1st Chinese Car Priced at Under $10K

[Fern]

Geely, a Chinese car manufacturer, is poised to introduce the first Chinese car to the US market in two years.

American automakers are worried because the car, aimed at the small car market, is priced at under $10,000. How can they do this? Because Chinese auto workers get paid $3 an hour compared to the $29 an hour the average American auto worker gets.

This may force American car companies to offer more competitive rates. Good news for car buyers.

[mccartygirl]

Whew, $10,000. You can still get American made cars until $10,000. They're small but under $10,000. Have you seen what this car will look like? Will it be big or a smaller one like an Aveo or Mini Cooper?

[PRICEPLUS]

Fern,

Do you remember the Yugo? :

[sweeps]

Thanks for the info, Fern. I'm torn when I hear this kind of thing. Asian imports keep prices down for all of us, but at the same time American workers (and their families) get hurt in the process. Hopefully companies like GM and Ford can turn things around so they be competitive in a global economy.

[Ima saver]

I remember the Yugo. Lincoln Logs Lmt. was giving away free Yugos if you bought a big home package from them. I don't think they were a very good car. We buy a car for looks, nothing else!

[twins0203]

I hate the fact that foreign cars are taking over.

I love saving money and all, but when it comes to a car, I will NOT buy a foreign car, whether its Honda, Toyota, or whatever. I don't care what the gas mileage difference is, I'd rather be a proud owner of a more expensive AMERICAN car, Chevrolet to be exact.

GM's problems are mainly because of its workers who are given way too many benefits anyways and then the foreign market moving it.

The idea of foreign cars being on top in sales in this country makes my blood boil

Not to mention the quality of the cheap foreign cars. I mean you may get great gas mileage, YAY, but the ride quality is far below any american car I've riden in. To me they ride like wagons. Not saying all do, but the ones that I've riden in do.

As the old saying goes, "Buy America before its Bye America."

[VJW]

Originally Posted by mccartygirl

Have you seen what this car will look like? Will it be big or a smaller one like an Aveo or Mini Cooper?

It looks kinda like a baby Benz:

http://www2.uol.com.br/bestcars/carr...y-mercedes.jpg

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[VJW]

Originally Posted by Sweepsplayer

I'm torn when I hear this kind of thing. Asian imports keep prices down for all of us, but at the same time American workers (and their families) get hurt in the process.

These cars are likely to hurt them even further, as the Geely manufacturing workers only make $3.50/Hour.

Trouble is, I can’t blame a lot of Americans who’ve had their wages driven down so badly for wanting to get the best value for their dollar. But it is a dangerous downward spiral.

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[sweeps]

I know what you're saying, but the problem is the Big 3 automakers rested on their laurels. They didn't keep pace with the realities of a new global economy. Their only response was to lobby Congress for protectionist policies, which don't work in the long run.

Now they're scrambling to become relevant in a world where, as you say, workers only make $3.50 an hour.

[sweeps]

Originally Posted by twins0203

I hate the fact that foreign cars are taking over.

I love saving money and all, but when it comes to a car, I will NOT buy a foreign car, whether its Honda, Toyota, or whatever. I don't care what the gas mileage difference is, I'd rather be a proud owner of a more expensive AMERICAN car, Chevrolet to be exact.

GM's problems are mainly because of its workers who are given way too many benefits anyways and then the foreign market moving it.

The idea of foreign cars being on top in sales in this country makes my blood boil

Not to mention the quality of the cheap foreign cars. I mean you may get great gas mileage, YAY, but the ride quality is far below any american car I've riden in. To me they ride like wagons. Not saying all do, but the ones that I've riden in do.

As the old saying goes, "Buy America before its Bye America."

I really wish you were right that the quality of foreign cars is inferior to American cars, but the fact is it's not. The quality of practically every Honda, Toyota and Volkswagen is superior to practically every Chevy and Ford in test after test after test. Until the American automakers kick it up a notch, they're going to continue to get beaten by the imports.

[VJW]

Originally Posted by Sweepsplayer

I know what you're saying, but the problem is the Big 3 automakers rested on their laurels. They didn't keep pace with the realities of a new global economy. Their only response was to lobby Congress for protectionist policies, which don't work in the long run.

Now they're scrambling to become relevant in a world where, as you say, workers only make $3.50 an hour.

But what the “Big 3” are doing now, demanding major concessions from workers, will not work. Corporate America seems to have missed the fact that workers are also consumers. If they continue to drive down their wages and benefits, who will buy their stuff ?

We’ve already seen the result of wages going backwards every year of the last five years, the highest level of bankruptcies on record and Poverty rising every year of the past five years.

A race to the bottom is not one which America can win.

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[mccartygirl]

Sweepsplayer - if I remember correctly JD Power did a study on the quality of many different cars and the Impala outperformed the Camry. To add to that the Kia performed very poorly in safety tests.

Thanks for the pic, interesting. I hate to say, especially in a frugal site, but I'm one of those big SUV, gas guzzling people. I like my big arsed SUV and trucks.

[VJW]

Well, the American auto companies were warned that the hybrid technology was coming from the Japanese, but they claimed it was merely a fad or limited to a tiny fraction of the market. Now the evidence is that the larger SUVs and trucks actually see the greatest gains in fuel savings and they are now scrambling to produce hybrids across their lines.

And these are the corporate management teams being paid up to 50 times that of their competition.

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[twins0203]

Originally Posted by mccartygirl

I'm one of those big SUV, gas guzzling people. I like my big arsed SUV and trucks.

I am the same.

I buy a car for looks and quality. To me, those Toyota Prius' look so sissy. WAY overrated gas mileage. It gets a little over half what it states it does.

I'll stick to my awesome looking "gas drinking" new AMERICAN MUSCLE car

[Ima saver]

I will stick to my awesome looking corvettes!!

[PRICEPLUS]

The head gasket went on the Dodge Omni but only after the A/C failed. I also lost the brakes one day. The Cutlass Cierra rusted apart and gave me problems starting up all the time especially in cold weather. The head gasket went on my Ford Taurus. I don't even want to talk about the Windstar.

There are two Toyotas parked in the driveway. One is a Sienna and the other a Camry. I change the oil and do maintenance. Not one problem.
When the big 3 make a car as well as Toyota does then I'll buy one. Until then I will drive Toyota.

[Ima saver]

I have been lucky. I drove my chevy camero with not one problem for 7 years before I traded. Before that, I drove a ford bronco for 10 years and never spent a dime on it, except for oil changes. I gave it away, still running great. wish Ihad kept it.

[twins0203]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

I will stick to my awesome looking corvettes!!

That's actually the exact car that I had in mind when typing my post

Getting ready to purchase a 04 Yellow Corvette Z06 myself

[Ima saver]

That is great. I have a bright red one. My old one (1978) came in to the dealership in primer and was painted tu tone turquoise blue) It is prettier than the new one. My husband;s motto: Live is too short to drive ugly cars!!

[twins0203]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

That is great. I have a bright red one. My old one (1978) came in to the dealership in primer and was painted tu tone turquoise blue) It is prettier than the new one. My husband;s motto: Live is too short to drive ugly cars!!

That's awesome. There's nothing like the beauty of the Corvette. That is one car that everyone knows what it is and turns the heads of just about everyone you drive by.

I love the Motto!!!