Do We Owe Them

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mikedevore

mikedevore

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Do We Owe The Domestic Branded Car Companies Anything? It Seems That Everyone Has Forgot Wwii & The Auto Industry Was The Biggest Reason For Defeating The Japanese & The Germans. If We Lose The Capacity Of These Companies, Is This A Threat To National Security. What Happens If We Have Major Major Conflict, Can We Respond? Whats Your Thoughts? I'm Not Trying To Get Anything Started, Just Curious & A Little Worried About My Country.
 
I worry too. What a fine mess we are in. I believe our world leaders have finally gone insane!
 
Great points! I've been concerned for quite awhile now as it seems like we're exporting almost all of our manufacturing technology and capability. It's going to be tough to be a 'world leader' if we send our technology to everybody else and then can't manufacture anything either.
You're 100% correct in your WW2 comments. It was our massive manufacturing capability that won that conflict. If there's anybody out there that doesn't believe that, just do a little research and find out how many fighters, bombers, tanks, ships, and all the warfighting needs were manufactured in just a few years. Also, check out how quickly the USA industrial complex changed over from civilian goods to military goods.
I doubt you'll ever see something like that again.
 
Yes, I worry about it too, not for me but for my kids. I don't think it will take a major war, soon it could be anything. If all the manufacturing is moved off shore, what happens in an emergency when we need parts or new equipment and our supplier says "no"? Maybe they don't like our side of the argument.

A fine damn mess. I put the blame on greed. People, and companies, no longer look to the future they look for the "right now"...
C
 
War these days is "come as you are". It takes months to build a tank or fighter plane, and the technologies are highly specialized.
It would literally be easier to build a tank plant from scratch than convert an existing car plant.

However, outsourcing all of our manufacturing is still a terrible idea for lots of different reasons. Before this recession started, manufacturing only comprised 11% of our economy. It will be substantially less when all this is over with.

England did the same stuff back when they were the world's superpower. Look where its gotten them....
 
I don't think I owe them any thing at all. They are a company that makes a good and sells it for profit. If they can't do that then they go out of buisnes. That is how it works. Not my falt they can't take care of there company and have run it into the ground. I do know what they have done for this contry and I am gratful for that but does not make me owe them any thing.
 
INTERESTING...maybe the country should consider bailing them out to some degree

Nothing needs to be said... Ford, Chrysler and GM's contributions after 9/11

An interesting commentary...You might find this of interest:

'CNN Headline News did a short news listing regarding Ford and GM's
Contributions to the relief and recovery efforts in New York and Washington.

The findings are as follows.....

1. Ford- $10 million to American Red Cross matching employee contributions
Of the same number plus 10 Excursions to NY Fire Dept. The company also
Offered ER response ! Team services and office space to displaced government employees.

2. GM- $10 million to American Red Cross matching employee contributions
Of the same number and a fleet of Vans, SUV's, and Trucks.

3. Daimler Chrysler-$10 million to support of the children and victims
Of the Sept. 11 attack.

4. Harley Davidson motorcycles- $1 million and 30 new
Motorcycles to the New York Police Dept.

5. Volkswagen-Employees and management created a Sept 11 Foundation,
Funded initial with $2 million, for the assistance of the children and victims of the WTC.

6. Hyundai- $300,000 to the American Red Cross.

7. Audi- see V W

8. BMW - Nothing.

9. Daewoo - Nothing.

10. Fiat - Nothing.

11. Honda - Nothing despite boasting of second best sales month ever in August 2001

12. Isuzu - Nothing.

13. Mitsubishi - Nothing.

14. Nissan - Nothing.

15. Porsche - Nothing. Press release with condolences via the Porsche website.

16. Subaru - Nothing.

17. Suzuki - Nothing.

18. Toyota - Nothing despite claims of high sales in July and August 2001.
Condolences posted on the website .

Whenever the time may be for you to purchase or lease a new vehicle,
Keep this information in mind. You might want to give more consideration
To a car manufactured by an American-owned and / or American based
Company. Apart from Hyundai and Volkswagen, the foreign car companies
Contributed nothing at all to the citizens of the United States ... It's OK
For these companies to take money out of this country, but it is apparently
Not acceptable to return some in a time of crisis. I believe we should not
Forget things like this. Say thank you in a way that gets their attention..
 
GREAT INFORMATION SCredneck. PEOPLE SAY ITS GREAT THAT THERE ARE IMPORT MFGR'S IN THE STATES, BUT THOSE COMPANIES NUMBER 1 CONCERN IS NOT THE USA. ALL THAT PROFIT GOES BACK TO japan. THIS JUST SHOWS THEIR LACK OF CONCERN FOR AMERICA!
 
Don't get your information from e-mails. I snoped this and found the following:

BMW: 1 million in cash, ten new X5's for the red cross and 50 motorcycles for the NYPD

Honda: 1.5 million

Nissan: 1 million

Toyota: 1 million

Subaru: 1 million

Mitsubishi: 200,000

Etc, etc. Read it here: http://www.snopes.com/rumors/automakers.asp
 
I Guess If Gm & Chysler Had Just Given 1-million Like Cash Strapped Toyota Or Honda Did, It Would Have Been Enough. Maybe It Would Have Kept Them Out Of The Trouble There In. I Still Think The Numbers Speak Volumes. A Million To Toyota Is Like A Nickle To Me & You. But Then Again, Those Japaneses Are Good At Sneak Attacks. 911 Was No Different Than Pearl Harbor.
 
