Big 3 auto industry: When is enough, enough?

that's one thing i've NEVER understood. It makes no sense at all. Of all people, we should get the good american cars.

I think american cars have their place. They are cheap. That's about it. I can buy a decent old american car for nothing ($1000). Ya it's a risk how long it will last but all used cars are. I've gotten a couple of $2500 Accords in the past and had issues as well. So, for now, I just get cheap ass american cars. Ya I'm sure it's costing me in the long run but I don't have the luxury of buying a more expensive car.

that's about all american cars are good for though. if I was buying somewhat new, I'd never buy american. I'd say the only reason that people buy newer american cars is that they have good a good job of making them look good (for the most part).

I'll put this as plainly as I can:

(North) Americans are fat, lazy, impatient and ignorant slobs. The vehicles we create represent our nation: Wasteful, cheaply made throw-away transportation with absolutely 0 value. Just like us.

The GLORY DAYS of American manufacturing was the muscle-car era and just look how that represents us. Huge, wasteful piles of mass good for only one thing. Just like us.

Everyone else has evolved and we have not. Period.

Plus how can any business do well when unions are paying workers $40/hr to do fuck all? My ex-girlfriend's dad used to make $30/hr to manufacture toilet paper, I thought that was a FUCKING DISGRACE...

I have been wondering this for years. They shouldn't get a bailout, period. It's not our fault that they can't make cars that compete with Japanese and European cars. People are obviously going to buy what's better; if they can't compete that's their problem.

ya i agree but unfortunately, we are in the minority:

Falling Gas Prices Jump-Start GM SUV Sales - Automotive News Story - WSOC Charlotte

Hahahaha is that article for real? We'll never learn....

i'm all for this but personally, not now for me. I'm at like $20 for over a week before I get paid again. I'm having to not eat as much. If gas goes up again, i'm screwed. I'm already in danger of not being able to make a big bill like rent, car insurance, or something like that.

i'm desperately looking for a 3rd job (after my normal 8-5 and my computer business on the side) but I haven't gotten one yet.

until, somehow, I can make a change where i have more money, I can't have gas go up again. I find it laughable that people are alread going back to their SUVs or wanting to buy new ones. Evidently, they aren't aware of the recession and aren't scared that gas prices will go up again...dumb asses....

ya...problem is, I have down sized my life considerably. there isn't anything more to really downsize.

i agree, american needs a HUGE wakeup call with this gas thing. I just wish it would hold out a tad bit longer haha.

I really thought americans were going to learn their lesson and continue to not drive as much and not buy SUVs. that really says a lot about the american people. makes me sick.

There's always more to downsize, it just depends how far you are willing to go my friend.

This is what happens when you let government get mixed up with big business like that. Free market factors should be allowed to do their job, and at least one of the Big 3 would die and the other 2 would finally be forced to restructure, eject the unions, and start making quality cars again. The US auto industry is like a diseased limb that we're unwilling to amputate. When you have fuckers making $50 an hour to sweep floors you know you have a problem.

true, and I'm working on the BIGGEST downsize as we speak (aka my g/f)...after i'm on my own, I'll be fine. In fact, even with just one job, I'll have $500+ a month extra. that will be a hell of a change.

Exactly man! Life becomes much more enjoyable when money isn't a daily stress; trust me I know.

It feels good to have a few thousand in the bank just sitting around rather than being in the negatives at the end of the month

that story pisses me off, dan. god. there are people struggling to make even the basic ends meet and she can afford to re-decorate her bathroom when she doesn't even have a job!

and, yes, dustin, I look forward to having money for a change! I wont' "really" have it as I'll be paying off debt (at a super fast rate) but it will be nice that I can go buy toilet paper, instead of "borrowing" it from my work haha.

i think UAW workers are up to $78.21 or something an hour with wage and benefits, that's ridiculous

You gotta be fucking shitting me

Everybody in the union thinks they can fuck off because "I can't get fired". Unions = bogus.

The average GM worker gets 75 bucks an hour + benefits. The average Toyota employee gets $35 + benefits.

Unions need to die. I don't plan on buying an American car unless it's used.

I fucking hate unions with a passion. They're ancient and need to die

All jokes aside about American cars. And disregarding the gas consumption issue. From personal experience. I have had and still have few American and Japanese cars/suvs, Ford mostly. I never had any prob with any of them, least not any major problems. I did the normal maintenance brakes,oil and tune ups. They lasted pretty long. Offcourse i have never kept any vehicle beyond 100k miles Japanese or American.

I am sure some people may not have good experience with America made cars. But i think some time, people just hear alot of bad about some thing and jump on bandwagon.

As for union they are good things. But when they abuse there power then its not good. If you go to third world countries and even some well established countries, they treat there workers way too poorly. Union is very important to stand up against corrupt administration. But union leaders need to be fair and just to the worker and the administration, instead of being greedy.

When we were in some underdeveloped countries. I have read alot of stories about administration taking advantage of workers who were not very well educated. And there was no one to stand up for the workers right.

Yeah, unions are a great concept and they worked brilliantly in the past to bring rights to workers; but they are the kind of thing you bring to undeveloped nations. It's time to kill them off when people are making $50/hr to bolt doors on a car. In the end, when you have a factory full of workers making an excessive amount of money; we have to pay for it.

I think everyone is right with blaming the unions and the company itself. Unions are good in theory. They were fine when they were really needed. After that, they can't just die off so they keep doing what they're doing, which is ask for more money for the same amount of work.

The companies themselves are also to blame. It seems they're just realizing that people care about quality so have just started putting out better cars. The cars they do produce well aren't even offered here in the states. It baffles me, too. When I went to England, I was suprised by how many Ford's I saw and how good they looked. Cars that would easily sell very well here because of their style and the price they can offer because they're domestic.

That being said, I'm wondering why they don't just file for bankruptcy. Then maybe they can fire those union workers and start turning a profit, if not at least be bought out by someone who can run the companies properly.