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American auto makers

In your view, how can the American automotive industry survive the competition from car companies in Asia and Europe?


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92 thumbs up


I think they had the chance but they killed it, the chance was the “electric car”, and you should see this amazing documentary. The movie explains how car industry had given up a genius idea that could have revolutionized the way we drive for ever.


The idea was a simple and efficient electric car neither hybrid nor hydrogen) that could have marched the American industry to the top again, but they gave it up – what a shame.


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489037/

 


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Killed_the_Electric_Car%3F

Posted 1 year ago ( permalink )
swissknife was invited by Yedda to answer this question.

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One of the setbacks is the price of gas.All those big volume US cars are using to much gas and there are very little US car models with a low gas comsumption.Also the fact that European and Asian cars use better materials and are better finished plays a role.PAul


Posted 1 year ago ( permalink )
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Become very green and very cheap.

Also have better marketing and become unique in its designs.

Other answers are more complex, like change the roads in the US so that they are interesting and so that there is a point to make cars that actually handle or change the state of minds so that people change lanes and start driving like Italians (what's called rackless driving in the US of A) or in other words take a chance instead of being rich petit borgouas.

The problem is a deep social one. Empires fall because they lack something to want and because their system of values has too many internal contredictions. The US believes in taking chances and being pioneers but has too much to lose so the people act cowerdly, hence their cars are not interesting. They make cars for people that want to move predictively and this is far from thrilling. They make SUVs for people who do not go out of the paved road (because they fear the wilderness as much as they adore it) and this is really patetic.

But all this is hard to change, so I would stick to money because that's what they know best - green and cheap.

 

 


Posted 1 year ago ( permalink )
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...Just a dream within a dream.

Well, what exactly

is the American auto industry these days? The Chevy trucks built in Mexico or the Hondas, BMWs, Mercedes', Nissans built here at home? Americans have a wicked long memory when it comes to cars. Back in the evil seventies (the dark ages for domestic automakers) the Big Three were so sure that Americans would 'buy American' no matter what that they all negoitated away any profit margin from car sales that could be used for R&D to the greedy unions that were strong-arming the auto companies into unrealistic contracts. Well, along comes Honda and suddenly the whole world changes. Patriotic or not, American car buyers suddenly found Japanese vehicles to be well made, very reliable, inexpensive and all got great fuel mileage. We simply couldn't get enough of them and buyers were staying away from domestic showrooms in droves. Asian cars in the seventies were offering us cars with four wheel disc brakes, reclining seats, beautiful styling and rock-solid engineering. The domestics were offering padded landau vinyl tops and simulated wire wheel covers. The sad truth is our domestic vehicles are now very well made and ultra reliable, though the styling is for the most part bland as oatmeal. Everyone over forty years old still has a bad taste from our seventies nightmare and unless the domestics tick up the styling -- and soon, they may never fully recover. The one enigma in this are American light trucks. They alone are leagues ahead of everyone as far as cost, styling and dependability.

Posted 1 year ago ( permalink )
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I think that the american companies improved during the last couple of years.

Once they werent reliable at all  - even worse than the french companys.

I think that the best and most reliable now are the GM - Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, etc. Ford is good as well.

The cars you should go away from are Chrysler and Dodge. They are what you can call a "1 year car". maybe they seem good but you'll have to be "connected" to the garage at all times...

They are not what you call reliable....

Keep that in mind.


Posted 11 months ago ( permalink )
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By American auto companies, lets assume you mean GM, Ford and Chrysler which are all based in the US and pay US c