I think the difference is, GM rebadged into Buick, Chevy, Olds, Pontiac, Cadillac. 4 or 5 Brands.

You bought a Chevy, then moved to Pontiac, then Olds or Buick, then Cadillac. So you had to go through 5 brands before yo foud out you might want to try an actual "different" car.

The bells and whistles are the difference. I think you are right with VW and Audi getting to look more similiar though.

 

See dd thats the problem right there. You don't care if I or the 125000 union members of DCX plus the 40-50 thousand management members have a job. Or the other hundreds of thousands of GM or Ford workers have a job. DD how you like it if you knew people were doing something on purpose that was going to put you out of a job? I assume you must have a job to buy a $30000 truck. Thats the point here, I take it personally when I see a toyo or nissan or what ever else on the road. I don't think it has anything to your patriotism, just your basic knowledge of the Americian economy. And you probably are one of those people who wonder why the economy is in bad shape. People like you are not helping.

 

jgralka

You can thank the unions as well by pricing our labor force out of the market. They are every bit as guilty as the person buying imported goods. It's all about bottom line. Think about this next time the union tells you to strike, what are you doing to the economy, or the bottom line of producing our cars.
I grew up in Pittsburgh PA. during the 70's, and saw unions run the steel industry into the ground. It really sucked. I truely hope it's not going to happen to our auto makers.

Who cares what dd564's reasons were for buying the Titan. We have to have someone to pick on.

 

So let me get this straight, its the unions fault for fighting for better pay and benefits for its members? The companies did not agree to these contracts? Please save that for the day when I make a tenth as much as Deiter does. The problem lies with the consumer. You wanted lower prices, this is the result. Cheap prices = Cheap labor PEROID. Plus labor is the least expensive part of a car, last report I saw was about 10 percent of sticker. Like the HEMI is cheaper to produce than the 4.7 according to DCX. I wonder why? The only way they will stop building the HEMI down there is if we stop buying it. But hey I'd pick on anybody that would buy a truck as ugly a titan.

 

Yeah, that's about it. The companies did agree to these contracts, despite being exorbitant, but have to offset the cost of your pay with "El cheapo" labor over the border. Do you shoulder a tenth of the burden that Dieter does? Unfortunately, I don't have any stats but I'll take a shot with yours. That 10% of sticker you quote for labor, could it be diluted by the cost of "El cheapo" labor across the border. I mean, these people are willing to work for pennies on the dollar compared to you. That is what accounting and finance thinks they should be paying you.
Unions did serve the labor force for the good years ago. Today, with all the labor law, they've outlived their usefulness. I'm curious though, what it is that you do for DCX?
The UAW does a good job with the vehicles they are building, and the foreign companies can keep their cars. I'm a die hard Mopar person who hopes there will always be a Mopar to drive. I can't see myself in that butt-ugly Titan.

 

I'm not sure how this is my fault. I've purchased all GM and Chrysler vehicles to this point, and now have purchased a truck built in Mississippi. If I went the Dodge route, it would have been made in Mexico I believe.

 

Ugly is an opinion. It seems to be the most popular complaint about the Titan so far. I actually love the way it looks, and I kind of like the "Fugly" comments which tells me it's definitely different looking than any other full size out there.

 

If you went the Dodge route, it would have been made in Fenton, Missouri U.S.A.

I did checkout the Titan's window sticker, which say it has 60% U.S./Canadian content which classifies it as an American built truck. The VIN also starts with a "1." As I said somewhere in the forums, my Dodge's sticker says 75% U.S./Canadian. Whether we realize it or not, we are all talking about shades of gray, rather than black and white.

 

Well, either way, I had my fill of Dodge problems, so the hemi wasn't an option.

 

Mopartodd,

To answer your question, I'm a jobsetter, or a machine operator at Mack Avenue Engine I in detroit. We build the 4.7, and Mack II builds the 3.7. I understand why you don't think the unions are useful, but to really understand I think you have to be in the manufacturing realm to see the differance. Also I love how everybody hates the UAW, but would jump at the chance to work in a union shop. The union has done more for non union shops than union shops. Union wages are the high mark and everyone else sets their wage lower based on the union wage. So guess what if I make less so does the guy in the small non union shop. So the unions are helping far more than just the union members. Look at the jap plants that are over here, do you think they pay the same as the big three out of the kindness of their heart? They pay it to keep the unions out. But I feel for their empolyees when they go to retire. They have no contract to ensure they will recieve a pension like we do. They have to trust the companies to honor their word. And we've been seeing lately how well corprate america keeps its word. Please don't get me wrong I think the union needs some BIG changes, but we still need them.