Ford and GM Merger...

[briwayjones]

Does anybody know if Toyota has a truck to compete with the workforce of a F250/2500 or a F350/3500? I was just wondering. I know they have a full size for the F150/1500 market.

The foriegn manufactures still don't have a true full size truck that can even truly compete with a F150/1500 market. The 1/2 ton American trucks (F150/1500) have a 3000lb payload capacity. The Japanese trucks only have a 2000lb payload capacity.

 

[Dopler174]

I had never heard of this until last week, we talked about them in class.

NUMMI

I heard the Vibe was a Toyota. Physically it's built just the same as a corolla, but I never really paid it any mind.

 

[Bwana Bob]

All Mr Toyota has to say is I will corner your truck market in the next three years, so you can just be happy living in the past. They already have the best selling car. The TrailBlazer and the Blazer aren't at all the same vehicle and have nothing in common. The Blazer was a soft wallowy, dangerous POS, while the Trailblazer is larger, a bit stiffer, and one of the nicest rides I have felt in a larger vehicle.

Maybe the failing American auto makers should band together and take their most stockpiled parts and engineer them in to a low cost Vehicle. Wait a minute......Is that Deja vu?

Not "Deja vu", the vehicle you are thinking of is "Satern Vue".


Bob

 

[Mbrooks420]

Actually I was talking about the AMC garbage, and failure.

 

[Bobby D Crawley]

Toy's and other import cars assembled here or there, who cares the main thing is where does the profit go to in the end. go head and save a dollar and drive an import to your job in the good old usa. when we are the cheap labor in the world because our factorys have closed down and we are looking for work where we can get it, don't complain to me because I didn't do it to you or myself. I buy from american manufactures when possilbe. if I can't afford it I make due until I can. because of imports, all car standards have been lowered as to compete. how many of todays car will be around 60 years from now unrestored and still in great condition. there are still fomoco's, GM's, and Mopar's from the past driven daily. show me 1 early 70s toyota, or honda there gone and if there's one hanging around somewhere its not enough lift to tell what it was.

enough said, I'll stop so everyone can gang up on me now!

 

[Mbrooks420]

There are more parts made in the United States on a Honda than either a Chevy or a Toyota. And saying that imports have lowered quality is rediculous.

 

[Dopler174]

Toy's and other import cars assembled here or there, who cares the main thing is where does the profit go to in the end. go head and save a dollar and drive an import to your job in the good old usa. when we are the cheap labor in the world because our factorys have closed down and we are looking for work where we can get it, don't complain to me because I didn't do it to you or myself. I buy from american manufactures when possilbe. if I can't afford it I make due until I can. because of imports, all car standards have been lowered as to compete. how many of todays car will be around 60 years from now unrestored and still in great condition. there are still fomoco's, GM's, and Mopar's from the past driven daily. show me 1 early 70s toyota, or honda there gone and if there's one hanging around somewhere its not enough lift to tell what it was.

enough said, I'll stop so everyone can gang up on me now!

I would say that if anything, the Japanese automakers have raised standards. Even when Lexus wins the award (every year) with a score of say 322, and Buick get a score of 330 two years later, Lexus gets a score of 390. The Idea of cars that crumble and disappear within 30 years was Mercedes' idea. (Even though Volvo stole it.) They are the ones that said that full frame cars weren't safe. The crumble front end is better because is absorbs the impact. As far as older cars lasting longer. It doesn't really matter. The government comes up with some new pitch every 7-10 years to get rid of all the older cars. So it has to be something that someone wanted to keep around for it to have been kept around. Prime example is that back in the late 70's and early 80's car's had to have a Computer. Then fuel injection for fuel economy. Then in the in the mid to late 90's the AC had to be converted from R12 to 134. Now, they want you to have a car that is OBD2. It's all a scam to get you to buy newer cars.

 

[uh60james]

The government comes up with some new pitch every 7-10 years to get rid of all the older cars. So it has to be something that someone wanted to keep around for it to have been kept around. Prime example is that back in the late 70's and early 80's car's had to have a Computer. Then fuel injection for fuel economy. Then in the in the mid to late 90's the AC had to be converted from R12 to 134. Now, they want you to have a car that is OBD2. It's all a scam to get you to buy newer cars.

How is that a scam to get people to buy new cars? Just because they change a standard doesnt meen you go junk your current vehicle. I drive a 93 Explorer with a converted AC system and no OBD2, I'm not taking it to the junk yard, it runs great. Those standards where all changed for safety or enviromental reasons, including fuel economy.

 

[Dopler174]

How is that a scam to get people to buy new cars? Just because they change a standard doesnt meen you go junk your current vehicle. I drive a 93 Explorer with a converted AC system and no OBD2, I'm not taking it to the junk yard, it runs great. Those standards where all changed for safety or enviromental reasons, including fuel economy.

Isn't that what I just said? Not everybody thinks like we do. I to have a 93 with 134. Doesn't mean anything. I also have a 2001 with a bad cat. Over $300 part. It won't pass inspection because of it. It also has close to 200K miles on it. Why would I fix it when I could go buy a new(er) car? THERE! did you see it? That was the scam. Right in front of your eyes! I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong. It just seems way too coincidental.

