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Where Is Ford taking the Lincoln Motor Company?

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    cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,506
    ". . .to people who would never consider the car at all, but can afford it."

    Hey, that's a great idea! They could develop a competitive sports sedan with lots of driving quality touches (RWD, aluminum anti-dive suspension, 49/51 weight distribution, available manual transmission). Something like that would attract someone like me who would otherwise never be caught dead in a Lincoln.

    They could call it the LS, if they had no imagination whatever -- or maybe think up a better name.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
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    euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    are balanced in their design. Every other high priced Euro and the Orientals forgot about the design of the trunk. They all look like somebody sliced the bustle off.
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    That may be, but the balance comes on top of a very boring, old fashioned look that isn't even as graceful as that of the car it replaced.

    Doesn't matter what we think though...the XJ may have high quality and good reviews, but the marketplace has completely rejected it.
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    jeyhoejeyhoe Member Posts: 490
    "They could call it the LS, if they had no imagination whatever -- or maybe think up a better name."


    Nice one, cd.

    I think the name would have to be the "MK LS"
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    euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    marketplace has completely rejected it

    Perhaps the marketplace has not rejected it so much as it has not been presented extensively in the market. Out here in the great NW, Jag dealers are very rare, i.e. just one in the whole state of OR & he doesn't even advertise, but for the small ads in the Classifieds.

    I propose the Jag be available to at least all of the Lincoln dealers in the USA. ;)
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
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    brucelincbrucelinc Member Posts: 815
    I think the XJ long wheelbase or VDP is a brilliant automobile. I have never driven a car that made me feel more special. The balance of ride and handling, interior, and smoothness is excellent. Even walking into my Jag/LR dealership makes me feel like a king. They are extremely professional and the experience is more like walking into the Waldorf Astoria than into a car dealer.

    However, as Gregg says, the body styling is not as expressive as the model it replaced - the one with poor quality and cramped interior. I think a styling re-do is critical. On top of that, they need to think outside the box a bit more to gain attention. A 100,000 mile warranty would be good to help offset the old "British car quality" stereotype. Free service for 50,000 miles, a free trip to jolly old England for a tour of the factory, or SOMETHING to really talk about is needed.

    I am surprised that more Town Car owners haven't replaced their TCs with an XJ. Perhaps fear of quality gremlins or expensive service stands in their way.

    In any case, this marque should be saved and positioned above Lincoln in the FoMoCo line-up.
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    british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    We are way off topic here but I think Lincoln can learn from how Jag runs their dealerships.

    Jag is top in Sales Satisfaction survey.

    http://www.jdpower.com/press-releases/pressrelease.aspx?id=2006250

    Jag is Customer Service Survey.

    http://www.jdpower.com/press-releases/pressrelease.aspx?id=2006250

    Even people that didn't buy cars there but were only looking were impressed with Jaguar.

    http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/17/report-acura-dealers-treat-customers-best-whe- ther-or-not-they-b/
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    fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,169
    There's a Jag dealer just a couple miles from me, paired with a Rover dealer, and next door to a Bentley dealer.

    I rarely see XJs though, they do look like a good used deal.
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    brucelincbrucelinc Member Posts: 815
    When you buy a higher end vehicle, the customer experience needs to be as special as the car. Lincoln seems to be pretty high on the sales satisfaction survey, too. Here in Minneapolis, many Lincoln dealers have merged with Ford stores and I wonder if the sales satisfaction rating will remain as high.

    As for Euphonium's point of Lincoln dealers also offering Jag, is that practical? I suppose manufacturers can encourage dealers to take on another line from the same company, but they couldn't force them to do it, could they? If a Lincoln dealer also had Jag, I would want it to be an absolute top level store - not just any Ford-Lincoln-Mercury joint. I would find it tacky if I was looking at an $80,000 Jag, and some kid that sells Ranger pickups runs up and says, "What do I have to do to get you in this baby, today?"
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    euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    In consideration of my buying that XJR over there, you can throw in the Ranger for 1/2 price! :P
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    fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,169
    I am sure XJRs are selling so well, if you went in and paid MSRP, you could probably get a strippo Ranger thrown in for free :P

    Heck, with what Town Cars sticker at, and what they must obviously change hands for, you could probably do the same thing.
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    When Lincoln was trying to get rid of the Blackwood they were advertising buy a Blackwood for MSRP and get a Free Cougar. Blackwood rebates at the time were around $15K.
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    brucelincbrucelinc Member Posts: 815
    Now THAT is what I mean by thinking outside the box! I was going to mention the Blackwood/Cougar deal but Akirby beat me to it.

