Detroit losing auto race to the Japanese

[mobobuff]

Go Speed Racer, go Speed Racer, go Speed Racer GOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mobobuff]

Originally posted by: MisfitsFiend
My first car was a chevy cavalier. That pos was a problem from the time I brought it home. We picked it up at night (which was a mistake) and not 24 hours later we came back because there was something wrong with the paint. They said it did not concern them because we drove it off the lot. As soon as the warranty expired, things went wrong everywhere. Terrible coustomer service!!

Fast forward to now and a couple of cars later, my husband and I just bought a Lexus. We couldn't be happier with the car, and the customer sevice is IMPECCABLE!!!

I can't believe you actually bought a Cavalier. Horrible cars. Oldsmobiles had a much longer life and lower maintenance/recalls.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: AMDZen

Originally posted by: gscone

Originally posted by: Stumps
they forget to mention one thing...American products..poor quality!

I wouldn't say all American products are of poor quality. COme on- My lawn mower is great- And its Made in the good old USA...

Perhaps. But whatever manufacturer made your lawn mower, I can pretty much guarentee that a Honda would be better. Nobody can make small motors like Honda, I've never had a lawn mower that would start so easily at the beginning of every year, and run without a single problem at all for years.

I've got a little 4 horse B&S in my Craftsman pushmower that has fired up without problem for the last 17 years. It hasn't had a lick of maintenance done it and it still just continues to work. It's running joke between my Dad and I to see when it finally dies. But it just won't.

I have a yard machine with a Tecumseh engine. I've had it for 6 years now, use it year round and it still starts and runs fine. Never done any maint. on it other than replace the blade and I've left it outside in the rain a few times.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ
I think this uncovers a deeper problem that exists in most US companies. It's a problem with the corporate culture here in the US. I used to work for a Chinese company and the culture was one of family, teamwork, and encouragement. If you had a good idea everyone was willing to listen, even people high up in the company. We'd go out drinking with the co-workers, we'd party with the co-workers, we even went to strip clubs in Vegas during Comdex. Have you ever had an expensed lapdance? All these little things kept morale high and made you want to work. We always did reality checks and made sure that we were in touch with the consumer. We were more interested in what the customer wanted- if they wanted it, we would make it. If reality conflicted with a corporate policy, then the policy got changed. This differs from US companies who seem to come up with bad ideas and then market the hell out of it to shove it down their throats. If something conflicts with policy, then too bad- policy is policy.

I left the company and went to work for a large US company that paid more. The culture was cold, stiff, and dead. You couldn't speak up out of fear of stepping on someone's toes. You couldn't drink at lunch. You couldn't hang out with your co-workers and lightly discuss ideas if they disagreed with the "official" corporate stance. Bonding with employees was difficult. Everything seemed lifeless and forced. All major decisions were political and consisted of lame compromises. They were out of touch with reality and what the consumer wanted. I ended up leaving that company because I thought it was just them. But after being a consultant at numerous different companies, they all had that in common.

If two competing groups in a Chinese or Japanese company proposed differening proposals, one being an economy car and one being a truck, they'd debate the issue and come to an agreement on which one design to build. Then the workers would get behind that one idea and make it better. If these two competing groups were in a US company, they'd be gridlocked at the discussion table until both sides made compromises. The end result would probably be some monstrosity that was half economy car, half truck. Take the Pontiac Aztek for instance. Who came up with that garbage? Did anyone really think that was going to be attractive to the consumer?

US companies also are bad at spotting talent. New recuits go through HR, who are usually completely clueless about what the important qualities are. HR just looks at credentials and doesn't focus on the human being. As a result, they end up hiring lots of "certified" idiots. The Chinese company did not get lost in those details. They were more personable and valued the person's abilities.

The US is doomed until it can turn their culture of mediocrity around.

Not all US companies are like that. I've worked for many smaller US manufacturing companies that have the same type of mentality that you talk about in your Chinese example.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ
I think this uncovers a deeper problem that exists in most US companies. It's a problem with the corporate culture here in the US.
[snip]
The US is doomed until it can turn their culture of mediocrity around.

Great post. I work for a small company that, after being acquired in early 2001 has changed hands a couple more times... we started out like you first described. After my first year, I got a $2k bonus--that was awesome. Now that we've been acquired, I get about $250. They seem bent on taking an independent small company and making it act like a large company, and it just doesn't work. No matter how you paint it, a company of 35 != a company of 1,000+. We're trying to hold the line, though.

