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Quote: Face

"Sign up or log in to read full article". Was able to catch a paragraph.

I thought Buick was dead?

better link

Buick is killer in China because they remember the glorious cars pre-1949. China kept Buick alive in the USA.

shrug
I own a foreign car
A lot of people do in this country
Another foreign car
shrug

Quote: terapined

shrug
I own a foreign car
A lot of people do in this country
Another foreign car
shrug

The point is not that is is imported. The points are:

1. Tens of billions spent to keep GM alive to "save the USA auto industry" yadda yadda yadda. GM management crying like babies that they could not compete with imports for decades. Now look.

2. UAW just got a rich contract extracted from GM. Union labor driving more production overseas, and to a USA rival to boot.

The bailout was a favorite idea of some!

I don't support company bail outs

But seriously, I thought Buick went the way of Oldsmobile.

I'm not really surprised, but then again, I am severely ignorant about all what transpired in that whole rigmarole. I don't understand why they NEEDED to be saved, nor do I understand why the "Big 3" is just 3. New manufacturers do pop up. Stryker, Pagani, Noble,... granted, they're sort of unique and high tech, but it's gotta be sort of similar breaking into the high end game as it is the daily driver. Yet it doesn't happen here.

I dunno. I'm not saying this from any position other than a wild guess, but I don't think China is going to be a by-word for "junk" much longer. Their stuff is cheap and low quality and, often, complete plagiarism... but I think that might be what catapults them to the front. Chop and burn and surge their dirty way to obtaining a spot, and once there, turn into to something big.

Didn't Japan do that? Weren't they the original China, ie. made a lot of cheap crap poorly? Now look. Jap owned the nineties and the aughts. Dunno if China can do that while dragging the anchor of Communism along with them, but...

Quote: Face

But seriously, I thought Buick went the way of Oldsmobile.

I'm not really surprised, but then again, I am severely ignorant about all what transpired in that whole rigmarole. I don't understand why they NEEDED to be saved, nor do I understand why the "Big 3" is just 3. New manufacturers do pop up. Stryker, Pagani, Noble,... granted, they're sort of unique and high tech, but it's gotta be sort of similar breaking into the high end game as it is the daily driver. Yet it doesn't happen here.

It was that close. Buick was dead in the USA, but much more even than Americans hold Audi and BMW in much higher esteem than Germans so did the Chinese hold Buick. Thing is they have to make it here as well to give street cred there. As to saving them, the market probably would have done that. GM management has been horrid since at least 1970. It took 40 more years to kill it, but they did. They could hire the best and brightest, but they had a way of getting people who were good in school but terrible on the street.

Quote:

I dunno. I'm not saying this from any position other than a wild guess, but I don't think China is going to be a by-word for "junk" much longer. Their stuff is cheap and low quality and, often, complete plagiarism... but I think that might be what catapults them to the front. Chop and burn and surge their dirty way to obtaining a spot, and once there, turn into to something big.

Didn't Japan do that? Weren't they the original China, ie. made a lot of cheap crap poorly? Now look. Jap owned the nineties and the aughts. Dunno if China can do that while dragging the anchor of Communism along with them, but...

I am of two minds there. On the one hand, I interviewed very serious with a Chinese refractory company. The US President stated that China makes junk because we have places like Harbor Freight that specify a price point that means junk. Said China can make better stuff. OTOH, I have not seen it, and Chinese automakers are nowhere near international competitiveness even after 15+ years of working with the internationals.

Same President mentioned what is a key difference with Japan. China has no brands of their own. Japan had Toyota, Honda, Sony. Panasonic, and others. Sure they stole much USA Tech, but they later made their own and built the brand that gave them the premium for it. China has so far been little more than a cheap labor subcontractor. They do not seem to be innovating very much.

I avoid their stuff very much at the low end unless I know it is one-use. I do get a few HF items, have a vise coming for my B-Day soon, so I am not perfect there.

Quote: AZDuffman

I avoid their stuff very much at the low end unless I know it is one-use. I do get a few HF items, have a vise coming for my B-Day soon, so I am not perfect there.

The thing with china stuff, that you have to wonder about. Like it is low grade metal. Maybe it's even giving off radiation? Like the wall board giving off chemical fumes.

I got a drill for like $6. Practically worthless, but at that moment it was useful for some easy drilling job.

I am sure going to be more hesitant with more risky areas, like driving an all Chinese car at 70mph. Don't want to see my wheel rolling outside the window separated from the car.

I have read that Japan produces the highest quality steel. I was surprised to read that they produce more steel than the U.S.

Quote: DRich

I have read that Japan produces the highest quality steel. I was surprised to read that they produce more steel than the U.S.

Germany and Japan steel mills were bombed into oblivion, it was only USA steel plants that made it through WW two unscathed by bombs. Then we spent money to rebuild Europe, but not UK steel, and we fought a very profitable war with Korea that gave millions to the Japanese steel.

So you take old steel mills in the USA and add tough labor unions, then you add new steel mills abroad with their products aimed at the USA.

Surprize?

Quote: Fleastiff

So you take old steel mills in the USA and add tough labor unions, then you add new steel mills abroad with their products aimed at the USA.

The unions killed US steel, as they kill
all things. Like the US auto industry.

Unions equal mediocre people earning
wages only smart people should earn.

Result: Epic fail.