Quote:
Originally Posted by mmaddog
I will say, as an aside, I am very impressed with the direction that Ford has taken. They are slowly but surely climbing back to profitability, the Management seems to have a business plan that makes sense, and they are getting good marks overall on quality of product.
I would love to see an American-based auto maker survive and thrive. Competition is always good for the consumer.
mmaddog
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The problem is that American cars have no identity. Aside from, historically, "Found On Road Dead" or "Fixed Or Repaired Daily". Most cars look alike. People assume Japanese = higher dependability. Their cars are constantly given high rankings. People are afraid to buy American; if it's more expensive than Japanese, they assume they're getting ripped off, and if it's less expensive than Japanese, they assume it's a cheap POS, so it's a no-win situation.
I think the American companies need to trim brands and combine resources, and make very individually-attractive cars that stand out on the road and make a name for themselves (e.g. Toyota Prius).