$1M media blitz by automakers to oppose CAFE increase!

[theclencher]

http://www.grandforksherald.com/ap/i...w&id=D8PB1BMO1[/COLOR]

[Silveredwings]

Yeah, my first thought is "Oh, what a surprise, business as usual."

It's outrageous to think that these behemoth companies still resist doing the very things they need to survive: revamp their products to deliver improved FE that the market requires. And here's a little incentive spread out over many years to do what many on this site are already doing in their own garages.

I've always been a little amazed that the Japanese crossed the geographic, language and cultural divides to beat Detroit at their own game. They always beat them on fuel efficiency and still do.

Hasn't it always been the case that the big 3 violently opposed improving their products? In the '60s and '70s when congress introduced mandates for improved safety and reduced emissions, the whining out of Detroit was amazing. The foot dragging was astounding.

Meanwhile, the Japanese companies just moved in with the spirit "Oh, is that what you want?...we can do that." Then we heard the whining about losing market share to imports. At that time the big 3, who still owned over 80% of the domestic market, adamantly refused to increase their product quality and only reluctantly made the required safety and emissions changes.

They told us that we shouldn't "buy them there ?furin' cars" because they weren?t reliable. So the Japanese resolved to make their cars more reliable than Detroit-iron.. Then they said that you couldn't get parts as easily. So the Japanese increased their parts networks into independent parts dealers, and at that same time, the distributors for US parts went on strike.

Then those malingering Detroit CEOs said "well, um, they aren't as safe ... yeah, that's it, they're not as safe." So the Japanese, who realized that their cars weren't the death traps that the Pinto was, said little and simply and aggressively improved their crash worthiness. Once again, they became superior to the US brands.

Then came the point where the slothful CEOs got desperate and put their heads together with the unions to come up with the lame battle cry that we should all "buy American" or risk putting Americans out of work. They really thought they had won at this point. What they didn't tell us was that half of all the parts in US-made cars were foreign-made to begin with. At that time, Toyota, Honda and Nissan set up factories in the US in order to take advantage of US labor...and, No, they didn't give away the store to the unions in the process. This trend continued with most foreign brands setting up shop in North America. While some Americans no doubt felt guilty, many never bought into the idea of endorsing low quality products from those indolent executives who feigned incapacity to produce otherwise.

In the ivory towers of Detroit, they make excuses. At all other automotive brands, they endeavor to manufacture better cars. Why would we expect differently from them today? It would be like trying to teach pigs to sing.

If history repeats, I suspect the big 3 will have some degree of success brow-beating congress into letting them slump back into the status quo of making inferior products the market reluctantly buys if the price is low enough. Meanwhile, back at the oasis, the Japanese, Koreans, Germans and Chinese will continue to make superior products while those lazy CEOs collect their bonuses, retire, and ignore the plaintiff cries of autoworkers and consumers alike as their companies go down the toilet.

I just don?t think we should base our laws on the opinions of such irresponsible Machiavellians.

[Silveredwings]

Originally Posted by theclencher

Good points. Maybe writing back to them is utterly pointless after all.

Well, congress just wants to hear enough pre-concocted spin that they think will pacify the public into believing they know what they're doing. Congress has it's own agenda and it's never too far behind what big oil wants. Big surprise there as well. But here are some reasons to try:

Every time we come to this point, Detroit lobbyists do a jedi mind trick and convince congress they have their finger on the pulse of the market. Later, we always find out Detroit still lost ship-loads of money because they were just lying again.

Gas prices are at an all-time high and climbing. We can't keep assuming that fuel consumption can grow forever in this country (especially considering our economy, national security, and the stability of the oil supply). Car companies can continue to be part of the problem, or they can start to be part of the solution.

To reduce the demand on a fixed (or declining) supply of energy, we can either reduce the number of vehicles on the road (starting with reducing new cars sold), or we can begin to require that new vehicles that are sold get better FE. It's kind of a no-brainer. I figure Detroit can keep throwing turds into their own punchbowl for a few more years and then they'll be gone and we'll be left in a crisis of our own making with bad public policy that will take years to change.

