It happens when some people don't have anything to contribute to the conversation other than trite quips. What is the overall assessment of the board of the trade deficit? Should we buy 'made in america' then, if not 'american?' I think the 'globalization' responses don't account for a couple of things: (1) I'm not talking about protectionism, and (2) does a globalized economy necessarily mean that you no longer consider the health of your own economy. Well, again you are only looking at one factor. It depends how long you keep the car, what your insurance rates are (higher with an import), and what the overall effect of buying a foreign car has on the economy, not just resale price. Absolutely, why not? I picked automobiles because they are a large chunk of the trade deficit and we do have US manufacturers. I don't think there are any US TV companies left. Yeah, Jeep has a poor reputation. Although I had a Wrangler and that thing ran forever and was great. Besides, Jeep is German - that's why I said GM and Ford. Great post, Khan. I'd like to hear your take on the trade deficit. If only we could drive a T-Bill
Absolutely - I didn't mean to give the impression that people *should* buy Japanese cars. Just there are still valid reasons, even if reliability is now equal, why there are benefits to not buying American.
Fair enough. I read about the unsustainability of the trade deficit and that's what prompted the thread. My dad is a Honda guy. My mom bought a Camry that was a total lemon. My first car was a Civic and I owned a Toyota truck. But I find more now that I think we should at least consider buying American if we can get something comparable. The reason I focus in on reliability is because that is repeatedly cited by American consumers when, if there is a gap, it isn't large at all anymore. You are right that there are other factors, but that is the one most often given, even as the American consumer continues to buy even worse rated European cars.
If you really want to reduce the trade deficit, you are better served by not shopping at walmart. Walmart is America's largest importer and purchases over 10 percent of all of china's exports globally.
I think the trade deficit is a very big problem. Foreign governments see our deficit just the way financiers look at debt/equity ratios and therefore the increasing deficit weakens the value of our treasury bonds. In order to maintain the continued purchase of US treasuries to pay the interest and deficit, interest rates may have to be raised. This will limit opportunity growth and lessen capital available for entrepreneurism and business/job growth. How do we reduce the trade deficit? Thats a multi-pronged equation as we can raise taxes, which will in turn limit growth as well giving us the same scenario or we can reduce government spending. Though government spending is a push to helping the economy, spending is better used during a recession and should be curbed now that we're on solid footing. Also the gains over the last few years in the marketplace should continue to provide huge dollars as baby boomers begin taking money out of their 401k's and retirement accounts and have to pay those HUGE deferred capital gains bills. I do belive that antiquated systems at Ford and GM are a thing of the past in terms of their hiring/pension structure, the continued Union labor will adversely affect shareholder value and therefore company profits which leads to decreases in the returns to the investor and the capital gains taxes owed. As corporations are owned by stockholders, they don't really pay that much in taxes. The majority of the tax burden is on the shareholders and the taxes paid on the gains. It goes back to my argument of what Americans own more of Toyota or Ford or DaimlerChrysler both individually and through mutual funds? I would imagine its Ford as most are not internationally diversified enough, but i'd like to know the differential. If there is a comprable product, I would prefer an American car. Thats actually one reason I chose a Land Rover (Ford) over Porsche myself. EDIT! I just realized I was writing about the budget deficit and not the trade deficit! Ouch!
so whats the conversation about? american cars' reliability has catched up with japanese? a JD Powers survey don't mean jack. how many american 10 year old cars are still driving around compared to japanese cars? what do you think about american cars' resale value and is it still perception which keeps it low? its just perception thats hurting them? howbout korean cars? perceptions on them were bad at first but where are they now?
That notion is just silly. The global economy is not one of absolutes in that if China is succeeding then the US is failing. If anything for the US to suceed, we need China, Brazil and India and the developing nations. Not only do we need them to buy our higher margin service sector, but we need their cheap labor to provide cheaper goods and services to Americans. Though commodity prices like steel, oil etc has gone up because of demand and manufacturing in places like China, the output or finished goods prices contintues to fall. If we buy these products for less, we have more discretionary income to reinvest, spend and use to creat business.
