An American Heartbreak

Tom Brokaw famously called my generation the greatest. I'll accept the title for those of us still around, but only for the years preceding 1945. I'm not so sure we weren't too content with ourselves post-World War II. We began to believe our press as it were -- something to the effect that we were God's gift to the planet, other nations and all its peoples. The gratitude for the civil rights and liberties so hard won gave way and and "More!" became our need and, over time, our obsession.

I don't mean to do a treatise here. I'd just put down the morning papers and can't stop thinking about what's going on with our car companies, and it just about breaks the heart of this member of Brokaw's Greatest Generation. I would have no way of overstating how deep and profound was our love for the American motor car and what a significant part it played in the now tossed around phrase, "The American Dream," then an all but holy right of passage. American families were told in hushed tones by banks and mortgage and insurance companies, that this was "The second most important check you will ever write," the first being for a home, of course. And that is what American families felt as they waxed and polished and hosed down their vehicles on the weekends of their long romance with the American Motor Car.

I spoke of this to President George H.W. Bush in 1989 when I was asked if I had anything to suggest to him as he assumed the presidency. When I say today's news just about breaks the heart of this member of my generation, this video might help the understanding of that:

Comments

[johnthesavage]

I can remember when GM built cars that would make you drool and go to the dealership in hope of seeing the latest offerings and collecting some sales brochures. Unfortunately that was the sixties.

I remember going to the Chevy dealership at Stevens Creek and Winchester in what would become the Silicon Valley. The had a turbo-charged Corvair Spyder convertible, the one with the 4 link rear suspension, and a fuel-injected Corvette Stingray coupe in silver, and a red Impala convertible, and a 396 Chevelle. It didn't get any better, literally.

[MacGregor57]

And I remember being told of my dad going down Steven's Creek to one of the few things there- Steven's cabin.

[reason808]

My generation has auto industry heartbreak - from the repair bills!!

My first car was a used Chevy. After a year, I had spent more on repairs than I paid for the car! My next car was a used Honda - it drove dependably for years with only routine repairs.

I like to support the home team, so when I needed to buy a car after a 15 year hiatus, I gave US automakers a second chance. But they STILL didn't learn their lesson! The reliability factor was bad as ever - and they guzzled gas. Japanese auto makers were still the best.

Sorry, I have no romance for GM, et al. I never knew the era when they made good products. Maybe in another 15-20 years they'll get their act together and make a quality, dependible car. Maybe it'll even have enough style to make me proud. But I'm not holding my breath.

[noaxe397]

The only reason the post WWII American auto industry reached the sales and market penetration it did in the 50s and 60s is that the German and Japenese auto industries were reduced to rubble by allied bombers.

Once they rebuilt they exacted their revenge.

[Grannyover70]

O.K.O.K the auto manufacturers brought this on themselves. They refused to re-tool the plants to produce more than one line and they refused to produce quality, energy efficient cars. But, it is our country and our people need to the jobs.

If we taxpayers are to pay for stimulus to these companies to keep them going, then WE TAXPAYERS must insist that GM use the money to build a new-up-to-date plant IN THIS COUNTRY for the new energy efficient auo they should have built many years ago.

It is inconceivable that WE TAXPAYERS will allow and condone GM using the stimulus money to build this plant in China or Mexico, or wherever, and ship the autos to the U.S., which I understand is their plan.

If you want to help, you you should consider writiing to your Senators, Representatives, Administration, and most assuredly to GM and encourage them to make certain these stimulus funds are not sent to another country and that this plant is built in this country. We have plenty of depressed areas here. I have always bought GM autos, but will never buy one again if they follow through with their plans.

[DiogenesOfAlaska]

Sounds odd but true: even in 1989 short-termism was among the worst misconceptions.

Just imagine what would have been possible if the world had realized that in 1989 instead of getting drunk on the capitalist victory over communism.

Well, it would be quite an achievement already if at least now people would take to their hearts what Jack Welch thinks about the subject these days. There's really no big innovation needed to transfer wealth from the future to the present, at the cost of the future, and at a net loss in net present value terms. It's child's play. Can we please stop it now?

[Dustee]

My family never owned a car when I was growing up, but I can appreciate your sentiment.

btw: Thank you for leaving Scarsborough and his crew speechless when you let them know how much you admired our President. You made them look so petty.

[e moma]

A very moving and to the point comment.

[intothedeepbluesea]

it's just another example of the gatekeepers failing to guard the gates (and the big three resting on their laurels and listening to the corporate fat cats instead of the engineers). the bottom line is when a nation consumes more than it produces, it becomes un-sustainable. this situation is just a snapshot of the underlying problem that is contributing to many of the problems now facing us. yet nobody seems to be admitting it, or even talking about it. we must stop importing and go back to creating or we are doomed !!! meanwhile i propose the following: all companies that wish to sell automobiles in america must $contribute to the legacy payments owed to those who built the auto industry !!!

[KillTheMessenger]

What's going on with "our" car companies is the same that went on in the 1960s... no interest in quality and innovation and the only sales trick up their sleeve is "Mark'em down, we have to move 'em off the lot before the next load of the same comes in. And we'll mark those down, later. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera..."­.

[murphy80]

you said it better than i was about to say it.

i stopped buying usa cars almost thirty years ago since i did not have time to take the car
back to the service department over and over and over again.

the greatest generation was also the most "used" generation in usa history, but at least some
of them got a pension.

today, no pension, no overtime, no bonus, no health coverage..­.......thi­s cannot be sustained.

[HMDMSR]

If you're a professional, you'll get lots of overtime--you just won't get paid for it.

