Quote:
Originally posted by billB@Sep 29 2004, 12:24 PM
Schilke
Thanks for the reply. If the following statement is true:
Why can't Ford or Chevy build a car of the same quality/dynamics/etc..? Because we won't buy it. A $35K ford focus?
Don't we pay alot more for different cars?
To the quality shortcuts you mentioned ? At ford/Gm does competition play a major role at the end product? or it is what you described? If true where this path is going to lead to?
NOTE: There is no wrong no right no smart no whatever answers to this topic; as long as it respects other member's opinion.
Thank you again Schilke
regards
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As LOS said, those of us who have the wherewithall, appreciation, and desire, purchase the more expensive cars. BMW to the few, GM to the masses.
The latest edition of Crain's Automotive News has lists of North American vehicle production. Granted, it isn't a reflection on sales, but it gives a good idea:
Total NA GM from January to 9/11/2004: 3,476,502
Ford same dates: 2,488,673
Chrysler Same Dates: 1,868,415
Ready for this, BMW, same dates: 105,297
Even without knowing how many BMW imports, its not nearly enough to equal the big 3.
I fully believe, because truck manufacturing is very similar, that the equation:
(Cost)(Quality)(Delivery) = Constant is true.
We can't have low cost AND high quality AND 18-24 month vehicle development times.
As for competition, Ford has stopped competing with Japanese manufacturers, because they own one. Why compete when you can buy one? Ford builds American style cars for those masses who want them. THey also own the company (Mazda) that builds Japanese style cars for those who want them! There is no competition.
Product Development is not driven these days by the 'competition' but rather the quest for more profit.
Can I build a lower cost tarus? No. But I can build a ford 500, for the same cost as a tarus and charge more for it. Aha!!
Even my company does this. Why are we coming out with a new class 3, 4, 5 medium duty truck? Not because GM/Isuzu, Hino, and Mitsubishi have ones, but because we want more money. It has to be better than the competition by default for the business case to make sense. We want to become a much larger company.
It's a suttle difference, but it's there. THe idealists are the ones that tell you,"We are gonna make a car to compete with Japan!"
But in reality its more like, "We can make millions if we introduce a car in this market segment."