RCA. I did buy an RCA HDTV back in the day, I returned it 2 days later for a Toshiba. The Toshiba was so much better.
the #1 selling cars in America are Camry and Accord.. I think that will be that way for a long long time. the best challenge that GM is coming up with is the Malibu? good grief. what about small cars? what is going to challenge the Civic? the Cobalt?? the Neon?? do they still make the Neon?
I think the Caliber replaced the Neon. The Ford Focus was actually a decent small car, though it was beset by recalls and Ford hasn't bothered updating it in like 6 years.
I believe that's just a brand bought and reused. I don't think RCA has been a US TV manufacturer for awhile now - IIRC Zenith was the last US producer to get bought up by the Japanese.
Playoffs? Who's talking about playoffs? Playoffs? Er, I mean updating and innovation? DETROIT, Mich., Jan 7, 2007 – Redesigned from the inside out, the 2008 Ford Focus brings a bold new look, a modern interior and a high level of driving enjoyment to the small car segment. Joining the new Focus four-door sedan is, for the first time, ever a sporty two-door coupe, which is designed to attract new and younger buyers to a growing small car market. Ford is renewing its commitment to the small car market as an influx of younger buyers and the instability of gas prices have led to growing sales in the segment. Small cars make up the largest vehicle segment in the U.S. today and growth is expected to continue. The 2008 Focus will be poised to capture some of this growth when it hits the streets in fall 2007. “We know the formula for success in the small car segment: Affordability, quality and a fun to drive, sporty personality,” says Cisco Codina, Ford group vice president, North America Marketing, Sales and Service. “These are the priorities that drove the redesign of the Focus for 2008.” Muscular stance, sharp character lines and a high beltline define Focus The 2008 Focus strikes an impressive pose. Designers drew inspiration from the Ford Fusion's prominent chrome-bar grille design, flared wheel arches and sweeping, crisp lines to create a small car that’s stylish and sporty. “We raised the beltline to give Focus more modern proportions,” says Lon Zaback, Focus chief designer. “By raising the beltline we created a sleeker profile. The overall look is solid and more substantial.” Flared wheel arches give Focus its firm, secure stance and work with the raised beltline to give Focus its muscular look. The design is further refined by a taut character line that runs from the taillights, sweeping across the doors just below the door handles and snapping suddenly down at the front wheel well. Another crisp line runs from the A-pillar to the headlight and down to the bottom of the front bumper, defining the corners of the car. “Having surface areas break sharply in places gives the car a sense of forward motion,” says Zaback. “A lot of cars today use forms and lines that are parallel and predictable. If you look at Focus, you will see one sweep going through the hood and headlamps, and a different sweep going through the fascia. This creates movement, tension and drama.” Zaback says the goal was to use detail and forms to create unpredictable visual interest. For example, the hood uses four separate creases to break up a typically large flat area. “When you’re working with a small car, you want to add surface detail that will create interest from any angle,” says Zaback. “We definitely wanted to appeal to the more progressive customer.” The headlights are a design story by themselves. Horizontal bars with a matte surface run through the reflection area, visually connecting the headlights with a sweeping line running through the chrome-bar grille. It is such an innovative idea that Ford has a patent request for the design. The tail lamps share cues with the 2008 Ford Escape, with a white arc cutting across the red lens. The leading edge of the deck lid features a new clear lens center high-mounted stop lamp (CHMSL) that illuminates with red LEDs for a progressive, modern appearance. Focus SEL models feature a front fender appliqué integrated just behind the front wheel arch, adding a bright accent to the profile. And the “Focus” name is spelled out in bold italic letters on the deck lid, scuff plates and instrument panel. The 2008 Focus is available in two body styles: a two-door coupe, a first-ever for Focus, and a four-door sedan. These are the two highest volume body styles in the segment. In fact, the sedan and coupe will allow Ford to cover a full 80 percent of the small car market. Redesigned Focus cabin is quiet, inviting and modern Progressive is the word that best describes the interior. The new interior design not only adds more flexible storage space, but new surfaces and materials create a modern, contemporary cabin with a sense of openness. “We've taken cues from fashion and home design and translated them into a more upscale Focus interior,” says Zaback. “We've given it some sophistication and flair by adding touches of silver metallic finishing like you see in today's home appliances, and used materials that provide a higher-quality feel to surfaces and touch points throughout the car. The