"Honda Introduces Four New Hybrids"

YEAH!

You Know What this Means!

Soon the DR Cult will make its appearance and entertain us with a parade of finger pointing at the insidious Union Workers for daring to want a Living Wage as the excuse for what really is Lost Market Share from an American industry that's failed to be innovative and adaptive!

And 1 Inbred. (see above)

Oops, that was for Red...

Red, if the Big Three are losing market share then how do you expect them to keep paying increasingly higher wages to their workers and at the same time keep all plants open? It doesn't take an MBA to figure out that the math doesn't add up.

I agree that the that Big Three make shitty cars, but even if they didn't, do you think it's reasonable to pay an unskilled worker $28/hour?

Give me a break.

This is why the price of oil being high is actually a good thing. In April small car sales wnet up and the manufacturers are offering more choices to consumer. The best cure for a hight price is a high price. Pricing signals are very important in the markeplace. A high price indicates that we need more of something and/or that there is an opportunity for substitute products.

"a new sporty model based on the CR-Z"

Honda sporty? Ha

Why dont we loosen up our diesel laws and bring over some of those European diesels making 80+ mpg? Hybrid are not the efficient, we have had many that were better. The sprint, metro, swift, colt, fiesta, festiva, old civics, and the damn nash metropolitan, all of which looked better and got beater mpg. When will people realize that the only good the are doing by buying a hybrid is to their ego. Congrats honda you have proved there is a market of imbeciles, again.

"Red, if the Big Three are losing market share then how do you expect them to keep paying increasingly higher wages to their workers"

YEAH!

Why take it out of the salaries of the shmucks whose bright ideas of the past two decades consisted simply of taking a truck frame, "re-branding" it and SUV and selling it at a premium!

How's that for a start!

Member,

Not all of the Big-3's cars are shitty.


The 300C/Charger line from Chrysler
The new Malibu from Chevy
The new G8 from Pontiac is a stellar vehicle
The Corvette is a tremendous sports car
Heck, even the Ford Fusion is a solid vehicle


Overall, I think the foreign automakers produce better cars, but, for the most part, I disagree with the 'shitty' label being applied to American-made cars.

From The Simpsons: "Hi, I'm The Electric Car, I Can't Go Very Fast Or Very Far, And If You Drive Me, People Will Think That You're Gay."

Why take it out of the salaries of the shmucks whose bright ideas of the past two decades consisted simply of taking a truck frame, "re-branding" it and SUV and selling it at a premium!

How's that for a start!


Posted by Redneckville


That may very well be the first salient comment you've ever made on DR.

Red, do you think only blue colalr workers are suffering int he domestic auto industry? Yes, that is what makes the headlines, but trust me, office guys, like engineers for example, are getting the ax too.

As far as the executives, well there are not to many people around who are qualified to run companies. As a result the shareholders give them attractive packages to entice them to come in. It might not seem fair that these guys get rich while workers get the shaft, but why don't you try to run a huge multinational company if you are so smart? Maybe you too can get a golden parachute.

Jeff, of course, I didn't not mean to generalize, there are as you point out many good Big Three cars.

Has ANYONE seen that newish Honda SUV type of pick up?? Boy they sure fucked up making it a unibody construction. You SLIGHTLY overload the bed on one of those You are liable to spring the whole body. Dumbasses.

Larry Mohr

Larry,


The Honda Ridgeline is a bit of a niche vehicle. As most truck purchasers don't use their trucks as trucks, Honda decided to downplay the trucky aspect of the Ridgeline and make it superior to its competitors in other areas. On that front I'd say they succeeded. However, it is one ugly, frickin' vehicle.

"You SLIGHTLY overload the bed on one of those You are liable to spring the whole body. Dumbasses."

Posted by LarryMohr

Get a tent next time you go camping.

I disagree with the 'shitty' label being applied to American-made cars.

Well, I agree with you.

I own two fords at the moment and both of them are have turned out to be the cheapist best built vehicles I have ever owned. 1994 4x4 ford never ever having a problem and running strong. 2001 escape and the same. Less cost in maintenance than any other vehicle I have owned, that includes both honda and toyota's.

College and honda and toyota's were cheap affordable.

Ford will be a power house in about 3 years, the CEO was one of my mentors.

honda was never qualified to make a truck. They even put the spare in the storage under the bed. Probably won't be a problem as nobody who bought one will ever carry anything but if the did the would be SOL. The the non-parallel sides on the bed, less then adequate power plant, typical cheap honda interior and styling that could have been done better by a nine year old with some legos, what the hell were they thinking.

I also own a Z71 and it is great, 1997 running strong and tows like no tomorrow.

My honda VTX is the bomb though, keeps me sane.

