Originally posted by Beachboy:

American automakers can't understand how to build a quality small car. The Japanese and the Koreans have figured out how to make great gas mileage and quality workmanship go hand in hand. Asian small cars have well appointed interiors, good build quality, and durable power trains.



Beachboy,

Americans know how to build a quality anything. Ford buys hundreds of cars every year and tears them to pieces to see what makes them so good. They know how to make a Camry, Corolla, RAV4, etc. The choose to make their cars pieces of crap because they put the wrong people in charge.

The beancounters seem to have this antiquated idea that if someone buys a focus that is a piece of crap, that when the person buys their next car, they'll buy a Taurus. When they figure out that that car is junk, then they'll buy an Explorer. They think consumers will hop from car to car within 1 brand trying to find something "good"

The problem is that this isn't how the world works today. If someone buys a Focus, and it is a piece of crap, they won't buy a Taurus. They'll walk into their Toyota or Honda dealer and buy a Civic or Corolla. They'll drive the Civic or Corolla, they'll like it, and when it comes time to replace it, they'll replace it with a Toyota or Honda. Chances are they will never go back to the American car company again.