No More Oldsmobiles

I debated putting this in the Crossfire thread, but I think it deserves one of its own.

I just hope these Chinese cars aren't fatal on dogs and cats.

Chrysler to launch Chinese-made car in US next year

SBZRO

I think this will be great competition for other auto makers. I remember when they first came out last year or so with the Geele (sp?) and some other sports coupe and it wasn't half bad. And the price tag as even better.

I don't like the idea of Chrysler getting their hands on it, but I'll hope for the best.

tiggerlee

death traps.....I heard they make those cars out of balsa wood and Elmer's glue.

BlueRenesis82

<ominous music> just when you thought Chrysler couldn't get any worse <ominous music>

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

if you think Korean cheap cars a la Kia Rio/Hyundai Accent are cheaply built and has horrible body structure, wait til you see these Cherys!!!

Clavius

$10 says they are recalled within the first 6 months and I'm being very generous with that estimate.

With all the bad press with Chinese made products being recalled I think its a HUGE gamble to do this. Werent some Chinese made automakers cars deemed unsafe and hence unable to be sold in EU a few years back. I forget were I read it but it did stick out in my head. They may be cheap but its for a reason.

Rhawb

Wait, Chryslers weren't already made in China out of balsa wood and Elmer's glue?

That's the REAL news to me!

tiggerlee

I'm sure they would have to meet NHTSA standards but judging from this video they've got along way to go. And at only $7,100 USD I can't imagine safety was paramount in it's design.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kQGAK550LE

AJ's Shinka

LOL. I think I knew some old guys back in the day say the same thing about the very first hondas and datsuns.

Rhawb

Sweet Jeebus, look at that video. That's terrifying!

tiggerlee

This one didn't turn out any better http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F06Lj...elated&search=

Rhawb

Hey, at least that one didn't crush all the way back to the B-pillar.

So, remind me again...why have they bothered to put in airbags when your face is probably going to be impaled by the A-pillar anyway? Seems like a big waste of money and effort to me.

BlueRenesis82

yeah, but back then at least everyone stood the risk of being impaled by the steering column. Now its just the Chinese cars!

mwc

It's true that there has been a lot of bad press lately about Chinese food and products, which has certainly been well-deserved. (My wife has been following this news more closely than me and has scared me silly about eating any sort of Chinese fish.) That said, I think it all depends. From what I have read, every major automaker (VW, GM, Toyota, ....) can only build cars in China if they either form a partnership with a Chinese company or if they contract out the assembly (I think BMW does this). I haven't heard any horror stories (reliability, safety, etc...) about these Chinese built cars. I think all of the crash test disasters were from cars that were designed by a Chinese company.

I personally am going to keep an open mind. I am certainly wary of the Chinese branded cars, but I would definitely consider a Chinese built car from a major automaker. After all, this looks like this is going to be the wave of the future in the auto industry. Those manufacturers that survive are going to be low-cost producers, making cars in first world countries with a few highly productive workers, in third world countries with lots of low wage workers, or a combination of both.

Finally, I sure do hope that at least some remnants of the U.S. automakers survive. If outsourcing production to China is what it takes to keep the engineering and production know-how about cars in the U.S., then I'll accept it.

Cheers

BaronVonBigmeat

Don't think of it as a claustrophobic shitbox deathtrap.

Think of it as umm...the Chery giving you a big bear hug. ^_^

supergoat

Swing and a miss once again for U.S. Auto makers.

VASasha

iTrader: (5)

I don't think safety should be an issue for building and selling a car as long as the automaker is upfront with it. It's not the automakers fault if you buy a car knowing that it's a shoebox with wheels and then get hit by a semi.

I don't understand why when you buy a car there are a ton of required safety features that have to be installed by the manufacturer, but if you buy a motorcycle the only requirement is a helmet (sometimes).

It just makes no sense.