As an automotive professional for the last 26 years, I can tell you that for the last several years the American manufacturers have been consistently porducing lower quality vehicles than their Japanese and European counterparts. And remember this... those counterparts are their competition. The big 3 in Detroit have consistently addressed their sales or lack of sales in the worst ways. In fact, there is a joke in one of the threads in the Chit Chat Forum about GM and Toyota and a canoe race. It's a joke, but not far from the truth.
GM has had a history of trying to become the first to do things. Examples...
1. In the early 80's they were one of the first manufacturers to incorporate computer controlled carburetors. This was done to increase fuel economy and performance/drivability. It worked too. But at the same time, their competition was looking long term by putting more money into the research to build a more reliable and much higher quality electronically controlled fuel injection system. Those systems came out later but proved to be much better in the long run.
2. GM also came out with one of the first mass produced 4 speed automatic transmissions. It had an overdrive for it's fourth gear and proved very much to be a huge benefit to increasing fuel economy in all of it's vehicles. However, they had their problems too. Many problems. I was working in a Pontiac/GMC dealership at the time (1988) as a heavy line technician. We were mailed out service bulletins each month and regularly recieved 4-6 updates for those transmissions each month. Sometimes one would supercede another that we hadn't even recieved yet.
3. GM was indeed the first to come out with air bags as supplemental restraints too. In fact, the first was an optional accessory on the Oldsmobile Toronado in the early 70's. The systems were expensive, and ultimately proved to have their problems too. By the time they were putting them in vehicles as standard equiptment some time around 1989 or 1990 (If I remember right) they were again trying to beat the masses to the punch. Which they did. The next few years showed proof that they jumped the gun and failed to do the proper research on the system as a whole. Many expensive updates/bulletins/ and recalls followed, which all bite into their profits. In other words, and this applies to all of the above examples...
If GM builds something, sells it with a warranty, but ultimately has to spend more money on doing research to fix the flawed plan after the sale... It's a losing situation that will continue to snowball. They, along with the other US manufacturers, have done this consistently for years.
The problem really boils down to this... GM in particular has focused entirely too much on being first rather than being best. Period.
I could write about this topic for a long time. I have very much experience in the automotive industry as a technician, a shop foreman, an estimator in the collision industry... the list goes on. And I can assure you that the consumer is smarter than ever these days. Add to that the way people communicate. Via the internet on message boards such as this. People say quite a bit about how they feel about their cars, if you start looking for that sort of thing. Honda and Toyota owners are much more likely to buy another Honda or Toyota in the future than American car owners are likely to repurchase from the same manufacturer.
And while I'm thinking about it, can I just say this? Don't listen to all the BS from all the car review magazines and such. Please? I don't mean to yell, but for crap sakes...
THEY ARE JOURNALISTS! NOT TECHNICIANS OR ENGINEERS!
Would you ask me, a mechanic, what I would suggest for a good book to read?
Probably not.
The unions contribute to all of this too, I'm sure. As does poor leadership in executive positions. As does the cost to pay pensions/medical insurance, etc. But these are also items that other manufacturers must address too. And in my own opinion the Japanese and European manufacturers are doing a better job of it.
Let me finish this by saying this. I have 4 cars.
The Hot Rod........70 Monte Carlo
The Not Rod........92 Infiniti Q45a
The Snot Rod......89 Toyota Tercel
The Yacht Rod.....65 Chrysler Imperial Crown Coupe
The Toyota is my daily driver. It's ugly as guts, I open the hood twice a year whether I need to or not... but it's reliable as all hell. It's got around 239,000 miles on it now, and it still has the original clutch. I've done NOTHING to it other than service work, meaning fluids, belts, timing belt... normal maintenance items. That's it. I can safely assure anyone that they would be hard pressed to find a 1989 vehicle made by the big 3 that has been as reliable.
Sorry for the long post... I hope it may help at least one person however in the future.
