GAC Motors. First US commercial this morning

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: c502cid
Forget what the news media and the politicians say, the Chinese people absolutely adore Americans and want to have good working relationships with us, they wan't American products too. That huge growing nation is not to be feared as economic doom for the rest of the world, but economic opportunity. Most every company you see at the local mall is already there, along with all the auto manufacturers. They get the staggering size of the market to sell to.


That's all well and good but it doesn't help US/Western workers if US based companies are making their products over there. Sure they want American products like Buick but they build them under their regulations with their workers. US workers don't benefit anything from that deal other than a kick in the balls and an unemployment check for some weeks.

You say they are a huge market to sell to but sell them what exactly, iphones, PC's, cars, tools, lets face it they make everything and anything in any quantity and quality you want, we couldn't sell them toiler paper.

They are quickly becoming the supplier and we the consumer and basing our economy on servicing their products and fast food restaurants, it cant work. When the fall comes its going to be hard and we just stand there like a deer in the headlights.
The camel has its nose under the tent, the match has been stuck, how does it get undone.


It doesn't get undone; I've been preaching to buy American for over 35 years when I first saw the writing on the wall.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
Originally Posted By: Number_35
We see a lot of Chinese-made consumer-grade junk for sale here, but they have a manned space program, etc. I'm sure they're capable of making top-notch products, but their product managers have to get past the perception that North Americans are driven solely by price.


These are products specified and imported by American retailers. They do indeed try to import the cheapest product possible. There are better quality items that cost more.

We can yell and scream that they are bringing in junk but if you look at the big picture, it makes sense. We have had flat wage growth since the early 80-s and yet the quality of our lives has improved significantly due primarily to cheaper manufacturing costs in China and countries in Southeast Asia.

Those of use unaffected by the job losses in the US have benefited greatly. Others are SOL but still manage to have a better life than what would have been the alternative without those cheap imports.


You're kidding yourself. Wages have been stagnant because they are mostly influenced by supply and demand. If those decent paying jobs were still here it would've driven up everyone's wages. Instead, we have large pockets of working poor and our current gov't won't even give them a min wage increase.

 

[Alfred_B]

It's primarily due to the erosion of the bargaining power of the working class -- right after the FAA fiasco.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
It's primarily due to the erosion of the bargaining power of the working class -- right after the FAA fiasco.



Well...a Union worker making $75,000.00 as a school custodian (as stated on another topic on this forum) seems absurd to me.

Guess what....here in Utah any 16 year old that needs extra income can work before or after school as a custodian. And not for (a pro-rated) 75K a year.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
It's primarily due to the erosion of the bargaining power of the working class -- right after the FAA fiasco.



Well...a Union worker making $75,000.00 as a school custodian (as stated on another topic on this forum) seems absurd to me.

Guess what....here in Utah any 16 year old that needs extra income can work before or after school as a custodian. And not for (a pro-rated) 75K a year.


Funny how this stuff works. When the topic is about corporate profits the sky is the limit and market dictates what's fair and what's not. But when it comes to personal income, all of the sudden someone with less education, or that appears to have less qualifications cannot make more money. Rules of supply and demand don't have to apply apparently.

It's like that horsepower thread, "if it's more than what I have, it must be too much" mentality.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: WyrTwister

Fast forward to today . At my age I do not do a whole lot of wrenching & will do less as time goes by . Still buy aftermarket parts . From RockAuto , AZ , AAP , O'Reilly and NAPA . A fair amount of these parts are made in China .

I personally have not had a lot of problems with the China made parts . But , consider , I am an old man and drive like an old man . That may or may not have anything to do with it ?

I find that most China brake parts are fine.

However, I'm used to seeing any steering part, suspension part, or bearing only last one year.

 

[WyrTwister]

I would have a lot of problems with a suspension part lasting only a year ! :-(

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: c502cid
Forget what the news media and the politicians say, the Chinese people absolutely adore Americans and want to have good working relationships with us, they wan't American products too. That huge growing nation is not to be feared as economic doom for the rest of the world, but economic opportunity. Most every company you see at the local mall is already there, along with all the auto manufacturers. They get the staggering size of the market to sell to.


Knowing a few folks who work overseas as well-find this to be true. They too see the good and bad of our country. Many of you lack being able to see an outside view of what other countries see, and think of us. I do-as I have friends and family who do not live here. One thing they do have in common, however, is concern in where our country is going....

China, whether you want to believe it or not, has been up to our level for years. You just have not seen it yet, as as the popular belief is the dollar store quality that most see...hence the "popular" view. It's all in the price you pay....like anywhere else.