Ford will be a power house in about 3 years, the CEO was one of my mentors.

Posted by moneywar


LOL

Ah! Ford's new CEO!

I've heard the guy is a real ass-kicker.

I hope it's true. I've been a Ford guy my whole life and the only thing that can rescue this company is an ass-kicker of a CEO with a strong mind for business.

In America, you get food to eat.
Don't hafta run through the jungle and mess up your feet.
We just sing about Jesus and drink wine all day.
Its great to be an American.
(Randy Newman)

In America we'll get gas to suck.
So that Big Oil & OPEC can have a good fuck.
We'll just sing about Jesus and drink gas all day.
Its great to be an American.
(with apologies to Randy Newman)

"Get a tent next time you go camping."

FF!

I have a Tent but I somehow misplaced My tent spikes. I can't seem to find them. Oh well. Too bad they don't make tents that fold up like a box.

Larry Mohr

Saladman,


honda was never qualified to make a truck.


How about Nissan and Toyota?


What are your general impressions of the Titan and the Tundra?

I also own a Z71 and it is great, 1997 running strong and tows like no tomorrow.

My honda VTX is the bomb though, keeps me sane.

Posted by moneywar


You are so-like my hillbilly uncle.


He's owned nothing but American-made cars and trucks, but he loathes Harley Davidson and has had a slew of Honda Goldwings over the years.

"How about Nissan and Toyota?"


Both have been at it for a while.

Toyota has always made a good 1/4 ton little pickup, probably the best compact truck out there. They are a little light on the engine when it comes to hauling but for light stuff and everyday driving they are pretty decent.

Nissan makes there's for a midget, that sit my biggest beef with them is in their older trucks the assumed everyone is tiny. I have not driven a titan and aside from all the plastic they are probably fine. I seem to recall the car magazines gave it good ratings but thats the extent of my experience with them.

Yes i do know the tundra is a half ton.

Both have been at it for a while.


Yes they have. Until their most recent full-sized models, both have failed.


Toyota has always made a good 1/4 ton little pickup, probably the best compact truck out there. They are a little light on the engine when it comes to hauling but for light stuff and everyday driving they are pretty decent.


Not any more. The new Tundra packs a V-8 displacing (from memory) 5.8 litres, about 360 horsepower and about 380 lb-ft of torque at a very low rpm. Nothing light about that.

He's owned nothing but American-made cars and trucks, but he loathes Harley Davidson and has had a slew of Honda Goldwings over the years.

Harley's are not worth the money.

I do a lot of riding and just have to laugh as I pass the harley's sitting on the side of the road having to cool down their engines in the hot weather.

1.3 liter, water cooled is the only way to vrrooommm!

In todays truck world that is light for hauling or towing, but then thats why many are switching to diesel. It's saving grace is that its a half ton where most utilitarian trucks are at least 3/4. To me it's a fine weekend truck, take the boat to the lake or pull a pop up tent, but if i needed it for work i would go bigger.



"Yes they have. Until their most recent full-sized models, both have failed.'


Talking small pickups they have not failed. The toyota pickup has got to be one of the best selling and longest lasting vehicles in American history. Now i am choosing to forget about the t100 but i think thats fair. i would prefer a toyota to a ranger or s-10 or and older LUV or courier any day, but when it comes to real truck i'll stick with fomoco or GM.

Salman,


Seriously, have you checked out the specs on the newest Tundra and Titan?

Both are credible, full-size trucks.

All in all, I would choose the Ford, GM, Chrysler equivalent, but would be doing so laregely out of using patriotism as a meas of settling a tie dispute.

JJ,

Wonders never surprise me! You are beginning to sound like ............... me!

You are beginning to sound like ............... me!



Eeeeewwwww!!!!!!


:-)

"Both are credible, full-size trucks."


Neither fit my needs. I've got a coupla buddies with tundras they work fine for what they do. I sometimes need something bigger then a 1/2 ton thats all. And i don't think i've caught the numbers on the 09 trucks yet but when i need a truck i look for nothing smaller the a f250.

Rob,
Forget the Simpsons references. Too intellectual for this crowd. I've tried. Try Itchy & Scratchy

"All in all, I would choose the Ford, GM, Chrysler equivalent, but would be doing so laregely out of using patriotism as a meas of settling a tie dispute."

Posted by JeffJ

Even if these vehicles from the Big 3 contain parts manufactured in other countries, or the entire vehicle was assembled in another country and shipped here?

How about a rebadged vehicle, such as the Saturn Astra, in reality a German-designed Opel built in Belgium, or the Chevy Aveo, a South-Korean Daewoo built in SK?

The Pontiac Vibe is nothing more than a lightly massaged Toyota Matrix.

