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Perceived quality versus functional quality Posted by Caarma [Email]  (#592)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Caarma) on Sat, 14 Oct 2006 09:52:04
In Reply to: Re: Why domestic brands are suffering, Dan-O, Sat, 14 Oct 2006 09:32:43 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
That's what you're talking about and I think the domestics lag still in perceived quality, but they are much better than they used to be and some of the Japanese are getting worse. For instance, look for hard plastics in certain areas on the Accord interior. And then check out the new GM full size SUV's and the new Saturn AURA which are examples of great interiors.
As for the new Fit and Versa, they are underpowered but nice. The Chevy HHR has a very nice interior, had to remind myself that I wasn't in an import. I had a Malibu as a rental and that thing drove great, handled well, had a decent interior and with a 200+ hp V6, I got 33 mpg on the highway!
It's amazing what $700 per vehicle in retirement and healthcare costs will get you in terms of higher grade materials. The U.S. companies are at a global disadvantage here and our government doesn't want to help even the playing field here. At the same time, some other countries don't allow GM and Ford to export vehicles to them as freely.
This whole topic is near and dear to me as a former GM employee who reads some of the automotive press' biases and can't help but take it personally. When the Accord sells 300,000 units and GM sells the most mid-size cars of any corporation, but they happen to be combined for separate models with different character, they get no credit and are criticized for the fact that each model individually doesn't sell more than 300,000 units. When the Saturn ION is criticized for center-mounted gages, but on Scions it's fine, a bias is obvious. When GM's fuel economy for all theire vehicles (except their small cars) is very competent and sometimes class leading, they get no credit. When their hybrid buses save more fuel than all the Priuses combined, they get no credit.
, Sat, 14 Oct 2006 13:49:35
, Sat, 14 Oct 2006 11:31:38, Sat, 14 Oct 2006 07:14:40, Sat, 14 Oct 2006 09:52:04 <-- Viewing This Message, Sat, 14 Oct 2006 20:42:50
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