"A punch in the stomach"

soundoff (4 Responses)

1. DARBY
   

   REGARDING GM:
   I know a lot about cars and the vanity associated with them.
   IF IGNORANCE WEREN’T SO SAD IT WOULD BE AMUSING.
   IF ANY ONE READ CONSUMER REPORTS WHILE LOUNGING UNDER THEIR COMFORTABLE BLANKETS OF IGNORANCE
   THEY WOULD BE ENLIGHTENED TO FIND THAT HYUNDAI IS SUPERIOR TO ACURA, HONDA, LEXUS, TOYOTA, etc. AND THE QUALITY OF BMW AND MERCEDES IS A MYTH. CONSUMER REPORTS STATES THERE IS LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY BETWEEN FORD AND THE ASIAN PRODUCT.

   MANY OF YOUR CALLERS BASH AMERICAN CAR COMPANIES & GM FOR POOR QUALITY
   YET WHO AMONG THEM WOULD NOT WANT A CORVETTE, AN ESCALADE, OR A CADILLAC CTS-V
   THAT DOES the Nurburgring in 7:59.32 THE FASTEST TIME EVER RECORDED FOR A PRODUCTION SEDAN.
   INSTEAD IGNORANT AMERICA HIRES FOREIGN WORKERS BY PURCHASING A BMW M-5 THAT IS A LOT SLOWER.

   Being in the experimental lab for United Technologies (who makes the on board computers, keyless remotes, etc. in American, with American workers that go into all the cars including BMW, HONDA, RANGE ROVER, insert all other brands here.) I am exposed to a lot of information such as BMW did own Range Rover but the product was so unreliable they tried to keep it a secret. Then BMW sold Range Rover and began making SUV’s. Ford went to the low tolerance new world class standard at the same time Honda did etc.

   Knowing what I do about cars, I usually buy Fords. Recently I bought the spunky 2008 Chevy Malibu LTZ for $24K. It gets 30MPG hwy, 25 around town and looks good doing it. The oil only has to be changed every 11,000 miles! I have 24K trouble free miles on the car. I love the pained expression on BMW owners’ faces as I leave them behind at traffic lights.

   THE SAD PART IS THAT NOW DETROIT IS MAKING THE SUPERIOR PRODUCT AND AMERICA WON’T WAKE UP AND CONSIDER THEM. BEFORE FORD OWNED VOLVO I BOUGHT ONE. IT WAS THE SAFEST CAR IN THE WORLD. I COULD NOT KEEP IT OUT OF THE GARAGE. IT WAS REPAIRED 8 TIMES IN THE 1ST 10K MILES. I HAD A BMW 528. WHAT A DOG AND THE TECHNICIANS WERE INSUFFICIENTLY TRAINED TO REPAIR IT. ONCE THEY DRILLED A HOLE IN A LIGHT LENS COVER FOR RAIN WATER TO DRAIN OUT SO THE LIGHT BULBS WOULD QUIT EXPLODING BECAUSE THEY COULDN’T SEAL THE LEAK. LOOK AT ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH BMW 750. I DON’T KNOW ANYONE WHO IS BUYING A SECOND ONE. ALL MY FRIENDS ARE DUMPING THEM AND BUYING THE NEW JAG that MAKES PEOPLE DROOL. IT IS A FORD PRODUCT JUST LIKE VOLVO.

   Being in the experimental lab for United Technologies (who makes the on board computers, keyless remotes, etc. in American, with American workers that go into all the cars including BMW, HONDA, RANGE ROVER, insert all other brands here.) I am exposed to a lot of information such as BMW did own Range Rover but the product was so unreliable they tried to keep it a secret. Then BMW sold Range Rover and began making SUV’s. Ford went to the low tolerance new world class standard at the same time Honda did etc.

   Knowing what I do about cars, I usually buy Fords. Recently I bought the spunky 2008 Chevy Malibu LTZ for $24K. It gets 30MPG hwy, 25 around town and looks good doing it. The oil only has to be changed every 11,000 miles! I have 24K trouble free miles on the car. I love the pained expression on BMW owners’ faces as I leave them behind at traffic lights.

   June 2, 2009 at 8:08 am |
2. Stephen Darbeau
   

   It is not important what you think of theMayor of Lansing.What is important is that we have been bailing out those same companies you praise so much.Its easy to speak when you are basically saying,let GM fail.There is more to this then just a car company.No matter how or what you say.Is GM at fault?Yes!Are the people who subsidize Honda and Toyota at fault?You damn right!These are the same people who called for GM to fail.There is nothing wrong having foreign auto makers on our soil.Its good foe competition.Yet to pay them to stay through tax breaks and cash is another story.We paid them to help destroy GM and other domestic auto makers.This in itself is a kind of treason if not collusion.I dont hear anything about the banks and the looting of wall street.Why is that?Why does the ST. call for an American instituion to die when they are directly involved with its demise.Now they can forget the subsidizes and go to earmarks.Boy have we made it sweet for them.

   June 1, 2009 at 9:05 pm |
3. David Fine
   

   I was not impressed with the mayor of Lansing, Mich., whom you interviewed this morning. He made a lot of silly arguments, ignoring the fundamental points raised by John Roberts: namely, that U.S. consumers have been gravitating towards non-Detroit vehicles for years; and that "legacy costs", put in place at a time when Detroit had things their own way, were no longer supportable. The mayor seemed oblivious to the fact that American workers do make vehicles that American consumers want to buy. Unfortunately, those vehicles tend to have nameplates like Honda, Toyota, BMW, etc. Good for J. Roberts for trying to bring the mayor back to reality.

   June 1, 2009 at 4:39 pm |
4. Mary P
   

   Will the elderly retired white collar worker still receive his/her pension, or is it lost like stock shares and medical benefits? Pls advise. Thank you.

   June 1, 2009 at 3:01 pm |