I remember my new '85 Celebrity Eurosport, 2.8MFI, 4 speed automatic, cruise, AC, full gauges, best factory radio and speakers I could get ("Extended Range System"), Goodyear Eagle GT's and aluminum wheels, stickered at $12,600. My Dad's new '84 Monte Carlo with rally wheels, AC, FM stereo, tilt and cruise, and 305 4-barrel stickered at the bottom at $11,409.00 (for some reason, I remember that specifically). But even then, no one paid sticker price for a domestic car.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
I head a good quote yesterday - the U.S. has turned from a country that "makes things" into a country that "makes things up", referring to financial derivatives, credit default swaps, and other esoteric financial inventions.
That's about the same as my model. I though the looks were "ok", but I bought it for the steering and the interior. Compare it to the appearance of the Tempo. I always hated those peach fuzz headliners, standard on the Tempo. The Jetta had some sort of semi-hard salt/pepper textured material, sort of like a cloth/cardboard material.
Back on the comment on Honda clutches - no complaints here. After three Accords with sticks this year was the first time I had to replace a clutch - at 185K and my daughter, who just learned a stick, driving it.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
Earn it honestly...yeah, that defines China and friends along with the offshoring movement...honest business, yeah.
Every generation of tariff advocates has its own boogie man. In the 60s, it was Germany. (Yup, I'm old enough to remember "Those Germans will work 7 days a week for nothing. How do you expect Americans to compete?")
In the 80s, it was Japan. And now it's China.
But why are we talking about China at all? How many Chinese cars have you seen in your neighborhood?
Every generation of tariff advocates has its own boogie man. In the 60s, it was Germany. (Yup, I'm old enough to remember "Those Germans will work 7 days a week for nothing. How do you expect Americans to compete?")
In the 80s, it was Japan. And now it's China.
And I wonder what would happen to our economy if we cut off ALL sales of US products to other countries. It's not unreasonable to believe that if we want to do that here, there is going to be reciprocation. Boeing airplanes, Dell computers, US Pharmaceuticals.......lots of sales in other countries bring jobs to the US.
The globalization train has long ago left the station. Nothing to see here, move along and compete....
I've studied the markets, historical included, for a long time, and have never heard that. The fact that Germany had to import labor for low skill and service work because the locals weren't wanting to do it doesn't make it sound like a low wage paradise to me. And it's certainly not comparable to the abuses in China either way.
The "abuses" are a part of the natural cycle of a society growing rich. The richer the society, the fewer the "abuses". THIS country had plenty of abuses in the 1800's and early 1900's, and it led to new laws as well as labor unions. We've seen Europe catch up in this area and surpass us in employee protections. So now that we've been through it, we expect other countries to snap their fingers and get it right (according to our definitions) overnight, correct?
Take China, a highly populated formerly rural economy, and it is undergoing the type of transformation (albeit more rapidly and with more people) that the US did in the early 1900's. Look at US coal mining, or look at the pollution in Pittsburgh then vs. today. China is not there yet, but their increasingly educated and affluent society will go through the same changes. Right now their pollution issues are substantial in the big cities, just as in the US in the 1940's-60's. Yet we have largely cleaned all of that up.
Look at the "abuses" in China, and then look at what it is like to live in Africa where you have little medicine or water or food. I'd rather be a Chinese citizen suffering the "abuses" than an African one. Perhaps someday Africa will also get there.
There are also "abuses" of different types in rich countries. My brother stationed in Korea in the 1980's remarked about how low stress and enjoyable a more (materially) primitive lifestyle was than ours. In the US you can quickly be bankrupted with a medical issue if you are not lucky enough to have health insurance through your employer. You are pretty much enslaved to work until 65 to keep cancer or heart disease from leaving you destitute. And we are subject to a horribly stressful treadmill of a fast life that is unhealthy, with nasty food choices all over to get us fat. Perhaps those are the US societal "abuses".
