Slog
News & ArtsThursday, August 27, 2009
Economy The Result
Posted by Charles Mudede on Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 8:20 AM
According to AP, the Cash for Clunkers rebate program generated almost 700,000 sales. But the more profound (if not disturbing—disturbing for Detroit) piece of information is the top ten list of cars that were junked. All are American. On the other hand, the top ten list of cars that were bought, only two are American—Ford Focus and Ford Escape. American automakers have been here before. There were here 30 years ago. When will they learn?
The Prius is seven on the top-selling list.
1
Well, the Prius is made in the US, even if the company is owned in Japan.
If the government is going to get involved in the auto industry, it should provide venture capital to a fresh new crop of forward thinking American auto companies that we can actually be proud of.
If the government is going to get involved in the auto industry, it should provide venture capital to a fresh new crop of forward thinking American auto companies that we can actually be proud of.
3
I'm no defender of Detroit but the picture is a little more complicated than what Charles presents. Notice that GM, no where on the list of top 10 individual products, is 2nd in terms of total number of products sold. This is likely because GM has too many brands, something reorganization is supposed to take care of (i.e, selling Saturn, closing Pontiac, etc.).
Also, @1 this is exactly what many of the Asian counties do. The development of the Prius was paid for by the Japanese government and the Korean government gives its auto makers something like a billion dollars a year each for R&D. That's a new product line every year.
Also, @1 this is exactly what many of the Asian counties do. The development of the Prius was paid for by the Japanese government and the Korean government gives its auto makers something like a billion dollars a year each for R&D. That's a new product line every year.
6
Also notable is the fact that the 2 American cars on the top 10 list are both Fords.
we should have let GM die.
we should have let GM die.
7
Well, Obama is our president, I'll give you that. As for the rest of your list, I guess I don't live in "your" Seattle.
8
Obama is our president? Okay no argument there. Dalai Lama is our pope? I can't find Seattle stats, but Wikipedia puts the # Catholics in USA as 68 mil (http://tinyurl.com/3sr3md), and only ~6 million Buddhists (http://tinyurl.com/4mtmsn) including non Tibetan, so this seems a stretch. A couple Google maps searches for Catholic churches and Buddhist temples in Seattle seems to confirm this. Soccer is our sport? See http://tinyurl.com/nh263o and http://tinyurl.com/lhs9o8. Looks like Seahawks attendance beats Sounders two to one. Prius is our car? Don't need a reference, just step outside and take a look on the road.
10
The Americans will win when they can design and manufacture a bigass truck that runs on high fructosse corn syrup.
11
A couple of problems with the Prius:
1. It is unbelievably ugly. Damn! Did AMC design it? It's like a Pacer or a Gremlin. It's like gauchos with a motor.
2. Does this car make me look fat? Most Americans want big cars because they are fat and they shop at costco.
3. Americans think bigger cars are safer. They think that their greatest weapon on the road is mass, rather than agility.
1. It is unbelievably ugly. Damn! Did AMC design it? It's like a Pacer or a Gremlin. It's like gauchos with a motor.
2. Does this car make me look fat? Most Americans want big cars because they are fat and they shop at costco.
3. Americans think bigger cars are safer. They think that their greatest weapon on the road is mass, rather than agility.
12
7 of the top ten cars sold were built in the US. So US auto companies didn't do so well but the American worker got a boost.
13
I wonder how many people who attend Seahawks games actually live inside of Seattle city limits versus the number of people who attend Sounders games?
14
@8, @9:
At any given Seahawks game there perhaps 10 people who actually live in Seattle. The rest are from Kent.
At any given Seahawks game there perhaps 10 people who actually live in Seattle. The rest are from Kent.
15
Typical Stranger writer, assuming anyone who isn't exactly like their closed-minded, insular staff doesn't exist.
16
@2 and Volvos. So goddamn many Volvos.
@14 Funny you say that. In recent memory, I've never gone to a Sounders or Seahawks game with anyone who actually lived in Seattle (with the exception of Mrs. Hernandez). I have however, gone to many Mariners games with Seattle residents. It all depends on your own experiences, I suppose.