    Seriously, if some top level Lincoln dealers were encouraged to take on Jaguar in areas that don't have a dedicated Jag dealer, it might be a good idea. I would expect the Jag salespeople and the techs to have substantial extra training and be somewhat specialized in their work, however.

    I have really only worked with one Jag/LR dealer and they are in a completely different league than any Ford-Merc/Lincoln dealer I have ever seen. They really seem to be staffed with passionate Jaguar enthusiasts who are highly professional. I would love to do business with them if it were not for the uncertain future of the brand.
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    nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I completely agree with your philosophy, bruce - the problem may be the black hole of capital that Jaguar is to Ford, and can they afford to sustain those losses any longer in the condition they are in. Unless Jag could be turned around NOW, it has to go, just to stop the bleeding, or there will be no Lincoln, and no Ford. As for volvo, let it go.
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    savethelandsavetheland Member Posts: 671
    As I understand problem is more like lack of resources since Jaguar/LR require pretty soon infusion of more billion $$ to keep lineups fresh or die.
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    douglasrdouglasr Member Posts: 191
    Amidst the worst July for the domestic manufacturers---having slipped to 48.1% of the U.S. market (679,523 vehicles to 629,569) with foreign labels taking 51.9% of the market---there was a glimmer of bright news at Ford Motor.

    While GM posted an $891Mn profit on $45.9Bn in sales, Ford Motor managed to surprise everyone with $750Mn profit for the second quarter (Q2) on $44Bn revenues, up 6% over last year. Accomplishing this amidst the annoucement that Ford dropped 19.2%, (194,092 vehicles sold) at the outset of the third quarter dampened the news---but everyone lost in July including Honda (3.2%) and Toyota (3.5%)

    Lincoln sales increased 30% to 12,444 for June, and up for the first half of the year at 73,353 by 14.5%. Even Town Car increased its share by 5.5% to 23,035 cars for the first half. Likewise Jaguar fell like a stone in the water: 1,410 sales nationwide for June (28 cars per state) and only 8,461 for the first half, representing a drop respectively of 34.7 % and 27.4% for Jaguar. Every Jaguar model except XK lost ground (XK selling 406 cars for June and 2,555 for the year, a 13.7% increase) Even on the face of this PAG Group made money: $140Mn on $8.4Bn in revenues. Ford Motor's North American Operations narrowed its losses over last year to a "mere" $279Mn on $18.8Bn in revenues.

    Thus at the darkest hour of Ford's history, a small light at the end of the tunnel appears to be shinning. And Lincoln is begining to regain lost ground. This in the face of huge sales gains at the top of the market for Mercedes, BMW, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and even Cadillac. Imperial will never see the light of day owing to the tardiness and weakness of those running Chrysler (though things may change when Mr. Bernhard becomes Chairman), but Lincoln now has the chance to rebuild itslef into a great story. But will they be able to keep the momentum going? It has been two years since Ford posted a profit, and the vote is not in yet.

    Yet Lincoln can show the way. It must no longer be written that the "Mark R hasn't a chance of making production" as you can find here and there. ARM must make the fate of Lincoln known now. To wait will be too late. Even on the face of this good news.

    DouglasR

    (sources: GM; FT; Ford Motor Company)
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    nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Great discourse, as usual, Doug. Thank you for the facts, and the perspective. Very encouraging.
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    Mr. Bernhard himself killed the Imperial. He did not like the styling and apparently would like to focus on regaining an edge with some of their core products. Imperial revival is not a bad idea, but the concept was more weird than wonderful.
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    lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Sure was strange of Chrysler to use styling inspired by the 1961 Imperial - one of the most maligned designs of all time. The '61 Imperial was cool in a weird way. I could've seen a lot of guys in Philly going nuts over having "a poor man's Phantom." The 300 is often referred to as the "poor man's Bentley" around here.
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    jeyhoejeyhoe Member Posts: 490
    Well, as we all know there are "lies, d_mned lies and statistics." Lincoln's rosy picture is based on the third of this trio and the fact is that the only reason Lincoln sales are up is they have an additional vehicle to sell (mkx) that they didn't have last year.

