uluz2a6 said:
Is it the UAW'S fault Ford designs crappy vehicles that no one wants to buy?:dontknow:
This is by far, and I mean by far, the biggest/dumbest copout uneducated Union boneheads/sympathizers rely on in their arguments on how "oh no, it's not me who is cutting off my nose to spite my face" Auto Industry rationalizations.
Explain please: GM holds around 20% of domestic share, Ford 16-17%, DCX around 13%. You've got three domestic manufacturers with a ridiculously long-standing manufacturing base from which to work who DOMINATE the market. Domestic auto makers (add with me) contribute about 50% of all the light duty cars and trucks we buy. Ford wastes everyone with the F-150 and has an "off" year when they don't sell 900,000.
At the same time the Japanese, those scions of the gods of exciting design hold down about 35%. You can add the following cars that actually make me faint from excitement in their top sellers: Camry, Accord, Sentra, Civic, Corolla. Please, someone get me a paper bag, I'm hyperventilating.
The vehicles in this equation don't matter. The industry is the definition of an oligopoly, and there's one big ass difference between the players. The cars one set makes cost them a whole shitload less than the cars the other set make.
GM managed to lose $11 BILLION dollars this year and
they have by far the highest share in the industry. So obviously they are selling cars to someone somewhere, rebates or not. Yes, if every car GM built was Corvette exciting, that would lower their $6 billion dollar a year health tab (might I point out, how many of the $17 mil in Viagra scrips are UAW workers reselling and pocketing
those profits from? I mean, how's a $40 an hour bolt turner to live? :icon_roll ). Salaried GM workers foot 27% of their healthcare bill, hourly foots 7%. Sounds fair, because lord knows all those evil bastards sitting in cubicles in shitty offices are being paid 7 figures by "the man".
Everyone, and I mean everyone outside of the myopic little rust belt world we live in realizes this, and they're laughing while Detroit crumbles from inside. People want NOTHING to do with us because they are so disgusted with the UAW and the constant tales of Jobs Banks, absurd wages, and crippling legacy costs. Say the very word "Union" and that turns people off from the cars because of the "quality" it insinuates.
ow: 
