Volkswagon unveils car that gets 282 miles to the gallon.

No argument with that. It's a shame it's not taught as part of driver training in
the USA AIUI.

The other one I like that's now included in the UK test is hazard recognition.

Graham

 

No argument with that. It's a shame it's not taught as part of driver training in
the USA AIUI.

The other one I like that's now included in the UK test is hazard recognition.

Graham

 

it's not a union thing dude. it's management that makes decisions on
componentry specs, re-investment in new design and my own personal
favorite, production technology aka automation. absent /any/ attention
in those departments, american cars will forever remain utter crap.

 

it's not a union thing dude. it's management that makes decisions on
componentry specs, re-investment in new design and my own personal
favorite, production technology aka automation. absent /any/ attention
in those departments, american cars will forever remain utter crap.

 

i've always wondered that about the mustang - isn't that the gas tank
that hangs down right at the rear where you can get a full-on rupture
shot on collision?

 

i've always wondered that about the mustang - isn't that the gas tank
that hangs down right at the rear where you can get a full-on rupture
shot on collision?

 

indeed - you want the extremities to deform and absorb shock, and the
passenger shell to be uncrushable.

 

indeed - you want the extremities to deform and absorb shock, and the
passenger shell to be uncrushable.

 

i'd still love to see how they go bandless - with planet gears mounted
in an annulus, a band clutch is the natural solution.

 

i'd still love to see how they go bandless - with planet gears mounted
in an annulus, a band clutch is the natural solution.

 

For clarification for the benefit of the unconvinced, the slow deformation of the
crush/crumple zones provides relatively gentle deceleration compared to a vehicle
that doesn't bend much.

The crumpled metal may be what saved your life ! It's like they act as a cushion
in an accident whereas in stiff vehicle it's like hitting a brick wall because
there's no 'give'.

Graham

 

For clarification for the benefit of the unconvinced, the slow deformation of the
crush/crumple zones provides relatively gentle deceleration compared to a vehicle
that doesn't bend much.

The crumpled metal may be what saved your life ! It's like they act as a cushion
in an accident whereas in stiff vehicle it's like hitting a brick wall because
there's no 'give'.

Graham

 

And the stupidity of this thread gets deeper.....

 

And the stupidity of this thread gets deeper.....

 

Jim, one (not the only one, of course) of the reasons that poor
decisions are made in these areas is the cost. The average cost added
by health care and retirement packages for for laborers in the 'Big 3'
is $1350; for Toyota, that figure is right at $100. *PER VEHICLE*.

The American manufacturers can't get to Toyota's level under the
strictures they operate within, but things could improve. Meanwhile,
think about the process and engineering improvements that could be made
with, say half of that $1250 per vehicle available.

Yes, they made their own bed; there was a time when they could have made
smarter decisions and avoided this hole. But at that time, most people
in the decision making process believed that the status quo would
prevail forever.

They aren't in a position to make better engineering decisions now.
They are hoisted on their own petard.

RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen

 

Jim, one (not the only one, of course) of the reasons that poor
decisions are made in these areas is the cost. The average cost added
by health care and retirement packages for for laborers in the 'Big 3'
is $1350; for Toyota, that figure is right at $100. *PER VEHICLE*.

The American manufacturers can't get to Toyota's level under the
strictures they operate within, but things could improve. Meanwhile,
think about the process and engineering improvements that could be made
with, say half of that $1250 per vehicle available.

Yes, they made their own bed; there was a time when they could have made
smarter decisions and avoided this hole. But at that time, most people
in the decision making process believed that the status quo would
prevail forever.

They aren't in a position to make better engineering decisions now.
They are hoisted on their own petard.

RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen

 

i don't think i buy those numbers. land, construction, utilities,
materials, labor, etc., are all phenomenally expensive in japan. they
have no natural resources and have to import everything. with our cheap
abundant land, natural resources, and one would have thought, superior
technology [we put a man on the moon remember] i simply cannot believe
that it costs more to produce a vehicle here. unless there's something
/seriously/ wrong with management and they can't control costs. blaming
unions is just smoke designed to cover for total lack of balls in
sorting problems out - if they exist. need more argument? look at
europe. germany has unions /way/ more restrictive than us or even
japan. labor over there is ridiculously expensive and they only have a
35 hour week!!! so how do they get anything done? automation!!! every
time i see financial news footage on tv showing detroit auto workers
assembling vehicles by hand, /i/ see stunted and stupid management that
doesn't have the brains or the balls to sort out their production
technology.

bleating about costs? i don't buy it.

how many man-hours per vehicle?

so fix it now!!! bleating about pensions liability relief and tax
concessions don't fix the problem - lack of addressing their fundamental
management paralysis is the problem.

they could fix it today. make the decision and execute. voluntary
redundancy. hiring freeze. overtime freeze. small salary increase for
the remainder. then AUTOMATE. the financial markets will underwrite
/substantial/ one-time charges if it means these morons get their act
back together. and getting back to costs, the german unions were faced
with the reality of suicide or cooperation. they chose the latter. and
now management and unions work closely so remaining workers are highly
paid but also highly productive. there has to be a way, but i don't see
detroit even trying.

 

i don't think i buy those numbers. land, construction, utilities,
materials, labor, etc., are all phenomenally expensive in japan. they
have no natural resources and have to import everything. with our cheap
abundant land, natural resources, and one would have thought, superior
technology [we put a man on the moon remember] i simply cannot believe
that it costs more to produce a vehicle here. unless there's something
/seriously/ wrong with management and they can't control costs. blaming
unions is just smoke designed to cover for total lack of balls in
sorting problems out - if they exist. need more argument? look at
europe. germany has unions /way/ more restrictive than us or even
japan. labor over there is ridiculously expensive and they only have a
35 hour week!!! so how do they get anything done? automation!!! every
time i see financial news footage on tv showing detroit auto workers
assembling vehicles by hand, /i/ see stunted and stupid management that
doesn't have the brains or the balls to sort out their production
technology.

bleating about costs? i don't buy it.

how many man-hours per vehicle?

so fix it now!!! bleating about pensions liability relief and tax
concessions don't fix the problem - lack of addressing their fundamental
management paralysis is the problem.

they could fix it today. make the decision and execute. voluntary
redundancy. hiring freeze. overtime freeze. small salary increase for
the remainder. then AUTOMATE. the financial markets will underwrite
/substantial/ one-time charges if it means these morons get their act
back together. and getting back to costs, the german unions were faced
with the reality of suicide or cooperation. they chose the latter. and
now management and unions work closely so remaining workers are highly
paid but also highly productive. there has to be a way, but i don't see
detroit even trying.

 

everything you are suggesting has been looked at and failed.
The unions block attempts at automation, the unions block hiring
freezes and overtime freezes, the government typically steps in and
caves to labor in the disputes.
An example of the insanity of us unions was the dockworkers
strike a few years back, they were striking due to BAR CODES!!
because they thought it would make some jobs redundent.
As another, trains to this day have a conductor, the conductor
was the guy in the caboose who operated the brake. when is the last
time you saw a caboose? however, when the automated brakes came into
play, the union threw a hissy and made them keep the conductor.
the unions in europe are nothing next to our own.

 

everything you are suggesting has been looked at and failed.
The unions block attempts at automation, the unions block hiring
freezes and overtime freezes, the government typically steps in and
caves to labor in the disputes.
An example of the insanity of us unions was the dockworkers
strike a few years back, they were striking due to BAR CODES!!
because they thought it would make some jobs redundent.
As another, trains to this day have a conductor, the conductor
was the guy in the caboose who operated the brake. when is the last
time you saw a caboose? however, when the automated brakes came into
play, the union threw a hissy and made them keep the conductor.
the unions in europe are nothing next to our own.