Of course there are other large issues like war, disease, depletion of raw materials, greenhouse gases, and other fun stuff that we get to deal with as a planet. The whole planet has a big problem, and overpopulation is the biggest one.
My 04 S2k still has the original clutch... And the members of the club I am part of don't seem to be replacing them very early unless they are heavily (pushing over 350+ hp) modified and usually it's the stock Miata rear diffs that are gone before the clutch.
Of course with clutches it is so much about how you drive.
One thing that kept me away from Japanese makes back in the day and still does today is that I find their styling weird and alien-looking. The Vega might've been a total POS, but it was infinitely more attractive than any Corolla, Civic, or B210!
Plus weren't Toyota dealers doing secret repairs on cars when owners brought them in for recommended service to keep Toyota's reputation spotless unbeknownst to the owners?
I've had several great 1980s domestic cars: 1985 Chrysler Fifth Avenue, 1987 Chevrolet Caprice Classic, 1988 Buick Park Avenue, and still have my 1989 Cadillac Brougham. Another would've been great if it hadn't puked its tranny at 78K - 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS. Everything else about it was good. Had one 1990s car - 1994 Cadillac DeVille.
I always hated the Vega as a kid because I saw it for what it was...a cheap little economy car. But yeah, compared to most of what was out there at the time, it was downright sexy.
I think one of the biggest things that kept the domestics from being competitive in small cars was the fact that it took them so long to come out with 4-door versions. I don't think the 4-door version of the Chevette came out until 1978, and that was the same year the Omni/Horizon hit the scene. Ford wouldn't get a 4-door subcompact until the 1981 Escort!
Don't get me wrong, I thought the Vega was a piece of crap even when I was a little kid. My Grandmom traded her nice black 1964 Chevrolet Biscayne sedan for a mustard-yellow 1973 Vega hatchback. Even as an 8 year-old I could tell the Vega was inferior to her old car. It had this perforated particle-board looking headliner that looked like it was already warped. The interior aounded with ill-fitting hard plastic pieces.
Plus weren't Toyota dealers doing secret repairs on cars when owners brought them in for recommended service to keep Toyota's reputation spotless unbeknownst to the owners?
Huh? I've never heard that before, & we bought our first Toyota in 1975.
That's right up there with alien abduction stories.
If they want to play on our shores, they should have to play by our rules, rather than violate them outright and then give the middle finger when we complain (as they do via currency fixing and IP rights). It's that easy. Comparisons to the past are only so appropriate, as the technology to improve standards is so much better now - but they refuse to do it as they know our globalist shortsighted leadership won't take action. We are basically funding any of these imagined "changes" and conditions are far worse there today than it was here 60 years ago. About the growing affluent population there, I have no reason to believe the Chinese government won't slaughter them again if they become too agitated...there is much more submission to leadership there than here.
Comparisons to Africa are also not really applicable, IMO. It doesn't make everything better to say someone else has it worse, it just distracts from the accountability of others.
Material wealth is never a sole quality of life determinant, I agree re: the lifestyle and medical failures of the US in particular - many people in Europe have less "things" than Americans, but a more pleasant life with no worries about healthcare destroying them. However, this doesn't compare to what we support in China.
Dealers fixing things on cars before they become problems? Sounds like a good thing to me. If the domestics had taken that approach, maybe they could have avoided disgruntling so many of their customers?
The globalization train has long ago left the station. Nothing to see here, move along and compete....
Generally agreed, but you can only compete with other countries fairly under the same rules.
One basic rule is the overall balanced trade and the other one is no government subsidized dumping.
China has violated both. When a Chinese factory exports $1 worth goods to the US or other countries, they have to turn in the $1 to the Chinese government; Chinese government in turn will give them back RMB 6.8. So Chinese factories and consumers never get the chance to consume the US$ earned by export thus no demands for the import from the US; at the mean time the Chinese government has built up over $1 trillion reserve. This has caused the US$ to devalue and the oil price to go up; and a rising Chinese military ambition. Also since the RMB 6.8 is printed money without any goods in the Chinese internal market, this system creates big inflation inside China. In addition, Chinese government has been encouraging the factories to export goods at very low prices (dumping) while pay the factories the higher RMB as a compensation. They can print the RMB on paper for free.