    Other than the mkx, every Lincoln vehicle except the Navigator is DOWN in the month of July. MKZ down 11.5%, MKLT down 21%, MKTC down over 50%. Ford is no better with only the Expedition and Escape UP. Total sales down from 199K to 160K. Even the vaunted new Taurus + 500 sales are down almost 20% from last July's 500 sales alone. THis is progress? The joke that is Mercury is in even worse shape with only the Mariner up and that only 2%. So spin, spin, spin.

    The only really good news company-wide that looks sustainable is the Volvo S80 which is WAY up. Probably cause of it's great new chassis. Much improved over the old S80 chassis that Ford is using for it's taurus/sable/mks triplets.

    Sorry, just the truth. Just gimme some truth.
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    You forgot to mention that even Toyota had a sales loss compared to July of last year. It was a bad month all the way around.
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    jeyhoejeyhoe Member Posts: 490
    Well, OK, Toyota was down 7%, Ford down 19%.

    Then there is this:

    "Foreign rivals outsell Big 3

    For first time, the Big 3 monthly market share is under 50%"

    Have I ever mentioned how much disdain I have for Americans who will not even consider buying an American car?
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    brucelincbrucelinc Member Posts: 815
    "The only really good news company-wide that looks sustainable is the Volvo S80 which is WAY up. Probably cause of it's great new chassis. Much improved over the old S80 chassis that Ford is using for it's taurus/sable/mks triplets."

    Considering they only sold 407 S80s in July of 2006, being WAY up doesn't take much. Not sure how much credit to give the new platform. Drive a Taurus back to back with a new S80 and most non-enthusiasts or non-volvophiles would wonder why the 3.2 S80 costs so much more. Certainly the new engines are more appropriate for the S80 than the 5 banger that was in the 2006 model so that probably helped, too.
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    nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Mr. Bernhard himself killed the Imperial.

    Demonstrating comfortingly good judgement, IMO. That concept was FRIGHTENINGly ugly (fugly) to me.....
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    With some differently drawn lines and curves, it certainly could have been a poor man's Rolls. But instead of stately, imposing or even menacing, they managed to draw a clumsy, unrefined, mordidly obese cartoon of a car.
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    cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,506
    ". . .they managed to draw a clumsy, unrefined, mordidly obese cartoon . . ."

    One wonders where the American car industry is headed. Some of us see an unhappy ending sometime in the future, and don't especially consider it a bad thing. OTOH, if one of the "Big 2.5" manage to shine in the future, that certainly wouldn't be bad, just irrelevant, so far as I'm concerned.

    I've done my one "American" car and am finished.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
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    nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    they managed to draw a clumsy, unrefined, mordidly obese cartoon of a car.

    Reminded me of the Lincoln Versailles - OMG, that was one hellova head turner, wasn't it?

    If Lincoln rebounded from something as garish as that - they may make it back again, but the market keeps shifting against them -they'll be swimming upstream this time as Cadillac in on their game, unlike the last time.
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    displacedtexandisplacedtexan Member Posts: 364
    Reminded me of the Lincoln Versailles - OMG, that was one hellova head turner, wasn't it?

    I never sat in one or drove one (still in HS when they killed it) but I think the last model year didn't look too bad from the outside. The rear roofline finally departed from the Ford Granada.

    The thing is now they don't have the luxury of going through a few model years before they get it right. Lincoln needs to get it right the first model year: no more introducing models like the Zephyr underpowered then tweeking it the second year. First impressions...
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    no more introducing models like the Zephyr underpowered then tweeking it the second year. First impressions...

    I agree, but you have to look at where the Lincoln dealers were sitting in 2006 - the LS was a V8 only lame duck and the MKX wasn't out yet. So they would have had the TC, Navigator and Mark LT only. They needed the Zephyr just to fill the inventory and give the dealers something to sell. It was never intended to be launched like that but the dealers were desperate. Terrible planning, but now that the MKX and MKZ are in full production they don't have to make those kinds of mistakes any more. We'll see with the MKS launches next year.
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    displacedtexandisplacedtexan Member Posts: 364
    in 2006 - the LS was a V8 only lame duck

    A lame duck?!?!? I love my LS! ;)

    We'll see with the MKS launches next year.

