Why do American cars suck? Would you say union workers?

NEW YORK, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Japan's automakers shut out the competition in an influential list of the 10 best new vehicles for 2007, with models from Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (7267.T: Quote, Profile, Research) in the lead.





Consumer Reports magazine on Wednesday released its top picks for new cars based on its own testing, reported reliability by a survey of car owners and government safety rankings.


Reuters Pictures


Photo





Editors Choice: Best pictures


from the last 24 hours.


View Slideshow





For the second time in the 10-year history of the list, all of the magazine's top picks were Japanese. In addition, 55 of the 59 used car models recommended by the magazine were Japanese, again dominated by Toyota and Honda.

Why do American cars suck? Would you say union workers?
Americans believe bigger is better. Japanese and German automakers believe reliabilty and quality is better. It has taken the American public a long time to realise what the rest of the world discovered more than 20 years ago.
Reply:It's sad but true ( I own a European Repair shop), If you look at the older Mercedes they have technology even back in the early 80's %26amp; later 70's that surpassed American automotives - like ABS brakes. Of course now that America is buying up the Asian %26amp; European car manufactures they are improving greatly. An example is when Mercedes merged with Chrysler - Dodge %26amp; Chrysler have improved greatly - they are taking the suspension designs from Mercedes. Ford now owns Volvo, Land Rover, and Jaguar %26amp; has been involved with Mazda for a long time. So while Asian Imports (some-not all) do out perform American made cars I believe that we are making a come back %26amp; will improve drastically in the next 5-10 years. So before I get too carried away I would say no I would not blame labor workers - maybe lack of certain abilities to put it all together to make the best product out there. Oh by the way - I have owned about 9 Volvo's - Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Honda %26amp; VW - I now drive a 06' Dodge Durango - would have not gone near a Dodge 5 years ago.
Reply:the best cars I ever owned were jap cars..the only good american cars I ever own were pre 80s models..Americans cant make good front wheel drive cars..they suck ..I miss the old big boats of a car form the 70s..
Reply:I like my GMC and my HD although some of the parts are built overseas.I don't care for what the Union has done to alot of America's productivity. It always did hit me funny when a Union worker wouldn't pay the American price for something, I would rather pay an extra dollar or two to keep a fellow American working. Some people just want their checks for free. I believe in putting my name on my job!
Reply:That is part of it....and greed by the ar$ehole salesmen that don't stand behind their product....and its sad too because all the partsupply workers suffer to boot...soon we'll be able to get a car at Wal-Mart with all the rest of that Chinese crap
Reply:I love American cars and that is the only ones I will ever buy. I have never owned a foreign car, this is my small way of supporting the jobs of Americans. I think Chevy's are some of the best cars ever made and they are great to look at too! Honda's are made in the USA , Ohio has a huge Honda factory that employs many. If you are a true American-Buy American cars-do the right thing for your country!!
Reply:No. It's because the cars were lasting too long and the car companies were losing money not selling new cars. So they made new cars, starting about the mid-80's, to break down after a certain amount of time. They used to build them to last, now they build them to be replaced. Very wasteful.
Reply:Import cars are good.considering they began as economical cracker boxes....Not a thing wrong with American cars..I have owned American cars since 1967 and thy have all served me well.


I don't permit foriegn cars to park in my drive way or in front of my house....I would take a bus before I drove in one
Reply:Yes absolutely.





Labor unions have been driving up costs and lowering quality for decades.