[JoeG]

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Toyota has captured a big chunk of the market thru quality control and hi-tech cars.

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Here's one for the "Take it for what's it's worth" department, but...

I read a report some time back about build quality and reliability and such...I think it was JD Powers or something...anyway, GM had actually closed the gap and even *surpassed* the usual heavy hitters of Benz, BMW, Lexus...in fact, the report hammered Lexus pretty hard as it had moved considerably down the list. Anyway, while GM's quality and reliability has come a long way, the problem lies in the *perception* of prospective buyers...consumers automatically assume a Lexus or Benz is gonna be more reliable or trouble free than a GM, even though some reports/surveys prove otherwise...the off shore makers have simply raised the bar and forced the domestic brands to either sink or swim.

I wish I could find the article as it was a good read, and was critical of GM *not* because of it's build quality but because of it's lack of efforts at changing the perceptions of consumers.

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That is part of the problem that was mentioned in the report Rob, that it's not gonna be enough for the US auto manufactures to bring their quality control up, which they have, but they will have to surpass the foreign auto makers to convert back the market shares they lost..............It's gonna be tough for US Auto manufacturers, as it stands right now, with these foriegn car transplant facities low production costs vs US Auto plant production costs......