Idea were never a problem with the big three....just product

[HOZ]

BTW: I find Autoblog to be a great source of information on cars and companies

Chrysler 200C - I would definitely by this good look'n machine if it truely is a good car.

We were beginning to worry that the 300C was all Ralph Gilles had in him. But if the Chrysler 200C Concept is what Chrysler's styling star can bring to the hitherto dull banquet of Chrysler design, then he should have been placed in charge long ago. It is absolutely gorgeous - check out those wheels - and to our eyes, at least, this is what the straked nonsense known as the Sebring should have been (or at least, what it could have looked like).

Flip through the pictures at the bottom of the article...nice.

[missdpuck]

Aw I just want a damned 70s Mopar musclecar. Or else.

[BlackArcher101]

God awful rear end.... and is that interior sponsored by Microsoft XBOX?

[Nehkara]

The Big Three have some decent ideas but they always come out with terrible reliability, lots of problems and recalls, and horrible depreciation. In general, the Big Three make terrible vehicles. The exceptions seem to usually come in trucks but as people move to more fuel efficient vehicles, their truck business won't be able to prop them up anymore.

[Nancy]

The quality and reliability gap isn't what it used to be. In fact, Ford is now pretty close to the Japanese carmakers in quality. See Consumer Reports reliability summary below.

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/car...liability.html


GM, however, still sucks and deserves to die.

[Table 5]

I always though the problem with the Big 3 the last decade has not really been aesthetics (since they've started to use some of their European designs there have been some handsome vehicles out there) but build quality, or at least the perception of it. Instead of focusing on fixing this issue, they keep giving us cars with weird gadgets, newfangled seating options, tv's etc.

Even if they are getting closer in terms of quality, the cars still look cheaper. From the plastic nature of the exterior to the disposable feel of the interior....they just feels cheap. If i I was the GM/Chrysler/Ford this is what I would focus on for the next few years to bring confidence back. VW's aren't necessarily the most reliable cars out there (my family had a massive lemon Golf a few years ago), but they atleast LOOK expensive. The interior made you feel like you were driving an Audi.

None of the Euro brands are really that reliable either, but the materials make them look/feel like they were built with care. A lot of Big 3 cars look like they were built from the Lego bin.

[Table 5]

Btw, that blog also mentions that GM will apparently trim itself to 4 brands: Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/o...o-four-models/

Say goodbye to Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Hummer? I'm sure they could sell Saab and possibly Hummer (as much as I think they are for the over-compensating type, I'm sure there's still a market for them for someone), I don't really see Saturn and Pontiac surviving if true.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

The Big Three have some decent ideas but they always come out with terrible reliability, lots of problems and recalls, and horrible depreciation. In general, the Big Three make terrible vehicles. The exceptions seem to usually come in trucks but as people move to more fuel efficient vehicles, their truck business won't be able to prop them up anymore.

I would disagree on the terrible reliability. I presently drive a 05 Ford Escape and it has given me zero problems. My Explorer before that was much the same thing. My parents has driven Fords for the most part and have had zero problems also. That being said i don't doubt that the big three have had reliability problems but to make blanket statements isn't really fair.

[Sylvanfan]

The big 3 make too many models. They should focus on 5-8 models for their main brands, market, sell, and improve on those vehicles. GM in particular was the worst, Chevy and GMC truck all making about 3 models that pile on top of each other....why? How many vehicles have the big three introduced in the past 10 years that failed? How much wasted R&D money is that, let alone the losses for not selling them. Honda and Toyota don't do this...neither should they. Learn your market, figure out what you're selling, and make the best vehicle in that maket and keep improving it.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

The big 3 make too many models.

Agreed. Looking at GM, do we really need a Cavalier and a Sunfire? While I'm sure a number of costs are shared, it still has to be more expensive to roll out a different body for each mechanically similar model.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

God awful rear end.... and is that interior sponsored by Microsoft XBOX?

As opposed to the other brand of Xbox? This just in from the department of redundancy department.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Agreed. Looking at GM, do we really need a Cavalier and a Sunfire? While I'm sure a number of costs are shared, it still has to be more expensive to roll out a different body for each mechanically similar model.