@14 Funny you say that. In recent memory, I've never gone to a Sounders or Seahawks game with anyone who actually lived in Seattle (with the exception of Mrs. Hernandez). I have however, gone to many Mariners games with Seattle residents. It all depends on your own experiences, I suppose.
17
The Dalai Lama is our pope? You mean the absolutist monarch who was exiled from his country by the absolutist communists? That guy's our pope? Well he certianly's a pope...
20
Wait a minute- the point of this post was about where football fans live?
What about Marx, and the sexiness of concrete?
Anyway, Prius cars are made in Japan, not the USA.
But in the current world of auto manufacturing, NO car is 100% local content anywhere. Most "american" cars are, at most 80% "american", and all of the big 3 make a lot of cars in Canada and Mexico, and rebadge imports from farther afield as well.
So is a made in Mexico Dodge Ram more "american" than a made in Ohio Honda?
Most of the cars bought were made in the USA, by american workers, regardless of the name on em.
And Seattle's car is a fixie.
What about Marx, and the sexiness of concrete?
Anyway, Prius cars are made in Japan, not the USA.
But in the current world of auto manufacturing, NO car is 100% local content anywhere. Most "american" cars are, at most 80% "american", and all of the big 3 make a lot of cars in Canada and Mexico, and rebadge imports from farther afield as well.
So is a made in Mexico Dodge Ram more "american" than a made in Ohio Honda?
Most of the cars bought were made in the USA, by american workers, regardless of the name on em.
And Seattle's car is a fixie.
22
Seattle is at least 50% douchebag. I wish your statement was correct, but its unfortunately not....
23
Fuck Prius and Subarus of all types. When I am behind one in traffic I cringe because I know it's going to take at least 15 minutes longer to get where I'm going. People who drive these cars are the worst of tentative, brake-riding, overly-cautious, slow-turning, clueless Seattle drivers.
24
It's just temporary.
All the Talibangelist Tin Hat extremists are calling GM "Government Motors".
Give them a year to get over themselves.
All the Talibangelist Tin Hat extremists are calling GM "Government Motors".
Give them a year to get over themselves.
25
"Typical Stranger writer, assuming anyone who isn't exactly like their closed-minded, insular staff doesn't exist."
Typical kneejerk victim complex.
Typical kneejerk victim complex.
26
@23. I drive a Subaru and you're right! I just bought the car from a friend for real cheap, and it's kinda changed my whole driving persona. I go the speed limit, or just above, and stop when the light turns yellow. What have I become?
*Either I've changed, or driving only on the Eastside makes it impossible to please any of the BMW-driving assholes behind me. Or probably both.
*Either I've changed, or driving only on the Eastside makes it impossible to please any of the BMW-driving assholes behind me. Or probably both.
28
Hm. Well I've lived here 9 years now, and I only rode bicycles until about a year ago. Now I drive a 25-yo GMC 8-cylinder rocker van made of Deeetroit steel that will crush your little Subaru/Prius in the wink of an eye, all the while listening to Led Zepplin turned up to 11. Look out! Speedbump! Yeow!!
29
In the past 20 years, Honda, Volvo, Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche all built plants in the US to make big hulking SUVs. Toyota built a plant in Alabama to make V-8 engines. Why? Because that's what Americans wanted to buy. Not tiny econoboxes.
Who would have dreamt that Porsche would add an SUV to its sportscar line?
Who would have dreamt that Porsche would add an SUV to its sportscar line?
30
Toyota loses money on every Prius it sells. They can afford to do this to build green credibility for their brand. GM cannot.
31
Every time I've gone to a Hawks game it's been with other Seattleites, all of whom have season tickets
32
"It's just temporary.
All the Talibangelist Tin Hat extremists are calling GM "Government Motors".
Give them a year to get over themselves. "
I don't think their anti-union anti-American labor stance is going away unless the GOP gets a true leader willing to sacrifice corporatism/nativism for the good of the country.
All the Talibangelist Tin Hat extremists are calling GM "Government Motors".
Give them a year to get over themselves. "
I don't think their anti-union anti-American labor stance is going away unless the GOP gets a true leader willing to sacrifice corporatism/nativism for the good of the country.
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