GAC and Geely will be here soon enough, though it is not all doom and gloom. It will spell the end of FCA and a major hit to VW, but these companies are going to have to start niche (like everyone else) and be based on lower price point. They won't be the best-but they will get your there...

Many of the current automakers are not going to see major changes...they will handle this just fine and adjust as needed....

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: Trav
No point in getting into the politics of the deal. I will say that regardless of any party there are forces at work in this and every Western country determined to hammer the free world as we know into miserable world status.
They feel we need to atone for our sins (in their minds) to the underdeveloped countries over the centuries. They use every trick in the book to stop us from enjoying life the way we seem fit.

They demonize anything they don't like and now its so ingrained they just need some nut job to start howling and the people will follow like sheep and instead of say no your full of it and you can go drown yourself people hop on the bandwagon.
If you never watched it watch Demolition Man, its an old nothing movie but prophetic in some ways.
Greeting and salutations citizens, joy joy feelings.

The Chicoms are only taking advantage of our stupidity, they would be the real fools if they didn't.

And sadly, it is only our own fault, my friend. I just wish eyes could be opened to see....and learn to work together....

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: WyrTwister
I would have a lot of problems with a suspension part lasting only a year ! :-(
There are times you get a part that lasts and times you don't. I tend to find that usually you don't get a part that lasts.

For example, anything rebuilt by Cardone is usually garbage, but I installed a Cardone MAF in my dad's Pontiac G6 and it lasted 5 years. It might still be on that car today because he traded it in last year.

There may be another problem. Sometimes a car is built with a part that isn't good enough, so no matter who builds or rebuilds a replacement part, it will always be a problem.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: c502cid
Forget what the news media and the politicians say, the Chinese people absolutely adore Americans and want to have good working relationships with us, they wan't American products too. That huge growing nation is not to be feared as economic doom for the rest of the world, but economic opportunity. Most every company you see at the local mall is already there, along with all the auto manufacturers. They get the staggering size of the market to sell to.


Knowing a few folks who work overseas as well-find this to be true. They too see the good and bad of our country. Many of you lack being able to see an outside view of what other countries see, and think of us. I do-as I have friends and family who do not live here. One thing they do have in common, however, is concern in where our country is going....

China, whether you want to believe it or not, has been up to our level for years. You just have not seen it yet, as as the popular belief is the dollar store quality that most see...hence the "popular" view. It's all in the price you pay....like anywhere else.

GAC and Geely will be here soon enough, though it is not all doom and gloom. It will spell the end of FCA and a major hit to VW, but these companies are going to have to start niche (like everyone else) and be based on lower price point. They won't be the best-but they will get your there...

Many of the current automakers are not going to see major changes...they will handle this just fine and adjust as needed....


How many years has China been up to our standards? 20 years ago they were still a developing country. Quality coming from there is hit and miss.

 

[WyrTwister]

Cardone ? Heard more than one youtube mechanic bad mouthing them . Had already decided not to ever buy that brand .

 

[Win]

Oppressive regulation, most of it after, say, 2008, and the get out of regulation free card via NAFTA, destroyed the local manufacturing economy.

No import duties, no sales tax, heck, in most instances, not even a postage charge on a delivery from China, has put the handful of specialty retailers out of business.

Nothing is left here for the ChiComs to put out of business. If they can put the Mexicans out of business, I'm okay with that.

 

[Win]

Quote:
..... but they have a manned space program, etc. ....


The same friendly fellow who signed NAFTA into law, authorized the technology transfer from Loral Space that greatly aided all of their rocketry endeavors.

Probably saved them twenty years.

 

[PimTac]

“How many years has China been up to our standards? 20 years ago they were still a developing country. Quality coming from there is hit and miss.“



It depends on the company. Today, a factory in China may be running the same robots as a company in Japan or Germany. Automation has leveled the playing field in quality.

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted By: Win
Quote:
..... but they have a manned space program, etc. ....


The same friendly fellow who signed NAFTA into law, authorized the technology transfer from Loral Space that greatly aided all of their rocketry endeavors.

Probably saved them twenty years.


Hmmmmm ....

Wonder what convinced him / her to do that ? $$$$$$$$$$$

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted By: PimTac
“How many years has China been up to our standards? 20 years ago they were still a developing country. Quality coming from there is hit and miss.“



It depends on the company. Today, a factory in China may be running the same robots as a company in Japan or Germany. Automation has leveled the playing field in quality.


China has millions and millions of " bionic robots " that , by communist doctrine , must be provided with jobs . I wonder how that has turned out ?