 

[MisfitsFiend]

quote:
Originally posted by: MisfitsFiend
My first car was a chevy cavalier. That pos was a problem from the time I brought it home. We picked it up at night (which was a mistake) and not 24 hours later we came back because there was something wrong with the paint. They said it did not concern them because we drove it off the lot. As soon as the warranty expired, things went wrong everywhere. Terrible coustomer service!!

Fast forward to now and a couple of cars later, my husband and I just bought a Lexus. We couldn't be happier with the car, and the customer sevice is IMPECCABLE!!!



I can't believe you actually bought a Cavalier. Horrible cars. Oldsmobiles had a much longer life and lower maintenance/recalls.

I was a sophomore in high school. My parents were looking for something they could just buy, and this is what we settled on. It was between this and the Olds Alero.

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
its hard to feel good about buying domestic when its made in mexico or canada. makes it so much easier to jump to foreign.

apparently the Canadian cars are well made
all Crown Victorias on the earth come out of a plant about 10 mins from my house.. for a Ford, those are well built cars. Also Toyota about 1.5 hours away, and a few other smaller makers (Suzuki (cami automotive)) is about 30 mins from my house

 

[cavemanmoron]

Originally posted by: mobobuff
At least we don't have any Mothras, Gamaras or Godzillas to worry about.

 

[PingSpike]

My first car was a 92 cavalier wagon. I only had it for like 2-3years but it was a pretty good car. Well...it always ran well anyway...half the power door locks didn't work and the defroster never really did that good of a job.

 

[LeadMagnet]

GIGO

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ
I think this uncovers a deeper problem that exists in most US companies. It's a problem with the corporate culture here in the US. I used to work for a Chinese company and the culture was one of family, teamwork, and encouragement. If you had a good idea everyone was willing to listen, even people high up in the company. We'd go out drinking with the co-workers, we'd party with the co-workers, we even went to strip clubs in Vegas during Comdex. Have you ever had an expensed lapdance? All these little things kept morale high and made you want to work. We always did reality checks and made sure that we were in touch with the consumer. We were more interested in what the customer wanted- if they wanted it, we would make it. If reality conflicted with a corporate policy, then the policy got changed. This differs from US companies who seem to come up with bad ideas and then market the hell out of it to shove it down their throats. If something conflicts with policy, then too bad- policy is policy.

I left the company and went to work for a large US company that paid more. The culture was cold, stiff, and dead. You couldn't speak up out of fear of stepping on someone's toes. You couldn't drink at lunch. You couldn't hang out with your co-workers and lightly discuss ideas if they disagreed with the "official" corporate stance. Bonding with employees was difficult. Everything seemed lifeless and forced. All major decisions were political and consisted of lame compromises. They were out of touch with reality and what the consumer wanted. I ended up leaving that company because I thought it was just them. But after being a consultant at numerous different companies, they all had that in common.

If two competing groups in a Chinese or Japanese company proposed differening proposals, one being an economy car and one being a truck, they'd debate the issue and come to an agreement on which one design to build. Then the workers would get behind that one idea and make it better. If these two competing groups were in a US company, they'd be gridlocked at the discussion table until both sides made compromises. The end result would probably be some monstrosity that was half economy car, half truck. Take the Pontiac Aztek for instance. Who came up with that garbage? Did anyone really think that was going to be attractive to the consumer?

US companies also are bad at spotting talent. New recuits go through HR, who are usually completely clueless about what the important qualities are. HR just looks at credentials and doesn't focus on the human being. As a result, they end up hiring lots of "certified" idiots. The Chinese company did not get lost in those details. They were more personable and valued the person's abilities.

The US is doomed until it can turn their culture of mediocrity around.

Pretty much. In the US the exempt (management) and non-exempt workforce is an aversarial one which I don't understand. It has nothing to do with high paid union guys as some like to think since the Japanese auto workers make more and have even more time off according to Maynard's book, they even get to mediate for an hour. And with the shift to the US South recently they are paid far less and still turn out relative crap. I know I have an F-350 turbo diesel built in Kentucky.

Poor management always wanting quick bucks does'nt help either. Whether though using cheap suppliers and infrequent ones, disrespecting employees, cashing out golding parachutes (that's another thing he mentions, Jap CEO's and execs only make about 10:1 your worker while US is 500:1) and they get it no matter how poor they do.

Attitude needs to change..top to bottom if we going to really compete.

 

[dethman]

Originally posted by: Doggiedog
Text

and in other news the sky is blue.