My solution for the auto companies.................

[benchthis]

hire better engineers to design these cars

[tendonitis]

Unions killed the domestic car companies.  There was a Ford transmission plant where I grew up. There were guys there making $80,000 a year, working 7.5 hour shifts with 4 weeks paid vacation a year. Tough to make a profit doing business like that.

[BFP]

No. Most of the Big Three have a job bank that pays people to be voluntarily laid off.

My Dad has worked in the auto industry for over 25 years. My grandpa did 35. Ive never heard of this, and it hasn't happened when either of them had beenlaid off in the past.

Jason

[ASJChaotic]

1) make starting pay 10 dollars an hour, most of the people working in these factories barely graduated high school
2) get rid of the health benefits
3) get rid of the pension plans, makes no sense to pay people who aren't working or creating anything for the company4) start building more efficient, reliable cars that get better gas mileage, there's a reason why Toyota is killing the American car companies

strikes here we come 

[The Coach]

Fuck you the government should fear its people.... the people shouldnt fear the government

I agree 100%. But in retro, the dems are loving this crap. They want to be depended on.

[benchthis]

go extreme and rid the United States of foreign car companies and force Americans to buy domestic ......... or sell American tax free and tax foreign cars

[nicky.smth]

go extreme and rid the United States of foreign car companies and force Americans to buy domestic ......... or sell American tax free and tax foreign cars

The US car Industry still wouldn't make a profit in this economy if there were zero imports..


I remember hearing about the problems facing GM/ford about 10 years ago...Still nothing has been done to address any of this bullshit

[lastrep]

Number one reason for all this crap is the damn salaries! Fucking people barely get out of highschool and are handed a salary 5x more what they are worth.. they decided to start a lifestyle based on this inflated and very UN-RELIABLE income, get in way over their heads thinking they are actually successful.. then the plant closes and..

THEY GET A REALITY CHECK!

[Rimbaud]

Unions killed the domestic car companies.  There was a Ford transmission plant where I grew up. There were guys there making $80,000 a year, working 7.5 hour shifts with 4 weeks paid vacation a year. Tough to make a profit doing business like that.

Can't just blame them. They did a good job wrecking themselves too.

[benchthis]

ha ha maybe all this is bullshit and they have been using the "were falling card" for the last 100 years to keep the government helping them with bailouts,  to make the public feels sorry for them and purchase American , to keep the investors return to a minimum.... I just fail to comprehend how the #1 and #3 best selling car companies in the world for the last 75 years are "breaking" 

[240 is Back]

You do realize that they pay into their own pensions correct?

Jason

But GM used that $ to fund their own inefficient operations.

$600 billion in retirement debt, and they're going to be out of money completely in February.

Imagine how pissed some people are going to be when they realize their retirement is wiped out, but CEOs are still getting their bonuses...

[Rimbaud]

ha ha maybe all this is bullshit and they have been using the "were falling card" for the last 100 years to keep the government helping them with bailouts,  to make the public feels sorry for them and purchase American , to keep the investors return to a minimum.... I just fail to comprehend how the #1 and #3 best selling car companies in the world for the last 75 years are "breaking" 

They've ruined themselves. In the 1970/80's they didn't try to compete with the imports to make more fuel efficent cars. They try to guilt everyone into buying an "American" car (made in America but 90% of the parts come from somewhere else or made somewhere else with American parts   ) but they put out mostly shit. On top of mismanagement they've given the Unions way too much. Add it all up & you've got problems.

[Rimbaud]

But GM used that $ to fund their own inefficient operations.

$600 billion in retirement debt, and they're going to be out of money completely in February.

Imagine how pissed some people are going to be when they realize their retirement is wiped out, but CEOs are still getting their bonuses...

True. They want another 25 Billion to pretty much fix their pension & health care accounts. However, the CEO should continue to make millions even though the companies failing. 

[benchthis]

They've ruined themselves. In the 1970/80's they didn't try to compete with the imports to make more fuel efficent cars. They try to guilt everyone into buying an "American" car (made in America but 90% of the parts come from somewhere else or made somewhere else with American parts  ) but they put out mostly shit. On top of mismanagement they've given the Unions way too much. Add it all up & you've got problems.

On paper NAFTA was supposed to help out with the prices since they were being created at a cheaper cost without charging taxes but the price remained the same... we were paying the same cost for the same car  and yet we lost lots of jobs 

[Rimbaud]

On paper NAFTA was supposed to help out with the prices since they were being created at a cheaper cost without charging taxes but the price remained the same... we were paying the same cost for the same car  and yet we lost lots of jobs 

Agreed.

[GetItOnNY]

The problem is they charge to dam much for cars period.Cars have gotten so expensive people now have to "rent' them" (lease)" because they cant afford to buy them.Plus I was looking to buy a new Dodge Charger, with the 426 Hemi.I walked into the dealership the one I wanted was like $38,000, but they marked the car up $15000 over invoice because its the Hemi version.I was like WTF. Our economy, is in a down fall, and there selling a "Dodge" car for $15000 over the retail price.They wonder why they arent selling any cars?? Who is going to pay, over $50,000 for a friggin Dodge, that wont be worth $20,000 a year from now.They should make the car for about $28,000, -$30,000, and just sell a ton of them.Just imagine if every other industry did this, they would be out of buissness.
The auto industry is a bunch of crooks, with there mark-ups, and hidden fee's.They got a gas guzzler charge, dock fee, dealer prep fee,scotch guard fee.Imagine going into a sports nutrition store, and they have a shipping fee, a stocking fee, and a pricing fee? What would happen, people wouldnt buy supplements.What ever happened to just a fair price without a friggin boat load of hidden fees??.This just my thoughts.

[240 is Back]

I know a guy who just paid 37k for a dodge magnum with some souped up engine, rim package, etc...

he's living on credit cards and not working at the moment, but "needed something to get around in".

I got my truck for about 2k at a steal from auction, and its run fine for years.  Seeing someone spend damn near a years' salary on a car when they have no job...

WTF is wrong with people?

[Rimbaud]

I know a guy who just paid 37k for a dodge magnum with some souped up engine, rim package, etc...

he's living on credit cards and not working at the moment, but "needed something to get around in".

I got my truck for about 2k at a steal from auction, and its run fine for years.  Seeing someone spend damn near a years' salary on a car when they have no job...

WTF is wrong with people?

What a jack ass.

[BroadStreetBruiser]

why is it the workers fault they can demand and get that sort of pay?

[benchthis]

true that... i was talking to a friend in class who doesnt work   and drives a new dodge ram.. I asked him how he got it... he responded student loans  and yet here I am driving a shitty Camry plus working 40 hours to pay for it 

I hope he knows he cant file bankruptcy on student loans...

[Rimbaud]

why is it the workers fault they can demand and get that sort of pay?

I personally think that they should be compinsated fairly for their work. However, as I've said over & over unskilled labor should not be making twice as much as a teacher.

[benchthis]

if you lower their pay... they wont work and just go get unemployment until it runs out and then apply for food stamps and welfare 

[tom joad]

1) make starting pay 10 dollars an hour, most of the people working in these factories barely graduated high school
2) get rid of the health benefits
3) get rid of the pension plans, makes no sense to pay people who aren't working or creating anything for the company
4) start building more efficient, reliable cars that get better gas mileage, there's a reason why Toyota is killing the American car companies

Vote for the "Squadfather-Joe The Plumber" ticket in 2012!!!

[Big_Tymer]

agreed with all the people saying they earn way too much money.  blame the unions for being greedy and demanding too much when the people arent worth it.  will be funny to see all these people who got greedy lose their retirement plans

[elite_lifter]

Me=American and drive Japanese