I have to say that I must rescind my opinion that CNN is not biased. Lately I have noticed that they downplay import recalls more and more.

This is an EXAMPLE

Whether it be Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, or Honda it seems to be all downplayed and poo-poo'ed off as if it never happened.

It was just a blip but would have gone unnoticed to most. I had said in an earlier post Click here that they weren't biased but I think I may have been incorrect on that.

Had this been a domestic recall, no matter how small it would have been all over the news. This makes me sick.

I'm not saying its bad to have a recall to repair something but when they make a big deal about one company and nothing about another thats just ridiculous.

 

Don't get what you're saying: nothing was 'downplayed' here.

It's pretty much common knowledge that North American vehicles - as an aggregate - are not as well built or as refined as Japanese vehicles. Not a slam, just a fact.

 

Actually they're not. They are simply "riding" on the coat tails of their reputation. They have been having serious safety and reliability issues lately.

What I am saying is that the press makes a big stink about ANY recall of the domestic cars but just a blip when it comes to any sort of issue with the Asian market.

I've seen all sides of the issue and truthfully the Asian manufacturers have some serious quality and safety issues that need to be corrected.

 

Think you're reading the releases selectively. Seems they report them all fairly equally.

 

I agree with Andy...

 

I think when imports start exploding and burning people alive then the media might start to look more into them.

 

Well the Prius never exploded but Toyota never did release the extrication guide for 2 years.

Honda had problems with their CRV's and the safety belts unlatching in a crash.

Every company has issues. Its just the fact that it sure seems like the recalls are kept pretty hush-hush in the media area.


I don't recall any domestics cars "exploding" for decades.

People just have this ingrained thought the "import" means that is completely fault free. Wrong!

 

Did you hear about the Ford recall for the cruise control switches? http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/06/16/ford.vehicles/

 

There is something interesting in that article. It said Taurus/Sable and Taurus SHO 2.3 L 1993-1995. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Taurus didn't use 4-cyl after 1991. And they never used 2.3L, it was 2.5L.

 

Zoran, the 2.5L is correct but I'm not 100% on the year 4 cyl. production stopped. It sounds right though.

 

According to few books about Ford that I have, there was no 4-cyl in Taurus after 1991.
cars.com said the same.

 

Did you hear that it was never proven to be the switch?

Did you hear how the NHTSA, Ford andthe fire investigators all came to the conclusion that the fire was started elsewhere for the Iowa family?

Did you hear Ford recalled the switch just to be on the safe side because of the media's smear campaigns.

Did you ever consider that we have a liberal media that will say anything and everything to get you to listen?

If you believe everything you see and hear, you have become their puppet, which is exactly what they want.

My issue is not with recalls or safety issues themselves but with how the media presents the information!

 

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5403348/

Heard of this one?

 

I forgot all about that one! Thanks man

 

Well, I'm not certain to which "media" you are referring, unless centrist media is considered too far to the left for you. Best to stick with FOX News in that case, though FOX isn't really news, but rather "advocacy media."

As to public "perception" of quality, yeah, I agree, perception is definitely part of it. But it also depends upon how you define quality. If reliablility is the gauge, then American automobiles are ahead of the Europeans and gaining on the Japanese - which is good. If fit & finish is the gauge, then we still have a ways to go. The Japanese and Europeans do a much better job with interiors and details than we do here in North America. One look at the Mustang's low-rent interior (good design, bad material choices) is evidence enough of that - and the world's automotive press mock domestic vehicles on that point all the time.

Then there's all the threads on this site about most people's Shaker audio systems malfunctioning, the carpets on their new Stangs wearing out prematurely, etc, etc. That's DEFINITELY not perception, those are serious quality problems you won't find in most Japanese or European cars today.

And remember, too, perception impacts a company more than any other single factor. If buyers perceive domestic quality to be inferior - even if that's not the whole story - then they will shop elsewhere. And considering Ford and GM's dwindling market share and slumping sales, I'd say perception is now a "real" problem that MUST be addressed if they are to survive over the long haul. And one way to improve that perception is to make audio systems that don't give out, carpets that don't WEAR out prematurely...stop building cars with cheap, plastic mirrors that don't break-away...use better plastics in the interior...put in simple things like auto spring back front seats that move forward when you want to access the rear seats, etc, etc, etc.

Again, it's often all in the details.

 

Honestly I don't believe anything that the media claims. I have had a sour taste in my mouth from them for years. No offense to you or your company whatsoever.

As for fit and finish, to me thats another "perception." I understand where you are coming from with the carpet and audio issues, but I have seen horrible fit and finish in imports too. Just ask my wife regarding her Element. The passenger door rattled all the time. The power door locks gave out and we had to have the motor replaced within 18 months of purchase. Not to mention the seats which were the worst ever to try to move.

As for my father-in-laws Tundra, what about the a/c vent that popped in on the drivers side. That was a joy to fish out for him and fix. Or perhaps how he complains about the seat fabric wearing thin along the back. Just little things he notices that he doesn't like. He's not the only one either. The other salesman he works with has a 2004 Tundra that the passenger kick panel has started to pop out of place.

If you look deep enough you will find an issue with ANY vehicle. Its that simple.

Again, my issue is how the media gathers the information and presents it to the public. To me, it seems like they have a tendency to dismiss the important issues of safety on the imports when there is a problem.