Quote:

The only difference in now and 1960 is that the superior US made products are making money for foreign interests while US companies are loosing their arses trying to pedal cheap imports.



...and gas guzzling home-grown SUVs, of course.

Yep, "maybe" those Japan Inc cars are "cheap", but they also seem to have a good reputation for reliability(whether deserved or not) with the american buying public. That is, before the american buying public throws them away after they're "used up". And I say "throws them away" because most of the american car buying public are NOT "Car Guys" and thus basically use their cars for sheer utilitarian purposes. Maybe that's why, as good as the Packard torsion-bar suspension was designed and executed, the car company who's slogan was "Ask the man who owns one" deceases to exist nowdays?!

Nope GB. I agree with ya about the "Business Majors" mis-managing the american companies alright, but once again, the reason every time the price of gas spikes the american companies are caught with their collective pants down, such as in the '74 "Gas Crisis", which allowed Japan Inc it's first chance to get it's "foot in the door", is that Japan Inc. evidently can read the future trends in the market, anticipate them, and bring to market the cars that americans want and need much better than those American "Business Majors", who aren't REALLY "car guys", can.

And this situation has also just gotten worse since 1974, as anybody can plainly see.

Where was the "American-built Prius" 5 years ago when Toyota brought it to market? Say what you will about it's overcomplicated design, the problem with what to do with the used batteries, and such, but it DID catch on with the american BUYING public, didn't it?

(and "catching on with the public and at the right time" is ALWAYS the bottom line, isn't it?!)

Last edited by Dwight; 09/04/2008 3:58 PM.
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)