Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 47

Thread: What happened to America's auto industry?

  1. #16 | Top
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio
    Posts
    55,018
    Thanks
    15,249
    Thanked 19,001 Times in 13,040 Posts
    Groans
    307
    Groaned 1,147 Times in 1,092 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dixie View Post
    Of course, everything under the sun in the known universe which is bad, is the fault of George W. Bush. We need look no further! Well, I for one, will no longer make excuses for him! I promise to never again vote for George W. Bush for any elected office! Now that we've settled that, maybe we can have an adult conversation about the actual TOPIC of the thread, in an honest and objective way?

    The American auto industry has been floundering for decades... do you not remember Chrysler going bankrupt, and Lee Iaccoca rebuilding the company back in the 80s? George W. Bush was on a cocaine binge and AWOL from the guard when American auto execs decided to build behemoth gas-guzzlers instead of more fuel efficient vehicles like the Japanese, back in the late 60s, how could he have possibly influenced that? Then there is the nature of the product and how it was marketed and produced... Auto execs will admit, back in the 60s, cars were made to last 100k miles... they intended you to trade them in on newer models often. The engineering and such, was not targeted at making a high quality machine, but rather, something that would last a few years, so you would have to buy another. Meanwhile, the Japanese (and European) strategy, was to make a car that was designed to last. A completely different objective and market strategy, and this caused a decline in American automotive purchases, while imports became increasingly more popular. Even with tariffs and restrictions, the imports still compete strongly, and have forced American auto makers to rethink their strategy. In recent years, American auto quality has improved, but the perceptional damage is done, it will take years to restore faith with the consumer.

    An earlier point was made about the auto industry in the South, this is another factor of economics and business. Why is Detroit a ghost town, but West Point, Georgia just added 1,500 new jobs? Americans are still building cars.... they are just building Kias, Hyundais, Toyotas, BMWs, and Mercedes, and in the South, where there is less labor union influence.
    Oh Dixie you don't know what you're talking about. How can you say that the US auto industry has been floundering for decades when we led world production in autos for most of the last decade? In 2003 and 2004 the US produced more autos domestically then any nation on the planet and world wide GM and Ford produce more cars and light trucks then any other company in the world. In 2008 Michigan produce more cars then Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina and Mississippi combined. In fact Ohio produced more cars in 2008 then all those southern States combined and the over whelming majority of those factories in Michgan and Ohio are Union shops. Alabama is the leading state in the south in Auto manufacturing and you produce less then half the cars and light trucks combined that Ohio does.

    The real problem in the domestic US auto market is that the bottom dropped out of the light truck market due to rising gas prices combined with the affects of the recession.

    http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehicles...8_fotw539.html
    You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic!

  2. #17 | Top
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio
    Posts
    55,018
    Thanks
    15,249
    Thanked 19,001 Times in 13,040 Posts
    Groans
    307
    Groaned 1,147 Times in 1,092 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Epic Win View Post
    So the layoffs, blight, and devastation in Detroit aren't a problem for you?
    Did you even read my post?
    You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic!

  3. #18 | Top
    Guns Guns Guns Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mott the Hoople View Post
    Did you even read my post?
    Yes. Answer the question, please.

  4. #19 | Top
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    24,050
    Thanks
    765
    Thanked 1,120 Times in 940 Posts
    Groans
    818
    Groaned 1,063 Times in 960 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mott the Hoople View Post
    Oh Dixie you don't know what you're talking about. How can you say that the US auto industry has been floundering for decades when we led world production in autos for most of the last decade? In 2003 and 2004 the US produced more autos domestically then any nation on the planet and world wide GM and Ford produce more cars and light trucks then any other company in the world. In 2008 Michigan produce more cars then Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina and Mississippi combined. In fact Ohio produced more cars in 2008 then all those southern States combined and the over whelming majority of those factories in Michgan and Ohio are Union shops. Alabama is the leading state in the south in Auto manufacturing and you produce less then half the cars and light trucks combined that Ohio does.

    The real problem in the domestic US auto market is that the bottom dropped out of the light truck market due to rising gas prices combined with the affects of the recession.

    http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehicles...8_fotw539.html

    Hey smart ass, how many auto manufacturing jobs has Michigan and Ohio added in the past decade, and how many has Alabama added? Come on now... I know you have the answer to that question, right???