    I am certainly hoping for the best.
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    marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    You may have disdain, and I do not know how old you are, but for those of us old enough to remember the junk and crap the Big 3 sold to us in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, it may be difficult for some to forgive them for all the wasted money we spent on junk that barely qualified to be a boat anchor...the Big 3 are ONLY in the position, not because the Japanese are HERE, but because they sold us decades, DECADES of unspeakable junk, and, like the boy who cried wolf, we are hesitant to trust them now...

    As much as we don't like our dollars going overseas, many find it hard to support their neighbor's auto job when they turn out crap that falls apart...and even if my statement is more emotional than true, that is the PERCEPTION about the Big 3 management and the UAW, that they just don't care, and the memory of decades of junk is hard to erase with some simple childish slogans like "Quality is Job 1", when everybody knows that that UAW believes they should be hired and paid until death as their Divine Right, simply because they are a union...

    The American people obviously no longer believe in those fairy tales...tha Japanese did not gain market share from advertising gimmicks, they did it with better products...if you remember, HOnda used to just advertise that their cars were "simple" and that they simply worked...gosh, what a concept!!!

    Meanwhile, the UAW/Big 3 spent billions telling us to Buy American and save our neighbor's job, but never gave us a reason to buy their crappy PRODUCT, but buy it for our neighbor...that ain't a reason, and the under-50% market share shows why...

    Our products simply do not have the PERCEPTION of quality, and I lay the blame squarely at the feet of the UAW, as there are many folks who simply see the union as something to save the job of workers who frankly do not deserve the job they have...argue if you wish, but they ain't buying Japanese simply because we like the restaurants in Tokyo, they believe they are buying superior quality, and, until the Big 3/UAW changes that belief, WITH BETTER PRODUCTS, NOT SLICKER ADVERTISING, the American auto industry will eventually be bought out by George Soros or Rupert Murdoch...

    BTW, now that Chrysler is American and privately owned, I am wagering that the new owner files Bankruptcy by Xmas, voids all the union contracts and pension plans, and makes Chrysler competitive again within 2 years, leaving unionized GM and Ford (if Ford is still standing) in the dust...any takers???
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    nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    BTW, now that Chrysler is American and privately owned, I am wagering that the new owner files Bankruptcy by Xmas, voids all the union contracts and pension plans, and makes Chrysler competitive again within 2 years, leaving unionized GM and Ford (if Ford is still standing) in the dust...any takers???

    Interesting - I doubt they can discharge everything quite so simply - however, Chrysler has NEVER had consistency in their management, much like Ford, so they often put out brilliant designs, only to let them languish with neglect.

    The Iacocca cars of the 80s were HORRIBLE cars. I had several - they ran pretty well, but they were noisy, rough, handled like a CJ-5, and were just generally junk with that 4 cylinder lawnmower engine. Even with the Mitsubishi V-6, they still had torque steer, wobbles and rattles and all the noise. And Lee sold them strictly on AMERICA....it was a good era for that.

    GM had consistent leadership - consistently BAD leadership and achieved an aggressive, systematic and carefully plotted decline in market share, whereas, Chrysler and Ford run in fits & starts.

    The Japanese and European makes tend to operate year to year, rather than Quarter to Quarter - and for all of this, I blame Wall Street more than the UAW. The have their part in it to be sure - however the problem with all American business is that if you're not posting RECORD earning EVERY quarter, Wall Street sells you off, and you're screwed. Therefore the American companies tended to use 3 months as long term planning - ie; what can I make out of the Taurus THIS quarter, because if we don't make a zillion THIS quarter, there may be no NEXT quarter, therefore, decontent the car, make it cheaper, and put it on sale. Dump my inventory into the Rental Fleets. Whatever you have to do. Sell Hertz, or the Tank Division, the only subsidiary that is actually making money....sell GMAC. Whatever it takes! Build seriously better cars? Maybe next quarter if we can afford it after this quarter.

    Japan and Europe don't care about quarterly profits as much, because they aren't lopped off if they have a bad one. So, they build for the future, and customer loyalty.

    I blame Wall Street, the UAW, and short sighted management.

