American-brand cars prove poipular with millennial

[mechanicx]

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/american...msnhp&pos=4

Quote:
Rob Golden, a Los Angeles-based writer, can’t recall the last time he owned an American car, “unless it’s the Chevy my parents drove when we moved to California when I was 10.”

But when Golden's son, Daniel, 23, was looking for a new car, he opted for a Ford Fiesta, despite his father’s suggestion that he buy a Toyota Camry or Corolla.

“I just think it’s cooler looking and a lot more fun to drive,” Daniel said.

The Golden family isn’t alone. Baby Boomers shifted their loyalty to foreign carmakers over the last four decades. But studies show that their children – the so-called millennial generation – favor American-made cars.

"U.S. automakers have burst onto the scene in recent years with small, fuel-efficient and affordable cars that really appeal to a young set of buyers," says Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Jessica Caldwell.

The data show that Japanese makers have seen their share among 18- to 24-year-olds decline by 9.8 percent since 2008. At the same time, domestic brands have increased 1.9 percent.

Popular models include the new subcompact Chevrolet Spark Sonic, Compact Ford Focus and Midsize Ford Fusion, as well as the compact crossovers like the Chevrolet Equinox and Ford Escape.

Ford refers to these four segments as one “super-segment,” accounting for about 50 percent of current sales in the U.S. new vehicle market, up from 35 percent in 2004

 

[wirelessF]

Maybe because the way the automakers target certain age demographics. Domestics pushing the Sonic, Focus, Dart to younger people.

While I try to find a way to convince my cousin in his early 20's to buy a Crown Vic or my hot chick friend to drive a K2500 454 GM truck.

 

[Burt]

Domestic brands increased 1.9% market share over 5 years! Woo-hoo! Major trend underway. Averaging 0.4% increase per year.

 

[simple_gifts]

Interesting that 18 to 24 year olds are purchasing new cars at all... When you get out of school you immediately want to saddle yourself with loads of debt on a depreciating asset.

I thought I'd get that in b4 Pop Rivit. lol

 

[MBS500]

well because they did start making fun and small cars. I would never buy crown vic unless I'm retired and bold

Spark,Fiesta --yeah, I might actually get Focus ST later on, after current Fiat Turbo and Abarth will be next.

 

[TFB1]

This is one "boomer" that's never owned a foreign model(except to resell) and never will...

 

[cchase]

Japanese down 9.8%, American up 1.9%.

That leaves 7.9% for the Koreans and Germans.

That doesn't make it sound like the Americans are picking up any real slack.

 

[jimbrewer]

Sure had some "interesting" cars at the Ford place when I bought my truck. That's what happens when you turn things over to engineers I guess. I'm not complaining. That's mostly a good thing....mostly.

 

[jimbrewer]

Sure had some "interesting" cars at the Ford place when I bought my truck. That's what happens when you turn things over to engineers I guess. I'm not complaining. That's mostly a good thing....mostly.

 

[daves87rs]

Noticed that here....

And before we get into that "all settled in debt" thing, know this:


My neighbor's son has worked hard through high school to save both for college and a car, and in a week he is taking his down payment (matched by his parents as promised) to have all but 5 grand left to pay on his new 2013 Cruze LS to take to college.


Some forget that some kids actually prepare.....not everyone has a brat!

 

[itguy08]

Makes sense. The Japaneese cars are bland and boring. The reliability is not the God-like thing it's supposed to be. And then there's this big reason: you don't want to drive the same car your parents drove.

Still don't know why you would buy the awful Corolla and Civic when there are much better choices around there. Mazda 3, Focus, Fiesta, Spark, Sonic, Veloster to name a few.

 

[dparm]

I think the "made in America" thing is gaining in popularity across several consumer segments. Cars are clearly one of them.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: dparm
I think the "made in America" thing is gaining in popularity across several consumer segments. Cars are clearly one of them.


It's about bloody time...... I was wondering how far in the [censored] the economy would have to go before people began to wake up and realize that "Made in China" isn't in the best interest of the future of their employment or lifestyle

 

[Cubey]

The problem with "American" cars is they are often made in Canada or Mexico, are rebranded foreign models or contain major components from foreign makes.

- I had an 88 Buick Regal coupe that was made in Canada
- Geo/Chevy Prizm was a rebranded Corolla
- Ford Ranger was a rebranded Mazda pickup
- Ford Escorts had a Mazda transmission (some had Mazda engines I think?)