  5. #20 | Top
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Detroit, AKA HEAVEN
    Posts
    31,403
    Thanks
    11,769
    Thanked 10,865 Times in 7,323 Posts
    Groans
    642
    Groaned 785 Times in 732 Posts
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mott the Hoople View Post
    Blah blah blah AUTOMATION!

    blah blah blah
    Yes, autmation had a significant role in production. But basically the UAW DEMANDED maintaining the same benefits/wages that they had prior to being useless. In effect this made them unable to compete. Plus Detriot has notoriously high taxes to pay for it's social entitlement programs. This has driven businesses out of MI. And the new smoking laws certainly don't help. Overall Detroit represents the ultimate failure of the lefts policies.
    WATERMARK, GREATEST OF THE TRINITY, ON CHIK-FIL-A
    Quote Originally Posted by Sigmund Freud View Post
    The fields of mediocre chicken sandwiches shall be sowed with salt, so that nothing may ever grow there again.
    www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com

    www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com

  6. #21 | Top
    WinterBorn Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Epic Win View Post
    So the layoffs, blight, and devastation in Detroit aren't a problem for you?
    Did you read Mott's post? Are you saying that you would prefer that the manufacturers get rid of the automation and go back to requiring huge numbers of inefficient workers?

    Remember back in high school when the guidance counsellors were telling you to get an education so you can have a good career? Those who relied on assembly line jobs should have listened. The people who designed the automation certainly did.

  7. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to WinterBorn For This Post:

    /MSG/ (04-03-2011), apple0154 (04-04-2011), Mott the Hoople (04-04-2011)

  8. #22 | Top
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Vinland
    Posts
    39,851
    Thanks
    41,529
    Thanked 10,833 Times in 8,248 Posts
    Groans
    11,150
    Groaned 5,899 Times in 5,299 Posts
    Blog Entries
    17

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Epic Win View Post
    Please explain the relevance of a car running after 50 years to Detroit's current situation.
    It is not about quality, it is about mismanagement.
    It is the responsibility of every American citizen to own a modern military rifle.

  9. #23 | Top
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Vinland
    Posts
    39,851
    Thanks
    41,529
    Thanked 10,833 Times in 8,248 Posts
    Groans
    11,150
    Groaned 5,899 Times in 5,299 Posts
    Blog Entries
    17

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dixie View Post
    Of course, everything under the sun in the known universe which is bad, is the fault of George W. Bush. We need look no further! Well, I for one, will no longer make excuses for him! I promise to never again vote for George W. Bush for any elected office! Now that we've settled that, maybe we can have an adult conversation about the actual TOPIC of the thread, in an honest and objective way?

    The American auto industry has been floundering for decades... do you not remember Chrysler going bankrupt, and Lee Iaccoca rebuilding the company back in the 80s? George W. Bush was on a cocaine binge and AWOL from the guard when American auto execs decided to build behemoth gas-guzzlers instead of more fuel efficient vehicles like the Japanese, back in the late 60s, how could he have possibly influenced that? Then there is the nature of the product and how it was marketed and produced... Auto execs will admit, back in the 60s, cars were made to last 100k miles... they intended you to trade them in on newer models often. The engineering and such, was not targeted at making a high quality machine, but rather, something that would last a few years, so you would have to buy another. Meanwhile, the Japanese (and European) strategy, was to make a car that was designed to last. A completely different objective and market strategy, and this caused a decline in American automotive purchases, while imports became increasingly more popular. Even with tariffs and restrictions, the imports still compete strongly, and have forced American auto makers to rethink their strategy. In recent years, American auto quality has improved, but the perceptional damage is done, it will take years to restore faith with the consumer.

    An earlier point was made about the auto industry in the South, this is another factor of economics and business. Why is Detroit a ghost town, but West Point, Georgia just added 1,500 new jobs? Americans are still building cars.... they are just building Kias, Hyundais, Toyotas, BMWs, and Mercedes, and in the South, where there is less labor union influence.
    Thank god you are finaly ready to stop making excuses, but he still wrecked the place.
    It is the responsibility of every American citizen to own a modern military rifle.

  10. #24 | Top
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio
    Posts
    55,018
    Thanks
    15,249
    Thanked 19,001 Times in 13,040 Posts
    Groans
    307
    Groaned 1,147 Times in 1,092 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by King of Proles View Post
    Yes, autmation had a significant role in production. But basically the UAW DEMANDED maintaining the same benefits/wages that they had prior to being useless. In effect this made them unable to compete. Plus Detriot has notoriously high taxes to pay for it's social entitlement programs. This has driven businesses out of MI. And the new smoking laws certainly don't help. Overall Detroit represents the ultimate failure of the lefts policies.
    Dude, that is so fucking lame. How could an industry that sold 12 million vehicles in 2004 not be competitive? The problem with US auto industry right now is there's little demand for gas guzzling SUV's and light trucks and the US industry has had to switch models, design and production to where the demand is, cars!
    You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic!

