Jay Leno tells Detroit to make better cars.

[yamahr1]

The only semi-glaring hole in the domestic lineup is a Civic-beater, which is strange when you consider it's long been a car-company strategy to pull 'em in young and keep trading up as they get older. If I were 20-something again, it would be a hard sell to get me into a Cobalt instead of a Civic--can anyone argue that? Although I'd probably buy something like a Mustang instead.

[vam29]

I disagree with Jay Leno. It might sound cynical, but the reality is: "with all things equal" Americans tend to buy Foreign which is why we're losing so many of our well-paying jobs to overseas manufacturers. I, for one, when I hear of someone complaining about losing their job, can't help but wonder if he owns a car built by an American company. Economies, by nature, are competitive and it is basically a Zero Sum game, notwithstanding Wall St's diatribes to the contrary. We have been seduced to giving up our national competitive advantage and will unfortunately soon find out that Globalization is highly inflationary.

[a_v_s]

Originally Posted by cbennie2

If you're in a parking structure....do you really need the turn by turn to tell you to follow the only lane leading you the way out?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?

It would be nice to have the maps/directions already loaded up in the navi, so you know where to go when you exit the structure, even more so if the structure has multiple exits, such as the case when the structure is surrounded by one-way streets. (at least around here)

Hopefully it remembers your last known location for when it does load up new maps. Cuz that's the one thing I hate about my garmin I use when I travel. When I exited a structure in SF for example, I had to drive aimlessly for 20 blocks or so for the SAT to be able to figure out where the heck I am before it calculates directions.

In my factory NAV, if it doesn't have a SAT signal it goes by where it remembers my last location was, and then estimates where I'm going based on compass and speed.

Hopefully the Turn-by-Turn doesn't suffer this same limitation.

[motorman]

i have friends who worked for GM but drove ford trucks and now they wonder why their jobs went away. it ain't rocket science

[a_v_s]

Originally Posted by vam29

"with all things equal" Americans tend to buy Foreign which is why we're losing so many of our well-paying jobs to overseas manufacturers.

That's not a case of "all things being equal", that's a case of the foreign manufacturers being cheaper. (if you are talking about losing jobs due to outsourcing)

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

Ohh, thanks Jay. We'll get right on that ...

[poncho1982]

While I do admire Jay Leno as a fellow car guy, I have to say this.....Really Jay? You think so?

We all knew that.

Thank you Captain Obvious.

No wonder Conan is getting his show.

If small cars are our only problem, then we are almost there.

[63GrandSport001]

I disagree on the comment of with all things being equal Americans tend to buy foreign vehicles as we have rarely seen a situation of all things being equal. Generally speaking American cars have been far behind those made in other countries and have also cost less.

[Ttple]

Originally Posted by motorman

i have friends who worked for GM but drove ford trucks and now they wonder why their jobs went away. it ain't rocket science

I saw a tv report a while ago where they showed the parking lot of a GM plant and most of the cars were Toyotas and Hondas. If the workers didn't want GM cars then why would the public.

[ksr]

Leno adds, "I believe that, all things being equal, Americans will buy American. It just has to be as good as the competition; it doesn't have to be better."

I don't think this quote is true. I've heard many people say, including in these forums, that American cars need to be the best, not just "as good as."

There's so many perception issues as well. I used to live in the DC area, and my friends there won't even consider American vehicles. They'll trot out the tired old line about competition has made all cars better. Which is true - but it's old news - competition HAS made all cars better. And they say something half-hearted about how American cars are improving (sounds like something out of CR).

But they won't actually buy an American vehicle. For a lot of them, they just wouldn't consider being seen in a Buick or Ford or Chevrolet. Why someone would think it's more socially acceptable to be seen in a Toyota than in any American brand vehicle is just baffling to me. And why some people care so much about what other people think of the vehicle they're driving is even more baffling.

[SDRacing]

we all knew this, but shiot Jay, thanks for making it mooore obvious.

[ksr]

Originally Posted by Ttple

I saw a tv report a while ago where they showed the parking lot of a GM plant and most of the cars were Toyotas and Hondas. If the workers didn't want GM cars then why would the public.

I've driven from Pittsburgh to Detroit many times, and pass many automobile plants along the way.

I don't know what plant that TV report was showing, but the percentage of American vehicles in these plants is overwhelming. When you get anywhere near Detroit, you can't help but immediately notice that the roads are full of domestic vehicles.

I think the auto workers, at least in Ohio and Michigan, are very proud of their own products and do purchase them.

[BigAls87Z28]

For a change in perception, American cars need to be a better in everything compared to the competition. They need to be better then eachother. They day should come when the benchmark isnt the Camry, but that the Malibu is fighting with the Fusion, and the upcoming Sebring is gunna one up them both.
GM, Ford and Chrysler need to go above and beyond to make thier cars better. Its going to take time for the Big 3 to gain the ground they have lost for 20-30 years now. Dont expect people to jump out of thier CamCords and into Malibu's overnight.

[Fletch Radford]

Originally Posted by BigAls87Z28

For a change in perception, American cars need to be a better in everything compared to the competition. They need to be better then eachother. They day should come when the benchmark isnt the Camry, but that the Malibu is fighting with the Fusion, and the upcoming Sebring is gunna one up them both.
GM, Ford and Chrysler need to go above and beyond to make thier cars better. Its going to take time for the Big 3 to gain the ground they have lost for 20-30 years now. Dont expect people to jump out of thier CamCords and into Malibu's overnight.

Just good enough is not enough, but as long as the big three are hemmoraging money, the beancounters will still be looking for ways to create short cuts, be it in staffing, benefits, or design.

[CharlotteFirebird]

I'm sure Jay has spent a lot of time in a Cobolt or even a Malibu.

Perhaps GM should give him some advice on writing jokes, since he couldn't do it himself during the writers' strike.