Quality of U.S. autos need to improve

I recently heard an auto company representative state that a major reason for the demise of the U.S. auto industry is that our domestic consumption includes too high a percentage of foreign vehicles. I fully agree; however, they have to ask themselves "why?" Simply, the vehicles produced by U.S. automakers are, in general, inferior to their foreign counterparts. Certainly, the quality of domestic vehicles have improved, but take at look at U.S. consumer organizations, such as Consumers Reports, and the facts are presented to us in black and white - U.S. cars overwhelmingly are of poorer quality. Can we blame citizens in a capitalist society who elect to purchase the most cost-effective vehicles, most often without sacrificing comfort? If the U.S. automakers are truly serious about turning their fortunes around, then they must take drastic measures to ensure car buyers that they will not be stuck with high-maintenance expenses beyond the typical first three years. This means that warranties need to cover many more mechanical failures for a lot longer, and this may need to also include basic maintenance coverage. This is something that can be implemented immediately and can bring foreign car buyers back to the domestic brands.

Howard Korn

Naperville