Sarorn

I live in Windsor, Ontario, an automotive city thats just across the river from Detroit,MI,the automotive capital of the world. Both cities have big plants that assemble vehicles for the big 3 automakers, thus employing about half of the citizens in our city to work in their plants.

On a daily basis I am told that I should've bought a Chrysler 300 or Lincoln so I would support the domestic car industry and our local economy. There are even times when people in Detroit would roll down their windows and make rude comments at me for the vehicle that I drive. And FYI, if you get lost in some neighborhoods in Detroit, you might not leave that neighborhood with the same car you got lost in if you dont drive a Big 3 automobile.

Are there any fellow Lexus owners out that face the same kind of situation that I am in? What do you guys think about this mind set on some of the people that work for the Big 3? Just thought I'd get some feedback and opinions.

murph550

well I can say that I would never buy domestic unless it was:
a) an old muscle car
b) a truck (althought the imports are gettin better)

Cornellian

Screw 'em! Although, except for maybe Vette's and Cadillac's.

I drive what I want! Plus, if they made RELIABLE, EFFICIENT cars than I would buy it but, not buying some **** of crap and wasting my money fixing it every few months. Also, if one plant closes, another one will pop-up creating more jobs....

15951

You have to understand that the animosity isn't intended for you personally, but at the companies that are taking dollars out of the Big 3's pockets. Detroit is trying to find a way to catch up with other automakers without going bankrupt in the process, and there are a lot of layoffs, etc. happening as a consequence.

Think about it. If you just lost your job at Ford and you pulled up next to someone driving a new Japanese car, wouldn't you feel a bit pissed too? Not saying it's right, but I can at least understand why they feel that way.

If they could collectively get rid of unions and stop the socialist attitude in the Big 3's factories, things might improve...but that's a whole other conversation. Unions are inherently set up to reward mediocrity, so there's little reason to excel. Think about the impact that groupthink must have on the quality of American automobiles over time.

Incidentally, I hope this thread doesn't turn into a bashing session on the quality of American cars. I've had good and bad American cars, and good and bad foreign-made cars. My Lexus is great, but I wouldn't call it perfect on its best day.

Lexmex

You should drive what you want.

I see the problem not with the American or Canadian worker (they after all do make Toyotas and Lexuses in North America), but with poor quality American engineering and design in the domestics, even though sometimes they get some beautiful designs. I think management in the big 3 is in an absolute panic and has been reduced to praying on their knees in their boardrooms and offices. What the domestic manufacturers should be doing is not making something like a 300 or a Lincoln. They should be looking at what sells, dupe it and improve on it, and sell it for less. Guess who also followed that strategy to get where they got to today and are best in quality?

Only domestic I want is a late 60s Mustang, not some modern wanna-be that has no soul.

Evitzee

Ignore 'em and drive what you want.

I always remember the line from National Lampoon's Vacation when Clark W. Griswold goes in to pick up his new vehicle and get's presented with the wrong car. The salesman's response? "You think you hate it now, wait till you drive it". That sums up American cars in my mind. I'm not about to drop $30k plus on a wing and a prayer that they have learned their lesson. It's not where they are assembled (Lexus, Toyota, BMW, and others all have North American plants turning out top grade products), it's how they have been designed. And the Big 3 have shortchanged their car lines for years as they have focused on trucks and SUV's, an area that does not interest me. To hell with them.

jmaynard

Which would you rather drive, the "Japanese car" built in Ontario or the "American car" built in Mexico?

I might consider American cars again when the manufacturers learn how to treat customers as well as Toyota does.

LexFather

CAr companies are entirely too global today to just support "your economy".
Camrys made here
Pontiacs made in Australia
RXs in Canada
BMW in S.C
Benz in Alabama
300C in Canada

THen they sell most all these cars worldwide. To an extent, yes, if your plant is in your hometown, driving the car they build is great.

However, if they don't build the car where people OUTSIDE that town wants to buy it, its a moot point.

widlfiresd

I feel for those American auto workers that have lost their jobs over the years.

However, we should focus on the problem and not the symptom.

What is the problem? Why are American cars companies not building cars consumers want?

I think the problem is much worse they people imagine. Why does someone buy a Chevy Lumina instead of a Camry? Because the Chevy had $5k in rebates and was a lot cheaper. American cars sell primarily due to heavy discounting.

Detroit needs to clean house and compete. With or without the unions. So far they have been unsuccessful.

I do not feel I should have to buy a crappy product just to employ somebody. The car industry is not a social program.

Toyota will face the same issues as GM. As companies get larger, more bureaucracy comes in, parts sharing, etc. The quality will tumble. Many companies have broken off in to smaller ones to compete effectively. This is the secret to BMW's success. Stay focused on your core business and ignore the temptation to become a GM.

A great car company should strive to be the best not the biggest. You can't have it all.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

You can't build a crapmobile and expect everyone to buy it just because it's American crap.

mavericck

I would roll my window down and just laugh at his ignorance and then drive off in my one of my Japanese or German cars.

Cornellian

Dont agree here 100%! I say that because I work at Toyota and know the in's-and-out's of their production system compared with other car companies!

Trust me!..........you don't think they realize what will happen when a company grows too big!

Also, GM's production model up until the '80s was total BS and that's why they're suffering right now! Toyota will not be like GM, no matter how big they get. And if I was in charge of the company, I would go as far as I can to make the company successful while keeping other company's failures in mind!

My professor in school worked for GM and he always used to say how people in GM are Lazy and just do what needs to be done, even if it's a terrible product! They didn't optimize up until the '90s! They're the ones who slacked off and are suffering right now! So, there is no need to feel sorry for them. Don't know how many of you know but, back in the early 1900's GM had a proposition in CA, which allowed only their inefficient BUS's to roam the streets of CA. Those bus's were really inefficient against the "electric" powered idea of bus's....! Obviously, GM won and sold their bus's to make profit w/o worrying about the environment. Their business model was to make crappy cars that would fail within few years so that customers would have to buy new ones in a year or two, assuring their profit in the long-run. The only reason everyone is on the "Fuel Efficiency" bandwagon these days is because of Foreing car companies!

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

rather support a company that in turn provide americans with stable and secure jobs

krazykanuk

I would have no trouble buying American for thing they're good at: SUVs, but other than that, they have designed a fleet of vehicles that really aren't good when compared to German or Japanese cars. They brought this upon themselves and I have no issues buying foreign cars.

TheRupp

If the domestic manufacturers made something desirable to my opinion, then I'd buy one. I buy what I like, not what makes other people think or categorize me differently.