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My first car was a '79 T-bird (Heritage edition), with a 5.8l 351w. I agree
it had some power, but I would have had to put around 1,000$ in repairs (in
1988) to keep it. Everything would break or jam.
I scrapped it and got myself a '79 Celica GT Coupe (not the hatchback
version) for 600$ canadian
It was fat, peppy, I used to lose 'stangs in curves, I might have put around
400$ on it in a year (when I broke the tranny, it cost me 300$).
Fixing the import was easy, fast and cheap. (doing front brakes on it was so
easy, it took longer to jack the car up and remove the wheel than replacing
the disc and both pads)
(besides, the pads on my Celica were cheaper than those on my domestic
Chevette)
Actually, as I think about it, my *best* car, the toughest one was made in
France. a Renault 5.
That thing was indestructible. 52HP, not a chick-pick-me-up car, but it got
the job done. (lasted even longer than my '84 Chevette)
--
(\_ _/)
(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination.
"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2@mailcity.com> wrote in message
news:X9Ocnab5jvXxvUTeUSdV9g@ptd.net...
> Can't prove that by me. I haven't had a bad car in over 25 years, foreign
> or domestic. Perhaps you do not do the maintenance. If you think
> foreign cars don't break down you are in for a rude awakening. ;)
>
>
> <Acurajustin1978@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1138220821.633027.228460@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>>
>> Mike Hunter wrote:
>>> That may be your opinion but more American buy GM and Ford vehicles than
>>> they buy any other. They must think the one they buy is as good or
>>> better
>>> than the brand you buy.
>>>
>>>
>>> mike hunt
>>
>>
>> Yeah, and most Americans have to bring their Mexican built American
>> cars in for service every other week. What's your point? Any savings
>> in the initial price of the car is negated by constant repairs.
>>
>
>
"Frank from Deeeetroit" <dadurweird@voyager.net> wrote in message
news:T7Wdnc1vC_Q4U0XeRVn-vg@comcast.com...
> Median US income was $43,300.00 per the US Census in 2003
>
> The Big 3 pay enormous wage and benefit costs compared to labor costs with
> foreign auto makers. The weak US dollar is like a magnet for foreign auto
> makers to sell their products in the US.
>
Not true. You think German labor is cheaper than American? Japanese? Where
are the low-cost European car dealers? Who are these foreign auto makers
you're talking about? Korean labor might be a little cheaper than ours, I
don't know. Europe and Japan are way more. There are some cars made in
low-wage countries, but none of them are being imported. That'll change.
So far, Detroit has gotten along fine on labor costs per person - They've
got mexico, and Canada has always been a little cheaper. Their problem is
they're supporting too many people per car.
Doctors think too highly of themselves. They need to come back down to the
ground once and awhile. Some are great. Too many others make serious
mistakes and take rather than save lives on a regular basis, quietly
shuffling over to the next regional hospital once the body bag count gets
too high at their current abode.
Same with college professors. Some are damn good, Others are pompous old
farts in need need of a serious colon cleaning.
Bottom line:
Where I live , just outside of NYC metro area, $65k is considered average
median household income.
A small house on a quarter acre lot will cost you no less than $400k with
$14k of property taxes.
$35K a year will buy you a cardboard box in an alley or a tent in the woods.
People would not need a total compensation package worth $65k a year if the
doctors, insurers, lawyers, and korporate Amerika were not so greedy.
For sure it is true. US auto labor costs are much higher than the forgeins.
There are no low-cost dealers of any manufacturer, prices are comparable.
The savings for the company is in its labor costs. Japanese products cost
less to produce but they sell for close to the price of American made cars.
As a result, the Japanese are making more money per car than the Americans,
a major factor in the Americans cutting jobs and closing plants.
True, Japanese and Europeon labor is more expensive compared to American
labor, mostly due to the difference in the value of their currency to our
currency. Part of the reson the economy is a little sluggish in Europe.