  11. #25 | Top
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio
    Posts
    55,018
    Thanks
    15,249
    Thanked 19,001 Times in 13,040 Posts
    Groans
    307
    Groaned 1,147 Times in 1,092 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by WinterBorn View Post
    Did you read Mott's post? Are you saying that you would prefer that the manufacturers get rid of the automation and go back to requiring huge numbers of inefficient workers?

    Remember back in high school when the guidance counsellors were telling you to get an education so you can have a good career? Those who relied on assembly line jobs should have listened. The people who designed the automation certainly did.
    Exactly and that's the solution to the problem. We went through a wave of this in the late 70 and early 80's and it was education and skills training that made the difference. Ohio and michigan and the other great lake states were hit hard by the recession and many of those jobs aren't coming back so the best bet is to invest in education cause the best way to attract employers is to have the best and most skilled talent available. (oh....btw....that's why Ohio kicks michigans ass every year....we do a better job of that! ;-)
    You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic!

  12. #26 | Top
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio
    Posts
    55,018
    Thanks
    15,249
    Thanked 19,001 Times in 13,040 Posts
    Groans
    307
    Groaned 1,147 Times in 1,092 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Epic Win View Post
    So the layoffs, blight, and devastation in Detroit aren't a problem for you?
    Yes, they are a problem for me but to solve those problems you can't ignore reality and make shit up cause it fits your political views. You aint solving any problems that way.
    You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic!

  13. #27 | Top
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio
    Posts
    55,018
    Thanks
    15,249
    Thanked 19,001 Times in 13,040 Posts
    Groans
    307
    Groaned 1,147 Times in 1,092 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dixie View Post
    Hey smart ass, how many auto manufacturing jobs has Michigan and Ohio added in the past decade, and how many has Alabama added? Come on now... I know you have the answer to that question, right???
    I can't answer that question as I don't know. I do know that we still produce more then all the southern states combined.
    You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic!

  14. #28 | Top
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    24,050
    Thanks
    765
    Thanked 1,120 Times in 940 Posts
    Groans
    818
    Groaned 1,063 Times in 960 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mott the Hoople View Post
    I can't answer that question as I don't know. I do know that we still produce more then all the southern states combined.
    Well I can tell you that Michigan and Ohio have added ZERO new jobs, because they've LOST massive numbers of jobs over the past decade. Meanwhile, Alabama has added over 30,000 new jobs in the auto industry. Now Mott, this thread wasn't some dick-wagging braggadocio about who has the better car production state. If it were, you'd win hands down, Michigan and Ohio have Alabama beat there... but if we are talking about the topic of the thread, and discussing what happened to America's auto industry, I think my point is very well made. The jobs are leaving your state by the thousands, Detroit looks like one of those cities you see in Life After People... but down here in Alabama, we now have SIX auto assembly plants with two more on the way, thousands of new jobs... dozens of support industry jobs... and this is quickly becoming our leading industry. Do cars just like to be built in Alabama better? Are Alabamians better at building cars than Ohioans? Does the company get smarter about making profits if they live in Alabama and drink the water here? Why all of a sudden, are the jobs leaving Ohio and Michigan, and coming to Alabama?

  15. #29 | Top
    Guns Guns Guns Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Holden Caulfield View Post
    It is not about quality, it is about mismanagement.
    The relevance of the 50-year old Pontiac still hasn't been explained, has it?

  16. #30 | Top
    Guns Guns Guns Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by WinterBorn View Post
    Did you read Mott's post? Are you saying that you would prefer that the manufacturers get rid of the automation and go back to requiring huge numbers of inefficient workers?

    Remember back in high school when the guidance counsellors were telling you to get an education so you can have a good career? Those who relied on assembly line jobs should have listened. The people who designed the automation certainly did.
    Did you read my post?

    Please, do cite where I said any of the things you attributed to me.

Similar Threads

  1. China to take over auto industry
    By Canceled.LTroll.27 in forum Current Events Forum
    Replies: 46
    Last Post: 07-10-2009, 07:14 AM
  2. Auto Industry
    By cawacko in forum Current Events Forum
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 11-19-2008, 06:27 PM
  3. Replies: 25
    Last Post: 11-19-2008, 06:25 PM
  4. Auto industry: to bail or not to bail
    By Onceler in forum Current Events Forum
    Replies: 98
    Last Post: 11-12-2008, 07:20 PM
  5. What about the auto industry crying for help ?
    By uscitizen in forum Off Topic Forum
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 03-15-2007, 06:36 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Rules

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •