http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/news/1160090ANQES.xhtml





Thats pretty sad, when the big two is down so bad that its competitors are feeling sorry for them.

I guess that's good for me, I'm looking at buying a Prius

My Tbird only gets 15 MPG...I wouldn't know what to do getting 50 MPG! I'll give American products a longer look when they start making sensible hybrid vehicles. Escape Hybrid? 26 MPG? Impressive for a 4x4...but who needs a 4x4 from April-November? Not me.

I interviewed for an engineering job at GM and the guy was telling me all about their hybrid H2 they were working on (that's the project job I was interviewing for) - that is just assinying. Yeah, let's make a vehicle that normally gets 10 MPG a hybrid so it'll get 15. Maybe that's the reason Toyota and Honda have been thriving - the fact they make extremely economical vehicles.

Ford and GM have been a huge disappointment since people started becoming very gas-conscious IMO. Granted, I love my Tbird, and will keep it as a second vehicle (cuz I've put so much damn money into it and it's in near perfect condition), but I need to look at something economical. I'm sorry Chevy, but the Aveo and Cavalier both suck. (The Cobalt is alright).

This isn't a case of the Japanese feeling sorry for the American companies. This is a case of the Japanese trying to make sure that our government doesn't do to them what their government is doing to us. The Japanese government keeps the value of the yen down so that they can get cars and parts imported here more cheaply. Then, they impose strict tariffs on the American goods being exported to their country so that by the time the car hits the showrooms the cost is well above that of the Japanese brands in Asia.

If our government were to decide to do to the Japanese what they are doing to the Americans, the Asian car companies would go out of business VERY quickly. North America supports the Japanese car companies, not Japan. If there sales were to drop dramatically here, they would be f**ked like a poodle in a kennel full of bulldogs.

I drive a Saturn and I couldn't be happier with its efficiency with gas. Just as good as any Toyota or Honda.

The other thing though Mike is that you are not going to see many SUVs hauling around the island nation of Japan The Japanese auto makers produce so many compact fuel efficient cars and the Americans companies make only a few just to stay in the small car market IMO.

I have a gazillion other thoughts on what's being done wrong but Mike would prolly kick my @ss

I drive a Honda Civic and love it. I got it because my drive to work use to be 43 miles one way. The civic gets 38-40 mpg hwy. I looked at the Focus, Saturn, Toyota, Chevy, and VW. I felt great about the value I have received. I paid a little more than the US cars but got better value IMO. I also smashed the car about a 1 1/2 years after I got it. After the repairs it still ran like a dream!!! The only question that I have about it is, when i smashed it (doing about 45mph and hitting someone in the rear) the air bags didn't deploy. I hit the other vehicle as they were turning and the biggest part of the collision was at the passenger front corner. Still drove her away and back home though!