American Cars finally become Reliable?!?!

[Omega X]

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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Consumer Reports released its 2004 list of best cars on Monday.

"A survey released by J.D. Power and Associates in July of last year showed that domestic vehicles were outpacing European makes in long-term reliability.

In choosing the top cars, the magazine relies on its own test-track performance analyses, reader surveys on reliability and crash-test results from government and insurance industry studies."
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CNN Money

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Its about time. But still they have a good long way to go before its realised.

[Starbucks]

That's cool. It's good to see 1 American Car on the list.

[s1138]

whats funny is, the post right above this reads:
"Ford to use Toyota Hybrid technology"

[Omega X]

Originally posted by s1138
whats funny is, the post right above this reads:
"Ford to use Toyota Hybrid technology"

LOL! Well technically, Toyota has just as much car plants here in the U.S. as Ford does. Does that make it Domestic now?

[Starbucks]

Does that make it Domestic now?

I think partially. 95% of the parts in Hondas and Toyotas are made in Japan but are assembled in America. One thing I don't get is most American cars aren't built in America (for cheap labor) and Toyota and Honda can still make record profits while employing expensive American labor to build their cars, even when (like right now) the car industry is suffering like mad.

[Omega X]

Originally posted by Starbucks
I think partially. 95% of the parts in Hondas and Toyotas are made in Japan but are assembled in America. One thing I don't get is most American cars aren't built in America (for cheap labor) and Toyota and Honda can still make record profits while employing expensive American labor to build their cars, even when (like right now) the car industry is suffering like mad.

Um....I don't know about Toyota but over half of the parts in a Honda are American parts. Either south american, USA or canadian parts goes into making Hondas.(which is one of the reason why they last so long) Domestic cars(Ford, GM, Dodge etc.) import a LOT of european parts, and not of very good quality. (hence the frequent breakdowns)

Also, one of the reasons that Toyota makes money in a time like this is its refined, state of the art assembly process that saves them tons of money while still keeping human workers.

[whiteflip]

Yeah, ditto, American cars are made over seas and shipped. Over seas cars are made here. They are just more efficent in the manufacturing of them and yeah.

I wish I had a toyota, But my Dodge intrepid is still very reliable if maintained properly. All cars are very reliable if maintained properly, unless they are shitty to begin with.

[MidnightViper88]

Originally posted by whiteflip
All cars are very reliable if maintained properly, unless they are shitty to begin with.

A Yugo is a fine example...No wonder many of them were practically given away for free...

[ertmann|CPH]

Originally posted by Omega X
over half of the parts in a Honda are American parts. Either south american, USA or canadian parts goes into making Hondas.(which is one of the reason why they last so long) Domestic cars(Ford, GM, Dodge etc.) import a LOT of european parts, and not of very good quality. (hence the frequent breakdowns)

ROFL

funny how Ford is the only american car maker with a market share of any significance in Europe....

just the same anyways, American cars are fugly

[MidnightViper88]

Although I like some of the designs of most European cars, I don't like the looks of other car companies, like Fiat and Citroen...BMW is on a molesting spree (With themselves and Rolls-Royce) and alot of the smaller compact cars look funky (Mercedes Smart and Ford Ka)...

[whiteflip]

Corvetts look nice, I like the new thunderbird. Lots of American cars look good, have unique non shitty stylings, and are a blend of form and function. Most asian cars of the past have been mostly function with ugly boring styling, now they are trying to add uniquness to their lines and I'm not totaly feeling it (scion anyone? all the new hondas)

I don't know about the European market to coment on it.

[Starbucks]

Um....I don't know about Toyota but over half of the parts in a Honda are American parts. Either south american, USA or canadian parts goes into making Hondas.(which is one of the reason why they last so long) Domestic cars(Ford, GM, Dodge etc.) import a LOT of european parts, and not of very good quality. (hence the frequent breakdowns)

Um....Go to a Honda dealership and look at the forigen parts list. It will say "95% Japanese parts". You can't miss it.

[killswitch1968]

Originally posted by Starbucks
One thing I don't get is most American cars aren't built in America (for cheap labor) and Toyota and Honda can still make record profits while employing expensive American labor to build their cars.

The reason is American workers are up to ten times more productive than their third world/Mexican counterparts. This is mostly because they are more educated and can use complex machines that Mexicans cannot. Furthermore they don't have to ship the cars to the US as they are built there already.
These factors combined can make it more economical to build cars in the states.

[Starbucks]

The reason is American workers are up to ten times more productive than their third world/Mexican counterparts. This is mostly because they are more educated and can use complex machines that Mexicans cannot. Furthermore they don't have to ship the cars to the US as they are built there already.
These factors combined can make it more economical to build cars in the states.

Also, one of the reasons that Toyota makes money in a time like this is its refined, state of the art assembly process that saves them tons of money while still keeping human workers.

That's all fine and dandy but Toyota is making money from selling more cars than they ever did, in times of recession. That has very little to do with Toyota's manufacturing process. Their manufacturing process helps them save money, not make record sales (selling more cars than ever).

[killswitch1968]

Originally posted by Starbucks
Their manufacturing process helps them save money, not make record sales (selling more cars than ever).

I think what you are getting at is that Toyota's success is not due to a good manufacturing process, but rather making superior products. I would agree.
However efficient manufacturing means lower costs, which means lower prices, which means greater sales. I'd say the 2 are part and parcel.

[Omega X]

Originally posted by killswitch1968
I think what you are getting at is that Toyota's success is not due to a good manufacturing process, but rather making superior products. I would agree.
However efficient manufacturing means lower costs, which means lower prices, which means greater sales. I'd say the 2 are part and parcel.

Apparently, on an interview of Toyota's President at its brand new manufacturing plant, He said that they save up to 85% on materials on this new process and it has greatly affected the price of Toyotas for the better.

@Starbucks:

I have a friend that works at a Honda Dealership, and believe me 95% of Honda parts are NOT Japanese. I would say about 47% but not 95%. Honda has found it way easier to use the parts that are made here than importing it all.

[ertmann|CPH]

yeah Toyota's kanban production system, was revolutionizing, but not any big news anymore. Toyota has just been more succesfull presuring it's sub suppliers to give them lower pricess...

Toyota takes great pride in inventing the low stock production but these days, it's empty marketing gimmick....

Japanese efficiency is more arguable than the japanese would like to think...

[Starbucks]

I think what you are getting at is that Toyota's success is not due to a good manufacturing process, but rather making superior products. I would agree.
However efficient manufacturing means lower costs, which means lower prices, which means greater sales. I'd say the 2 are part and parcel.

Yes that's what I'm getting at.

I have a friend that works at a Honda Dealership, and believe me 95% of Honda parts are NOT Japanese. I would say about 47% but not 95%. Honda has found it way easier to use the parts that are made here than importing it all.

Maybe for some cars, but I've seen it say 95% imported [arts.