Hey all, Chrysler isn't "American" anymore.
I would have bought without the incentive, I would guess most people would.
KT Phil -- I like that statement
Johnny cat -- Is the escape doing that well? I actually don't know. I know I see one in the parking lot at work. I wish I didn't have serious concerns about Ford/US quality, I would buy one. Great size, fairly fun to drive (at least the gas version). The Highlander around here has a wait list, I asked at my local dealers (3), when I was shopping for my Sienna. But I don't guess it will do as well, I don't think the Highlander does that well as a whole (?). I know we looked at it, only because it was availible as a hybrid & had a 3rd row, and just decided it was ugly; more like a boxy tall wagon. But without the conveniences of the Sienna.
I wouldn't blink to see the major 2 go under, the jobs will be picked up elsewhere. I mean first let's say, really, it isn't going to happen anytime soon, but if it did, I wouldn't blink. Roughly the same number of cars are going to be bought in the US, so there will still be the need for most of the people, they would just work for different companies then they do now.
Hyperion -- yes Chrysler repaid the bail out/loan. If memory serves they paid it off early?? But still they needed it and it was a risky deal for the government. There was a reason they couldn't get the money thru normal channels. No one wanted the risk. But, yes, in the end it worked out. I don't think they concentrated on the big SUV market just because the market was exploding. I think Ford and GM, basically walked away from the mid and small car market because they were getting their a%$s handed to them in those markets. They simply couldn't compete, and they knew it. So they walked away. The large vehicle market had very little competition from Japan, so they reigned supreme (still do). That is slowly changing as Toyota and Honda and even Nissan enter that area and get better at developing those vehicles (with some misteps to be sure). Although personally, I think that market is a little more resistant overall to buying Japanese.
& yes GM has a Hybrid pickup. But I don't think it is doing well. One of the car mags speculated that it will be discontinued or reworked, because of low market response. You can say they dominate though, since they are the only one.
I don't think Toyota will emulate GM in this area, they are going to work to kick GM out.
gotta run,
Spike