Cerberus fights fuel bill, warns it will doom Chrysler

Whah, whah, whah.

Funny, but I haven't heard any of the foreign automakers complaining about the proposed increase in CAFE standards. If the US automakers can't build a competitive product, then maybe they do deserve to go out of business.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Jun 27 2007, 03:41 AM) [snapback]468688[/snapback]</div>

Maybe he should have thought about that before he agreed to buy a company that depends on SUV's, Trucks, and Minivans for 70% of it's sales. The $7K dollars figure is ridiculous. Yes, it may cost $7K to make a current Dodge Ram get 35mpg and still make 400 hp and tow 10,000 pounds but it doesn't cost nearly that much to make a car get 35 mpg. Look at GM's Aveo or Toyota's Yaris. Do they only cost $4K without the revolutionary technology that allows them to get 35 mpg? Considering that Japans automobile fleet already gets 35 mpg and Europe's gets 45 mpg a don't get the doom and gloom message from the automakers. They really must think the Congress and American public are stupid.

That said, I don't think that CAFE is a good way reduce fuel consumption because it puts it all on the automakers to meet the regulation. If the public doesn't purchase the fuel efficient vehicles the automaker suffers. There is no incentive to the public to reduce consumption.

I prefer a feebate system were those that purchase high consumption vehicles are charged a fee yearly at the time of registration. These fees are used to give rebates to those that drive low consumption vehicles. That along with a $3 to $5 dollar a gallon gas tax to be used for a "moon-landing" type program to develop alternative fuels and mass transportation in the U.S. To me this is a matter of national security and should be treated as such.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Jun 27 2007, 07:16 AM) [snapback]468706[/snapback]</div>

They are complaining too but just not as openly. They are leaving it to the automotive wide lobbying groups to make the case instead of taking it directly to the public and congress themselves. I believe Honda is the only company that has openly supported increasing CAFE.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhinton @ Jun 27 2007, 05:50 AM) [snapback]468721[/snapback]</div>

They do, and they're right. Well, Congress isn't stupid, just corrupt. But the public is stupid. They believe whatever they read or see on tv. I've talked to people who actually believe that BS article that came out a while back claiming that a Prius uses more energy than a Hummer, because of construction and junking costs. And nearly everyone I've talked to who has heard of the Volt believes it's real. And yesterday I talked to a guy who believes in the Zap-X. All BS, but people drink it up. And how about campaign promises? The last time any candidate ever kept a single campaign promise was when Eisenhower got us out of Korea, but people still vote based on campaign promises.

Nobody has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

 

To Chrysler's new owner: If I cup my hand to my ear just so, I can hear one thousand teeny-tiny violins, playing 'My Heart Bleeds for You.'

But, yeh, I fear that the above estimation of the veracity of our elected officials --and the intelligence of the constituency-- is correct.

Discourse is dying. We already know everything...so why should we listen to anyone? There's just no time; our schedules are so busy...
[sigh]

 

Isn't that $7K awfully close to the amount of money they build into the price of each of their cars for their retirees' benefits and pensions?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Jun 27 2007, 04:41 AM) [snapback]468688[/snapback]</div>

My guess is that 'Steve' figured out how much Chrysler will be paying in EPA fines for business as usual.


Tough Sh1t, Steve

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Jun 27 2007, 08:16 AM) [snapback]468706[/snapback]</div>

As others have said, they absolutely are complaining and in fact the most vocal out of the foreign automakers has been Toyota. Honda is the only company that has endorsed it.

As for US automakers deserving to go out of business, that shows a remarkable lack of understanding of the nature of our economy. You absolutely do not want the US automakers to go out of business, we would all suffer.

Economy is very important, but we have to be able to keep our citizens employed first. These new CAFE standards are completely unfair and its middle class Americans that will suffer for them because of increased costs.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Jun 27 2007, 04:48 PM) [snapback]469038[/snapback]</div>

Do you think they want to pay out those benefits and pensions? They've been bamboozled into providing those insane benefits by the UAW and its because of them they can't compete in a marketplace where foreign companies don't have that overhead. More lack of understanding.