I think the problem isn't too much or a lack of regulation it's the wrong regulations.
Why does the average car today get less MPG that Henry Ford's did 100 years ago?
Why are they still so unsafe? With all the high tech stuff we have today, we should be tanking up with water and dropping in a gas-pill and getting 100MPG on that. I know. Rich can post up some very valid stats on the MPG being what it is due to heavier cars, all the current "extras" the need, etc. But I've also heard rather reliable stories of carburetor cars back in the 80's getting 60-80MPG. Steel cars, not the aluminum and plastic ones we have now.
The manufacturers are hurting due to bad planning, bad management, greed and the market. 3 of the 4 are in their control.
For any bailout to work, they need to change what brought them to this point. Lets hope that the auto industry bailout has the oversite and protections in it, that were "strangely" missing from the financial industry one...the one that took 3 tries to pass because they needed to put in protections.....that seemed to be missing in that passed draft.
Bob,
You have a bunch of BS in this post that needs to be corrected right away.
If you want a top speed of 20 to 22 mph hour then we can make the vehicles much safer and get much better fuel economy. This is the car of Henry Ford that you speak of. You are not comparing Apples to Oranges here but your comparison is Apples to Bricks. Both might come in a shade of Red, but then again they might not.
As to 60 to 80 MPG for a CARB, that is TOTAL BS. If the fuel economy of a 1974 V8 was 6 to 8 mpg. There is no way that any company would not release such a product. I will grant that in the late 70's with Fuel Injection on the way for Emission requirements, they made some improvements on CARB's that got a max of 40 to 60
PERCENT more. This means for simple numbers of 50% of 6 would be 3 or 50% or 8 would be 4. So the vehicles went from 6 to 9 mpg and 8 to 12 mpg. But there is no way they could even meet the emission standards then which also included open PCV with Oil being dumped out on to the road. So, Fuel Injection was the way to go. It got as good or better fuel economy and meet the emission requirements.
As to Greed, I agree every business has greed and desire to make money, but if the number one vehicle was not Ford F-150 Pick up and the number two vehicle being the Chevrolet Silverado Pick-up for 2008, then I would say that the customers have spoken that they want Trucks, and we build trucks.
We have good small cars. But no one likes them, right? WRONG, enough people like them to keep just short of 50% of our sales to be cars and those include lots of small cars. So if GM has 24% of the total US market and just under 50% of thei share is Cars, let us say 10% of the totel market is GM cars. That is almost as much as Chryslers whole Market share of 13%.
We will no longer have the days of 60% market share for GM. And that is a good thing. It make competition a better place. The problem is that in some places we are not guarenteed a fair competition as it is here.
In China, a car company can meet all the requirements, but if the Emisisons inspector does not get his "Gifts" per Chinese "Custom" then he will not accept their paperwork and not allow them to sell.
In Brazil, parts and product are held up at the borders with Customs, but if you hire a local "expiditer" then your parts will move right along and not be stuck for months in a warehouse.
In Japan as mentioned, they price the vehicles out of reach of anyone but the very wealthy, with a 100% tariif.
In Korea, their sense of national Pride almost stopped them, from allowing GM to buy the failing Daewoo, and turn it around into a profit making center.
In Europe, each country puts a different emission requirement and sticker requirement, which means that each vehicle has to have multiple options depending upon the country it is sold in. But this is done to all vehicles. They like Diesels for fuel economy, but as I have mentioned before they do not meet USA requirements for emissions. To do so add a minimum of $6,000 and more likely $10k to $12k per vehicle. This takes away the effective fuel economy of the vehicle. Also Europe taxes fuel differently and actually uses for their roads, from the data I have read and from the roads I have driven.
Now, do you and everyone here have a right to be upset about your monies being used at the Federal Level for a corporation? Yes you do.
Do you have the right to say what you feel, even if you accept everything I say as true, but choose to disagree just because you feel like? Yes you do.
Do, you have the right to continue to present false data, and spread a bad image? Yes you do. But I would like to ask you to consider it before you do.
So, your reliable sources, might not want to be named here. Could you give them my phone number or e-mail. Have them contact me. Or ask them if I could contact them at my cost. I will. I would be very interested, in hearing their reliable information.