Reply #6: The Japanese Big Three also have a timing advantage...

[section321]

Pensions and benefits are cripling the Big Three. One prominent advantage comes from the fact that the Japanese have only been building cars in the US for a little over 20 years (Honda America Mfg in Ohio started operations in 1983). This means the Japanese auto plants in the US don't yet have the level of retirees that the Big Three have (who have been building cars in the US for almost 100 years).

For the US based Japanese auto plants, the new wave of retirees is a new problem they haven't had to deal with before.

That isn't the only difference, but it is a significant one. Alsom GM & Ford have crappy fit and finish. :-)