My old roommate from back in Ontario works at the St.Thomas Ford assembly plant, where they make the Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis (incidentally, most of those go for cabs and police cars). At his point on the line he says you can't tell which the car will be - Ford or Mercury.

[HalifaxDrunk]

Originally Posted by Dion

I would disagree on the terrible reliability. I presently drive a 05 Ford Escape and it has given me zero problems. My Explorer before that was much the same thing. My parents has driven Fords for the most part and have had zero problems also. That being said i don't doubt that the big three have had reliability problems but to make blanket statements isn't really fair.

I agree with you. I have a 06 Ford Freestyle and have had 0 issues to date *knocks wood*.

My parents bought a 1984 Ford Bronco II (bought new in 1983) it was their only vehicle until the early 90's. They gave it to me it in 1994 I drove it until 1998 before giving it to a Ford loving gearhead friend of mine. He drove it until 04/05 and sold it to a friend of his. Last I head about it was in the winter of 06 it had a plow and was used to clear small parking lots. Never had any major problems (biggest thing would have been some body work (rust) in the back passenger side) not bad for an "unreliable" 23 year old.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

My old roommate from back in Ontario works at the St.Thomas Ford assembly plant, where they make the Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis (incidentally, most of those go for cabs and police cars). At his point on the line he says you can't tell which the car will be - Ford or Mercury.

The fact that cars like the Crown Victoria are still being made is sort of telling. Why people still use them for cabs, I have no idea. They are horrible on gas, feel clunky, and don't exude any sort of comfort or luxury.....and oh yeah, look like they were designed when Dallas was still on tv.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

As opposed to the other brand of Xbox? This just in from the department of redundancy department.

Xbox is a product and Microsoft is the company... isn't it hard to be sponsored by just a product?

[Dion]

Ford Reliability Gains on Honda, Toyota, Survey Says

Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co.'s reliability increased this year and is now close to Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., according to a survey by Consumer Reports.

The Yonkers, New York-based magazine disclosed the results today at an Automotive Press Association meeting in Detroit.

``This has been a systematic, structural change within Ford,'' said David Champion, director of the magazine's auto test center. Almost all Ford vehicles have above-average reliability, he said.

The findings may help Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford win back customers after it lost U.S. market share every year since 1995. Ford has publicized the results of studies it commissioned showing the quality of its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands is near the same levels as Toyota and Honda.

``They are really doing what Toyota did, small, incremental changes over time, which is exactly what they should do,'' said Aaron Bragman, an analyst with Global Insight Inc. in Troy, Michigan.

Ford's overall reliability was reduced by older truck models that are soon to be replaced, Champion said. One of the models was the diesel version of the F-250 pickup truck, said Douglas Love, a spokesman for Consumer Reports.

``It's great to have third-party publication recognition of the progress we've made,'' Bennie Fowler, Ford's group vice president of global quality, said in an interview. ``The No. 1 thing we want is to get better and more consistent over time.''

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...Q&refer=canada

[missdpuck]

My 1996 Ranger was awesome...should've kept it.

[bigtmac19]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

The Big Three have some decent ideas but they always come out with terrible reliability, lots of problems and recalls, and horrible depreciation. In general, the Big Three make terrible vehicles. The exceptions seem to usually come in trucks but as people move to more fuel efficient vehicles, their truck business won't be able to prop them up anymore.

I have to disagree here as well. I think the reliability of the Big 3 has been decent overall. I don't think they have had that really terrible reputation since the 70's when yes, most of the cars were crap.

I have driven Ford and Chrysler only in the last 20 years and generally have had a pretty good experience. The only VW I ever owned was a Westfalia that I bought in Calgary, and had to sink a ton of money into, though it was worth it, I loved that van. I wish I would have kept it, you hardly see them at all here in Ontario, whereas they were really common out west.

I tend to stick with Chrysler due to the fact my father worked there as well as other family members and it's a loyalty thing really. My Dad would be upset with me I think, if I drove something else.

[habernac]

had a Ford (Mercury) Topaz. Total lemon. Wife had a Chevy Malibu. Another pile of garbage. Drove my Toyota Camry forever, never had an issue. I've had a Nissan X Trail for the last 3 years, again, no problems. It will be some time before I go with anything from the Big 3.

[Coach]

Im going to have to agree with Blackarcher. That interior is brutal....unless you're driving one of the Tron bikes