GM, Ford teaming up for new transmissions

[shDK]

hi all.

as a person coming from a country with no car manufactures a all, i will come with my view on why American car makers have have had such a difficult time on the global market the last years.

for most European car buyers, American cars have always seem a bit rough.. a bit hard. like something that is developed in a hurry, and covered up with a lot of chrome, and v8 sound. that will do for those who like the style.

then there is the quality. today American cars rust(at least in the Danish climate)the feel, driving experience and fingertouch quality is total outdated. Driving experience can always be discussed, Europeans do tend to like there cars more firm than the average american car. i not saying it's always bin like that. but maybe the Japanese makers introduced a quality not known by the american makers. and they failed to improve in time.

i personally don,t have any feelings in the american VS Japanese car makers battle. And actually the american cars available here are mostly cheaper then the European and Japanese cars. But as a everyday transport tool. European and japanese cars are just better.

have a nice time everybody

Søren Hansen

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: shDK
hi all.

as a person coming from a country with no car manufactures a all, i will come with my view on why American car makers have have had such a difficult time on the global market the last years.

for most European car buyers, American cars have always seem a bit rough.. a bit hard. like something that is developed in a hurry, and covered up with a lot of chrome, and v8 sound. that will do for those who like the style.

then there is the quality. today American cars rust(at least in the Danish climate)the feel, driving experience and fingertouch quality is total outdated. Driving experience can always be discussed, Europeans do tend to like there cars more firm than the average american car. i not saying it's always bin like that. but maybe the Japanese makers introduced a quality not known by the american makers. and they failed to improve in time.

i personally don,t have any feelings in the american VS Japanese car makers battle. And actually the american cars available here are mostly cheaper then the European and Japanese cars. But as a everyday transport tool. European and japanese cars are just better.

have a nice time everybody

Søren Hansen





Though this thread is getting WAY off topic (I have contributed to this a lot =| )

Sounds like experience with older american cars, not necessarily the newer ones, like the new Charger, Malibu etc. Then again those cars aren't really sold overseas so... I don't really know what American cars you would have experience with in Denmark so I can't comment really.

 

[shDK]

yeah.. bit out of topic but hey. many trucks have 16 speed manuals and can only drive 80 km/h here. works fine

i personally only have experience with some crysler and dodge products, from working at a mercedes shop 5 years.(when daimler and crysler was still together)

there where sold very few.

but i did not spoke out of personal experience. i have driven most of there Chevrolet world cars(the dealer called them that, as he said they where developed for the world market) because they where cheap and large and wee needed a bigger car.

i will like to point out that i am not trying to hurt any national feelings or stomp on any toes.

 

[ADFD1]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: ADFD1
6 speed is the max for me. I drove a few 8 speed AT's and hated them. They shift too much, and feel like they're lugging at times. 9-10 speed its not for me.


I'm the same way, though I've even drove 6-speeds that felt like too many gears. I think 5 forward speeds is the sweet spot. Or let's just stop the nonsense and go CVT. I rented an 8-speed car for about a month while our Honda was in the body shop. I really tried to like it, but I just couldn't.


You're right, giving it more thought a 5 speed AT in my opinion is all I'd ever need, or want. 9-10 speed, no thanks. Ford & GM mixing it up, no thanks.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: shDK
yeah.. bit out of topic but hey. many trucks have 16 speed manuals and can only drive 80 km/h here. works fine

i personally only have experience with some crysler and dodge products, from working at a mercedes shop 5 years.(when daimler and crysler was still together)

there where sold very few.

but i did not spoke out of personal experience. i have driven most of there Chevrolet world cars(the dealer called them that, as he said they where developed for the world market) because they where cheap and large and wee needed a bigger car.

i will like to point out that i am not trying to hurt any national feelings or stomp on any toes.


No hard feelings or offense taken. For the record though, pretty much all Chevrolet products sold in Europe are Korean designed and built, with the exception of the cruze which is still Korean built, but combo europe/US/Korea designed. Chevrolet products in Europe are not the best representation of American cars.