overall package is simply more inviting.” On SEL models, the dashboard and center console sport brilliant matte silver-metallic finishing. On SE models, the dashboard center finish panels are a contrasting dark stone non-metallic color. A “top-of-dash” display, positioned at eye-level at the top of the center stack, features a message center that shows radio function readouts. This simple, efficient design makes it easier and quicker to read when driving. A new “poke-through” center console design replaces the traditional “brick” design for the radio and climate control. The center panel houses the controls for the audio and climate control as well as a standard auxiliary audio input jack and two power points. In vehicles equipped with the available Sync option, a USB 2.0 port is located on the center stack near the power points. Eliminating the traditional brick design gave designers freedom to draw a sharp accent line across the top of the dashboard, a design element that would not have been possible with the previous model’s square radio and climate modules. A new seamless passenger front airbag door further cleans up the interior. The 2008 Focus offers a larger center console as well as added space in front of the console shifter for extra storage. Newly designed door trim features larger bins and cup holders in the doors plus three more in the console. New seats have improved contours and offer more lateral and lumbar support. A new cloth pattern is available for 2008 while the leather trimmed seats feature contrast stitching for an added touch of craftsmanship. SE models come with a Stone interior; SEL models come in Stone or Charcoal Black. The coordinating interior instrument panel colors are Satin Pewter Metallic for the Charcoal Black interior and Dusk Metallic for the Stone interior. Focus models equipped with Sport and Deluxe packages feature a white face instrument cluster and chrome accents on the door handles, climate control vents and shifter. Focus lets you set the mood The Focus interior is even more distinctive at night thanks to a new approach to lighting that builds on recent Ford advances like the white LED instruments on the 2003 Lincoln Navigator and the configurable “My Color” instrument display on the Mustang. In the Focus, the instruments and switches are lit in a new color called “Ice Blue.” Customers can also order an ambient lighting package that places tiny LEDs inside the front and rear cupholders and footwells. The LEDs can highlight the cabin in any of seven different colors (red, orange, blue, indigo, violet, green and yellow) and are controlled by a simple dash-mounted switch. Both of these features will eventually make their way into other Ford and Mercury products. “The idea was to let owners give the car its own mood,” says Philip Smoker, 2008 Focus product marketing manager. “Customizable ambient light gives the interior a whole different look and keeps it fresh. Focus is the first in this segment to offer ambient lighting as a factory installed option.” Smoker says customizable and unique interior lighting inside cars and trucks is an emerging trend. According to a recent survey, over 90 percent of vehicle consumers said they would be interested in unique lighting to enhance the appearance of their vehicle's interior. "With manufacturers often producing upwards of 150,000 copies of any particular model, vehicle differentiation is still the key," says Smoker. “The interior ambient light inside the 2008 Focus gives owners the chance to make the car their own.” Sync connects your life to your drive The 2008 Ford Focus will be one of the first Ford Motor Company vehicles to feature Ford Sync™, a cutting-edge way to use cell phones and portable music players inside a vehicle. Developed in association with Microsoft, Sync offers a new level of in-car communications and entertainment convenience. Sync lets users easily control and personalize their electronic devices in their vehicle. This technology will be available in other 2008 model year Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products later this year. “Sync is state of the art connectivity and entertainment,” says Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, global product development, Ford Motor Company. “It’s aligned with our efforts to treat the interior of a car as a second home on wheels. We want to bring as much infotainment to our customers as possible in a way that is both convenient and seamless.” Incorporating Bluetooth wireless connection technology as its foundation, Sync can wirelessly connect up to six different cellular phones to the vehicle, a process called pairing. Once the phone is paired with the system, the user’s personal features (such as phone book and ring tones) are automatically downloaded to the car. A microphone inside the cabin allows users to use their phone hands free while operating their vehicle. Every time the user enters the vehicle with the phone, those personal features are updated and integrated into the Sync system. To protect privacy concerns, phone books and ring tones are active only for the phones to which they belong. Sync also allows users to maintain a cell phone conversation while entering