We should strictly maintain balanced trade with China. If they do not comply, we should impose extra import tax until the trade is balanced.
US can not afford to lose the No. 1 manufacturing title to any other country. It's in the business owners' interests to seek the cheapest place to make their products; thus they have the incentives to move the manufacturing jobs to China. So it's the government's job to maintain the trade balance and LOWER the tax to the US based business and the "rich" people (business owners) to preserve the manufacturing jobs inside the US.
When you sprung for the Vega Custom interior, you got a very, very significant upgrade inside. I never saw anything else that size with as nice an interior, back then.
(OK, the orange carpet is part of the "Millionth Vega" package, but all GT's had this instrument panel, and all Vegas with Custom Interior option had those seats and soft door panels.)
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
US can not afford to lose the No. 1 manufacturing title to any other country. It's in the business owners' interests to seek the cheapest place to make their products; thus they have the incentives to move the manufacturing jobs to China. So it's the government's job to maintain the trade balance and LOWER the tax to the US based business and the "rich" people (business owners) to preserve the manufacturing jobs inside the US.
The problem with that idea is ...
1. It ignores all the incentives the "rich" people and corporations get from the US government that are made possible by those "taxes"..
and
2. Even at zero tax levels, if the product could be made cheaper in another country, then that's where it would be made.
Basically, in most cases, the "high tax" issue is nothing more than a red herring, used to justify off-shoring of production.
I know it was a more expensive car, but those Monzas and their clones could be had with some pretty nice interiors. And, while I know it's an insult to the name, but the Mustang II Ghia had an interior that was downright luxurious. Well, for a glammed-up Pinto...
1. It ignores all the incentives the "rich" people and corporations get from the US government that are made possible by those "taxes".. and 2. Even at zero tax levels, if the product could be made cheaper in another country, then that's where it would be made.
What incentives? Please let me know and I'll apply for them. There's none for my business.... Look at other countries like China, they truly have many incentives for the export.
The 2nd is not necessarily true either. Now most companies still maintain their R&D, marketing and some customer service jobs in the US even after they move the manufacturing jobs to China. Higher tax would drive them to move the rest of the jobs overseas as well.
True, but look inside a Pinto, Gremlin, Datsun B210, or Corolla of the same year and see what you got. Compare steering wheels too. That's all I'm saying.
And the engine warranty in '76 and '77 on Vega was as long as Ford and some of the others give you today.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
Andre, you are correct. I was a "Chevy kid" (I suppose that's obvious!) but those Mustang Ghias had very luxurious vinyl (maybe leather?) seating and an instrument panel that looked like it was out of a larger car. I'll concede they were probably a better car than the same year (early, anyway) Monzas.
When the Monza 2+2 came out (I was never a fan of the Towne Coupe), I could not wait to lay my eyes and hands on one. Our dealer didn't get one 'til Feb, and it was a plum-colored V8. I was intoxicated with it...a car that size with V8?!!! And I loved the styling. The Mustang had a more luxurious instrument panel, but the Monza looked so...racy in comparison! Two high school friends got them as new cars, in '75. Both were V8's. They wore out front tires and brakes easily, but they sounded great and looked great (and that's all that mattered to me then!).
I remember that in '75, the Monza 2+2 could be had with leather seating...although I only ever saw one single one, and that was as a beat-up used car several years later.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
I know this is only one story, but I had an older coworker who had a '77 Toyota Corolla that would just stop running on the interstate. His disinterested Toyota dealer could never find a problem. He traded it on a new '81 Ford Escort wagon. I remember when he got the Escort.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
What incentives? Please let me know and I'll apply for them. There's none for my business....
Well, under the previous administration we experienced some of the most significant tax cuts in the last 50 years, and also some of the highest job loss as well. I'm not hammering on Bush, just stating the facts.
