Poll: more Americans now believe US makes better-quality cars than Asia

[artds]

Never thought I'd see the day...

By Alan Fram, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON [[AP) -- America's love affair with the automobile has a new spark -- a renewed affection for U.S.-made cars after a long dalliance with foreign automakers.

Slightly more Americans now say the United States makes better-quality vehicles than Asia does, with 38 percent saying U.S. cars are best and 33 percent naming autos made by Asian countries, according to an Associated Press-GfK Poll.

Highlighting the changing attitudes, 15 percent in the March poll said Toyota makes the best cars, down from 25 percent who said so in 2006. Moving in the opposite direction was Ford, cited as tops by just 9 percent in 2006 but by 18 percent last month.

more...

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/auto...p-asian-autos/

[Jimaz]

Thanks, Toyota!

[Hermod]

Possibly we should wait until the 2010 annual sales figures are in before we break out in waves of "irrational exuberance".

[artds]

Thanks, Toyota!

The US auto makers have definitely benefited from Toyota's blunders, but I don't think you're giving Ford its due credit.

Ford began putting tremendous effort towards increasing the quality of its products a few years ago, and this is shown in the survey by the fact 2x the number of people beleive that Ford makes the best quality vehicles compared to just a few years ago.

[maxx]

The US auto makers have definitely benefited from Toyota's blunders, but I don't think you're giving Ford its due credit.

Ford began putting tremendous effort towards increasing the quality of its products a few years ago, and this is shown in the survey by the fact 2x the number of people beleive that Ford makes the best quality vehicles compared to just a few years ago.

I have a 1996 Honda Accord which has only needed maintenance and replacement of a couple parts. We also have a 2003 Mustang which we have sunk at least $3K in repairs to including a new clutch and transmission parts on top of maintenance. Maybe there are some good American-made
cars, but I have never owned one.

[Russix]

I have a 1996 Honda Accord which has only needed maintenance and replacement of a couple parts. We also have a 2003 Mustang which we have sunk at least $3K in repairs to including a new clutch and transmission parts on top of maintenance. Maybe there are some good American-made
cars, but I have never owned one.

It's a nice comparison, but you don’t mention anything about miles or driving style. So it’s perfectly equivalent for me to say that my Model T, which I only drive to church on Sunday in the summer, is fine but since my newer Honda Civic, which I take to the track every weekend, has problems so therefore: Ford Good, Honda Bad.

[mpf]

I have a 1996 Honda Accord which has only needed maintenance and replacement of a couple parts. We also have a 2003 Mustang which we have sunk at least $3K in repairs to including a new clutch and transmission parts on top of maintenance. Maybe there are some good American-made
cars, but I have never owned one.

I bought a Mustang, new, in 1979 [[fox-body). Drove it for 20 years! Took 3 days to sell it! Imagine a 96 honda in 2016...
I've had a bunch of japanese iron, but no more...in the long haul, USA is better.

[Fury13]

I bought a Mustang, new, in 1979 [[fox-body). Drove it for 20 years! Took 3 days to sell it! Imagine a 96 honda in 2016...

I'm imagining an '04 Focus in 2024... hmmm...

Yeah, that'll really be a collector's item.

[artds]

I have a 1996 Honda Accord which has only needed maintenance and replacement of a couple parts. We also have a 2003 Mustang which we have sunk at least $3K in repairs to including a new clutch and transmission parts on top of maintenance. Maybe there are some good American-made
cars, but I have never owned one.

All your experience is evidence of is that Honda built good cars in 1996 and Ford built poor cars in 2003. Neither assertion is in dispute [[or even addressed) in the poll.

[LeannaM]

Honestly, whether it's foreign or domestic doesn't really make a big difference to me. I want something reliable and affordable.

We have 3 fords and a chevy.

I'm glad Americans are regaining trust in American cars. People spending money on American products is always a good thing. I think the American car companies have had better press lately, and it's been recently bad for Toyota.

[Jimaz]

Yeah, I was half kidding. I have a Ford too and I love it!

[wash_man]

Maybe it has something to do with the work ethics of the workers producing them. Afterall, the extemely popular Ford Fusion isn't built in the U.S., but the now-troublesome Toyota Camry IS! Just sayin...

[Buy American]

WHAT YOU DRIVE, DRIVES AMERICA!
OUT OF A JOB YET? KEEP BUYING FOREIGN.

Detroit needs some good news for a change.

