them. Some are imported form the USA, others from China and even The Netherlands.

All we have left are the "money pumps" of the big finance houses in London. Those seized up like yours did last year. Meanwhile, our economy is still in recession, while most of Europe has recovered a bit (to growth)

All the money is being pumped to China.

Well I guess there will always be jobs at Macdonalds flipping burgers. At least until everyone runs out of money and we have to start relying on soylent green.

There is an old saying:

Put a frog in hot water and he will jump out, put him in cold water then slowly turn up the heat and he'll boil.



Ribbit


edit: P.s. Lots of good point and no childish jaw blabbing. I like it.