Foriegn car makers continued to make market share gains in 2003, GM Ford and Chrysler all lose.

[Analog]

Detroit?s automakers once again lost market share to Asian and European rivals in 2003.

?On the whole, not a pretty sight,? wrote David Healy, an analyst with Burnham Securities Inc., in a report published Thursday. General Motors Corp. almost failed in its bid to gain market share for the third straight year ? despite offering big rebates ? ?and probably wound up with 27.8 percent of the total U.S. vehicle market, versus 28.4 in 2002 and 28 percent in 2001,? Healy added.

Ford fared worse, Healy wrote, falling to about 20.5 percent of the market in 2003, down from 21.1 percent in 2001 and 22.7 percent 2001. DaimlerChrysler AG?s Chrysler division dropped to 12.5 last year, from 12.9 percent in 2002 and 13 percent in 2001.

Foreign brands, meanwhile, continued their seemingly inexorable climb in the United States, capturing 37.8 percent of the market, up from 34.8 percent in 2001, Healy wrote. Each percentage point of market share equals roughly 170,000 cars and trucks.
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[Eli]

Boo..

Hoo?



Maybe they will learn a thing or two. I guess they had better.

 

[Pliablemoose]

But I thought The domestic manufacturers were going to win back the car market?

GM & Ford are in trouble & they know it, they have competition in every market segment they're involved in.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Why the sad face? It's capitalism and people vote with their wallets! Just goes to show how arrogant Ford and GM really are.

 

[Dunbar]

We'll see how much longer the SUV market keeps them propped up. They just aren't willing to spend them money on developing a good car, the Malibu is the latest example...

 

[smashp]

good.

Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and VW continue to Innovate


While the Big Three just compete for the Bigger Suv that cna get the most Gallons Per Mile

 

[m2kewl]

soon toyota will start having hybrid suvs... domestics will again play catchup (although i hear ford has hybrid suv concept too)

<matrix voice> "don't worry, it will be all over soon...</matrix voice>

 

[beer]

Serves Ford right. All 4 cars that my family bought from them in the nineties are plagued with problems. I have more problems with my car than lowfatbaconboy's dad has with is 92-93 Camry, despite having half the miles. You make sh!t cars, you piss off your customers. My next car will not be a (badged) ford.

 

[johnjosh]

reason that i personally don't buy domestics cars is that foreign cars are made much better. If domestics cars could make cars with the same qualite as honda/today/nissan etc are making i would have buy the car in a minute as the comford inside of the car is much better then any foreign cars but because they are lagging on mechanical side to the foreign cars i can't see my self buying any domestics cars for some time to come.

 

[vi edit]

If domestics didn't have full size trucks and SUV sales to help keep the coffers full, they'd be sunk.

It'll be interesting to see what Detroit can put out in the next 10 years since the pressure is on. Before they could afford to just let models drag out and innovations and quality drop...but people are getting more smart about their purchases and demanding more. Time for Detriot to heed the calls of those that vote with their wallets.

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: johnjosh
reason that i personally don't buy domestics cars is that foreign cars are made much better. If domestics cars could make cars with the same qualite as honda/today/nissan etc are making i would have buy the car in a minute as the comford inside of the car is much better then any foreign cars but because they are lagging on mechanical side to the foreign cars i can't see my self buying any domestics cars for some time to come.

Thank you Captain Obvious!

 

[LAUST]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Why the sad face? It's capitalism and people vote with their wallets! Just goes to show how arrogant Ford and GM really are.

This doesn't make sense to me, how are they arrogant?

 

Where is ornery when you need him?
I thought that everyone in america buys big cars!

He will post about 14 links to dead old articles that will prove your story wrong.
YOU WILL SEE !!!!!!

 

[Howard]

Oh no! They suck again!

 

[LAUST]

Originally posted by: SammySon
Where is ornery when you need him?
I thought that everyone in america buys big cars!

He will post about 14 links to dead old articles that will prove your story wrong.
YOU WILL SEE !!!!!!

GM = 27.8
Ford = 20.5
Crapsler = 12.5

Total = 60.8

There is still a good amount that still want them, read the article through, they are losing shares it's not a complete loss.

 

[PlatinumGold]

and this is why America will in the long run lose the economic battle vs Japan.

30 yrs ago, EVERYONE that made cars made better cars than the japanese, but the japanese people voluntarily chose to purchase domestic vehicles in order to support their own industry. it's a trend that has continued.

so many of you are willing to throw away our domestic auto industry so that you can take advantage of short term lower prices.

there was a time when the the US car manufacturers were indeed arrogant, etc, that's no longer the case. US car manufacturers are now fighting for survival and they have a shortage of funds, they just can't compete with the japanese auto makers.

oh well, let the japanese take over the auto industry.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
and this is why America will in the long run lose the economic battle vs Japan.

30 yrs ago, EVERYONE that made cars made better cars than the japanese, but the japanese people voluntarily chose to purchase domestic vehicles in order to support their own industry. it's a trend that has continued.

so many of you are willing to throw away our domestic auto industry so that you can take advantage of short term lower prices.

there was a time when the the US car manufacturers were indeed arrogant, etc, that's no longer the case. US car manufacturers are now fighting for survival and they have a shortage of funds, they just can't compete with the japanese auto makers.

oh well, let the japanese take over the auto industry.

I have a Cheby, a Ford & a VW... If I can possibly get a domestic car to meet our needs, I buy one. The VW is a TDI & I bought it because of the MPG, & it hasn't disappointed.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
and this is why America will in the long run lose the economic battle vs Japan.

