You know, it's not just about warranties...
CNN.com: 'Fear of a worthless car warranty'
It's not that buying a Chrysler or GM vehicle might leave an owner in the lurch when it comes to warranty repairs. That's the only thing that people who stumble into buying a new car think about.
The biggie thing is replacement parts. If you've ever had an old car or motorcycle and tried to get parts for it, you know what I'm talking about. I mean, it's difficult enough to get parts for an old car whose maker is still in existence, try that for a car whose manufacturer isn't around anymore. THAT'S the big concern, in my book. Sure, you can always find someone to fix it who knows your car. And for the first couple of years, you'll be able to pretty easily find parts.
But what happens five to ten years down the road? When they stop making new parts and the only source MIGHT be cheap replacement parts and junk yards are finding recycled parts harder and harder to come by?
And think about this: say you buy a new Chrysler or GM piece of shit right now and they DO go bankrupt. Right at that moment, the resale value of your car decreases by at least a third. At least. Does anyone really see a need to take that chance when there are alternatives (Ford or foreign makers)?
I feel bad for the employees of the Big 3. But I think it's time we Americans think if building cars is something we want to sink so much more money into. We don't do it well, we don't do it cheaply, and we aren't buying what we build. So why continue and throw more money after bad?
Of the twelve original firms that were a part of the first Dow Jones Industrial Index (DJIA) in 1896, only General Electric is still a part of it. Every industry eventually dies, every company eventually dies. It sure seems like not only is it the time for the Big 3 to go away or at least vastly change, it's probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for government to make the change to new transportation technologies and more invention towards new things.
CNN.com: 'Fear of a worthless car warranty'
It's not that buying a Chrysler or GM vehicle might leave an owner in the lurch when it comes to warranty repairs. That's the only thing that people who stumble into buying a new car think about.
The biggie thing is replacement parts. If you've ever had an old car or motorcycle and tried to get parts for it, you know what I'm talking about. I mean, it's difficult enough to get parts for an old car whose maker is still in existence, try that for a car whose manufacturer isn't around anymore. THAT'S the big concern, in my book. Sure, you can always find someone to fix it who knows your car. And for the first couple of years, you'll be able to pretty easily find parts.
But what happens five to ten years down the road? When they stop making new parts and the only source MIGHT be cheap replacement parts and junk yards are finding recycled parts harder and harder to come by?
And think about this: say you buy a new Chrysler or GM piece of shit right now and they DO go bankrupt. Right at that moment, the resale value of your car decreases by at least a third. At least. Does anyone really see a need to take that chance when there are alternatives (Ford or foreign makers)?
I feel bad for the employees of the Big 3. But I think it's time we Americans think if building cars is something we want to sink so much more money into. We don't do it well, we don't do it cheaply, and we aren't buying what we build. So why continue and throw more money after bad?
Of the twelve original firms that were a part of the first Dow Jones Industrial Index (DJIA) in 1896, only General Electric is still a part of it. Every industry eventually dies, every company eventually dies. It sure seems like not only is it the time for the Big 3 to go away or at least vastly change, it's probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for government to make the change to new transportation technologies and more invention towards new things.
posted by Tony Bags at 5:44 PM
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