"Import" is not so much where the car is built as it is where the company is located. It is a company's mindset that is at issue. GM has been run by a bunch of status quo accountants for the past 30 years. With the exception of Lutz I doubt there's a car guy anywhere in GM's board room.

 

Yes, because this forum represents new car buyers so well.

 

Probably because they advertidsed it as the "reinvented GTO" when all it actually was just an ausse car they slapped a gto emblem on.

I personally would only drive few american cars/trucks, but just because not much the american companys make is very appealing to me.

 

What do you mean by this? Last time I checked the rules were the same no matter where the engine was produced or where the company that sold it was based.

 

Not entirely true, inspectors continue to put more and more emission restriction policies on domestic brands every year, while they continue to turn their heads to brands like toyota for example, and let them use the standards that were placed back in 1987, and not to the same standards they hold the domestic brands to. Maybe cuase some (not all) import brands are placing money in the pockets of the right individuals to make that happen. That's probably why since Chrysler has joined the Daimler team, they've made such leaps and bounds in quality, refinement, and peformance since '03.

 

Free-market economy owned the domestics. Ironic and sad, but true. Overseas companys had the lock on efficient motors and small cars and when buyer's demands shifted, Detroit dropped the ball and really haven't picked back up since. Nowdays, even though US manufacturers have cought up on the small-car front, that stigma still persists.

The build quality and reliability issue is another stigma US carmakers have to battle. Even though most of the cars built here are plenty reliable and sturdy, the overall perception is based on news of recalls and lemons.

Styling is one area where US manufacturers have an opportunity to gain the most ground the fastest. The bitch of it is these perceptions take time to change. If US carmakers are going to re-position themselves as viable competitors for the imports, they are going to have to cast new light on themselves from a branding standpoint. They need to overturn entrenched preconceptions about who they are and what they make. It isn't going to be easy or fast, if they can even do it.

Cadillac, I think, is a perfect example of the kind of 180˚ most USDM brands are going to have to pull if they want to hang in the marketplace with any real power...

 

i would love to know the source for all of the information you've posted in this thread.

because to me it just sounds like a cop-out. chrysler made leaps and bounds in all those areas because of daimler's engineering/design/whatever departments and standards, not because they were greasing some low level federal official's palm to overlook emissions. honestly, what in the flying hell do emissions have to do with the quality of interior materials?

 

Please refer to previous post. Secondly it's all about money, for one example is the fact that Toyota pays out the wazoo to make sure that their massive engine recalls on over 40% of the US Sales from 01-present due to sludging in the motors damn sure stays out of front page news. Do you honestly think that some (not all) import brands don't have someone lobbying for them in government making sure that they get certain things done below obvious radar, come on now we live in a capitalist society where money talks and undeserving people get screwed over. You don't have to believe any of this stuff that's you're right, I'm simply stating what I know from my own experience from working in the automobile business and the US Government.

 

you didnt sound liek an asshole you made a great point.....

im just saying that from what i hear from my friends who are big domestic fans that call my car ricey and make fun of every import they see even they agree that none of those cars will bring consumers back to the domestic vehicles. i really dont think this whole retro idea will work out in the end. all three major companies need somethign to set themselves apart form the rest of the domestic market before they will start gaining lost ground.

and just in case you want to flame what i say thats my opinion not fact and it may not all be true but thats what i think

 

that is by far the most rediculous thing i have ever heard..... you make domestic owners look bad by trying to make excuses when noone attacked you

get off the computer and go drive your station wagon