    What's the topic here anyway? Oh yeah, Lincoln. I would need another paragraph or two, but I'll sum it up in two words - Nasser vs. Bill Ford. How much more inconsistent can you get, and LIncoln is the Victim.
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    euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    Agree. The big expense hindering UAW factories is the womb to tomb medical insurance premiums. Japan does not have that huge expense built into their car costs. The insurance premiums are paid by sacrificing quality in UAW vehicles.
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    That, and how many of us can expect 95% of our salaries if we get laid off? I am a union person, but i am also a consumer, a taxpayer and a member of this society. I also know that it is not all about me and that blind self-interest ultimately serves no one.

    I don't begrudge auto workers decent pay. I question how people who screw together our cars think how their particular manufacturing job merits $78 per hour in compensation and benefits, just as I wonder about some of the compensation packages for the bozos at the top who have led the companies so far astray. I only hope that the goose who laid the golden egg is not cooked.

    And don't get me started on boards. You could replace most of them with a group of monkeys and get no worse decisions. The board that approved the gutting of Lincoln, allegedly to help pay for the Firestone debacle, was so short-sighted they must have been brain dead. And Bill Ford. I think the guy had his heart in the right place, but no ability to realize that he is a lousy car person. He should be made to watch those Ioccaca-style commercials he did a few years ago over and over again. At least until such time as Lincoln recovers some respect.
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    lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...an saw a beautiful 1965 Lincoln Continental four-door convertible for sale. This is what a Lincoln really should be, not a stupid, gaudy cross-over like the MKX or a puny Fusion-Deluxe with a prop rod for the hood.
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    I agree. But I also prefer the 61-63 convertibles and 66-67 convertibles over the 64-65. However, I wouldn't turn one down if the right deal came along!
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    jeyhoejeyhoe Member Posts: 490
    You forgot the cars of the 50s and 60s. I love that era of American iron.
    70s? I had a '74 American car (AMC) that lasted well into the 80s. Bought a [non-permissible content removed] car in '84 (Nissan) and in 2 years the interior began tearing of it's own volition. Bought an 86 Cherokee (again AMC) and it finally died this year - 21 years and 1/4 million miles later. In the 90s, had 2 American cars - Mark VIII and Chevy Tahoe. Both were great vehicles with litte to no issues. Tahoe saved my a__ once because it really is 'like a rock'.
    This millenia? 2 Lincolns, 1 Ford, all great vehicles. Just great.
    So my experience is obviously different from yours.
    UAW is BIG part of the problem then and now. When [non-permissible content removed] and German companies can hire US workers for 1/3 of what US companies can, it is pretty much checkmate, doncha think?
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    nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    And don't get me started on boards. You could replace most of them with a group of monkeys and get no worse decisions. The board that approved the gutting of Lincoln, allegedly to help pay for the Firestone debacle, was so short-sighted they must have been brain dead. And Bill Ford. I think the guy had his heart in the right place, but no ability to realize that he is a lousy car person.

    Ditto - I report to a board of 11 Directors - nice guys & gals, and I generally have them in check, but what they actually know about running a bank??? Well, lets say, if I died tomorrow - so would the bank, even if all 11 of them pooled their entire expertise in the banking business.
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    marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    I certainly do not doubt your great experience with American cars...and I did not consider the 50s and 60s because, aside from British Leyland, the Big 3 (4? 5?) owned the US market and the union, coincidentally, was not so militant...

    But my argument is that your experience is, apparently, NOT what the majority of Americans are having...no one is holding a gun to the heads of American citizens, and they are buying non-Big-3 in droves...

    You may argue logic and quality with me all you want, but the American consumer finds your argument hollow, as the imports now split the market with the Big 3...

    Say what you want or believe, but their hard-earned dollars are going to products other than Big 3 because they believe, rightly or wrongly, that the price and/or quality of Big 3 autos simply isn't there...
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    jeyhoejeyhoe Member Posts: 490
    "You may argue logic and quality with me all you want, but the American consumer finds your argument hollow, as the imports now split the market with the Big 3... "

    Well actually no, about half of American consumers feel the way you describe. I maintain that these are the same folks who are opposed to anything the US does in the world, even if it is ostensibly to protect these very people. In other words, I believe, based on experience, that leftie democrats buy almost exclusively foreign cars while those on the other side of the aisle prefer to buy American when they can. I'd love to see a survey.

