because its alot more efficient than the american made cars? this is a true example of how our country is really lagging behind other countries in fuel inefficiency. what do u think?
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/09/even_bush_government.php#comments
Bob
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It's even sadder that the Democrats couldn't agree to pass a modest increase in the US fuel economy standards, which are very old.
Of course the Bush administration is hardly blameless:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070925/AUTO01/709250342/1022/POLITICS
The US car industry seems bent on self destruction, and our politicians are enablers.
Niklaus Pfirsig
As strange as it may sound, many of the foreign branded cars are made in America, while many of the American branded cars aren't. I currently drive an American-branded SUV that averages 23 mpg. (21 city, 29 highway - mostly city driving)
This SUV was manufactured in Mexico. A few years ago, I had a Mitsubishi Eclipse. It was assembled in America with an engine and transmission made in Canada, the unibody, upholstery and glass made in the USA, electronics made in Mexico from American made parts, and a litle bit of plastic interior trim panels that were made in Japan.
This multinationalism is the Corporations maximizing profits by taking advantage of international exchange rates to keep labor expenses down.
Japanese Automakers favor American workshipmanship because they believe the quality is better than countries where labor is cheaper and the exchange rates between the dollar and the yen favor this.
American automakers favor offshore manufacturing in South America, and Mexico because of the exchange rates. They, however, think it is possible to get good quality from a workforce has not developed a technical cultural attitude.
The Japanese corporations pull a few dirty tricks in the auto industry.
Remember the Eagle talon, Mitsubishi Eclipse, and the Plymouth Laser? Except for cosmetic differences they wre identical cars made in the same factory using the same workforce and built from the same parts. Yet the slick car magazines constantly gave high ratings to the Eclipse, while giving low ratings to the American branded versions of the same car.
Why was this? Maybe because magazines that failed to praise a Japanese car over an American car would lose all advertising by Japanese companies. And usually the Japanese companies would buy the lions share of advertising in a magazine.
BTW, the best gas mileage I ever got in a car was in a Ford Escort. Over a period of several months, due to a vacuum leak that caused the transmission to upshift at lower than normal speeds, the car actually got 60 mpg!
Dana1981
It is indeed very sad. Back when Clinton was president, he came to an agreement with the Big 3 US automakers to support hybrid R&D. The idiotic American car companies payed lip service to the technology and basically ignored it, while the Japanese car companies thought they were serious and so developed the technology themselves. As a result, they got a 7 year head start on hybrid technology.
GM is finally starting to wake up, and the Chevy Volt will make them competetive in the hybrid market. It will likely be the most environmentally friendly car produced by a big manufacturer when it comes out (although a few electric vehicles will beat it). However, Toyota practically has a fleet of hybrids while GM is just barely getting into the market.
It's a combination of American politicians, car makers, and public which is driving the US automakers into the ground. And to think, if they'd taken their agreement with Clinton seriously, the US automakers could be leading the way in cleaner cars right now.
I-Love-GM
Wow... you are all idiots. Give me as many thumbs down you want, but you still don't know crap about cars or the automotive industry.
Do you really think the US government puts any thought into what cars to get? They just listen to what they see on the news like everyone else. American cars are just as efficient, and in a lot of cases more efficient than the Asian brands. Hybrids like the Prius, Camry Hybrid, and Accord Hybrid are more efficient than gas only American cars... but you know what? Hybrids come at a huge premium. A premium that will never pay itself off for most people. The Prius STARTS at $20,000. The $15,000 Civic has better performance, a better ride, better handling, a nicer interior, and nicer exterior while getting efficiency that is on par with the Prius.
The Chevy Impala V6 is more efficient than the smaller Camry V6. The Chevy Tahoe is way more efficient and powerful than the smaller Toyota Sequoia.
Asian brands are all hype. A cultural trend if you will. American made cars may have been poor in the past, but things are completely different now. If you want to spend a huge premium to get AT BEST slightly better fuel efficiency... then go right ahead. If you're dumb enough to make the purchase you deserve to get ripped off.
EDIT: Oh and No. Asian cars are still no where near as American as the Big 3. GM Hires 110,000 Americans, where as Toyota Hires 40,000. Plus GM pays their employees WAY more and the highest paying jobs involved with vehicle design are kept in America.
dad
Everything sad about America if you ask me .Either your going to be filthy rich from selling all that china lead base toys and everything ells to Americans or dirt poor working at a fast food restaurant . Every ones so damn blind hear though .Look how many people are loosing there homes .More and more homeless everyday the shelters are full in some arias . We keep going the way that we are going its going to blow up in our faces most are going to loose the shirts off there backs .
As far as the government officials are concerned there selling us out period. Why do you think nothings made in the u.s. anymore open your eyes good lord .