or exiting the vehicle. With many municipalities passing laws prohibiting cell phone usage in a vehicle that does not provide hands-free calling, Sync’s voice recognition software (which recognizes English, Spanish and French) allows users to place a call by simply tapping a "Push to Talk" button on the steering wheel and saying a command. For example, the command “Call Mike” will connect the user identified as “Mike” in the user’s phone directory. Users can also dial numbers by calling out digits. When a call comes in, the user can answer or decline the call using verbal commands. If the user’s phone is configured for unique caller ring tones, that specific caller’s ring tone will be played through the vehicle’s audio system. Sync also offers call waiting, caller ID and three-way calling, along with three unique ring tones as part of the system. Sync offers a unique industry-leading text-to-speech function that will translate text messages to speech and read them over the vehicle’s audio system. Sync will translate abbreviation like “LOL” into “Laughing Out Loud,” and it offers 20 pre-determined responses that can be customized via web downloads. Sync is also the only automotive application that offers full hands-free, voice-activated command and control over portable music players and storage devices. Sync’s advanced voice command capability means consumers can access the song, artist, genre, album, playlist, etc., through voice commands. The selections will also be shown on the vehicle's audio display, as Sync allows complete command and control via dashboard or steering wheel controls. This means Sync acts as an extension of the music player, effectively melding the player’s functionality into the vehicle. “If you plug in your Apple iPod® and say, ‘Play rock music,’ Sync will play rock music,” says Kuzak. “If you say, ‘play’ and name a band, Sync will display the album and title selections by that group. You then select a title and the music plays. Most music players connected to a car might let you shuffle. Sync lets you do everything you could do on the music player itself through the vehicle’s interface or through voice commands. Sync is a seamless extension of the music player to the vehicle, and that’s what makes it great.” Sync hosts nearly all portable music players including Apple iPod®, all MP3 players with "Plays for Sure" technology, and Microsoft’s new music player, Zune™. Sync also accepts music saved on flash memory sticks inserted into USB port. Located on the dashboard near the power outlets, the USB 2.0 port simultaneously charges the player as the music is being played over the vehicle’s audio system. All music played through Sync is high-resolution digital quality. Revised suspension settings further refine the Focus driving experience Since its North American introduction in 1999, Focus has been hailed for being an affordable car that handles and drives like a car more than twice its price. For 2008, the Focus’s curb weight is down by 60 pounds, even though the body structure is stiffer. This allowed the suspension engineers to sharpen the car’s steering and handling while improving ride quality at the same time. Engineers reworked and improved the strength of the roof structure, the package tray, the connections between the rear floor and the underbody and the door systems. A stiffened cross-car beam under the instrument panel connects the car side-to-side and provides better lateral stiffness. The basic suspension features an independent front suspension with MacPherson struts and an independent multilink design in back. The spring rates, shock absorbers, stabilizer bars, and jounce bumpers have all been re-tuned for 2008. Engineers derived unique tuning packages for vehicles equipped with 15- or 16-inch wheels and tires. Models with 15-inch wheels and tires are equipped with low-rolling resistance Hankook tires. Those with 16-inch wheels and tires are paired with sporty, responsive Pirelli tires. “Fuel economy was at the top of the improvement list for 2008, so we put the new Focus on a diet, dropping the curb weight of the vehicle by over 60 pounds,” says vehicle dynamics manager Mark Rushbrook. “To maintain good ride character, we reduced the spring rates. Improvements to steering and handling were accomplished by increasing the size of the front stabilizer bar for both the 15- and 16-inch tire packages, as well as detailed tuning of the shock absorbers to optimize the ride and handling balance.” Rushbrook says the revised chassis settings help improve steering feel over the previous Focus without sacrificing ride quality. The front stabilizer bar diameters have been increased over 2007, from 18 millimeters to 20 millimeters on the 15-inch wheel tuning package, and from 21 millimeters to 22 millimeters on the 16-inch wheel tuning package. “From a dynamics perspective, the new Focus feels much more solid and substantial,” says Rushbrook. “The chassis has been tuned with the new body structure to continue that feeling of confidence. Whether you’re driving down a twisty back road or an interstate highway, it always feels like you’re in a very solid yet responsive and fun vehicle.” Focus gets an all-new brake system for 