[dirtbikingdad]

Originally Posted by mpd8488

No new cars get anywhere near their EPA mileage estimates. New vehicles are packed with so many heavy safety devices that the big engines are necessary to get just adequate performance. That isn't a trait of GM vehicles, it's across the board. And a Sequia probably wouldn't get better mileage because Toyota's V8 engines are over head cam designs which are inherently less efficient than the lighter weight pushrod engines. Both designs work well, but the chevy small block has always had a bit of an advantage efficiency-wise over comparable OHC engines.

And frankly the whole buy american argument is part of what put the big three in the situation they are in now. They rode a wave of diehard Ford, GM, or Mopar fans who would buy that brand without even considering something else. As a result they weren't really competing with each other in many vehicle segments (pickup trucks being an exception), they were simply building something that would work until the warranty expires at the lowest cost possible. The import manufactures had to claw their way into our market and they did it by building better vehicles. The big three didn't care at first because they only grabbed a small bit of the market, but they soon began to take over.

It's in our best interest to ignore the country of origin on the products we are buying because it forces our own industries to remain innovative. The U.S. has the potential to design the best products in the world, thus making the U.S. more prosperous and raise our standard of living, but that is hindered by buy american sentiment. The free market truly does make our lives better, but not if we try to hinder it through protectionism (whether driven by government mandate or consumer sentiment).

If you want American manufactures to build the best products, don't support them until they get their act together and put our the best products.

Well written and all very good points.