Readers weigh in on Big Three’s prospects

What will it take for the Big Three to beat their Japanese rivals? MSNBC.com’s readers have a few ideas.

The U.S. automotive industry is struggling to compete with strong Asian rivals like Toyota, Honda and Nissan. And so with the 2007 Detroit Auto Show under way, we asked MSNBC.com’s readers to weigh in on Detroit’s problems and offer possible solutions to put the Big Three back on track.

One message came through loud and clear: Give us economical, well-styled vehicles that don’t break down.

“Economy, durability and quality are the key points I consider when buying a new car,” wrote Richard Smith of Port Ludlow, Wash. “The Big Three U.S. automakers are not addressing these points aggressively.”

Gustavo Oliva of Miami, Fla., echoed these views:

“Everyone knows what’s wrong with American brand cars. One word says it all — reliability,” he wrote. “Toyota, Honda, and Nissan vehicles last a very long time past 60,000 miles without any problems. Toyota’s cars can last up to 200,000 miles or more with very minimal problems, and this is a huge plus for individuals who keep their cars for a long time. My car is a Toyota Solara, and at the present moment has 165,000 miles on the clock and hasn’t given me any problems. So I will continue to buy Toyota for its reliability.”

Toyota, Japan’s largest automaker, will certainly be tough to beat. The automaker took a bigger share of the U.S. vehicle market in 2006, recording its best year ever in terms of sales, even as big U.S. automakers like General Motors and Ford saw another year of sales declines.

What’s the reason for Toyota’s success? Product, notes Burnham Securities analyst David Healy. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Healy said the Japanese automaker has benefited from its reputation for quality and fuel efficiency, and it has worked to learn U.S. consumer tastes.

“Toyota’s drive, I think, to becoming an American company has given them a feel for this market over the years that can’t be beat,” he said.

“I’ve seen them and the design is really striking. But why would I want to drive one when my Ford Focus gets BETTER mileage and has a back seat and huge trunk?” —EM Waupaca on   Smart fortwo — is it for you?

Reader L Richard Heward of Utah said American car manufacturers must work to overcome the perception that their cars are inferior in quality to those made by Japanese automakers.

“They must beat the perception of inferior quality,” he said. American car consumers don’t necessarily want a car that looks like a Japanese model, but they do want one that has superior quality, he added. “Then and only then will you see the American automakers make a true comeback.”

For Jorge A. Gonzalez of San Antonio, Texas, the problem of quality is less perception and more reality.

“I purchased my new Chevy Suburban in 2004 and so far the passenger window has broken twice and some parts of the vehicle started rusting within six months of my purchase. Just recently the speedometer stopped working,” he wrote. “I think when someone spends $50,000 on a vehicle these types of problems should never occur. Before I purchased this vehicle I drove Japanese cars for over 20 years and nothing like this ever happened. The poor quality of American cars in the early 1980s drove me to the Japanese, and it’s hard to believe that after all these years their vehicles are still not up to par.”

Dave in Las Vegas reported a similar issue.

“I have owned two Fords, two Saturns and one Dodge — all of them were purchased new and all of them made several trips to the repair shop during their first three years,” he wrote. “Now I own a 2006 Toyota Highlander, and after one and a half years in service I cannot find a reason to take it in to the shop.”

“If American automakers want to compete with foreign automakers they need to build a better vehicle and provide a warranty that will show that they stand behind their quality,” Dave continued. “While it may take a while for the American automakers to get a good reputation for quality, building vehicles that are reliable will help turn the American automakers’ dwindling sales around. Toyota didn’t get its reputation overnight — their cars have stood the test of time. And that is what American automakers need to do.”

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