American Cars by Gråulf

What is the difference between a Fiat and a Jehovah’s Witness…. You can close the door on a Jehovah’s Witness.

Fiat will own Chrysler, but part of the deal with the Union is that Fiat will not be able to sell their small, fuel sipping cars in the US. Ford owns Volvo, and Volvo developed a turbo diesel that puts out 200 horsepower, and gets 52 miles per gallon in their small sedan, and 40 miles to the gallon in their full size station wagon. So, why is Ford claiming that developing engines for the new mileage standards will add $2000 dollars to each new car?

American auto companies have been screwing their customers for years. I certainly thought so when the paint flaked off my Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Chrysler refused to do anything for me because the two-year warranty had expired. The Jeep also overheated if I used the air conditioner on hot days, and there was no fix for that. Then there was the Chevy Blazer I owned before the Jeep, which was so badly designed that you had to detach the engine mounts and jack the motor up above the frame to change the fuel pump. Why would anyone buy a Ford after they found out that Ford made a deliberate decision not to fix exploding fuel tanks in the Pinto, because it was cheaper to pay off lawsuits than to fix the problem. Why would anyone buy a Chevy Pickup after they found out the Chevy Pickup shown jumping a berm in the TV advertisements was totaled, and they used trick photography to show it continuing on undamaged. Why should we believe that it is important to “buy American” when at least one quarter of every American car is made in third world countries.

American auto companies once made the best cars in the world. On the way they discovered consumerism, and created the demand for new and different models every year. Their energy went into design rather than into improving their product. When foreign cars eventually surpassed American cars in quality American manufacturers increased their advertising budgets instead of improving their vehicles. American manufacturers also exploited the notion of class, and the idea that you can tell the quality of a person by the car they drive. Chevrolet was for the lower classes, and you had to buy a Buick or an Olds when you became middle class, and a Cadillac if you were fortunate enough to become upper class. The main difference between models was the price, the upholstery, and the name on the hood.

Now it appears we all spent seventy billion dollars and became owners of General Motors, and I expect them to deliver my new pickup as soon as possible. I would like a blue one. Meanwhile I would like someone to show me where in the Constitution the Federal Government was granted the power to take over private businesses. I have two copies of the Constitution, and cant find that passage anywhere.

Gråulf.