Quote:
Originally Posted by osv_alero
This is part of an email I sent a friend that I thought would create great discussion here.
What have the Germans done different than the American makes in the past 25 years?
1. Both pushed for SUVs (so did the Japanese due to high profits)
2. Most German vehicles get worst gas mileage than the equivalent American or Asian vehicle
3. German vehicles have moved to the bottom of the quality ranking when they used to be at the top (though they have improved in the past 2 years, so has everyone else)
4. Can you name a hybrid German vehicle like the Prius?
5. Though they pushed for diesels, they have not given the US the # of vehicles that have been asked for.
|
You're only taking into account local markets and not paying attention to the overall global market. Germany isn't even the largest market for their own cars. The US is. Who buys the most S-classes and 7-series? The US. 2nd most?? The Asian markets.
Also, Germans are socialized. Americans are not. Does it give Americans a disadvantage?
I don't think so. Because no matter what, the one fact about the Americans always circles back -- they made crappy cars for 3 decades. The Germans did not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by osv_alero
The big differences;
1. As the German companies have gotten in to trouble, their government has financially helped them out. The Japanese government has assisted toyota/honda/nissan all along. GM, Ford and Chrysler get kicked to the curb.
|
What you're asking for is a semi-nationalized/socialized American auto industry?? What happened to all those anti-socialize arguments here?
Quote:
Originally Posted by osv_alero
2. American's love to bash on stuff they make and have a love affair with everything German. It doesn't matter if the American product is better, people will put it down.
|
3 decades of crappy cars has an effect on an entire generation of Americans.
Americans aren't affected by the same degree of nationalism that the Germans are. Americans have a full open market, free to experience and try out the newest and latest products. The Germans do not.
When an American product is judged superior than an import, then it will do quite well because we Americans determine it ourselves that it is superior: iPods, Kitchenaid mixers, black and decker tools, etc. We're not told by some overarching desire to buy domestic, even if it is inferior.
Quote:
Originally Posted by osv_alero
3. German and Asian automakers are not saddled with health care and retirement costs. This is the number one reason the Big 3 have no money left. Maybe socialized medicine would be cheaper than corporate bailouts.
|
Socialize medicine would increase your taxes. It would also, depending on how it was implemented, decrease the efficacy of the medical system.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by osv_alero
4. 1 positive to the public difference; German CEOs don't make the amount that US CEOs do which make the big 3 CEOs look like Jack__s.
|
http://people.forbes.com/profile/dieter-zetsche/25039
Dieter Zetsche made ~$10M. Though $1.9M base + bonus.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=GM
Wagoner made $3.36M base. No bonus.