I say no, we don't. They may have started out with a good product many moons ago, but they have sold out to cheaper materials and labor overseas, sold out to labor unions (who in the beginning were good, but have out lived their usefulness), and over priced a throw away product. Look at how many of us want to keep and restore an 80's Mopar (if you can call it that?). The old ones were built to last. I own a H-D motorcycle and the company has done the same thing. The company knows the average owner will keep a bike 4-5 years and want a new one with more frills and cush, so they build them to last that long. Don't buy a newer "pre owned" H-D lotsa maint vs. a reliable 60's or 70's model. Most successful companies are sellouts for the dollar. Just my opinion.
 
ramcharger said:
Don't get your information from e-mails. I snoped this and found the following:

BMW: 1 million in cash, ten new X5's for the red cross and 50 motorcycles for the NYPD

Honda: 1.5 million

Nissan: 1 million

Toyota: 1 million

Subaru: 1 million

Mitsubishi: 200,000

Etc, etc. Read it here: http://www.snopes.com/rumors/automakers.asp
Click to expand...

mikedevore said:
I Guess If Gm & Chysler Had Just Given 1-million Like Cash Strapped Toyota Or Honda Did, It Would Have Been Enough... I Still Think The Numbers Speak Volumes.
Click to expand...

Ok, I give you that you have proven my data wrong, ramcharger. However, your data really almost makes it look even worse on the foreigners. GM, Ford, Chrysler EACH gave almost double the cash that Mitsubishi, Subaru, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and BMW gave COMBINED. So, after reviewing your data, my DATA may have been flawed. but my POINT STILL STANDS.
 
I don't think that we owe anything to the big 3. They waste so much money with meetings, bonuses, inefficiency. They do need to be better at cost cutting. I will own and only buy Mopars!!! and if I had a gun to my head, I would buy GM then Ford. I will not support foreign auto makers, even if they may put out a better product. I wish that I could go out and buy a fleet of Mopar auto/trucks. I don't want to see the company go under.:salut:
 
At this point I believe that the so-called quality difference between imports and domestics is nothing more than hype. I drive nothing but Mopar and I have had great reliability out of ALL of them!

Is everyone aware that Toyota is the current and defending champion of most recalls? Two years in a row Toyota has had more recalls than anyone and they have recalls on every single model from top to bottom.

Unemployed? Hungry? Eat your import!
 
If we are talking about what they did during the war lets not forget that all the jap companys where making war machines for japan untill after the war. They are still making americans suffer in a way I guess. I have never owned one nor will I.
 
Vic Storm said:
If we are talking about what they did during the war lets not forget that all the jap companys where making war machines for japan untill after the war. They are still making americans suffer in a way I guess. I have never owned one nor will I.
Click to expand...

Great point! The Zero was made by Mitsubishi IIRC...
 
Substandard cars for 30 years + High fixed costs (salaries and benefits) + tanking economy = They get what they get.

Kia builds a better small car than any of the big three.
 
Let them go American car compaines have gone away before .

Part of the blame has to go to lazy over paid workers and over paid lousy management

MY dad retired from chrysler,but it's time to let it go and move on.
 
THere is a real problem if we let two of the largest manufacturing companies go under without a second look. It is a security risk in that the auto companies are often in the forefront of transportation technology, even if its not on the showroom floor. Secondly, to rebuild our economy, we need large manufacturers of something, and the automakers fit the bill. Thirdly, if we let them go, the entire manufacturing base we have will be almost gone, sitting on the shoulders of the smaller companies, and single product manufacturers.

Its not whether we owe the automakers a shot, its whether we want to become a second class nation or go back to being a superpower.
 
mikedevore said:
GREAT INFORMATION SCredneck. PEOPLE SAY ITS GREAT THAT THERE ARE IMPORT MFGR'S IN THE STATES, BUT THOSE COMPANIES NUMBER 1 CONCERN IS NOT THE USA. ALL THAT PROFIT GOES BACK TO japan. THIS JUST SHOWS THEIR LACK OF CONCERN FOR AMERICA!
Click to expand...

I really don't that the USA is our own auto manufacturers number 1 concern, their number 1 concern is lining their own pockets at the expense of the American citizens. As far as profits going back to Japan, Germany, or any other country for that matter, whats the problem with that? Profits are whats left after paying labor, materials, transportation cost that stay in the US. How many thousands of American families do you think can live the "American" Dream because of these foreign companies having their plants here? In the 70's when Chrysler was on the verge of going under who was it tha Lee Iaccoca turn to for help, Mitsubishi. During the same time frame GM and Ford teamed up with Isuzu and Mazda. And even more recently Chrysler had to turn to Mercedes. That worked out great for us Mopar fans cause we now had RWD muscle again.

But back to the original question as to owing the domestic car companies anything, I don't think we do. Should we help them, to a certain extent. If they can get the pay scale down to a reasonable level (from the Exectutive level down the line guy popping on door panels) and keep it there till all of the bailout money is paid back, I wouldn't have a problem with that. That includes getting rid of all the executive extravagances like private jets and exclusive getaways etc.

But then again thats just my opinion :geek:
 
Chrysler didn't have to turn to Mercedes. Chrysler was profitable and had over $7 billion in the bank. Chrysler was attractive to Mercedes and they took it over by deceit then promptly ravaged the bank account and tossed them away. Mercedes is actually responsible for Chryslers downfall.
 
The problem as I see it is unemployment. It's already double digits in some areas. The US auto industry employs a lot of people in this country and not just the assembly line workers either. There are all the vendor companies that supply them, the parts distribution network, the rail and truck lines, the dealership employees and so on.

If there is one thing this country doesn't need it's to lose millions of more jobs by having these companies go under. This would be disasterous, and just the loss of Pontiac and Saturn are going to hurt. After all this is said and done the Chrysler name plate may be gone as well with just Dodge and Jeep left.
 
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