so I bought a Jeep.

[El Presidente]

When it comes to 4x4's Oz is about the toughest terrain there is. When in the outback there are two vehicles only: Toyota Landcruiser and Nissan Patrol. Yes they both can have problems but at the end of the day they have proven themselves where Mitsubishi's, Landrovers (excluding Defender series), Jeeps and all others have not. Just a fact of life here. I have the Jeep and the Nissan in my garage. If I was to do the 5000km Australia cross then I would want to jump in the Jeep. However I would jump in the Nissan. Just a fact of life.

I watched part of the congressional hearings. True, bugger all was really discussed. However I think everyone knows that $28 Billion is not a loan. You can't really pay that scale of money back Shelby when you are talking about manufacturing. I have no problem with the "loan" but Govt will then "own" part of the companies themselves (likely all at current valuation). Again, I don't really have a problem with that. I think it is essential that each country has/holds a core manufacturing base. Once lost it doesn't come back.

Smithy and I were talking about classic car designs. You may or may not know that Smithy is an Industrial designer of some note. The only Japanese car which makes the list of a "classsic design" is the Series 1 WRX. Possibly the MX5 (my thoughts not Smithy's). Germans, Brittish and Italians have plenty. Unfortunately only the Germans have consistently melded design form and function, the rest failed.....and so did their businesses unless they were bailed out by Government (Italians) or takeovers (Landrover now Indian owned, Jaguar now Ford). What is happening in the US Auto world now has happened globally for decades.

I love US cars. You have some classic designs which really stand up: Shelby Cobra, early Mustangs etc. We were discussing the Dodge Viper. Brute of a car but the brakes let it down enormously. It is about "getting the complete package right"

Meanwhile the Japanese focused more on QC/fuel economy and found their niche. Little if any design extravagance but solid, competent reiiable vehicles at an affordable price.

So here we are today. It truly is a global credit crunch but I don't see Porche/Volkswagon, Saab, Toyota etc holding out a hat. They are doing it tough no doubt....but broke? no.

In relation to emission standards the US Auto manufacturers should have evolved to European standards long ago. Jimmy 2 loves his Chrysler Liberty but they stopped making the diesel because it didn't meet European standards.....why not? I know the rollout of high quality diesal in the US is minimal.....again...why? Bottom line is the US Auto makers won't come out of this in a better position to meet global demand and best practice by seeking exemptions to word best standard.

I could go in a tirade in relation to the development of CDO's. Bottom line was greed and an avarice to normal lending practices. You can't blame Gov't policy. Bottom line rests with banks. They approved the crap, they broke it up, they sold it and sold it again. The ratings agencies were party to the abyss in rating the crap AAA. They sold it worldwide to foreign banks and Govt's and Councils who saw a higher return and a AAA rating and asked no questions. Stupidity plus.

There are no saints in this mess. All are to blame. However unless everyone (including the US Auto companies) takes a little "Mea Culpa" then we will all be back in this mess in 5 years time.

Shelby if I went to Congress as head of Ford I would have said "We screwed up. We have the makings of a great company but we are not there yet. We have a plan to turn it around, to turn it around for our nation, for our workers and for our shareholders. We need some help to do so, to reposition ourselves as the greatest car manufacturer on the planet".

If they didn't have that plan 10 days ago they should have saved the fuel on their private jets. They had better have that plan next time.

And as for the bailout of Financial institutions it irks me for the same reasons. Where is the commitment for change? Where is the "Mea Culpa". Where is the apology and where is the plan going forward? I wouldn't have given a cent without them.

Again...just my opinion which is worth squat.

[Smokin Bulldog]

El Prez, I just wish I could get the diesel engines in small SUVs. I have a wrangler and haven't had a problem YET!

On the topic of the UNION stranglehold. There has never been a union contract that wasn't signed by management. It is a 2 way street.

[Freefallguy]

* The petrol tank neck is designed for a Petrol Car. They forgot to change it for a diesal. Result: 60% of Diesal pumps in Australia won't fit the car.

I was rather impressed with the Jeep when you had me and the boys sportin' about in it. I'd love to have a diesel Jeep but you can't buy one here.

[Colt45]

Smithy and I were talking about classic car designs. The only Japanese car which makes the list of a "classsic design" is the Series 1 WRX.

Personally, I'd have the original Datsun 240Z and the third generation Mazda RX7 on that list.

[cvm4]

El Prez, I just wish I could get the diesel engines in small SUVs. I have a wrangler and haven't had a problem YET!

