[JUREK]

Originally Posted by jeffy

I worked on Honda motorcycles from 1976 to 1980 . In 1980 I was lucky enough to switched to Honda cars. In 1985 I started my own independent Honda auto service business. American Honda Motor Company made it possible for me and all the people that I employed to make a very good living.

In the 70s and 80s , american auto manufacturers made crap. You should all be thanking the foreign manufacturers and the americans that turned to MUCH higher quality cars for the US turning things around. The only reason the "big 3" are now making much higher quality is because so many people got fed up with their poor quality and the US companys had to do something. Can you imagine how bad their product would be now if we continued to buy their low quality cars and did not vote with our pocket books by buying foreign?

My father, a WWII vet , said he would never buy any "japanese" cars. After his brand new caddy needed 2 new transmissioins in its first 6 months, he finally switched to Lexus.

The US manufactures and their unions made their bed, and then they had to lay in it. When your workers are making $80 and hour in pay and benifits with no fear of being fired for poor quality work, what kind of product do you think they will make? You have to have incentive, innovation, fear of job loss if you dont perform, and produce quality or you will not survive.

It is NOT the lazy american worker that is the problem. It is poor management and labor unions. When Honda decided to make all their Accords that were shipped east of the Mississippi in Marysville Ohio, many Honda buyers were worried that quality would drop. I saw NO drop in quality in US made Accords and I heard surveys that showed the US Accord was 99% as well built as its Japanese counterpart. But Marysville had no union and great management. Workers there were able to make a great quality car.

I am retired now and look fondly at servicing such a high quality product. 90% of my business was just routine service and replacement of wear items (brakes, timing belts, etc ). American Honda Motor Company was first rate. They were willing to stand behind their cars. I remember when the 90-91 Accord had distributors that were failing after 8 years or more.. I replaced distributors on cars with 135000 miles that Honda paid for because those distributors should have lasted the life of the car.

Anyone that buys a Honda or Toyota ( including Acura and Lexus ) should expect 200000 miles on their engine and trans with no failures. I also see upstart Hyundai making great strides also. Are US manufacturers making a very good product now??? Yes, they have come a long way and are beginning to nip at the heels of Honda and Toyota. THEY HAD NO CHOICE. It was either greatly increase their quality to compete with the Japanese or die.

Many of you die hard "buy american" people will not like what i have said here. Take a minute and let it set in before you start the hate. Do you really think that US cars in the 70s and 80s and 90s were as good as Honda and Toyota? Do you think that the US would have as good as quality today if those unpatriotic americans had not bought foreign?? Those people that bought foreign have probably saved the US manufacturers in the long run.

jeff

Jeff:

You hit the nail on the head for sure. Any consumer should read the yearly April issue of Consumers Reports before they buy. Read the repair records on the American cars. Look at the cars to avoid.Yes the American companies have come a long way but they still have a long way to catch up.