    "But my argument is that your experience is, apparently, NOT what the majority of Americans are having...no one is holding a gun to the heads of American citizens, and they are buying non-Big-3 in droves... "

    If this trend continues, there will be no need for a gun. Americans will surrender our way of life without a fight. At least some Americans will. The old saying "As goes GM, so goes the USA" still applies. The auto industry is a huge part of the American economy. When it fizzles out, the impact will be an enormous redistribution of wealth from the US to the rest of the world. Another goal of the left will be achieved. All just MHO folks.
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    OMG, the one-dimensional stereotypes again. My own car buying has nothing to do with American (or any other) politics. I try to compare apples to apples and buy the one that works best for me. Out of the 27 vehicles I have owned, nine have been Ford products, and more than half American.

    BTW, I have seen plenty of Republican bumper stickers on non-American cars...though it seems there are fewer GOP oriented bumper stickers being displayed now. Rightly or wrongly, quagmires do tend to ruin it for the party in power. :P
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    british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    So if we don't buy American cars we support the terrorists?

    Are we emboldening them too?

    Man you must work for the Administration cause that kind of logic is right out of their playbook.
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    euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    I'm just to the Right of Atilla the Hun, but still interested in a gently used XJ8L with Michelin tires and gasoline from Overseas while wearing my Swiss watch. Fact. Globalization is here & provincial attitudes can not prevail.

    The American wages and prices will adjust to foreign wages and prices enabling the improvement of foreign wages while our standard of living will fall due to our socialized Left Liberal standards which abhors competition in the marketplace. Get used to it. ;)
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    fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,169
    It's a conspiracy! :P
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    jeyhoejeyhoe Member Posts: 490
    Whoa! All I said was that "I believe" it's so. And that I'd like to see a survey. Guess I shouldda known it would cause a big outcry and off the wall accusations.

    Here where I live in the California Bay Area, there are very very few supporters of anything to the right of Mao and there are also very very few American cars on the road. Coincidence? I dont think so.

    As for your comments in particular Mr Rover, get a grip. And based on your comments here, I'd bet you drive a foreign car, say a Land Rover, thus becoming exhibit A.
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    marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    Hey, I always said that I was just to the right of Attila the Hun, and that I always considered Pat Buchanan kinda left of center (...:):):)...)...now there are two of us!!
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    british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Here where I live in the California Bay Area, there are very very few supporters of anything to the right of Mao and there are also very very few American cars on the road. Coincidence? I dont think so.


    See there you go again. You are essentially saying that if you don't but American cars then you are a communist. That just blows all your credibility. Then you have to define what kind of American car do you mean? Does it just have to be built here? Built by Union labor? Can the company be American but build them overseas? Can they build them in Mexico or Canada? What if they are headquartered in some other country but you can buy their stock on the NYSE and they built the car here?

    For your information I don't own a Land Rover. I own a Jeep that my wife drives. I drive whatever my company gives me which is currently a Subaru that I think was built in the US. I would have to go and check to make sure.

    In fact until 2004 when I bought my MINI Cooper S every car I had ever owned was from a US company. I kind of strugled with buying the MINI because it wasn't built in the US nor was it from a US company. Eventually I decided that if the domestics didn't built a single car that I was interested in what choice did I have but to buy elsewhere. No domestic built anything that could even come close the experience of driving a MINI so the domestics lost a sale. Actually at the time I don't you could buy a car in the US that would rival a MINI in the SPM(smiles per mile) figure.

    In the next year my wife and I are going to buy some kind of fun car. It will probably be a convertible and because my wife is hearing impaired it will probably be a hard top convertible. I will look at the two domestic offerings but will they have the stats to win me over??? I don't know maybe they will. I haven't had a chance to see the Hard top Sebring yet but I will next week. I can tell you they have a tough act to follow with the EOS which my wife loved. I am sure the Chryser and Pontiac will be much chepaer then the EOS but that doesn't really matter to me personaly. I want the better car and I will pay to have it.

    I have a VW dealer in my autogroup along with a Chrysler dealer so I am watching to see how well they both do from a reliablity stand point. That does matter some but since it is more of a fun car and I would never be without a car it doesn't matter to me as much as it would to other people. At any one time there are 250 something cars in my autogroup I can drive so I don't have to worry about being without a car for a few days.
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    euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    They call us "Patriots". :);)
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    marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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