Odo 0 Posted January 23, 2006 Ford has just anonced its restructreing plan it includes shutting 4 Us plants. Wixom Mi, Alanta Ga, Batavia ohio, and St.Louis Mo. Assembly plants. Plus one in Windsor Canada. Appox. 20,000 people just lost there jobs. Hourly and saliery workers. The old jokes about Ford are not real funny anymore (ie Found On Road Dead, F Over Repaire Daily ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kor37 9 Posted January 23, 2006 They are doing what they have to do to survive. Their US market share has gone from 25 % to 17%. Its painful but sometimes you have to do things like that to survive. If the USA taxed the crap out of foreign cars like they do US cars in Japan, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Odo 0 Posted January 23, 2006 I totaly and completely agree. And we will not because they will threaten a trade war. We do need what they sell yes it may be cheaper because of there slave labor. but if push came to shove I know we as Americans would be willing to pay a little more. and prove we are kepping there ecomony afloat as well as ares. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kor37 9 Posted January 23, 2006 On the news last week, I saw an interview with a GM executive about a plant that they had just opened in China. He was bragging how the Chinese work for $3.50 per hour. Really hard to compete with that! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gary Phaserman 0 Posted January 24, 2006 My employees COULD work for $3.50 an hour, here in the US, but GM's or Ford's cannot. The reason? My employees get tips...But that's off topic. It's sad, but Ford really doesn't have cars to match vehicles like the Civic, and doesn't have Hybrids to match Toyota's Prius. Hell, they can't even match Kia's Rio! What Ford needs to do is they need to go back to the drawing boards. Keep the F-series trucks (always big sellers), but look at creating a small Sedan to match the Rio for Gas Mileage (And it wouldn't be hard to surpass it in terms of reliability), a small sport's car to match the Civic, and develope a Hybrid to counter the Prius. Build them here in the US, and assuming the price to manufacture each is the same as it would be for a Prius or a Civic or a Rio, you can undercut the price by $1,000 or more because you don't have to load it onto a ship and send it across, and it doesn't have to clear customs, and what-not. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
youbroughtheryouRiker 2 Posted January 25, 2006 Detroit and Lansing are the #1 and #2 areas in downsizing in this new millenium. The whole state of MI may very well be up the creek without a paddle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Odie 0 Posted January 25, 2006 Just bought a car recently. I bought a Ford instead of Japanese car. Can anyone guess which are was made in the United States and which one is not? Click below to find the answer. » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... « The Ford car was mostly made in foreign countries. The finial assumable was done in Mexico. The Toyota was made in the United States with engine made in Japan. The America auto manufactories have to find out went wrong and fix the problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kor37 9 Posted January 25, 2006 Just bought a car recently. I bought a Ford instead of Japanese car. Can anyone guess which are was made in the United States and which one is not? Click below to find the answer. » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... « The Ford car was mostly made in foreign countries. The finial assumable was done in Mexico. The Toyota was made in the United States with engine made in Japan. The America auto manufactories have to find out went wrong and fix the problem. Thats easy. Lower wages and NO unions in the foreign countries. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Odie 0 Posted January 25, 2006 Than you didn't click on the bottom. Do so and you will be surprised by the results. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
youbroughtheryouRiker 2 Posted January 25, 2006 I clicked it, but there are Ford and GM plants in MI that are being shut down. Hence the panic and concern. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Odie 0 Posted January 27, 2006 I would if the top excutives are willing to take a pay cuts and not except their over million dollar bonuses. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theunicornhunter 2 Posted January 28, 2006 Has anyone noticed gas prices are heading up again? Who can afford those big honking gas guzzlers. My little Civic has 200,000+ miles on it - bless it - and I couldn't find anything else with gas mileage that good. And I'd love to have a job I didn't have to commute so far. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gary Phaserman 0 Posted January 28, 2006 when I have to deliver, I use a Kia Rio, and it gets pretty good (like 33 MPG City), and that works for me. And it's only got a NINE GALLON gas tank. according to my buddy Joe over at 7-11, Gas is expected to go above 3.50 this summer, too. me thinketh that stinketh. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
youbroughtheryouRiker 2 Posted January 28, 2006 I would if the top excutives are willing to take a pay cuts and not except their over million dollar bonuses. Would that it were. Has anyone noticed gas prices are heading up again? Who can afford those big honking gas guzzlers. My little Civic has 200,000+ miles on it - bless it - and I couldn't find anything else with gas mileage that good. And I'd love to have a job I didn't have to commute so far. One advantage of living in a small city. It's still a city, which means I don't have to drive far to get to work, but small enough to where I don't waste a whole lot of gas sitting in traffic either. $3.50 per gallon? Just how close are we to hydrogen cells again? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kor37 9 Posted January 28, 2006 Hydrogen fuel cells are still about 5-10 years away from being practical. Meanwhile, there are several alternative fuel sources being kept under wraps by the oil companies. They will probably be "rediscovered" as soon as the last drop of oil is pumped out of the Earth......................... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mj 7 Posted January 28, 2006 American auto makers also pay health insurance costs of their workers, where in foreign countries they do not have to pay. My friends who own foreign cars seem to pay less maintenance. My current car is a Chevrolet, but that is because my dad insisted that I buy American. He is dead now, and whether or not I continue to buy American in the future depends on my experience with the service department at the dealership I take my car to . However, if Toyota is employing American workers, adn Ford is not, maybe that is a good enough reason to buy a Toyota next time around. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Data 0 Posted January 29, 2006 I would if the top excutives are willing to take a pay cuts and not except their over million dollar bonuses. That would probably save everybody's job. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Phaserman 0 Posted January 29, 2006 Hey, Gary, if Gas Prices spike again, will you guys be increasing the Delivery Charge? I would. Pizza drivers work to MAKE money, not LOSE money, so I think it's actually a pretty good thing that the Company is picking up the tab, basically, for their gas. otherwise, Domino's Pizza stores across the US might be looking into "Carryout Only". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites