7 American Cars Worth Bailing Out

The Mustang started as an inexpensive cool car, and plenty had economical straight sixes instead of a big block under the hood. A good price plus great style is what made many of the older names popular in the first place, and relatively economical to run when equipped with a smaller engine. Why expect consumers to bail out what these offer in either unattractive styling, fuel inefficiency, or ugly prices? If I read this correctly I can wait to buy a Volt for as much as $40K or buy a Toyota Prius for $20K today. Just say, "Duh", Detroit, just say "Duh". and Rick, what were you thinking?!

Jack Burnett of LA 2:22AM May 24, 2009

Hybrids work great fro 100+ mile trips ... a hybrid has a gas engine and an electric motor .. you never have to stop to recharge batteries. In fact from a driving point of view it is exactly like driving a standard gas engine car, except you don't put as much gas in it.

Ken J of FL 6:41AM May 23, 2009

American car companies will probably all fail in the long run. The reason is simple. Whenever GM, Chryster, and Ford, for that matter, come out with that rare model that comsumers really love, rather than capitalize, fine tune and refine the design, they, have some board member, marketing jerk or limp wrist designer totally screw up the design in the next model year.

Americans want a good solid design that will not be obsolete in sixty days. They want bullet proof performance, an unbreakable engine and a drive train that will take it under any driving condition. They want a real body that will not look like it has gone through a Texas spring hail storm after thirty days in a Wal-Mart parking lot. Door dings are out. Clear coat cancerous paint jobs are too.

A car is not a High Fi set, telephone, portable bedroom or a television set. American buyers remember the Camero and Dodge hemi engined models and yes, even the Olds rocket 88, and for that matter, the small block V-8 1956 Chevy.

We are not talking brain surgery here. Walk through any American car show and what you see is enough to make one sick. Ninety percent of what is found in American car company showrooms is, for the most part, pure garbage. Cars are tools. They should perform like a Snap-on wrench and do it for years. They should also be affordable. Sixty month payoff is a joke. No one in his right mind wants to pay for a car for a lifetime only to have it fall apart in the driveway in two years.

American car companies should forget all the expensive advertising which no one wants to pay for anyway and put the comsiderable amount of ad money on building the strongest bullet proof product possible.

Today's plastic and beer can thin skinned, aluminum engined crates, for the most part, are not worth driving off a car lot. Steinway did not get to be the best piano builder in the world by changing models every thirty-six days and neither did VW or Porche.

Build a few rugged all USA made reliable models and the market will come back to this country. To continue on building crap no one wants after buyer's remorse sets in after ten days or so and maybe, just maybe, customers will get in line to buy true American value again.

Jack Haesly of TX 2:02AM May 23, 2009

ONE of the BIGGEST reasons detroit is in such trouble is the United Auto Workers Union. they made such UNREALISTIC demands on GM Chrysler and Ford that Detroit is in trouble other manufacturing companies were NOT forced to Pay Ridiculously HIGH wages that detroit had to pay or shut down (strike) as far as i am concerned (OUTLAW THE UAW) also if OBAMA actually cares about AMERICA regulate gas prices to a reasonable amount so a working man supporting his family CAN go to WORK DRILL FOR OIL HERE and SQUASH the TREEHUGGERS!!!!!!!

Scotty of Arkansas of AR 9:06PM May 22, 2009