On the topic of the UNION stranglehold. There has never been a union contract that wasn't signed by management. It is a 2 way street.

With a little coaxing via strikes

[Wiley]

...

The Japanese and other Asian car makers have much better NAV than the Americans (a really important feature to many.)

Cheers,

DC

Check out the nav in a CTS sometime. I won't claim to have looked at the nav system in every foreign car, but it's the best example I've ever seen, and has been labeled the best in more than one auto press review I've read.

As far as German interiors go, again I'm going to tout the CTS. I carpool with a friend with a BMW 528. My brother has a BMW 335. My father has a BMW 750. So I'm intimately familiar with BMW interiors, and they are inferior. They all bought their cars before the new CTS was available, and my brother informs me he plans to go Cadillac when his lease is up.

El Pres,

The NW US is very mountainous country, and a lot of off-roading is done around here. Much of that is with American trucks. Japanese trucks have been evolving over the past 20 years to a point where they're more or less built as tough. (Mostly less.)

You mentioned Saab, which I feel the need to point out is a GM brand.

I keep hearing about poor planning on the part of US auto makers, but it's not clear to me exactly what the poor planning was. If someone can point out some examples in the past 10 years, or really any examples other than older reliability issues, I'll be grateful.

[tsolomon]

If there's a knock on American cars it is the failure to embrace better technology. Just read a review of a new Ford and they are still using drum brakes in the rear. Review from last Sunday's paper.

2009 Ford Focus SES coupe

Ford gets a raspberry here for making antilock brakes optional. It gets another for rear drum brakes and yet another for making electronic stability control optional. And, what the heck, another for not offering electronic traction control on this model.

I have owned 3 Ford Explorers over the past 15 years and they have been great vehicles, but the car dealerships have been hard to deal with and repair work quality has been both good and bad. Pulled in with a leaking radiator and they wanted to know if I had an appointent, a good question, but bad timing.

I have also owned 4 VWs over the past 25 years and they drive great, but getting good service has been nothing but problems. I'm no longer sure if the cars are bad, or if it's the parts that they are built from.

[Don Candido]

Check out the nav in a CTS sometime. I won't claim to have looked at the nav system in every foreign car, but it's the best example I've ever seen, and has been labeled the best in more than one auto press review I've read.

As far as German interiors go, again I'm going to tout the CTS. I carpool with a friend with a BMW 528. My brother has a BMW 335. My father has a BMW 750. So I'm intimately familiar with BMW interiors, and they are inferior. They all bought their cars before the new CTS was available, and my brother informs me he plans to go Cadillac when his lease is up.

I clearly need to check out the CTS. I am not getting a car anytime soon, but I went on Cadillac's site to look. While the body styling is not totally what I would want to see, it is better than it has been in the recent past. The interior and options look great online. Of course, the first thing I noticed was the upcoming CTS-V, which had me rather focused for a minute. That must be an $85,000.00 car. 550HP, 0-60MPH in 3.9 seconds, Brembo Brakes, etc, etc...

Anyway, if this car is as good as it looks online, I still have to wonder is this an anomaly or is it becoming the norm?

[Wiley]

I clearly need to check out the CTS. I am not getting a car anytime soon, but I went on Cadillac's site to look. While the body styling is not totally what I would want to see, it is better than it has been in the recent past. The interior and options look great online. Of course, the first thing I noticed was the upcoming CTS-V, which had me rather focused for a minute. That must be an $85,000.00 car. 550HP, 0-60MPH in 3.9 seconds, Brembo Brakes, etc, etc...

Anyway, if this car is as good as it looks online, I still have to wonder is this an anomaly or is it becoming the norm?

Styling is thankfully subjective, or we'd all be driving the same car. I love it myself.

As far as the V goes:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/cts-v-breaks-n...or-a-sedan.html

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?se...article_id=6963

Please understand the importance of a Cadillac, or any American car for that matter, facing off against a BMW M5. Not to mention beating the M5.

[gostgost]

Fish,

Back to the topic, Chrysler has made some of the worst cars and I would never buy another one.

You may think which is fine that Chrysler has made the worst cars and would never buy another one but I will say this I've owed the following 2 1500 Rams not one problem with either one, a Durango again not a peep of a problem except for gas mileage, currently I'm in the Charger and cannot believe the ride, the mileage, the whole car is great, and my wife is in the Nitro and thinks it is wonderful, me on the other hand cannot stand it because I'm always hitting my head getting into it.