While the Big 3 American CarMakers are in serious trouble, Hyundaienjoys a good increase in sales.

I heard or read, that Hyundai sales are up some 14% over last year.
Who would have ever thought that virtually every Parking Lot thruout
America would contain at least 50% Asian cars ???! I truly wish the
American public could have confidence in American cars , as i dont
like to see thousands of auto workers loose their jobs.

 

Well, they got my $$ this year.


Steve

 

Bad part about it is who in their right mind would buy a car from GM and
Chrysler even with all the promises of "making your payments" for a year if
you lose your job when all you hear about on TV and read about in the paper
is not if but when bankruptcy is going to happen?

I hate to see the Chevy Volt die on the vine because once the economy gets
back to going strong again, gasoline will be 10 dollars a gallon and harder
and harder ro get. The all electric vehicle that goes a couple of hundred
miles on a charge is the future in America for 90% of the miles driven.
Maybe Hyundai and the other Asians will buy into this excellent idea
instead of making crap like the Genesis, advertising engines that propel
the occupants like launching a rocket with multiple hundreds of wasted
horsepower.

Of Course GM and Chrysler still fill the air with TV ads for SUVs (Hummers
and Escalades) and Chrysler with Hemi V/8 engine powered pick-up trucks.
Those vehicles should be gone forever as they wear out. Their times are
past....

 

American automakers are arrogant and incompetent,
they have it coming.

Tom in Mesa, AZ

 

Probably would make no difference. Companies buy insurance policies for
things of that nature so GMAC or a bank would handle the payments.

 

Until you ned your next construction job done.

 

What about the 2/3's of us that are still interested in V8s?

 

Questionable. Other countries manage to build cities with smaller trucks.
They even built them before trucks were invented.

Yes, the big trucks can be nice in many applications, but if you look at
total vehicle sales versus the number or people that engage in construction
or other hobbies/jobs that truly use a large vehicles, it is much less than
truck sales. Look around the neighborhood and see how many never get more
that a few bags of groceries in the bed.

Yes, we have the "right" to buy large trucks, but it is not always sensible
for a large percentage of the population. We just want, rather than need
them.

 

You may only want a truck, I do need one.

Matt

 

They don't make a plow for your Sonata?

If you need one, no reason not to have one. OTOH, I use the truck from
work when I need one, but that is only every year or two. We bought a new
F250 in July of 07 and I've not brought it home yet. I know of a few trucks
hat have pristine unused beds, but the driver thinks they are cool to drive.

 

Well, my 94 Chevy is in pretty good shape for its age, but I did just
have to rebuild the front differential as the years of plowing snow have
taken their toll. I hope I can fix the rust and keep it going another
4-5 years as I can't even buy a full-size truck now with a standard
transmission ... unless I get a 3/4 ton Dodge with a Cummins diesel.
Too bad the wussy Americans have driven everything to automatics. I'm
not a big fan of automatics.

 

Point is most folks who have trucks have a use at least a few times a
year. Things like towing the boat or camper or horse trailer or
plowing the drive, or etc. That is why they pay the big bucks for the
big truck. Back and forth to work is coincidental. The one's that
don't have more excess income than they need so they would buy the
truck anyway. Eliminating trucks is like $10/gal gasoline. It sounds
good until you try it. $4/gal made that point last year.

 

Maybe where you live that is true, but here I live, it is not the case at
all. As I said, most of the pickups around here have never had a hitch on
them, never had a sheet of plywood in them, never a 2 x 4. I've not taken a
scientific survey, but I see some of these trucks every day. Pristine beds
that never had more than a bag of groceries. One exception is Dave. Fact
is, Dave has never even had a bag of groceries in his truck. He owned it
for about three years before he asked someone how to put it into 4WD. He
just likes the image of having a truck.

 

At 4:30 yesterday I went to the Hyundai dealer, where I bought my car,
to get some plugs, wires and a gasket and I drove into the lot and I
was shocked that there were so many spaces, where new cars used to be.
Getting a place to park there was impossible late in the day and there
were at least about 30 spots together and a few more throughout the
lot. They also do service for Chrysler and Jeep across the street but
you'd think those people would want to get their cars "tuned up"
before who knows what. That place was always hopping from 4:00 to
6:00 and yesterday it felt like a ghost town.

Alan