 

[shDK]

but i do know from a personal experience that the first mercedes Ml was build both on a factory in the US and on a steyer factory in austria.(the magna-steyer who also makes weapons). And the where several qualety problems on the US made. There were less few on the austrian made.

 

[SuperDave456]

Where something is "built" trips me out.

My 2002 Ford Taurus was assembled in Chicago, according to a sticker, but all the parts are "Hecho en Mexico".

That being said, after doing a little research, my 2004 Nissan Xterra was designed and built in Tennessee.

Both are great vehicles.

It doesn't matter to me who makes what. What matters is that I can get 200,000 to 300,000 miles out of it. I want Reliability without major repairs is what I am looking for.

I guess the word I am looking for is ROBUST. I want my vehicles to be robust so that the last. I get tired of designed obsolescence.

If Ford and GM team up to make some 10 speed bicycle Transmission all that I ask is that it is well made and will last it's owners several hundred thousand miles.

Also, is it to much to ask for a Dipstick and a magnetic DRAIN PLUG?
It isn't Rocket Surgery or Brain Science Folks!

 

[Smokescreen]

I vote with my dollars in getting the best product for my needs. I don't care where it comes from. I would never buy anything sub par just to support the local economy...it perpetuates sub par products.

Speaking of cars...IMO North America should only have imports or European cars....and by European I mean the Euro Fords, Euro Holden....Euro versions of pretty much everything. We have some of the worst versions of 'domestic' named cars available in comparison.


Back on Topic....

8-10 speed transmissions ?!? Wow, sounds like a lot of moving parts etc...I like it more simple...have a 4-6 speed with a tall highway gear for fuel economy. In everyday traffic it spends more time shifting than in gear with 8-10 speeds.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: shDK
yeah.. bit out of topic but hey. many trucks have 16 speed manuals and can only drive 80 km/h here. works fine

i personally only have experience with some crysler and dodge products, from working at a mercedes shop 5 years.(when daimler and crysler was still together)

there where sold very few.

but i did not spoke out of personal experience. i have driven most of there Chevrolet world cars(the dealer called them that, as he said they where developed for the world market) because they where cheap and large and wee needed a bigger car.

i will like to point out that i am not trying to hurt any national feelings or stomp on any toes.


An 18 speed in a Kenworth pulling 100,000 pounds would be necessary. Diesels have a narrow power band (most commercial trucks are governed at 2100). A car only weighs 4000 pounds and can rev up to 6000,7000.

This is so they can put engines that have the torque of a cordless screwdriver in the car (to get better mileage) and still have some sort of acelleration / ability to go up a hill.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: JAM25
I think they shoukd team up in general to kick out those imports. I dont like them foreign cars. Its just my opinion
I have a mitsubishi but i havr love for it being my first car. But other than that american.car makers need to beat out the [censored].
The car built HERE with the HIGHEST US made parts content is the .....TOYOTA CAMRY.


Actually it is the GM LAMBDA platform vehicles and the profits stay here in NA.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/12/gm-lambda-crossovers-are-the-most-american-made-according-to-new/

And let them build some cars in Mexico and Canada. They buy them!

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
The car built HERE with the HIGHEST US made parts content is the .....TOYOTA CAMRY.

Actually it is the GM LAMBDA platform vehicles and the profits stay here in NA.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/12/gm-lambda-crossovers-are-the-most-american-made-according-to-new/

And let them build some cars in Mexico and Canada. They buy them!

The Critic linked that to me on facebook, and I showed it to my mom. It made her happy lol. I also found the window sticker in the glovebox. 77% Domestic Parts Content, final assembly, Lansing MI, Engine, Flint Engine Plant, Transmission, somewhere in the US.

My focus is something like 45% but most of the rest is Germany, and various other European countries. Except the transmission, which is from mexico =|

 

[supton]

I'm kinda split on our Camry. 5&6 are so close together that it's an almost "why bother". I generally use 5th if I am doing 60 or less, and 6th on the highway--but often skip 5 when getting on the highway.

