Not buying american cars?

[nick@nite]

[august]

hahah thats awesome

[norcal505]

well, there's a reason that were not buying their cars.

they're mostly shit.

[N9TE]

That's funny! Is there a place where you can get print/posters of that? I've got this die-hard Ford friend who needs it. (I started out on Fords and still have fond memories of my indestructable Fairlane)

[nick@nite]

I've tried to get it so I can post it @ our shop but I get it large enough to read it on a sheet... I'll send it to my girlfriend and see if she can do it, she's the technolgy teacher....

[Pugsley]

I don't find humor in poking fun at one of our largest sources of employment funny. Alot of Americans depend on the auto industry in the United States to make a living.

That includes smaller factories, suppliers, machine shops, dealers, auto mechanics, the list is quite long. I do know of one factory that was not a high paid union shop that recently laid off 500 hourly workers just before Christmas.

As a stockholder with many shares in the Ford Motor Company I am hoping they find the idiot who made this piece of garbage and file a lawsuit for using a picture of one of their products and using it in that manner without permission.

If the American auto industry falls down, it will put this country into a depression. I fail to see the humor in that.

[nick@nite]

Yeah I personally don't think it's the auto makers fault. The market has stopped period end of story. People aren't ready to buy until the Dow market has gone up and the country is back in the right direction, also greener cars. The health pention overhead needs to be cut for sure, thats how come the cars became cheap anyway.... I mean everything has stopped up front in sales at our shop, Audi market is dead at the moment which is 60% of the cars here, VW nothing, Mercedes dead, Jag is alright because there is not another dealer intown. Lexus is the same no dealer. BMW is hit or miss, American trade in's are coming in all the time and we wholesale them or bring them to the local auction that everyone dumps the high mile or junkier cars. I mean if you want to buy a car now is the time to. I know we're selling cars now just to get it off our lot now. Anything that has been here for to long, over 90 days and we start paying interest on, at the moment we have 15 cars the auction still owns and we're paying on.... My father dealership is keeping busy in the shop but the shop is paying for the cars that aren't selling.... The 2 sales people are take home $100 after taxes a week if they don't sell anything, which has been a couple times already since 3 months ago. The salesmanger is very cranky, because we're 160 cars off from last year, and he's not making the $ as last year. I can go on and on about how it going around the car world in Vermont, and I know it's worst elsewhere than at my shop..... We're just having to refinance... Merry Christmas... Your not the only one that is losing money in this market, I know no one here is getting a Christmas bonus! Also look at the fact that the first bailout is a failure and the banks have screwed everyone and are keeping the money in there circle, and have not returned the favor. And people are pissed and see no reason to do the samething twice.

[N9TE]

It does suck, but this disease is 10 years old and it'll take a little while to right the ship. When Congress demands bankers act irresponsibility - well, that's not exactly the best group of people to give that mandate to. To say they ran with it is an understatement. Kindda makes me feel like an idiot for paying my mortgage on time, etc.

But on to cars, a few things I see in the Seattle market... Mini. Still very highly priced. I haven't seen them softening at all. I don't know if they have that kind of money into them or they're still selling off the lot. Probably helps that they have such a limited dealer network. Detroit cars - in a freefall. A two year old Taurus sells for 1/2 what it did off the lot.

BMW. I hear that they're in a world of hurt as a large percentage of "Biff & Muffy" owners actually lease them. BMW had their residuals in the stratosphere and as they're being turned in, valuations are not in line with reality. Heard that the company is in pretty tough financial straights over this. Not GM bad, but pretty bad none-the-less.

I think Chapter 11 or 7 needs to occur for at least one of the big three. They've known markets can go south in a big way for 20 years (first Japanese invasion) and did nothing to fix their fundamentals. Sure it'll be tough, but management needs to get back to being boring, stuffy good businessmen rather than rock stars. I just don't see that happening no matter how much cash the govt flushes down that hole.

