Interesting.
It's bias if someone chooses something that is not your (not personally yours, but in general) favorite. But if they choose what you like, then they are an enlightened consumer.
Folks throw the bias argument around when they have no idea if the person choosing has an irrational bias, or has valid reasons for the choices they've made.
The problem is not that the bias is or is not valid, but how to convince more consumer to choose GM, Ford or Chrysler.
Citing bias, or in other words, blaming the customer, solves exactly zero.
It might make those not chosen as well as some customers who did choose your product feel better, but it will not add one red cent to the bottom line of your company.
I've cited my experience before. When I started driving in 1981, it was domestic and mostly GM. After 20+ years of giving GM a chance, I purchased my first GM badged Toyota, used.
The experience was night and day.
Does that car break? Sure, it's now got 230K miles on it, stuff breaks or wears out at this age. I also have all the records for the 106K miles I didn't own it. The only repair was the GM/Delco alternator needed replacment in that first 106K miles.
I haven't had to replace a transmission, or any driveline component until about 225K miles when I replaced a CV axle in May. It still passes emissions as of it's last test in 2006 with likely 175K on the clock if I recall correctly.
It won't be tested again as they no longer test pre-OBD2 cars here in IL.
So am I biased, or did I have a bad experience with domestics and a much better experience with Toyota, so I'm sticking with Toyota?
I think for most, it was the latter, bad experience, good experience.
One other thing. There is a generational issue now as well. Children of folks burned in the past by GM, Ford and Chrysler are observing their parents habits. Many of these parents are buying a Honda or Toyota, and often their children get one passed to them from mom and dad, or they get a new one.
So just like I liked GM and Ford because that is what my family typically owned, my kids will likely choose Toyota because they will get the 200K mile Toyota's over the next couple of years as they become teen drivers.
Chances are, they'll buy another one if these cars treat them right.
I wouldn't call it bias as much as inertia. Right now, GM, Ford and Chrysler have inertia, but in a negative direction. Toyota and Honda still have positive inertia, but if they don't address the increasing quality issues, that inertia will change directions for them.
I believe GM, Ford and Chrysler are working towards positive inertia. However, you have to stop the negative before you begin to move in the positive direction.
It will take a while, perhaps an entire generation for the perception to change.
One more thing. I wonder how much of it is generational in another fashion. Not only are children observing their parents and making similar choices, but at the other end of the life-cycle, how many customers are just dying off?
Many of the customers that GM, Ford and Chrysler could count on are no longer with us, or they don't have the funds to buy a new car. They have already purchased their last vehicle and are not a market that can be counted on for future sales.
I think those are more apt reasons for what we see today than merely writing it off as a problem with the customers.
But even if it was a problem with customers, can any company fix their customers?
No, they have to provide products their customers want and in a profitable manner.
Like I've said before, GM still sells the most cars in the world. It seems their biggest problem is how to do that in a profitable fashion.
If they are set up to sell 50% of all cars, but are only selling 20% of all cars purchased (just numbers I made up) then there is a lot of fat in the system.
I think at one time GM did sell 50% or more of all new cars in America. I think today that number is far closer to 20% than it is 50%.
So what does GM (and others) cut so that they remain profitable with a smaller and smaller share of the market?
That has to be done even if the plan is to grow market share.
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: cousincletus
Am I the only one around here who hasn't had any issue with their American cars? I keep hearing "American junk" and other nonsense, but I think it's just the haters trying to justify their overpriced, over rated Japanese transportation appliance.
True. This is just a very import biased board. What comes around goes around and the the Japanese makers will have their days of gloom one day too. Nobody stays on top forever...