Air quality is closely tied to FE as well so we have yet another reason to reduce the overall consumption (one vehicle at a time or not). This political football won't go away while we bury our heads in the sand.

We know what are the right things to do. It's a matter of helping our leaders to sell the right things to the public.

[MnFocus]

Originally Posted by theclencher

Sorry about the length; thought I'd just put it all here instead of just a link:

[COLOR="Indigo"]radio ad campaign that challenges the push for new vehicles to get about 35 miles per gallon.
The ads, decrying "extreme fuel economy increases," are part of a brewing fight in Congress over legislation that will be considered next month and could lead to more fuel-efficient vehicles."This is an effort by auto manufacturers to remind legislators that the industry represents 6.6 million workers nationwide and that many industries and consumers rely on a variety of vehicles to meet their needs," said Charles Territo, ************************************************** ******

I am formulating responses/questions/a position statement that I'll present to them via their websites, but right now it's past my bedtime. Plus, you guys will probably come up with some awesome insights on this whole deal after we hash it out.

It's an absolute shame that laws need to be made to force an agenda .

'Variety of vehicles' how about making more variety AND affordable ? They can spend millions to sway public opinion and will go further out of their way to make a buck with cost cutting measures- where's the variety ? I see few FE cars I'm interested in and lots of high dollar cars I have No interest in and literally tons of trucks and SUV types that hold no value in 95% of any situation that I may need ...Where is the variety they speak of ?

[Silveredwings]

yes, all this from a corporation once convicted of forcing the railroads out of business.

[GasSavers_TomO]

About a page or so down in THIS LINK shows what the overall average FE is for cars in Japan, Europe, and America.

The Big three knows that an average CAFE rating of 35 MPG is obtainable, but they may be lazy. And as far as the Big three limiting car choices if forced to comply is BS....there is a huge variety of models available in all the other countries. I also agree that a faster/possibly easier way to achieve that goal would be to adjust the rules and allow the companies to import their models that already meet/exceed those standards into the US.

[minic6]

I think you need to do a little more research all of the auto makers from japan oppose this too. Also buyers push sales why do you think greeny toyota is marketing a mega truck. The world goes round in dollars and cents! Not wishes. The big three needs to get out of the stoneage, but the buyers do the ultimate vote. Cafe has never worked, look at the last 20 years. If it did and people cared SUV's would never have happened. All makes are cleaner and if they could be slimmed down by a ton they would get good economy too, but people want their cake and eat it too! What do the people that make the laws DRIVE if they do. Think about it. They make the laws for us and businesses but not themselves!

[Silveredwings]

I think SUVs came about because there were little or no regulations to limit them, hence cheaper and easier to get to market. Now that 50% of the market are trucks, every car maker wants to make trucks. As for the opposition to changing cafe standards, I truely believe their reasons differ. Toyota is heavily invested in being at a distinct advantage regarding FE. I bet if every maker was required to put the same R&D into FE, Toyota might lose some of that lead, and they're fiercly competitive. YMMV.

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Every gas guzzler that they sell/loose money on makes a disproportionate amount of money for zee oil co's. It's like the best money making scheme evar. No not really, but it's a decent scam.

[minic6]

Do we really want our govt. regulating what we drive?!!!!!!! As I tell my older daughter when she asks what happens when we run out of oil, which according to the Chicago Science Museum is about 75 years in the US. Why not use it? We went to gas when the old source of energy became to expensive. We'll change when that time comes again. I work in the industry and with emissions and cafe. GM has more cars that break the 30mpg mark than any other auto supplier. ( Yes much of it is duplicates) still pretty good. All that changes in a year as more realistic cafe comes into play. Wait and see what the Prius will be rated at then, way down. Please don't ask that the goverment tell us what to drive!!! Their preference would be no cars at all. They don't do to well in anything they do!