SImply barking out the "cut taxes" mantra doesn't get it with me, simply because the problem is far more complex than anything a simple fix can mend.
If I can make more money by moving my operations overseas (regardless of a tax rate of 90% or 0% in the USA) without causing any impact on sales or perceived quality, then that's what I will probably do....so would most others, regardless what they may claim.
Now most companies still maintain their R&D, marketing and some customer service jobs in the US even after they move the manufacturing jobs to China. Higher tax would drive them to move the rest of the jobs overseas as well.
Why would a company already maintaining jobs overseas keep any jobs here if it were more profitable to move them off shore, regardless of what the tax situation happens to be? Do you think a 0% tax rate would cause all of those jobs to return here?
I don't.
You are painting with a very broad brush here.
Sometimes, it makes the most sense to locate R & D in the area being served (automaking is one)....in other cases, it makes no sense (drug development applies here).
For those turned off by "plood", that could be avoided by buying the Cosworth Vega, with its gold-colored engine-turned applique--although that car cost WAAAYYYY more than a Vega GT:
When the Monza 2+2 came out (I was never a fan of the Towne Coupe), I could not wait to lay my eyes and hands on one.
I was in the market for my first new car in late 1974. The Monza was on my short list. I checked out the first Monza in Louisville the day it was delivered to the dealership. By the time I got there it was sitting in the showroom reeking of coolant. The thing was overheating within five minutes of engine start-up.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
For those turned off by "plood", that could be avoided by buying the Cosworth Vega, with its gold-colored engine-turned applique--although that car cost WAAAYYYY more than a Vega GT
Maybe when they were first introduced- but most Cosworths remained nailed to the showroom floor. My home town Chevy dealer couldn't give the one they ordered away. Since I was the only "furrin'/sporty car" enthusiast in town they kept trying to foist it off on me- I think their last offer was over $2K off the sticker price. By that time I had a Datsun SPL-311 in the garage and my sights were set on a 2002 or Bavaria so it was no sale. That's one car I don't regret letting "get away"...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Our small-town Chevy dealer got one in, too. It was fairly early (no. 372) but he had it into the '76 model year. A little old lady (no joke) bought it, trading in her six-cylinder '72 Nova for it. It was funny to see her around town in it. A high-school buddy of mine owns it now, and it only has 13K miles. I think they're neat cars with some advanced engineering for that time. The car stickered at $6K but the original owner paid $4,500 for it, before trade....my friend has the paperwork.
I was 17 in 1975, and about lived at the dealership. A salesman took me "up the hill" out of town for a thrill ride in it when it was new. It was indeed fast for a Vega.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
My wife's father bought an orange Datsun in response to the early 1970s "energy crisis" back in the day. He told me driving that car on Philly's infamous Schuylkill Expressway was a downright scary experience. It could barely keep up with traffic and he felt as if he'd be flattened by the larger vehicles at any moment. His other car was a blue 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 sedan.
My wife's father bought an orange Datsun in response to the early 1970s "energy crisis" back in the day. He told me driving that car on Philly's infamous Schuylkill Expressway was a downright scary experience.
There were a lot of 4cyl economy cars that could be described the same way. I heard my grandpa describe a 4cyl Olds Omega the same way. His BIL bought one in in the early 80's and apparently it was so underpowered the cruise control would deactivate while going up hills with the a/c on. My grandpa claimed it was nearly undriveable. Granted, gramps drove nothing but large gm vehicles.
My friend had an 04 IIRC. He never had the clutch replaced, but it just wouldn't bite if you launched it hard. Any hard launch over 3k rpm would cause the clutch to slip hardly chirping the tires. This was with under 10k miles on it. Granted I wouldn't consider that kind of launch as normal driving, but if your trying to get a good jump off the line, you need some revs to launch hard. Maybe his was an anomaly as that's the only S2000 I've driven. Fun car no doubt.