My truck though has a big split between 5&6 and it's kinda annoying. 6th is so tall it will not hold for much of any grade unloaded. I'm not surprised it won't hold, but I wish it didn't double-downshift then go back up one a second later.

I'm guessing these new 8 speeds are going to garner a number of complaints due to this. I wonder how many will just put it into sport mode and drive around in 5th or whatever, especially in town. And thereby negating the mpg gains that marketing claims these transmissions will have.

 

[Rick in PA]

The 9-speed transmission gave me a chuckle, but I understand, they want to keep the engine in the power band for fuel economy. The chuckle was from remembering the old slip-'n-slide Power Glide, 2 whole speeds, woo hoo.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
The 9-speed transmission gave me a chuckle, but I understand, they want to keep the engine in the power band for fuel economy. The chuckle was from remembering the old slip-'n-slide Power Glide, 2 whole speeds, woo hoo.

Best 1/4 mile tranny ever. Do they somehow fit in a mod bell housing.

 

[R2d2]

Originally Posted By: JAM25
Didnt american cars rule the world in the 70s wasnt it until the 80s and 90s were the cars were built as if they just wanted cars out and didnt care hos they csme out.

Imo im.no where near the income to purchase a lexus, a cadillac, lincoln, or bmw. Im just 21 but if i had the chance to choose a vehicle i would go with a Lincoln MKS then a Dodge Challenger but i just idk dont people feel weird that they buy the away teams product? I have nothing agaidnt people buying what ever brand make and model car they buy. But me ad i stated i always wsnt to drive american brand cars.

I dont think they go and say


"This Corolla seems more reliable than this new fusion" i mean what does reliable mean? Make the car keep running without any maintenance work? If yoy keep checking your vehicle for any little issue and fix it im sure any car can be reliable in todays time


Are you drunk? Go back to sleep.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: JAM25
I think they shoukd team up in general to kick out those imports. I dont like them foreign cars. Its just my opinion
I have a mitsubishi but i havr love for it being my first car. But other than that american.car makers need to beat out the [censored].

I guess they will have to stop building "American" cars in Canada and Mexico, then.


Ford and GM parts are also made in Pakistan,Japan,China,Mexico,Turkey,and Canada. American cars aren`t built with all American parts unfortunately. What they need to do is ditch the Chinese manual trannies and go back to Tremecs.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: JAM25
I think they shoukd team up in general to kick out those imports. I dont like them foreign cars. Its just my opinion
I have a mitsubishi but i havr love for it being my first car. But other than that american.car makers need to beat out the [censored].
The car built HERE with the HIGHEST US made parts content is the .....TOYOTA CAMRY.

At least the US gets something. What about the taxes from the profits? Where do they go?

The people in Japan who get them eventually buy stuff from the USA, and those companies based in the USA are then taxed, balancing everything out.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: artificialist
Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: JAM25
I think they shoukd team up in general to kick out those imports. I dont like them foreign cars. Its just my opinion
I have a mitsubishi but i havr love for it being my first car. But other than that american.car makers need to beat out the [censored].
The car built HERE with the HIGHEST US made parts content is the .....TOYOTA CAMRY.

At least the US gets something. What about the taxes from the profits? Where do they go?

The people in Japan who get them eventually buy stuff from the USA, and those companies based in the USA are then taxed, balancing everything out.


Not really, we have a big trade deficit with Japan. Japan exports to us twice as much as we export to them. Most of the deficit is automotive related. And I don't think that even includes the massive amount of revenue from the Japanese transplant auto production here.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
The 9-speed transmission gave me a chuckle, but I understand, they want to keep the engine in the power band for fuel economy. The chuckle was from remembering the old slip-'n-slide Power Glide, 2 whole speeds, woo hoo.

Yeah, I remember when 4 speed autos first arrived. The exact same hoo-hah ensued!

Some things never change. It is to be expected that there will be programming issues as mfgrs learn to apply the tech.

 

[sciphi]

Having more speeds can be a good thing. It allows for a much greater spread in ratios, so one can have a teeny-tiny 9th and a stump-puller 1st in the same transmission. Good acceleration off the line and good highway fuel economy.