2008. New aluminum calipers save weight and improve brake pedal feel. The brakes are 10.9-inch vented discs in front and 11.0-inch drums in back with an available anti-lock braking system (ABS). The 2008 Focus features a 2.0-liter, Duratec 20 dual-overhead-cam (DOHC), inline four-cylinder engine delivering an estimated 136 hp. An all-new air intake system, cooling and exhaust system are designed to improve the powertrain’s smoothness, efficiency and response. There’s also a super-clean Duratec 20E engine offered in states adopting California emission standards that qualifies Focus as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV). PZEVs are as clean as some hybrid vehicles, according to the EPA. The Duratec 20 and 20E are available with a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic. For 2008, the transmissions have revised final drive ratios, which let the engine turn at a lower rpm rate during highway driving and get better fuel economy. For instance, the automatic transmission final drive ratio decreased from 3.73 to 3.34, reducing engine speed at 65 mph from 2490 rpm to 2230 rpm. NVH improvements provide a quiet ride The new exterior design doesn’t just look good, it provides improved functionality as well. Improved airflow over the vehicle reduces the coefficient of drag (CD) from 0.33 to 0.32. “Getting just a tenth of a difference in CD is a lot,” says Focus chief engineer Marcio Alfonso. “This is quite significant. We spent many hours in the wind tunnel developing the shapes of exterior parts like mirrors and front openings, spoilers, and the shape of the air deflectors under the car. There was a lot of work done to improve aerodynamics and reduce noise inside the car.” At a simulated 80 mph in the wind tunnel, the previous Focus had 28.8 sones of wind noise while the new model recorded 25.6, an eleven percent reduction in wind noise. In a test of road noise (boom, rumble, roar), decibel levels inside Focus dropped from 70 dBA to 67.3. “We know that customers equate quiet with quality,” says Alfonso. “The difference between the previous car and the 2008 model is far more dramatic than the numbers show. Sones reflect overall noise levels and not the directionality of the noise. A noise coming from a particular area can be perceived as being louder, even though the overall noise level is similar. With Focus, we addressed not only the overall noise level, but also where the noise is coming from.” Engineers reduced wind noise by installing a new acoustic windshield and thicker side glass in the front doors (increased in thickness from 3.2 to 3.8 millimeters). Closed-cell foam for the dash panel seal, as opposed to open-cell foam material, also helps reduce wind noise. Fluffy cotton-like sound-deadening material has been added to the door trim panels, C-pillars and the flat shelf behind the rear seats to reduce cabin noise, and the sealing around the side mirrors is redesigned to reduce noise entering the passenger cabin. The front air dam is stiffened and produces less noise. New Climate Control System is lighter, quieter and more efficient The 2008 Focus has an all-new climate control system that is more efficient with improved cooling and heating performance. Switching to electronic actuators for the floor, panel, defrost and temperature controls improve Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) performance. This completely redesigned HVAC system results in a climate control system that is quieter, lighter in weight and more effective in cooling and heating the cabin. Standard safety features offer peace of mind The 2008 Focus comes standard with Ford’s Personal Safety System®, thorax side air bags and side air curtains for increased coverage in the event of a side impact crash. Ford’s Personal Safety System is a comprehensive collection of passive safety features for the front passengers. The system includes dual-deployment front air bags, energy absorbing safety belts, load limiting retractors and pretensioners, all which will help to create one of the safest cabins in its segment. Focus uses Ford’s Safety Canopy™ side air curtain system that deploys in certain side-impact collisions to help protect front- and second-row outboard occupants using "roll-fold" technology. If occupants are resting their heads against a window, the Safety Canopy™ is designed to slide between the glass and occupants as it inflates. The curtains remain inflated for several seconds after deployment to enhance protection during an extended crash event. Available anti-lock brakes are designed to help drivers maintain great steering command during hard stops. http://media.ford.com/newsroom/release_display.cfm?release=25170
I dont have anything against American made cars, but if you take a look at GMs or Fords line up, they dont have anything comparable to Toyota or Honda. Just sit in a Camry or Accord and compare it to any Ford and you will see a night and day difference. Im not sure on reliability of American cars, but the craftsmanship or design is no where close. Ive seen some of the newer GM/Ford cars at the auto shows, and they do appear to be a step up, but they are still clearly lacking in the craftsmanship and design department.