Ford assembles a lot of its passenger vehicles in Mexico. GM does the same in Canada.

Some of the new Chevy and Pontiac car platforms are being derived directly from GM Holden of Australia.

Though Subaru builds the Impreza in Japan, Subaru builds the Legacy in the US employing American workers.

GM and Ford of America are arms of greater world GM and Ford.

The 100% domestically grown American car no longer exists.

A fuel cell vehicle has no emissions because it runs on the power created when hydrogen, stored as fuel in the vehicle, combines with oxygen in the air to emit water.

What do they use to make the fuel? Last I looked, they use fosil fuel.

That may very well be the first salient comment you've ever made on DR.

Posted by JeffJ at 2008-05-21 10:40 AM

So true...maybe there is hope for redcocosamiamvile after all.

"Though Subaru builds the Impreza in Japan, Subaru builds the Legacy in the US employing American workers"

Where do they build the Outback? I love my Outback.. In fact, ever Subaru I have ever owned has been incredible..

"Red, do you think only blue colalr workers are suffering int he domestic auto industry? Yes, that is what makes the headlines, but trust me, office guys, like engineers for example, are getting the ax too."

Um No! I think what I wrote in a pretty clear and concise form was that instead of doing what you all do all the time cause its easy (blame the, voiceless, faceless little guy) how about we hold those truly responsible to for this to account! Like these phantom executives who you claim are in scarce reserve!
And on that note I must add we have thousands upon thousands of innovative people out there --- called Entrepreneurs who are infinitely more qualified at "change" then any overly educated, narcissistic suite I have ever encountered!

"Where do they build the Outback? I love my Outback.. In fact, ever Subaru I have ever owned has been incredible.."

Posted by jsprague

The Outback is just a hopped-up Legacy (or Impreza). Remember the Subaru Legacy SUS (Sport Utility Sedan)?

I'm on my fourth Subie. Number 1 was the "so ugly it was cute" 79 GL wagon with the dual-range 4-wheel drive. Put some beefy snow tires on it and used to take it four-wheeling where the Big Boys tread. Got some mighty confused looks above tree line.

Got me an '03 Impreza now. Not a chance I'd take this "civilized" Subie up the goat trails. I has me a '89 Toyota 4x4 pick 'em up for that, with 208,000 on the odo. Gonna be taking it down to Chaco in June if the equity loan I'm taking out to pay for fuel is approved.

...called Entrepreneurs who are infinitely more qualified at "change" then any overly educated, narcissistic suite I have ever encountered!"

Posted by Redneckville

When the hybrids first started to hit the roads, a bunch of those entrepreneurs looked at the charging systems on the hybrids and ginned up in their garages a method to plug in the vehicles and juice 'em up from house current. These boys were able to drive their vehicles up to 100 miles purely on the batteries.

Of course now the manufacturers of the hybrids are starting to come out with the production plug-in versions of their vehicles.

"All in all, I would choose the Ford, GM, Chrysler equivalent, but would be doing so laregely out of using patriotism as a meas of settling a tie dispute."


My spouse and I are basically in the same boat. We generally stick to Ford, GM, and Chrysler, and only models which are assembled in the US with a high US parts content. We like to buy new and run 'em until they die or are unbearably unpleasant to deal with (around 200k miles or 15 years, whichever comes first).

We're looking to buy a second car; something small, cheap, and gets good gas mileage. Unfortunately, the Big 3 doesn't leave us with a lot of options. So far, we're very impressed with the Nissan Versa and Mazda 3.

"Ford will be a power house in about 3 years, the CEO was one of my mentors.

Posted by moneywar at 2008-05-21 10:54 AM |"

Note to self - dump all Ford stock ASAP.

I drive Honda's and they are great. I made the switch years ago.

About time the Electric cars come out!

Note to self - dump all Ford stock ASAP.

Posted by Snark_Needleton at 2008-05-21 04:35 PM

For some reason, I automatically read this line in with the voice of Krusty in my head.

FF.

I suspect within a hundred years the modern car will have gone the way of the dinosaur. Something may replace it, but it will be something other than what all of us grew up with.

I like hybrids, and think they should be made en masse when possible, but dumping all that water vapor in the air in places like Vegas and Phoenix will have SIGNIFICANT effects on the local, supposed-to-be-dry environment....I'm ok with that, but Greenies should be up in arms about it.....

Gasoline engines produce more water vapor than fuel cells for unit energy generated, since the conversion is less efficient.
An internal combustion engine, if fed only oxygen and hydrogen, could produce only water vapor.
The problem with the internal combustion engine in this world is you are combining a complex hydrocarbon and air in a chemical reaction.