Mercedes Hasbeenz, Autorot in America |
Who would have thought the biggest import car lots in 2008 would be the ports? Import cars stuck at the port with nowhere to go. The screencap from CNN below is like a daylight graveyard.
With the current state of the economy, it’s no surprise people aren’t buying new cars. The car you’re already driving can probably make it another year or two. Buying a new car is usually a luxury purchase versus buying a good used car, unless you can find a really good deal like we did last year. In times like these, luxury purchases are ill-advised.
Here’s a radical thought instead of bailing out the big three automakers, maybe it’s time to send some/most/all of these imports back and for americans to buy primarily American made cars?
What we do know is that, without a bailout, GM will in all likelihood head in to Chapter 11. As with many other large companies before them, that entails restructuring and an actual hardnosed effort to return the company to profitability by making hard choices and changes. Easy? Painless? Absolutely not and no one should underestimate that.
We’re at the turn-in phase for our 4-year lease with our Saturn Relay. Most likely we’ll be paying the $400 drop-off fee and moving quickly for the exit, but if some insanely good deal is thrown our direction we’ll stop and listen. Adding into this round of buying criteria will be: is it American made.
Question for American readers, for your next car will you buy an American-made car? If not, why not?
Did this post make you go hmm?
(Hmm, no ratings yet)
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I’ll be buying, whatever I can afford. Besides one never knows which cars are truly American these days. This model is really that model but the guts are made in China?
Comment by ^Lestat — November 19, 2008 @ 11:04 am PST
Lestat - so you wouldn’t pay a little more for an American made car? Only price would matter?
Comment by TDavid — November 19, 2008 @ 11:06 am PST
I can’t trust the quality of American brands. One of ours is German (VW) and the other Swedish (Saab). I’m not in favor of the bailout either. If companies can’t compete on their own merits, then they should go out of business. Take our lumps and learn.
Comment by Sterling Camden — November 19, 2008 @ 2:29 pm PST
Quality is a fair concern to have, Sterling.
It’s kind of sad that the auto unions have driven up labor costs so that they are no longer competitive. You’d think with what’s being paid the quality of the work would be better, not worse.
Sounds like a smart move would be for the unions to cut wages. But the cuts have to come at the top too, none of this only the workers take the cuts and the execs fly around in private jets crap.
Comment by TDavid — November 19, 2008 @ 3:27 pm PST
I’ve been buying American cars my whole life. Never owned an import or any foreign car - not because of any reason more than I’m 6′2 and cars made here are comfortable. Maybe there was always a sense I should by American from Detroit. Whatever the reason - USA all the way baby.
Comment by Brentos — November 19, 2008 @ 3:29 pm PST
I used to be pretty pleased with Chrysler’s quality, then later on Ford improved for a while. Of all the cars I’ve owned, only 4 were foreign makes (a Toyota, a Volvo, the VW and the Saab) — but they were the best quality of all. I’ve owned more than one of each of the big three US automakers (5 Chryslers, 2 Fords, and 3 GM) and I’ve driven a lot of them as rentals. I used to prefer to rent a Ford Thunderbird or a Lincoln Town Car — now I’ll take a Toyota Avalon, please. By far, the worst quality were the GM products. From at least the 70s on, they’ve been crap.
Comment by Sterling Camden — November 19, 2008 @ 3:50 pm PST
They’re so pathetic. They fly in private jets and ask for financial help.
Comment by Billy Rageguy — November 20, 2008 @ 7:19 am PST