Key point, the Japanese and Europeans build plants here, make a great
investment as the Yen and the Euro is valued higher that the US Dollar, they
are ahead of the game before they produce a single car. Many of the forgein
makers producing cars in the US use non-union labor to save money and
increase profits.
If you and I formed a company to make widgets, our aim is to maximize
profits and lower as much of our internal costs, thats the name of the game.
" <Joe@dontspam.net> wrote in message news:_fiCf.593$K%2.481@fe04.lga...
>
> "Frank from Deeeetroit" <dadurweird@voyager.net> wrote in message
> news:T7Wdnc1vC_Q4U0XeRVn-vg@comcast.com...
>> Median US income was $43,300.00 per the US Census in 2003
>>
>> The Big 3 pay enormous wage and benefit costs compared to labor costs
>> with foreign auto makers. The weak US dollar is like a magnet for
>> foreign auto makers to sell their products in the US.
>>
> Not true. You think German labor is cheaper than American? Japanese? Where
> are the low-cost European car dealers? Who are these foreign auto makers
> you're talking about? Korean labor might be a little cheaper than ours, I
> don't know. Europe and Japan are way more. There are some cars made in
> low-wage countries, but none of them are being imported. That'll change.
>
> So far, Detroit has gotten along fine on labor costs per person - They've
> got mexico, and Canada has always been a little cheaper. Their problem is
> they're supporting too many people per car.
>
>
>
> Those are some unbelievably low numbers. One problem is the person making 15
> k in NYC equates to a guy making 11 k in Sioux City, IA. The government
> can't realistically think one set of numbers can apply to 48 States.
To live on the equivalent of $30K in most of the Midwest would take
about $80K in northern New Jersey and probably double that in
Manhattan.
badgolferman wrote:
> Learning Richard, 1/25/2006, 8:54:04 AM,
> <1138197244.456346.93500@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> wrote:
>
> >
> > 65,000 a year should be minimum wage in the usa. That would be $32.50
> > an hour.
> >
> > taken a look at your electric bill lately?
>
> If minimum wage = $32.50
> Then loaf of bread = $16.75
Bullshit. The direct cost of labor is probably 20% of the loaf's cost.
it will go up, but not that much. A lot, though.
Raising the minimum wage is not the answer. Securing the flow of
mestizos to American employers and putting safety, environmental and
legal costs offsets on third world products will help far more.
Perhaps, but my calculations put actual annual salary more at $54,000 --
if you phrase it the way most people would.
Frank from Deeeetroit wrote:
> http://www.uaw.org/barg/03/barg02.cfm
>
> This link will proved the hourly rate of pay for straight time pay for labor
> and skilled trades for UAW workers as of 2003. With health care, employer
> FICA contributions, and other benefits, $65,000.00 is not an unreasonable
> amount, perhaps a conservative amount.
>
>
> "John Bailo" <jabailo@texeme.com> wrote in message
> news:43D916BD.4090203@texeme.com...
>
>>jismquiff@yahoo.com wrote:
>>
>>>We're told this week that the average annual wage for
>>>a Ford family production line worker is an astounding $65,000!
>>
>>BTW -- could you post a link to this "fact".
>>
>>I've been googling for it and can't find any references...
>
>
>
dizzy wrote:
> Top-posting troll Mike Hunter wrote:
>
> > Can't prove that by me.
>
> Can't prove what by you, top poster?
You can prove that he's a waste of oxygen
>
> > I haven't had a bad car in over 25 years, foreign
> > or domestic. Perhaps you do not do the maintenance.
>
> This, from someone who trade-in every year. What an idiot.
"Learning Richard" <learningrichard@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1138394375.427759.315870@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> dizzy wrote:
>> Top-posting troll Mike Hunter wrote:
>>
>> > Can't prove that by me.
>>
>> Can't prove what by you, top poster?
>
> You can prove that he's a waste of oxygen
>
>>
>> > I haven't had a bad car in over 25 years, foreign
>> > or domestic. Perhaps you do not do the maintenance.
>>
>> This, from someone who trade-in every year. What an idiot.
>
> he doesn't even own a car
>
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