If Ford for eg is making the wrong vehicles, then I’d love to be a fly on the wall when you walk into the board romm and tell the execs that the currently #1 selling vehicle in the US (F series) has to go.

Even you said it yourself when you commented that you can have the highest selling vehicles, but it doesnt matter unless you are making a profit.
I totally agree.
So do you think that if they aimed to have the 5th highest selling they would turn profit????
The losses comes from bad management, not actual product range.

From afar the choice of vehicles Americans drive may look silly, but remember Ford, GM and even Toyota are only providing them with what they want.

Proof of product not accounting for losses comes straight from Fords latest money report.
Ford hasnt really changed its product line in the US, Yet they are starting to show good profit, and their share prices are going up with great interest.
What did Ford change to buck the US trend???
Their business structure by way of current debts, workers entitlement, arrangement of assets etc etc.

STOP giving me this poor product choice BS.

Every manufacturer has recalls, so I think using the fact that Lexus has one for their floor mats is really grasping at straws.

Lexus claim that they are in the same league as the Germans yet BMW or Merc-Benz haven’t had recalls or their floor mats have they?

By saying that Toyota has ‘financial troubles’, you are implying that they are having similar issues to Ford and GM. You could say that they have made a financial loss, but you instead tried to grandstand with your comments.

As for Lexus and Toyota’s quality issues, once again you are implying that there are major problems with their range of cars. The Lexus floor mat, not brake pedal, recall is truly one of the most trivial things I have ever heard. So the mat can slip forward, whoopee. Move it back.

And you of all people relying on a JD Power survey. Aren’t these the ones that you have wasted endless hours saying they are worthless and not at all relevant.

Andrew, GM also had lines like the Saturn which only ever made a profit in one of its 20 odd year existence. You can have the highest selling cars, but if they are not profitable, whats the point? I think we all agree that the American car companies relied heavily on the large vehicles which is why they have been caught out lately with a lot of people moving to more fuel efficient cars.

I didn’t say it was the only reason GM got into trouble.. I said it was one of the reasons.

Nor did I say that the Japanese Govt had to rescue Toyota.. However; if Toyota’s losses and quality issues etc continue – they might have to.

The quality issues I refer to include the [increase in] recalls Toyota/Lexus have had for various reasons over the past decade – such as the Lexus brake pedals.. and the TRD Aurion engine mishap

Which must be hurting their bottom line as well as their reputation for quality – as evident by their decline in recent JD Powers Surveys

And they arent immune from financial troubles either.
The most recent example is the pull out from F1.
No country was really immune from the supposed credit crunch, including the japs.

On GM’s troubles,
Ill agree that over priced labour and heavy unions was a factor, but how could product lines be at fault when the product types they were selling were the #1 selling categories????
For eg everyone is saying the US makers are stupid for making big trucks, and imply that is what lead to the trouble, but would you care to tell me what the overall top selling vehicle is, what category it sells under, and how many years it has been the US’s best seller????

Thats utter BS that old line.

My take is…..
Over priced labour (i’ll agree)
Stubborn unions
Total arrogance shown from the top heads of the place, and also to me what seemed to be an attitude of “the government will save us”
They totally refuses to change themselves thinking everything will be alright, the Govt will dip its pockets.

Now I dont mean arrogance or reluctance to change their products, but rather their busness structure and the efficiency around it.
They failed to take control of its own debts before the shyte really hit the fan