My dad's latest hobby car was a Datsun 610, a very good survivor and probably one of the better examples left...but terrifying at 60mph, seems to be going flat out and the insane thinness of the metal makes it seem like a deathtrap. Where the even older fintail lopes along fine at that speed with no drama...because of metal thickness. That's another reason I like German cars, every MB I have owned has metal that reminds me of a late 40s or early 50s American car, like a tank.
I'll admit that where I grew up was pretty conservative, but I remember seeing my first Japanese car as a teen when the Pontiac dealer started selling Subarus (early '70's). I was struck by how thin the doors were, how small the wheels and tires were, and how plastic pieces on the dash (like the ashtray) felt like they would break at any nanosecond.
A decade--maybe a little less--later, I would often get small Toyotas as rental cars when out-of-town with work. The things I'm most reminded of, are the odd smell of the interior vinyl, and the fact that they were unGodly "buzzy" at interstate speeds....revving so high like they were going to explode. Being rentals, these were automatics, of course.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
I completely missed Asian cars in the '70's. Growing up in NW Indiana, I just didn't see many Asian cars. I think the first Asian car I remember being in was a '81 Accord that a older friend bought when we were in high school in the late 80's. It was a two door 5speed and believe it or not I witnessed the speedo hitting 100mph as it hit 100k on the odometer and we lived to tell about it;) I'd guess if it was an auto it probably couldn't go that fast.
Comments
That is a great quote.
The other phrase that incites the same reaction in me is "pay their fair share".
I remember my new '85 Celebrity Eurosport, 2.8MFI, 4 speed automatic, cruise, AC, full gauges, best factory radio and speakers I could get ("Extended Range System"), Goodyear Eagle GT's and aluminum wheels, stickered at $12,600. My Dad's new '84 Monte Carlo with rally wheels, AC, FM stereo, tilt and cruise, and 305 4-barrel stickered at the bottom at $11,409.00 (for some reason, I remember that specifically). But even then, no one paid sticker price for a domestic car.
http://images.automotive.com/reviews/images/96jetta.jpg
Every generation of tariff advocates has its own boogie man. In the 60s, it was Germany. (Yup, I'm old enough to remember "Those Germans will work 7 days a week for nothing. How do you expect Americans to compete?")
In the 80s, it was Japan. And now it's China.
But why are we talking about China at all? How many Chinese cars have you seen in your neighborhood?
In the 80s, it was Japan. And now it's China.
And I wonder what would happen to our economy if we cut off ALL sales of US products to other countries. It's not unreasonable to believe that if we want to do that here, there is going to be reciprocation. Boeing airplanes, Dell computers, US Pharmaceuticals.......lots of sales in other countries bring jobs to the US.
The globalization train has long ago left the station. Nothing to see here, move along and compete....
I don't remember the 7 days a week comments, but that was when the Chicken Tax came about - aimed directly at VW. (Wiki)
(some off-topic personal comments have been removed btw).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariff_in_American_history
The "abuses" are a part of the natural cycle of a society growing rich. The richer the society, the fewer the "abuses". THIS country had plenty of abuses in the 1800's and early 1900's, and it led to new laws as well as labor unions. We've seen Europe catch up in this area and surpass us in employee protections. So now that we've been through it, we expect other countries to snap their fingers and get it right (according to our definitions) overnight, correct?
Take China, a highly populated formerly rural economy, and it is undergoing the type of transformation (albeit more rapidly and with more people) that the US did in the early 1900's. Look at US coal mining, or look at the pollution in Pittsburgh then vs. today. China is not there yet, but their increasingly educated and affluent society will go through the same changes. Right now their pollution issues are substantial in the big cities, just as in the US in the 1940's-60's. Yet we have largely cleaned all of that up.
Look at the "abuses" in China, and then look at what it is like to live in Africa where you have little medicine or water or food. I'd rather be a Chinese citizen suffering the "abuses" than an African one. Perhaps someday Africa will also get there.
