Comments on: Study: Domestic automakers losing money on every vehicle

By: chuckles

chuckles — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 12:52:48 +0000

Wake up veda…

By: Veda

Veda — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 09:58:28 +0000

“US consumerism of foreign products is adding to the lining of Japan’s pockets and the demise of the US industrial and economic infrastructure – when will we wake from the slumber? I hope not before it is too late.”

It comes down to your willingness to buy inferior products which I have very little of.

By: Vertical

Vertical — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 04:20:33 +0000

On a non-related topic, what do you guys think about Dodge’s quality these days (I ask because many of you seem to be pretty knowledgeable about the auto industry)? I love the Nitro, and may want to buy one eventually.

By: Kaizen

Kaizen — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 03:30:50 +0000

Chuckles, you haven’t explained how Toyota and Lexus have the highest customer satisfaction levels at dealerships while blaming the vehicle’s issue on “owner neglect”. The fact is that they break less; and when they do, the dealership fixes it correctly the first time. Toyota designs the best components and work together with the best suppliers in the world to lower the cost on the dealership end. It’s all part of the TPS.

Sure, combining costs by sharing components is dangerous; that’s why Toyota has the most amount of recalls in industry right now. They share a substantial amount of parts across the world to reduce cost that eventually trickle down to the service drive.

By: chuckles

chuckles — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 02:02:27 +0000

James…James…James – there is help for your condition.

Ok, first consider the fact that Japan has leveraged the US dollar against the yen and nobody wants to do anything about the Japan-imposed US trade deficit.
US consumerism of foreign products is adding to the lining of Japan’s pockets and the demise of the US industrial and economic infrastructure – when will we wake from the slumber? I hope not before it is too late.

Of course Toyota’s warranty costs are lower, I worked in a Toyota dealership several years ago and Toyota management’s philosophy first was that if there was a problem it was not their product, but owner neglect or abuse or an outside cause. Toyota is very difficult to get to pay for warranty claims – and forget about ever getting an after-warranty adjustment! This is classic to the same legacy that Detroit had in the 60′s thru the 80′s. This attitude will catch up with them eventually.

By: James

James — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 23:03:00 +0000

This is a flatout lie the USDM isn’t losing anything.

By: JC Whitless

JC Whitless — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 19:28:33 +0000

“Health care costs continue to rise and nobody has the answer..”

Kill anyone over the age of 55…Force a form of permanent retirement!!

By: novicius

novicius — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 18:09:20 +0000

…and Random Jerk scores again! LoL

By: Jon

Jon — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 17:28:47 +0000

One of the big questions is whether the looming legacy costs will weigh down Toyota in 10 or 20 years time as it has the big three.

Health care costs continue to rise and nobody has the answer.

By: Random Jerk

Random Jerk — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 17:26:26 +0000

I got another study, conducted via partnership with Auto Trader Magazine: Domestic owners are losing huge money on every sale in the used market as well.

By: Ricardo Head

Ricardo Head — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:57:07 +0000

Real tough study …
.
… Total Loss ÷ Number of Cars sold = Loss Per Vehicle.
.
What rocket scientists. As for their fantastic conclusions, they are pretty much the same thing everybody knows anyhow. How do I get a job reiterating the obvious like these Harbour Felax Group nimrods?

By: JC Whitless

JC Whitless — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:28:41 +0000

Asher, better yet, I’ll have GM pay me $450 instead of paying you $500 for the car…

By: Kenny W

Kenny W — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:27:11 +0000

Umm…zan, thats what they’re doing (at least GM is). This is based off of old information and in fact has already been stated before. Reports of this kind where coming out in 05. It amazes me that these companies are being paid to report old news that your average car enthusiast could tell you. I’m in the wrong field of employment.

By: zan

zan — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:37:21 +0000

Hmm, I know I am not a financial genius or anything, buit what if they sold the cars to the dealership at least at say the cost of the vehicle?

In all seriousness I think the problem is they need to make less cars and try to find the number that is closer to demand rather then trying to increase demand with incentives

By: Chris C.

Chris C. — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:35:13 +0000

This study was based off information collected in 2005. Has anyone checked their calendars lately? It’s damned near 2007. I don’t think it’s any secret or any great revalation US Automakers were in big trouble then. It appears it’s still much the same situation for Ford and DC however; there’s a much different picture for GM who recently reported (as seen on this very site) for the first time in um-teen years a profit on their compact car lines.

By: YourNameHere

YourNameHere — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:33:40 +0000

i 2nd that. if it means saving GM i will take the 500 bucks….

By: peter g

peter g — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:20:52 +0000

Fantastic idea…I’ll not take two, please! Make that not 22…

By: Asher

Asher — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:09:34 +0000

Okay then, instead of losing $1200+ from selling me a car, I propose GM pays me $500 to NOT sell me a car. At least we’d both make more money this way. Anyone else want in on this deal?