30 yrs ago, EVERYONE that made cars made better cars than the japanese, but the japanese people voluntarily chose to purchase domestic vehicles in order to support their own industry. it's a trend that has continued.

so many of you are willing to throw away our domestic auto industry so that you can take advantage of short term lower prices.

Not quite true, the main reason Japanese cars in Japan sold at all because they were much cheaper than imports. They didn't have quite the credit culture that the US has right now so they could only buy what they could afford, which were domestics.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: kami333

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
and this is why America will in the long run lose the economic battle vs Japan.

30 yrs ago, EVERYONE that made cars made better cars than the japanese, but the japanese people voluntarily chose to purchase domestic vehicles in order to support their own industry. it's a trend that has continued.

so many of you are willing to throw away our domestic auto industry so that you can take advantage of short term lower prices.

Not quite true, the main reason Japanese cars in Japan sold at all because they were much cheaper than imports. They didn't have quite the credit culture that the US has right now so they could only buy what they could afford, which were domestics.

i don't know what your background is, but i know how asians and particularly japanese think. they won't buy foreign. it's not a matter of what they can afford, they just believe the best cars are made at home in japan.

 

[kami333]

I'm Japanese and my mother's side works in the auto industry (or is connected to it)

Owning a foreign car is considered something of a status symbol, especially LHD cars (you have to lean over the passenger to pay tolls and stuff). Yes, the most reliable and economical cars are Japanese but when money isn't a factor, imports rule.

lol, I have a funny story from Europe that's kind of related. My friend's host father in Denmark went to CA for vacation and when he rented a car they offered him a nice BMW sedan but he wanted a Ford with a V8 instead. I think he ended up getting a Neon or similar.

Oh and a Mercedes? Forget, they are just taxis.

 

[Pandaren]

My family has traditionally purchased Hondas, Toyotas, and Subarus. They hardly give us any problems Our neighbors with American cars? To the repair shop every 3 months :|

I knew a mechanical engineer in college who interned at Ford. He said cost cutting, and not quality in design and manufacture, was the order of the day. He also said that he would never drive a Ford after his experience there...

 

[TommyVercetti]

Originally posted by: kami333
I'm Japanese and my mother's side works in the auto industry (or is connected to it)

Owning a foreign car is considered something of a status symbol, especially LHD cars (you have to lean over the passenger to pay tolls and stuff). Yes, the most reliable and economical cars are Japanese but when money isn't a factor, imports rule.

lol, I have a funny story from Europe that's kind of related. My friend's host father in Denmark went to CA for vacation and when he rented a car they offered him a nice BMW sedan but he wanted a Ford with a V8 instead. I think he ended up getting a Neon or similar.

Oh and a Mercedes? Forget, they are just taxis.

I used to live in Saudi Arabia, and people there just loved American cars. But not all American cars, mostly cars like the Suburban, Caprice, Towncar, Grand Marquis, etc. But these cars are mostly very reliable, I know the Caprice is. So American cars are considered very reliable over there. Cars like Taurus and what not were very rear though. For that market, the Japanese cars ruled.

 

[optoman]

VW owner for the past 6 years and I will never buy another VW again. On the other hand, friends have recently bought Ford and love them. Maybe they are turning around.

There is a reason VW is at the bottom of the quality and service lists and keep getting worse every year.

 

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
and this is why America will in the long run lose the economic battle vs Japan.

30 yrs ago, EVERYONE that made cars made better cars than the japanese, but the japanese people voluntarily chose to purchase domestic vehicles in order to support their own industry. it's a trend that has continued.

so many of you are willing to throw away our domestic auto industry so that you can take advantage of short term lower prices.

there was a time when the the US car manufacturers were indeed arrogant, etc, that's no longer the case. US car manufacturers are now fighting for survival and they have a shortage of funds, they just can't compete with the japanese auto makers.

oh well, let the japanese take over the auto industry.

America has been losing the economic battle with foriegn industries consistantly for the past 50 years. Trade deficit has been consistantly rising since WWII.

If the domestic market made anything even close to what I want, then I would probably buy it.
The thing is they don't. The domestic market doesn't produce one single vehicle I would even consider putting my money into.

Finding a domestic with a 5 speed is a damned joke. The quality of the interiors is absolutly unbearable. The exterior stylings are even worse. The engines just don't last as long.

I would love to support the local auto industry. Too bad they are nowhere near getting my money.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: kami333

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
and this is why America will in the long run lose the economic battle vs Japan.

30 yrs ago, EVERYONE that made cars made better cars than the japanese, but the japanese people voluntarily chose to purchase domestic vehicles in order to support their own industry. it's a trend that has continued.

so many of you are willing to throw away our domestic auto industry so that you can take advantage of short term lower prices.

Not quite true, the main reason Japanese cars in Japan sold at all because they were much cheaper than imports. They didn't have quite the credit culture that the US has right now so they could only buy what they could afford, which were domestics.

i don't know what your background is, but i know how asians and particularly japanese think. they won't buy foreign. it's not a matter of what they can afford, they just believe the best cars are made at home in japan.

Because its true.

You can't stereotype like that. I could say that Americans don't have culture like that, they don't care whether its foreign or domestic.. but obvious thats not true 100% of the time. I am sure there are plenty of Americans that always have and always will buy domestic because they feel its the right thing to do, just as there are Japanese that have done the same thing. The difference is that of course the Japanese wouldn't pay more for an import automobile that is inferior.

If the product is better, it doesen't(and IMO shouldn't) matter where it comes from.