Reply #36: Ford has to license the hybrid tech from Toyota... also: Healthcare point [View All]

[FormerDittoHead]

Just to show how far behind the curve they are...

>How, exactly, are they supposed to do that when everyone's rushing off to buy Toyotas and Hondas? Just a thought.

The point is that "everyone's rushing off to buy..." Japanese cars because THEY'RE BETTER, not because of some "fad".

I saw a Mercury ad on TV last night. You BARELY saw the car as you were looking at the HOT BABE selling it. That's the point. They think they can "sizzle" their way into sales, and not worry about gas economy, long term reliability or (in many cases) safety.

The market's changed (again) but they STILL think that hot women are the key to sales while they merrily make crappy cars while depending upon BS rating services like JD Powers, while everyone else is reading Consumer Reports and finding out the TRUTH.

I'm not talking about Marketing rocket science. I bought a Buick. It died in less than 80,000 miles. I will NEVER buy another Buick EVER AGAIN, and I live within walking distance of a Buick dealer.

>Japanese car companies don't have to spend nearly the amount on health care that American car companies do, because Japan has national health care and we don't.

Your argument suggests that health care is free for them. It's not. Japan's auto makers and its workers pay for health insurance through taxes. They don't get health care-tax exemptions for exports. The health care costs are included with the price of the cars just like they are here.

If you're saying, however, that a nationalized health care system would result in MORE EFFICIENT / LESS EXPENSIVE health care (by taking out profits) - THAT'S THE STORY....