We have huge trucks for two reasons. First, there is more profit in making/selling big vehicles than small ones. Second, there are almost no smaller alternatives available.
Here on TBN, we are a special case. Many of us need big vehicles because we WORK them. Unfortunately, an awful lot of Nimitz Class SUVs, some of them big enough to have their own zip codes, get bought by people who drive them to WalMart and the only time they go off-road is when they park on the lawn at a yard sale.
A few days ago I saw a new-ish Suburban with a dually kit and fender flares . . . I mean, come ON!
History repeats itself. When Japanese cars started arriving here, they were met with almost universal derision. After a few years people realized that these cars were actually a lot better, a lot more economical, and a lot less expensive than the domestic offerings, and they bought a LOT of them. Detroit absolutely got knocked back on their heels and only recovered when they started offering domestic products that were almost as good. Detroit realized that there were superior alternatives to what they were offering, and if they wanted to survive, they would have to sharpen up their game.
This is going to happen again with Chinese cars. We can't get them because of protective tariffs. If Detroit is smart, they will use the breathing space to up their game again and be ready for the inevitable invasion (again) of cars and trucks that are a lot better, a lot more economical, and a lot less expensive than what they are offering us.
Make no mistake, while some of the older Chinese cars were pretty unimpressive, some of the new ones are very good indeed. The president of Ford has a BYD "for evaluation" and doesn't want to give it back - and he can drive anything Ford produces because he's the boss.
Chinese cars are all over Europe, Mexico, Central America, Australia, and are coming to Canada. People in the rest of the world are not stupid, they know a good deal when they see one, and they are voting with their wallets.
When we start getting Chinese cars here - and it isn't "if", it is "when", domestic automakers will have a couple of choices - adapt and compete, do joint ventures ("If you can't beat 'em, join 'em) or go out of business.
Personally, I'd prefer to see them pick number one. I'd be quite happy to buy a quality, dependable, reasonably priced domestic product and help support American workers and businesses. BUT the time for them to get on the stick is NOW, not when the tariffs go away (and they will) and the local product is stuck firmly in the past while the better and less expensive imported product is light-years ahead.
Best Regards,
Mike/Florida
(Two Japanese cars, two Japanese tractors, a German car, four German motorcycles, a Swiss watch, and one domestic riding mower which is the worst piece of mechanical garbage I have ever had the displeasure of being afflicted with.)
