I’ve heard some grumbling that the Cash for Clunkers program helped foreign car makers more than domestic car makers. The numbers sure show that Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Kia got proportionally more sales than GM, Ford and Chrysler. Some of that may be due to feelings of uncertainty about the financial viability of the domestic makers. While some of it might be that the buying public just happened to be more in the market for the present offerings of the foreign car makers.
Either way sales for all the car makers was up. A lot. Even the Detroit brands had to call folks back and open up assembly lines that had been closed or or were running at reduced capacity. It wasn’t a total disaster for Detroit.
I’ve owned two domestic makes in my life. One was a Ford Bronco that I bought from a friend and the other is nicely rebuilt 1963 Chevrolet pickup that I drive on the days when I don’t ride my motorcycle. I’ve owned a Volkswagen, a Honda, an Acura, a Mazda (a Miata which was a blast) and a bunch of Infiniti’s. Well there was a Plymouth Champ back in 1980 but it was really just a rebadged Mitsubishi . . . so I don’t know what to call it - except it was fun to drive :)
So the gripe is that the Cash For Clunker program benefited the foreign makes at the expense of Detroit. To the point that the program should have been limited to “just” Detroit brands since the US has so much invested in GM and Chrysler.
I see the benefit as reaching a lot farther than just Detroit though and let’s take one Nissan car as an example
For instance, the dock worker in Long Beach who offloaded that car benefited from the work. When it was loaded on to a rail car the railroad worker benefited. When it was offloaded from the rail car and put on a truck transporter the guy who drives the truck benefited. The folks who work at the truck stop benefited when he stopped to fill it up with diesel. The truck service shop benefited when it was brought in for maintenance.
When it arrived at the dealership, the lot technician who prepped the car for sale benefited. The salesman who sold the car benefited. The owner of the dealership benefited when the sale was made The technician in the shop benefited when it was brought in for service. Even the folks at the loan company who go in every day and process loans and send out those little envelopes each month benefited.
The folks at the tire shop and the car wash eventually benefited as did the folks at the company that distributes those little air fresheners that hang from the rear view mirror.
All these folks that benefited - they live down the street from you and I. They do their job, contribute to society and go home to their families (that sounds a bit sappy but you know what I mean). Each Cash for Clunker sale . . . even the ones that took place at the Nissan lot contributed to our economy and benefited many folks just like you and I.
Often times there is more to things than just what fits into a headline, a newspaper article or a 3:30 package on the news. Sometimes you have to step back and look at the entire picture.
Either way sales for all the car makers was up. A lot. Even the Detroit brands had to call folks back and open up assembly lines that had been closed or or were running at reduced capacity. It wasn’t a total disaster for Detroit.
I’ve owned two domestic makes in my life. One was a Ford Bronco that I bought from a friend and the other is nicely rebuilt 1963 Chevrolet pickup that I drive on the days when I don’t ride my motorcycle. I’ve owned a Volkswagen, a Honda, an Acura, a Mazda (a Miata which was a blast) and a bunch of Infiniti’s. Well there was a Plymouth Champ back in 1980 but it was really just a rebadged Mitsubishi . . . so I don’t know what to call it - except it was fun to drive :)
So the gripe is that the Cash For Clunker program benefited the foreign makes at the expense of Detroit. To the point that the program should have been limited to “just” Detroit brands since the US has so much invested in GM and Chrysler.
I see the benefit as reaching a lot farther than just Detroit though and let’s take one Nissan car as an example
For instance, the dock worker in Long Beach who offloaded that car benefited from the work. When it was loaded on to a rail car the railroad worker benefited. When it was offloaded from the rail car and put on a truck transporter the guy who drives the truck benefited. The folks who work at the truck stop benefited when he stopped to fill it up with diesel. The truck service shop benefited when it was brought in for maintenance.
When it arrived at the dealership, the lot technician who prepped the car for sale benefited. The salesman who sold the car benefited. The owner of the dealership benefited when the sale was made The technician in the shop benefited when it was brought in for service. Even the folks at the loan company who go in every day and process loans and send out those little envelopes each month benefited.
The folks at the tire shop and the car wash eventually benefited as did the folks at the company that distributes those little air fresheners that hang from the rear view mirror.
All these folks that benefited - they live down the street from you and I. They do their job, contribute to society and go home to their families (that sounds a bit sappy but you know what I mean). Each Cash for Clunker sale . . . even the ones that took place at the Nissan lot contributed to our economy and benefited many folks just like you and I.
Often times there is more to things than just what fits into a headline, a newspaper article or a 3:30 package on the news. Sometimes you have to step back and look at the entire picture.
Yep, we've become Socialists. Bill, what about the disparity of treatment of the victims of hurricane Katrina, etc., and the banks that were "sick" and the auto co. that is likewise? I guess what I am saying is that businesses apparently have a greater "right" than an individual, say to a house to live in after theirs is washed away.....to whom is given a trailer(maybe) and a lot of lip service. What about community? Note: I WAS a dyed in wool republican, before GB. sr
Posted by: sr | August 29, 2009 at 10:44 AM