There are also "abuses" of different types in rich countries. My brother stationed in Korea in the 1980's remarked about how low stress and enjoyable a more (materially) primitive lifestyle was than ours. In the US you can quickly be bankrupted with a medical issue if you are not lucky enough to have health insurance through your employer. You are pretty much enslaved to work until 65 to keep cancer or heart disease from leaving you destitute. And we are subject to a horribly stressful treadmill of a fast life that is unhealthy, with nasty food choices all over to get us fat. Perhaps those are the US societal "abuses".
Of course there are other large issues like war, disease, depletion of raw materials, greenhouse gases, and other fun stuff that we get to deal with as a planet. The whole planet has a big problem, and overpopulation is the biggest one.
Of course with clutches it is so much about how you drive.
QFT :shades:
I think one of the biggest things that kept the domestics from being competitive in small cars was the fact that it took them so long to come out with 4-door versions. I don't think the 4-door version of the Chevette came out until 1978, and that was the same year the Omni/Horizon hit the scene. Ford wouldn't get a 4-door subcompact until the 1981 Escort!
Huh? I've never heard that before, & we bought our first Toyota in 1975.
That's right up there with alien abduction stories.
Comparisons to Africa are also not really applicable, IMO. It doesn't make everything better to say someone else has it worse, it just distracts from the accountability of others.
Material wealth is never a sole quality of life determinant, I agree re: the lifestyle and medical failures of the US in particular - many people in Europe have less "things" than Americans, but a more pleasant life with no worries about healthcare destroying them. However, this doesn't compare to what we support in China.
A Portrait of Hunger
NOBODY SHOULD GO TO BED HUNGRY IN THIS COUNTRY!!! THIS IS A DANG DISGRACE!
Providing everybody is working. Nobody should get free food without working!
Generally agreed, but you can only compete with other countries fairly under the same rules.
One basic rule is the overall balanced trade and the other one is no government subsidized dumping.
China has violated both. When a Chinese factory exports $1 worth goods to the US or other countries, they have to turn in the $1 to the Chinese government; Chinese government in turn will give them back RMB 6.8. So Chinese factories and consumers never get the chance to consume the US$ earned by export thus no demands for the import from the US; at the mean time the Chinese government has built up over $1 trillion reserve. This has caused the US$ to devalue and the oil price to go up; and a rising Chinese military ambition. Also since the RMB 6.8 is printed money without any goods in the Chinese internal market, this system creates big inflation inside China. In addition, Chinese government has been encouraging the factories to export goods at very low prices (dumping) while pay the factories the higher RMB as a compensation. They can print the RMB on paper for free.
We should strictly maintain balanced trade with China. If they do not comply, we should impose extra import tax until the trade is balanced.
US can not afford to lose the No. 1 manufacturing title to any other country. It's in the business owners' interests to seek the cheapest place to make their products; thus they have the incentives to move the manufacturing jobs to China. So it's the government's job to maintain the trade balance and LOWER the tax to the US based business and the "rich" people (business owners) to preserve the manufacturing jobs inside the US.
My 2 cents
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c5/Millionth_Vega_interior.jpg/- 800px-Millionth_Vega_interior.jpg
(OK, the orange carpet is part of the "Millionth Vega" package, but all GT's had this instrument panel, and all Vegas with Custom Interior option had those seats and soft door panels.)
The problem with that idea is ...
1. It ignores all the incentives the "rich" people and corporations get from the US government that are made possible by those "taxes"..
and
2. Even at zero tax levels, if the product could be made cheaper in another country, then that's where it would be made.
Basically, in most cases, the "high tax" issue is nothing more than a red herring, used to justify off-shoring of production.
That's a pretty nice interior for its time and price. Vega's problems were never that they didn't look nice.
and
2. Even at zero tax levels, if the product could be made cheaper in another country, then that's where it would be made.
What incentives? Please let me know and I'll apply for them. There's none for my business.... Look at other countries like China, they truly have many incentives for the export.
The 2nd is not necessarily true either. Now most companies still maintain their R&D, marketing and some customer service jobs in the US even after they move the manufacturing jobs to China. Higher tax would drive them to move the rest of the jobs overseas as well.
