Budget cars en route from China

Houston Chronicle ^ | May 16, 2004 | DAVID KAPLAN

[Condor51]

No, no illegals. But instead of a jack, it comes with a NORINCO AK-47.

(hmm, I might buy one then)

/sarcasm

[Dog Gone]

They have to meet US safety standards in order to be sold here, so that's not an issue. I have no idea about the quality.

Prior to spotting this story in my morning paper today I had no idea that China manufactured modern cars, much less that they planned to market them here.

[staytrue]

Ford is a huge Republican supporter

My bet is that after th 92 elections, ford was a huge democrat supporter. Bottom line, corporate donations go to whoever is in power and right now, that would be the republicans. You simply don't pay bribes, extortion or protection money to the minority party.

[Rome2000]

The average American auto worker is no different than a communist, whether he realizes it or not, subsidized by all of us who are paying 40G's and up for a piece of junk vehicle worth half that.

They vote for Democrats and are more of a direct threat to the security of this nation in that respect than are the communist chinese at this moment.

Unions all support Kerrey, who has a good shot at being President if Bush loses Michigan again, thanks to the likes of the American auto worker.

[Bringbackthedraft]

I hope they last longer than the tools they make. Their metal is soft. Will every car have a 100 mile warranty? Doubt it.

[stboz]

When will Wal-Mart start selling them?

Sooner than you think. WalMArt is already working to set up used car dealer "points of sale" on their parking lots around the country.

[Huntingtonian]

Check this out: Geely Beauty Leopard China Geely Group, a private enterprise group, headquartered in Ningbo in the eastern province Zhejiang recently teamed up with Daewoo International Corporation. Daewoo will provide manufacturing expertise and help in developing new models. Geely's new sportscar, named Beauty Leopard will be put on the market in January, 2003 with the help of Daewoo. Geely Beauty Leopard is equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS), driving status indicator, mobile phone, hi-fi stereo system, CD, Karaoke, and FM radio. "Geely aims to produce affordable cars for the masses," said Li Shufu, Geely's chairman of the board. "We are proud that as a private wholly Chinese enterprise group, we have been able to prosper under stiff competition against other automotive enterprises." The car is powered by a Toyota 1.3 liter engine, supplied by Tianjin Automobile Xiali Co.. 1.6 and 2.0 engine variants are also planned. Karaoke! I'm sold! I'm tired of having to sing over the top of the original. I wonder if you could drive through Pontiac MI in one of these without getting rocks thrown at it if you were audibly belting out the words to "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood in the Karaoke machine!

[PersonalLiberties]

I think there are a few misconceptions re why american autos costs are so high. It it not all UNION fault. I live in Tennessee (losing a lot of manufacturing jobs here too and they are not union). Plus, some autos that are now made in Canada pay high wages too. The regulations (environmental, etc.) and lawsuits (work comp, etc.) are part of the reasoning too.

I know people rather have cheap products and I am pro-capitalist too, but we are at a time when we should at least considering buying pro-west products when we have the choice. Just MHO.

[Dog Gone]

ROFL

[eno_]

Agreed! I wonder how much we are paying for insane UAW contracts and pensions from the '70s. Companies that gave into deals like that deserve to go bust.

[4Freedom]

American manufacturers have ham-strung themselves with their philosophy of planned obsolescence.

If American manufacturers would allow their cars to be built so that they would be as reliable as Japanese cars, they'd completely own the globe.

The corporate bean counters are more to blame than the union workers.

Just pick up a copy of the April, 2004 Auto Issue by Consumer Reports. I'm not sure where the Buick Regal is made, but it's one of only a handful of American cars that are reasonably reliable.

I'll bet GM has a score of accountants and engineers on their way there right now to discover what went wrong and to see to it that it never, ever happens, again. ;^)

[Uncle George]

Their lowest priced car is named "turd". It only comes in brown.

[martin_fierro]

All your minivan are belong to us.

[judywillow]

A word of admonition for any potential buyers.

Aside from any questions about overall quality, an engine has to be a certain size to survive on American roads, and I would not buy any car with an engine less than about 1700 cc for American use.

Even the basic Alfa Romeo engine, which was as good a small car engine as there was at the time, in 1300 cc incarnations, was not able to survive on American roads. Mean time between rebuilds was about 60K miles. At 1600 cc it held together quite well.

[1rudeboy]

I don't think GM,Ford or MB/Chrysler make all that many cars here anymore.

You don't think? Have you cared enough to find out?

[Dog Gone]

The interior of the Beauty Leopard might take some getting used to...

[Sender]

Link to all the Chinese car manufacturers' websites:

http://www.chinesecars.net/

[Wolfie]

Do they come with pics of the slave laborers that slapped them together?

[Larry Lucido]

I prefer the lime green myself.

[fightu4it]

"American manufacturers have ham-strung themselves with their philosophy of planned obsolescence."

Planned obsolescence? The Chinese have been responsible for taking PO to new levels. Every piece of Chinese junk that fills the shelves at Wal-Mart, Harbor Freight, insert store of your choice, is a substandard piece of crap. It is made to look like, resemble, a product that Americans associate with a good quality product formerly manufactured or sold in this country.