Great post, Mr. Clutch! Would like to add that I agree with Hayestreet that the Focus is one of the few bright spots in the American lineup (along with trucks and luxury SUVs). Focus is a true world car, competitive with Civic/Corolla/Mazda3 worldwide. This is precisely what Detriot needs to do. Focus (no pun intended) on one segment, one platform, one model at a time. And deliver products people would want to buy, and be seen in... Solstice was nice, but it is nothing compared to Mini or Smart or Prius... Revolutionary game-changing platforms... Best-selling cars 2006 Ford F-series pickup Chevy Silverado pickup Toyota Camry Toyota Corolla Honda Accord Dodge Ram pickup Honda Civic Chevy Impala Chevy Cobalt Nissan Altima While I've been hearing former Chevy/Ford drivers rave about the Nissan's Titan and Toyota's Tundra and Honda's CRV (all encroaching on Detriot's traditional territory), I haven't heard much buzz about Detriot trying to retake the entry/mid-sized sedan that makes up like more than half the market. Losing the minivan market it invented 20 years ago (Dodge Caravan, Ford Aerostar) was not a terribly bright move either... Legacy costs or no, Detriot simply isn't doing itself any favors with sucky designs and reacting instead of leading consumer taste...
Consumer reports has far more harsher results. Anyway, again, I'm not sure it's a quality issue here that's hurting the U.S. cars as much as it is that people just don't like American cars. They are behind asethically, feature wise, and for the mass market vehicles they don't top the quailty lists. (I'm not talking Lincoln and Cadillac's).
I am not sure many people are aware of the fact that the Focus is a 'best seller' in Europe and a consistent favorite of car enthusiasts across the Atlantic. Was nice?! The Solstice is pretty much sold out everywhere you go and Pontiac has a waiting list for the GXP version that should be out soon. GM dealerships have been selling the car in only the loaded/optioned out version and in most cases is going for a couple of grands premium over the sticker price. Not even the segment trend-setter Miata has garnered as much interest/enthusiasm from the general public. Of course you have other recent 'American' brands that have done pretty well in their own right: the Chrysler 300 comes to mind with its bold and unique styling, so does its 'twin' sister the Dodge Charger. Of course, Ford has the segment's best-selling vehicle in the Mustang and its terrific lineup of best-selling trucks, the F-series. Ironically enough, GM and Ford are doing pretty well overseas, their struggles are mostly confined to their 'home turf', i.e. the North American market. Just this past year, GM set sales records in three major 'regions' across the world, topping over 2 million vehicles sold in Europe alone for the first time. Despite their success elsewhere, they still haven't broken through to the average consumer in the North American market, but I think that will eventually change with time, especially since we're starting to see quality issues with Toyotas now that they're a volume seller brand, I think eventually the Korean brands and also the American brands will regain some ground on them in the long-run, and Honda will quickly replace Toyota as the industry's benchmark of quality/reliability. OK, I keep hearing about 'attractive designs' to describe the likes of Toyota and Honda...the question I have is this: are you kidding me? Do you honestly characterize the current Honda Accord sedan with its mundane design or the former Toyota Camry model (yup, that one with the uniqueness of a soapbox) as less than sucky designs? How about that knockout econobox design of the Toyota Corolla? People buy Camrys and Accords because of their reputations as solid vehicles that make for a sound investment, not because they're 'lookers'.
I know one thing. for vehicles made by an company that supposedly churns out "unreliable" cars, my last two must haev been the exception. my current one is a 00 Chevy Monte Carlo SS...over 110K and no problems as yet. btw...design and interior? sleek and sporty with a leather interior sure kicks the hell outta any of the Toyotas I have seen. the one before that was a 89 Pontiac Gran Prix...finally had a major problem at 235K miles. Interior was cheapy Ill admit...the car design itself was pretty nice for a late 80s model. I just dont see the fascination with the little japanese cars that look pretty similar in styling to me.
I have only EVER bought American automobiles. Ford & Chevy. Unless you count the Daewoo made Chevy Aveo.