True, but look inside a Pinto, Gremlin, Datsun B210, or Corolla of the same year and see what you got. Compare steering wheels too. That's all I'm saying.
And the engine warranty in '76 and '77 on Vega was as long as Ford and some of the others give you today.
When the Monza 2+2 came out (I was never a fan of the Towne Coupe), I could not wait to lay my eyes and hands on one. Our dealer didn't get one 'til Feb, and it was a plum-colored V8. I was intoxicated with it...a car that size with V8?!!! And I loved the styling. The Mustang had a more luxurious instrument panel, but the Monza looked so...racy in comparison! Two high school friends got them as new cars, in '75. Both were V8's. They wore out front tires and brakes easily, but they sounded great and looked great (and that's all that mattered to me then!).
I remember that in '75, the Monza 2+2 could be had with leather seating...although I only ever saw one single one, and that was as a beat-up used car several years later.
I know the 70s were not a golden age for interior materials.
Well, under the previous administration we experienced some of the most significant tax cuts in the last 50 years, and also some of the highest job loss as well. I'm not hammering on Bush, just stating the facts.
SImply barking out the "cut taxes" mantra doesn't get it with me, simply because the problem is far more complex than anything a simple fix can mend.
If I can make more money by moving my operations overseas (regardless of a tax rate of 90% or 0% in the USA) without causing any impact on sales or perceived quality, then that's what I will probably do....so would most others, regardless what they may claim.
Now most companies still maintain their R&D, marketing and some customer service jobs in the US even after they move the manufacturing jobs to China. Higher tax would drive them to move the rest of the jobs overseas as well.
Why would a company already maintaining jobs overseas keep any jobs here if it were more profitable to move them off shore, regardless of what the tax situation happens to be? Do you think a 0% tax rate would cause all of those jobs to return here?
I don't.
You are painting with a very broad brush here.
Sometimes, it makes the most sense to locate R & D in the area being served (automaking is one)....in other cases, it makes no sense (drug development applies here).
http://www.universalautosalesandclassiccars.com/images/1975%20Vega/75VegaInterio- r.JPG
I was in the market for my first new car in late 1974. The Monza was on my short list. I checked out the first Monza in Louisville the day it was delivered to the dealership. By the time I got there it was sitting in the showroom reeking of coolant. The thing was overheating within five minutes of engine start-up.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Maybe when they were first introduced- but most Cosworths remained nailed to the showroom floor. My home town Chevy dealer couldn't give the one they ordered away. Since I was the only "furrin'/sporty car" enthusiast in town they kept trying to foist it off on me- I think their last offer was over $2K off the sticker price. By that time I had a Datsun SPL-311 in the garage and my sights were set on a 2002 or Bavaria so it was no sale. That's one car I don't regret letting "get away"...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I was 17 in 1975, and about lived at the dealership. A salesman took me "up the hill" out of town for a thrill ride in it when it was new. It was indeed fast for a Vega.
There were a lot of 4cyl economy cars that could be described the same way. I heard my grandpa describe a 4cyl Olds Omega the same way. His BIL bought one in in the early 80's and apparently it was so underpowered the cruise control would deactivate while going up hills with the a/c on. My grandpa claimed it was nearly undriveable. Granted, gramps drove nothing but large gm vehicles.
My friend had an 04 IIRC. He never had the clutch replaced, but it just wouldn't bite if you launched it hard. Any hard launch over 3k rpm would cause the clutch to slip hardly chirping the tires. This was with under 10k miles on it. Granted I wouldn't consider that kind of launch as normal driving, but if your trying to get a good jump off the line, you need some revs to launch hard. Maybe his was an anomaly as that's the only S2000 I've driven. Fun car no doubt.
A decade--maybe a little less--later, I would often get small Toyotas as rental cars when out-of-town with work. The things I'm most reminded of, are the odd smell of the interior vinyl, and the fact that they were unGodly "buzzy" at interstate speeds....revving so high like they were going to explode. Being rentals, these were automatics, of course.