[Retroit]

Did the respondents to this poll base their judgment on perception [[drummed up by the recent Toyota dilemma) and experience [[of the very few cars they have owned) or did they actually do a comprehensive analysis [[of course not!)?

Which leads me to disqualify this poll [[even though the report is positive) because it is precisely this type of rushing to unfounded conclusions that has hurt the U.S. auto industry so much in recent years.

[East Detroit]

So, the fact that people now know with proof that Toyota quality is horrible should not be factored into their responses?

Did they receive that huge fine based on perception?

Sell that TM.

[Retroit]

So, the fact that people now know with proof that Toyota quality is horrible should not be factored into their responses?

Did they receive that huge fine based on perception?

Sell that TM.

One part of Toyota's cars are "horrible" [[the gas pedal). True, it is a critical part, but there are thousands of other parts on their cars that may actually be of better quality than their American counterparts. [[I'm not saying they are, just that they may be.)

[East Detroit]

One part of Toyota's cars are "horrible" [[the gas pedal). True, it is a critical part, but there are thousands of other parts on their cars that may actually be of better quality than their American counterparts. [[I'm not saying they are, just that they may be.)

I am saying they aren't.

And it is more than one part. The gas pedal [[maybe) and carpet mats [[right), the electronics interference [[more likely), the steering, the engine sludge issues, the rusting pickup frames, the rollover Lexus SUV fiasco... and the list goes on.

Yet the worst part of it is/was their intentional deception, Consumer Reports giving them a free pass for years, and so-called Detroiters who by guilt or other measure [[perhaps TM ownership) will not admit that Toyota did anything wrong but are more than willing to slam domestics and ignore their successes.

[hudkina]

For the past 10 years, the domestic brands started catching up with Asian brands when it came to quality, though the highest quality vehicles tended to be trucks and SUVs. While the Asian brands still tended to dominate quality studies, especially with small and midsize cars, the domestic brands were never really far behind. In the past few years [[especially since about 2008) Ford and GM have seen vast improvements with their smaller cars and crossovers, thanks in large part to their European/Asian divisions. Chrysler is the lone Big 3 company that is considerably behind when it comes to certain quality studies, but hopefully Fiat's expertise will help that.

Today Ford get's a lot more press for it's quality jump, but a lot of the "bump" is really only due to the fact that it didn't go through bankruptcy and take government loans. Not only do both GM and Ford have a lot of REALLY great cars they are fairing very well in quality studies.

[Hermod]

Chrysler is the lone Big 3 company that is considerably behind when it comes to certain quality studies, but hopefully Fiat's expertise will help that.

FIAT [[Fix It Again, Tony) sure did a great job in their last foreign venture [[Yugo). Maybe they can work the same magic on Chrysler.

[ejames01]

Make sure you guys don't forget to thank President Bush and President Obama for saving the Big 3.

[Detroitej72]

How do all the cons feel now that GM paid back their loan, with interest? That shatters the myth of a "government takeover" of the company.

Once they take the stock public,[[many economists think within a year) the tax payers should thank their government for making such a wise business move.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Make sure you guys don't forget to thank President Bush and President Obama for saving the Big 3.

F_ck a Bush. He was very reluctant to help them at all. Obama deserves the credit for saving them. And he saved just 2 of the 3, Ford has managed just fine. Bush was only concerned about giving Wall Street a handout.

[pffft]

Wow Fury,

I didn't realize you had such contempt for the Focus wagon. I think I even mentioned it to you not long ago.

[Fury13]

Wow Fury,

I didn't realize you had such contempt for the Focus wagon. I think I even mentioned it to you not long ago.

I don't have contempt for the Focus wagon at all. It excels at being basic transportation, as do many other cars [[mine included). I was making the point that it will never be a collector car [[replying to a post from MPF), that's all, compared to a Mustang.

[Retroit]

Make sure you guys don't forget to thank President Bush and President Obama for saving the Big 3.

Ironically, the problems that are destroying our economy were the same problems that plagued the automakers, namely:

• They grew too large to efficiently manage themselves.
• They grew too bureaucratic.
• They became managed by incompetent Harvard bureaucrats instead of people who knew how to build cars [[engineers).
• They became more concerned with perceived image than proven quality.
• They became too involved in social welfare [[pensions, health care, etc.) at the expense of manufacturing.
• They had to devote more money to labor and environmental concerns than their foreign counterparts.
• etc.