Gas consumption is still down from anecdotal chat. Less money to spend is softening demand. Hope THAT continues and those Petro-Thugs (Putin, Chaves, etc.) get what's coming to them.

Merry Christmas all! Work hard and smart in the next year and I'm sure you'll do just fine.

[nick@nite]

Mini. Still very highly priced. I haven't seen them softening at all. I don't know if they have that kind of money into them or they're still selling off the lot. Probably helps that they have such a limited dealer network.

Very True Here also no Dealer but we fix alot of them, I like the new coachmen.

Detroit cars - in a freefall. A two year old Taurus sells for 1/2 what it did off the lot.

Yeah I have seen this for years at the auctions nothing new.

I think Chapter 11 or 7 needs to occur for at least one of the big three.

I think it going to be Chrysler, Mercedes didn't want to buy into them and are ready to cut the cord, because they said that they we're "fiancally unstable." VW's Routan may have stop production and wait until 2010 until VW's U.S. plants are finished and there lost of $. I can't remember all the others

GM cut the ties with Saab, and Subie... The plant in Albany, Ny where they make gearboxes for GM sent everyone home the week after they got back from their Thanksgiving break.

[Pugsley]

It does suck, but this disease is 10 years old and it'll take a little while to right the ship. When Congress demands bankers act irresponsibility - well, that's not exactly the best group of people to give that mandate to. To say they ran with it is an understatement. Kindda makes me feel like an idiot for paying my mortgage on time, etc.

But on to cars, a few things I see in the Seattle market... Mini. Still very highly priced. I haven't seen them softening at all. I don't know if they have that kind of money into them or they're still selling off the lot. Probably helps that they have such a limited dealer network. Detroit cars - in a freefall. A two year old Taurus sells for 1/2 what it did off the lot.

BMW. I hear that they're in a world of hurt as a large percentage of "Biff & Muffy" owners actually lease them. BMW had their residuals in the stratosphere and as they're being turned in, valuations are not in line with reality. Heard that the company is in pretty tough financial straights over this. Not GM bad, but pretty bad none-the-less.

I think Chapter 11 or 7 needs to occur for at least one of the big three. They've known markets can go south in a big way for 20 years (first Japanese invasion) and did nothing to fix their fundamentals. Sure it'll be tough, but management needs to get back to being boring, stuffy good businessmen rather than rock stars. I just don't see that happening no matter how much cash the govt flushes down that hole.

Gas consumption is still down from anecdotal chat. Less money to spend is softening demand. Hope THAT continues and those Petro-Thugs (Putin, Chaves, etc.) get what's coming to them.

Merry Christmas all! Work hard and smart in the next year and I'm sure you'll do just fine.

The banking thing is a mess. In the 90s they thought it was unfair to ask certain questions on loans and not require proof of many things. Big mistake. I dont care who you are or if youre a minority the fact is if you should not be allowed to buy a house you clearly cannot afford. They government did help open the floodgates to all these people overspending. It also makes people assume no responsibility for their actions, which is wrong.

I see a hole in the problem with helping them already. The nation is scared to spend right now. People are now scared to death to spend, whos going to buy their cars ? We're heading towards a depression. I think Ford and GM better have some low cost reliable economy cars on the table. I recently was at a Toys R Us and saw many expensive SUVs out there, however, never had I heard so many husbands and wives comment "thats a bit expensive" , there was alot of carts checking out with very little in them, and it was mostly cheaper toys, like hotwheels 5 packs. Ive read massive layoffs too numerous to list. Im predicting the used car market might shoot up. Banks are probably more consevative and picky now if you go to get a loan: Im betting those Buy here pay here small dealerships might benefit from this.

I agree with you on cars like Tauruses, my wifes Ford 500 was bought used when it was just six months old. To me thats still a new car. Boring car, but the price was very attractive. I think people are figuring it out now they dont need a 12 mpg $40 to 60,000 clumsy truck for personal transportation. I dont see any reason why people cant settle for a family 4 door that can do 25-30 mpg thazts reasonably priced.