http://chirpthird.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6786

I think it is a good article.

What I think GM and Ford should follow is ambush marketing. It does not make sense to turn a Nelson's eye on the aggressive marketing from Toy-boy-ta; the latest being their farts about the twice failed Tundra.

The only way to change perceptions among the people is to have initiative.

I almost lamented the fact that none of GM's cars went down in HP ratings when SAE standards were applied, yet people new nothing about it and the fact Japanese increased their estimates. This should have been on the first page ads.

GM hardly educates people about how good their Buicks and Caddy's are when it comes to quality.

GM is now coming about the fuel economy of their trucks, telling people they are the best. I had an arguement with an import humper lady-dog who was saying GM trucks sucked in fuel economy. I showed her all the data and proved her wrong. (She is more than twice old as I am)

There is another import humper MILF who buys nothing but Hondas. There is another fellow who says he will never buy domestics. Why? Because 20 YEARS AGO, his sister had a disappointing Buick. Yet he has driven four times, 300 miles to Atlanta to fix his Lexus LS430 for "Courtesy Service."

Part of the reason Hyundai has sales of Sonata is because of their direct MENTIONING of Crapry in their ads. It just seems like GM and FORD have past egos to not to mention their competitors by name and tell how better they are.

Time is certainly not by GM and Ford's side. Almost a generation has passed since they have started building good, passionate cars again. I think they should rather concentrate on younger buyers and hope them pressurize their parents buying new cars.

But it is never too late to mend and aggressive marketing push is the only way GM and Ford can come back.

There is another import humper MILF who buys nothing but Hondas. There is another fellow who says he will never buy domestics. Why? Because 20 YEARS AGO, his sister had a disappointing Buick. Yet he has driven four times, 300 miles to Atlanta to fix his Lexus LS430 for "Courtesy Service."

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I hate it when people do that. Absolutely hate it. EVERYONE has had a disappointing car. Everyone knows people who have had disappointing cars. My family has had a few disappointing cars in my lifetime...but it never led to us swearing off the brand...much less the company, or THREE companies.

This was a great article, I just wish more people would read it.

Edited December 6, 200619 yr by AxelTheRed

It's nice to read an article that doesn't have anti-Detroit bias for once. Thanks for posting.

(in my best Adam Sandler "happy gilmore" voice. "where's Toyoguy now?"

Besting a brand new car in initial quality isn't that impressive.

What, you mean that last year's brand-new Impala didn't beat last year's five-year-old Camry? Because that's the comparison it sounds like they're making.

Last year, the Chevrolet Impala beat the Toyota Camry in initial quality according to J.D. Power & Associates, and Consumer Reports just announced that both the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan scored higher than both the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord this year.

Edited December 6, 200619 yr by aaaantoine

Huh, thats funny, i thought that '90 model camry's were supposed to be better the brand new GM's. at least thats what everyone used to say.

Besting a brand new car in initial quality isn't that impressive.

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The Impala beat the old Camry and the Fusion and Milan were both brand new too. You were saying?

If people on this board - who one would assume are at least a little more informed and involved about the auto industry, cannot be convinced that the Big 2.5 have come a long way, then all is lost.

Just to add to this othewise excellent post, it isn't just someone's bad experience with a 20 year old car that is the problem. Twenty years ago, Toyota and Honda had, what - maybe 5 or 6 models apiece on this side of the ocean? How hard would that have been to keep focused? I can name 5 or 6 great cars GM was building 20 years ago; unfortunatley, I can also name 5 or 6 not so great cars GM was building then, too. That is the problem: GM was probably juggling 40 models 20 years ago - some were bound to have been flops. The media will focus on those bad designs (Citation, anyone?) as examples of how bad Detroit is.

We are already seeing cracks in Toyota's armour as they continually add more and more complex models to their line up.

Not so much fun playing with the big boys, eh Toyota?

geez you guys get worked up easily.

I wasn’t talking about the Impala. I was referring to the Fusion vs the new Camry, which I assume is what the person was talking about by “this year’s rankings”.