If the government is going to tell the Big3 how to run their factories.
We need to tell Wall street and the banks how to run their companies.
Who to pay and how much.
The government can dump 50billion into the big3 and I still can not afford a new car.

May you drive only Chrysler products for the rest of your life. And it will be shorter.

There was a discussion on the Volokh Conspiracy on this very issue, and the guy who made the same argument you present was forced to admit that Chrysler products were still dreadful. His father-in-law had to sell his Chrysler after his wife refused to ride in it because she was afraid of it.

Japan Stocks Rebound on U.S. Auto Rescue Hopes; Shippers Jump
12/15/2008

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=acRjkHyjyJjA&refer=japan

A Detroit vehicle that can get to 200k is not that unusual NOW, but:
a) in the 80’s this was almost unheard of, at a time when japanese makes were easily reaching 200k and more.

Sorry, but that is baloney. To repeat, my 1983 F100 has gone 240K. Chrysler’s slant six engines were renowned for their longevity in taxi and fleet service.
As for early Japanese reliability, another myth. A friend bought an 80′s era Toyota Corona new, the head failed at 50K, a common problem. With any of the early ones, they usually didn’t make it to 200k here in the Northeast, due to rust. As late as the mid 90′s, Honda had to recall cars for serious structural rust. Yet people around here drive their old Mustangs in surprisingly bad weather after all these years, thanks in part to Ford’s pioneering use of galvanized steel in critical areas.
I could go on, but I won’t bother. By the way, I never said ANYTHING about a conspiracy! The reason CU ratings are of little value is because they rely on the owner’s judgment of a serious problem. Two people may have a car that doesn’t start. One may have a blown fuse, the other a blown engine. To both, it is serious and they check the little box on CU’s survey. Not very scientific.
But… don’t take MY word for it. Look around for yourself. If you see something 20+ years old still in regular service, it is probably an F-100. Finally, since you respect CU’s methods, you should also give weight to this CU survey. A few years back, they polled their readers who were driving cars over 10 years and 100K miles. A disproportionate number of respondents replied that their old car was a FORD!!!
Finally, I really don’t have a problem with Japanese cars, my wife owns a Camry – which burns oil by the way, there is a class action suit against Toyota for this. A friend’s Cressida is also an oil burner. My problem is with Japanese car owners!!!

You’re not keeping your eye on the ball. Detroit’s stuff is improving, true. People do have difficulties with foreign cars as well, true. However, what you’re missing is that the foreign cars are also improving. A Detroit vehicle that can get to 200k is not that unusual NOW, but:

a) in the 80′s this was almost unheard of, at a time when japanese makes were easily reaching 200k and more.
b) is typically accompanied by a lot of parts and quality shop time.

The typical japanese brand doesn’t even seem to reach break-in at 200k by way of comparison. (Yes I’m exaggerating but not by anywhere near as much as you think.) Consumer Reports ratings are not only relevant, but about the most accurate ratings system out there.

But… don’t take MY word for it. Resale values tend to reflect this very thing. A 5 year old Camry sells for a lot closer to the original price than a 5 year old Malibu, and this isn’t the result of a conspiracy.

Americans don’t hate America. We hate the UAW.

Regards,

Robert

p.s.
Consumer Reports ratings are worthless. Years ago, they used to report what owner’s actual out of pocket expenses were and I noticed something interesting. Generally, the owners of “reliable” Japanese brands were paying MORE for maintenance than American owners. For some reason they dropped that statistic and only show their worthless red and black dots.
Other evidence of the flaws in their system can be seen in the disparity that sometimes is seen between two different model cars that come off the same assembly line. This should not happen in statistically valid testing.