 

[uh60james]

I dont think its a scam really. After spending some time in Kuwait at a place we liked to call camp cancer I can appreciate the EPA and emmisions controls put out by the federal government. I see you live in NC as well, and we are so lucky *sarcasm* that NC requires emmsions tests for OBD2 vehicles but thats not the Fed Govs fault or the auto industry. Thats just a way for the state to make money off of the inspections and boost the states economy a little bit. But thats just my opinion and I hear what your saying it really sucks to have to buy a new cat.

 

[Mbrooks420]

You would fix it because you can get a universal cat welded in for under $100. And even you said it had 200k on it. An automobile is a machine, and without replacement parts they don't last forever.

 

[Dopler174]

You would fix it because you can get a universal cat welded in for under $100. And even you said it had 200k on it. An automobile is a machine, and without replacement parts they don't last forever.

The cat that's bad, you can't weld a universal one in. I already looked into that. There is not enough room for that. Besides, It's OBD2. The CEL comes on with a burnt out tail light. I don't want to waist $50 on it when I don't think it will work. Then turn around and spend $300. Most people (not people like us that believe in fixing a problem) would just trade their old car in for a new one. That way, there will be more cars sold. Cars sold=Money in the bank. Wether is Fed Government or State Government, either way, both of them will make money.

 

[Mbrooks420]

If it's one of the front angled ones that come off of the exhaust manifolds they make an angled universal cat that can be welded in. A burnt taillight won't set of a CEL.

 

[Dopler174]

If it's one of the front angled ones that come off of the exhaust manifolds they make an angled universal cat that can be welded in. A burnt taillight won't set of a CEL.

I was being a little sarcastic about the brake light. I still don't think that the universal cat would work. I think I'll set up a thread for it. See if anybody else has had to do this and it worked.

 

[TedJ]

My friend works at a caddy dealer, and he was telling me someone had to have their brand-new suv towed back in because BOTH rear brake lights burned out and the car would not start because of that

They regularly get cars in with their diffs shredded to aluminum powder because the fluid leaks out. There's a light to tell you if your window squirter needs more blue stuff, but nothing at all to tell you that the diff has no fluid. Its a 1k+ job to fix it, covered by warranty. How can automakers stay in business doing stuff like that?

-Ted

 

[Hartman]

My dad just went through then lemon law process on his '05 CTS. Basically the rear end starting leaking fluid, he took it in and it continued to leak, subsequently burning out the clutches. They replace the clutches, and eventually replaced the entire rear end, and it STILL leaked fluid. All in all, he made a total of 5 visits for the problem. They have settled with him and put him in an '07 Avalanche and wrote him a nice check. We'll see how this vehicle holds up.

 

[old mechanic]

Although I understand that the union takes a big bite out of the auto makers what I can see is that all the big three here have too many models. Never mind having too many models they also have basicly the same models in other cars like Ford and a Mecury have with the explorer and the mountaineer and Gm with the Gm truck and the Chevy truck. Theres just too many different models and the enginering departments are full of high paying jobs there too.
Years ago they made big profits with just a few models.
Also, higher mileage vehicles won't help much. All the Mr oils would just raise the price and make the same yearly profit selling less gas.
We need alternate fuel and less model vehicles.
Don't depend much on Uncle Sam pressuring the auto makers for better gas mileage because uncle sam and our states would be bankrupt with out all the gas taxs they rake in yearly.

 

[Gianni D]

Just an fyi on some cars that were mentioned here


Chevy Aveo is Korean built. It's made by GM-Daewoo.
Pontiac Vibe is built in the NUMMI facility (50% owned by GM / 50% owned by Toyota) ... same chassis and engine as the Toyota Matrix, but different sheet metal. The Toyota Matrix is built in Canada though ...

One funny fact is that Consumer Reports loves the Matrix, but doesn't give good ratings to the Vibe, even though they are pretty much the same car. The NUMMI employees are UAW members, but they are ruled by a different contract than the other GM plants (Saturn had a similar program in the '90s at Spring Hill, TN).

The merging of American companies is not going to solve their major issues ... It might strengthen their market share some, but if they don't do something drastic, I will be working for Toyota soon ...

This is coming from a GM employee,
G

 

[blueka]

Daewoo are now badged Chevrolet in the UK and are the usual GM rubbish. The Focus is apparently cheap to make because it uses recycled materials in it's construction.
Cars these days don't cost that much to build and R&D is only a fraction of what is used to be, especially when a lot of the parts are carried across the ranges (switches and other components).
It would be quite easy for Ford to slash at least £2k off the screen price of each model in it's range and still make a profit, putting it ahead of the market in terms of price and spec.
If they reduced the price on spare parts too, then people would be less likely to opt for pattern parts and buy OM parts, again helping towards profit.

If they imported some of their more popular models into other countries where they're not sold, Like bringing the Falcon and the big trucks to the UK for instance then I'm sure they'd see an increase in profits.

It might also be a good idea to let their respective marques compete directly with each other. For example, Jaguar is being restrained significantly because if it was allowed to release some of it's potential, it would compete directly with Aston Martin.

I think some of the reasons that the Explorer/Excursion/Expedition aren't sold in the UK is because they would compete directly with Landrover/Rangerover.

Competition would give the consumer a greater choice and hopefully drive the price down throughout the market.

Just my opinion.. however misguided I may be

Si

 

[Mbrooks420]

I don't know about overseas but new cars have been drastically reduced in price. My Mountaineer was around 30k new. You can easily get a fully loaded brand new 4wd around here for about 25k here, and thats with no trade, and the currant model year. At the end of the model year the 4wd sports were going for 17k brand new. Not much fat to trim there.