Detroit and Gasoline Shortages

[Ready4Change]

I remember the Gas Crisis in 1973. And Detroit failing to produce good, small, economic cars of their own. To Detroit then, small meant cheap, in everyway possible. Their small(ish) cars were crap, while the Japanese products were marvels in comparison.

I remember my family buying our first import car. My dad wanted to buy American, but just couldn't justify it anymore. So, to ease his pangs of guilt we bought a Japanese car that was imported and rebadged under an American label. And for months we marvelled at what a gem that car was. Neither he nor my mother have bought an American car since.

Many have blamed the woes of the 70's and 80's American car manufacturers on the 70's gas crunch. I don't. I blame it on Detroits inability to recognize new market forces at work, and a failure, or reluctance, to meet the demands of those market forces.

Now, I see it happening again. Gas prices are shooting up. The market is shifting. Can Detroit, addicted to sales of super large vehicles, keep up with the dance?

[Ganja Ninja]

1. I got out of the navy in 1975 and decided to buy a new car ...

when I got a job with GM. I went down to the local Pontiac dealer and asked to test drive a sunbird which was the same thing as a Chevy Vega. I drove out of the dealership and almost immediately turned around because I thought there was something seriously wrong with the car. So I went back to the salesman and said I thought the car was broken. He then offered me the keys to his wifes car because he knew there was nothing wrong with it. I didn't even go 1 block before turning around. It was awful. I gave him back his keys and walked out and bought a new VW Rabbit. The old Beetle I was driving was better than the Sunbird.

[Inland]

2. I want to buy American cars

Grew up in a GM factory area, and my family worked and sold to the people who worked for GM. I always felt like I owed them, so I've bought GM, but shit, all GM is doing is moving their jobs away and then cutting their retirement benefits.

[Ready4Change]

3. Me too.

I'd love to buy an American car that is just what I want, that I can be proud of, that will hold up over the years. But, when the time has come for me to buy a new car, the American offerings have either been sub-par, or there was no American offering that fit my needs/desires.

And looking back, I've friends who bought American out of loyalty/patriotism, while I've not. They've easily bought 2 cars for every one of mine.