[denisecchiang]

It's called "Post-Ford­ism." Post-post-post Fordism.

[Paul]

Eisenhower should have built a world class mass transit system instead of the interstate highway system. The highways destroyed our cities while building inefficient suburbs, created a transportation paradigm now too expensive for the average American, created a huge outward flow of capital from the country and gave us a permanent national interest in the middle east because of their oil.

Let's not make the same mistake again.

[denisecchiang]

Right, the interstate highway system was originally built for military use, the transport of materials and tanks. The interstate highway system has not been helpful in creating a sustainable country. Neighborhoods hide behind highway walls, and most people don't like to commute using highways where people are driving at high speeds or no speeds at all. I grew up in Washington, DC where there is a world class mass transit system, but it only reaches the immediate suburbs. New York's mass transit system only serves the city and boroughs. Otherwise, train services are an option, and we do take flights to get places here and there across the country and across the world. I am the Bay Area where the public transit is more practical, BUT the worst public transit and the worst highway system is in Los Angeles. And we are sucking the Middle East of all its oil so that we can fill our luxury Mercedes and Lexus SUVs and Volvo stationwagons that we drive in the suburbs, so that children can play sports after school or go to piano lessons.

[Shirley Fisk]

5/30/09
1:11am
Alexandria,VA

t.own.a.car.when.I.was.living.in.LA.in.2006.so2006.so.I.know.all.about.the.
public.transportation--I.was.spending.at.least.5.hours.a.day.on.it.or.waiting.
for.it.
A.car.woul­d.have.bee­n.much.mor­e.efficien­t.

[idattu]

You can lay most of the blame on my shoulders, at least in regards toChrysler. Before I confess fully, I would like to express my sympathy to the American auto workers for their loss of security. In 1984 I busted the bank to buy this beautiful, turbo-charged Daytona. I loved driving this car. It captured my heart and imagination and no boy with a new pocket knife was prouder than me driving down the road getting the thumbs up!

And then......­.... everything started to go wrong, go wrong, go wrong. The passenger seat broke! Yes, that's right, it simply broke. If someone leaned back into it they would find themselves horizontal against the back seat. The left front tire kept going flat, over and over ( badly made rim). A whole list of problems, too many to remember, but what I DO remember is the terrible feeling I had when I tried to have it fixed.
The dealership would not take responsibility. Lee Ialoco (sic) was holding the reins at the time so in my naivety I wrote a very thoughtful appeal to his leadership to help me set things right. I received a form letter from his PR department advising me to take my issue up with the dealership. What?!?!
I decided that very day that I would never buy a Chrysler ever again in my life and every opportunity to steer anyone from making the same mistake. I was loyal to my word!

[Overtone]

The Coming Rebirth of the Auto Industry! Cars Can Become Power Plants When Parked!

Revolutionary breakthroughs will make possible a Self Powered Internal Combustion Engine - SPICE.

A SPICE can be used to power a hybrid. It needs no fuel and will end the need to plug-in, as the engine can run when parked and wirelessly transmit and sell power to the local utility.

The SPICE is powered by hydrinos. One barrel of water can equal several hundred barrels of oil. To learn more about SPICE and hydrinos see: www.chavaenergy.com Look under the heading HOW?

A second breakthrough is the MagGen. These magnetic generators, without moving parts, will replace batteries in electric cars, trucks and buses.

Scientist and engineers will doubt these technologies are possible until they have been validated by Independent Laboratories. That is an important step on the agenda.

Until now, car ownership has been an expense. Payments to car owner’s driving a hybrid with a SPICE, or powered by MagGen, are likely to be substantial.

When vehicles selling power to the grid fill a parking garage, it will have become a multi-megawatt power plant.

The cost of many vehicles might be paid for by utilities, as they purchase power whenever needed.

The parked cars each become decentralized power plants - a rapid, cost-effective path to a rebirth of the automobile industry.

And an end to the need for new nuclear or coal plants.

[Tena]

True. When I was growing up your family was either Ford or General Motors. We were GM.

But you can't stop progress and you can't stop change, and a whole hell of a lot has changed since I was growing up.

[exhale09]

If you ask most people why they bought a foreign car, especially a Japanese made car, they will tell you...QUAL­ITY engineering, few repairs, and more gas efficient. Period.

There is no mystery to why the US lost the market.

It has been years since I bought a US made automobile, for that reason...O­NLY.
I'd love it if I felt I could take pride in, and feel confident about, an American made car.

I own a Subaru Out Back right now. I love it !
NEVER needs repairs, Quality built. "Decent" gas mileage...­although gas mileage could be better...p­lus, it has a distinctive sporty look. You know one when you see it.

The question is...why didn't a US manufacturer build this car? I don't apologize for buying foreign cars. I try to spend my hard earned dollars WISELY.
It is the American manufacturers who should be apologizing to Americans for trying to pass off the junk they have been building onto us.

Maybe this will be a hard lesson learned for them...HOP­EFULLY... they WILL learn a lesson.
I'd like nothing more then to buy American..­but I am not a fool...I work hard for my money.

[scottellington]

Our generations, Atom and Boom, respectively,
got stuck in the gap between TopDeadCenter and zoom.
The advice your elders offered, "Get a horse!"
was lost on the giddy profits of The Bold New American Way
(of paying attention only to knaves and fools).

Now we're condemned to repeat the history lessons
ignored since Ford obsoleted The Golden Rule,
replacing it with the mass-produced
infernal combustion engine, because we're meatheads
who were much too cool for school.

Giddyap.