Harry Pollard wrote: > Detroit made more money from replacement parts than from their cars - > until the Japanese arrived. Then competition from those who made a > $100 profit a car, rather than Detroit's $1,200 forced them to rethink. > > Also, the Japanese cars were better as well as cheaper. > > Nothing like a little market competition to cut down corporation excess.
Then Detroit discovered the SUV, enabling them to make a $10,000 profit a car for crappy hardware. (Even $15,000 for the GM Suburban SUV.) And guess what, the Japs copied that too. Even the Euros copied it, because it's such a great cash cow. But wait, aren't the consumers (which you say you love so much) being ripped off by selling them overpriced, accident-prone crap with much higher running costs (i.a. fuel consumption) ?? And aren't all people being screwed with much higher air pollution and cancer rates by those SUVs ? (a SUV with 10 mpg emits about __40 times more__ cancer-causing particles than a conventional non-diesel car with 40 mpg) Car manufacturers have a choice: either jump on the SUV bandwagon or go out of business. Makers of previously popular light/solar vehicles can go packing because in the "arms race on the road" ignited by SUVs, people grab for rolling fortresses in order not to be crushed by others. So much for the wonderful market competition. Which then continues in the "health market" cashing in on all those cancer & accident victims. Maybe it has to do with the fact that America has the best politicians money can buy. Competition even in the _market_ of politicians... Chris _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