I'm sure there's many more examples but those are the ones I am aware of off hand.

 

[jimbrewer]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: dparm
I think the "made in America" thing is gaining in popularity across several consumer segments. Cars are clearly one of them.


It's about bloody time...... I was wondering how far in the [censored] the economy would have to go before people began to wake up and realize that "Made in China" isn't in the best interest of the future of their employment or lifestyle

You don't have to go on a patriotic jag to buy an American car these days. They just offer some pretty good products at pretty competitive prices. I bet if you told a Millenial that Mercedes-Benz was hands down the quality leader for boomers thirty years ago they wouldn't believe you. Besides, the overall quality control is just a lot better than it used to be. Even a mediocre car is pretty good and will give you good service. Its just not the urgent issue it used to be.

That didn't use to be the case. I remember seeing one of my college professors in the late 1970's in a pretty new Ford, no more than a year or two old, with a big rust hole in his fender. I'm talking about a hole twice the size of your fist. This wasn't the rust belt, either. The manufacturers typically offered a 12 month, 12,000 mile warranty and plenty of cars had huge warranty repairs within that time frame. It was fairly common to have the car not survive the three or four year note. Basically, an economic catastrophe.

I don't fault some kid with a real job getting a new car. For one thing, used car prices are way up. A four percent loan, better gas mileage and a good warranty changes the economic dynamic considerably. A lot of kids find themselves working in the country--you need a good car if you live in the country. A lot of kids work the night shift. You need a good car for that, too.

P.S. My Ford truck has more foreign content than a Toyota Tundra.

 

[Spazdog]

It just goes to show how much better entry level domestics have gotten.

 

[Barkleymut]

I was thinking the same thing that he said about not wanting to drive the same thing your parents did.

Growing up we always had Accords. My first new car was a Civic, but I have only owned American badged cars/trucks since.
Originally Posted By: itguy08
Makes sense. The Japaneese cars are bland and boring. The reliability is not the God-like thing it's supposed to be. And then there's this big reason: you don't want to drive the same car your parents drove.

Still don't know why you would buy the awful Corolla and Civic when there are much better choices around there. Mazda 3, Focus, Fiesta, Spark, Sonic, Veloster to name a few.

 

[Cubey]

Originally Posted By: jimbrewer

That didn't use to be the case. I remember seeing one of my college professors in the late 1970's in a pretty new Ford, no more than a year or two old, with a big rust hole in his fender. I'm talking about a hole twice the size of your fist. This wasn't the rust belt, either. The manufacturers typically offered a 12 month, 12,000 mile warranty and plenty of cars had huge warranty repairs within that time frame. It was fairly common to have the car not survive the three or four year note. Basically, an economic catastrophe.


Someone I know said she had a new Ford in the 70s that had a major engine problem that Ford wouldn't fix DURING warranty... so she says anyway. She won't ever consider owning a Ford ever again.

She has a 99 Chevy Silverado that's rattling to pieces it feels like. Both tail pipes totally rusted and the ends fell off.

I had a 99 F150 which was the direct competition to hers. It had higher mileage, owned in the same part of the country it had no rust issues anywhere on it and didn't rattle like it was 30 years old the way her Silverado does. My Ford had 4 doors (extended cab, not crew) while her extended cab Chevy has 3.

Heck.. even my 1978 Dodge B300 has less underbody rust than her 99 Silverado.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: Cubey
The problem with "American" cars is they are often made in Canada or Mexico, are rebranded foreign models or contain major components from foreign makes.
.......
- Ford Ranger was a rebranded Mazda pickup


You have that backwards. The Ranger and the Mazda pickups were both built by Ford

 

[TomYoung]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Makes sense. The Japaneese cars are bland and boring. The reliability is not the God-like thing it's supposed to be. And then there's this big reason: you don't want to drive the same car your parents drove.

Still don't know why you would buy the awful Corolla and Civic when there are much better choices around there. Mazda 3, Focus, Fiesta, Spark, Sonic, Veloster to name a few.


Corollas and Civics are not awful. Not even the severely dated current Corolla. Your comparison list is a grab-bag of cars from Japanese, American and other Asian makers. There is nothing wrong with any of these cars, but only a fool would choose a Spark over a Civic.

I would like to point out that your wierd comparison is also blind to reliability data and to price.