Didn't we bail out the car companies?

It's a disgrace. I always thought if a business is mismanaged, corrupt and "fails".......it kinda packed up it's tent and went away hoping they didn't owe taxes.
Same with those Wall St crooks. Most of that money went into the personal pockets of the ones at the top, and various "payoffs".

Gangsters without hitmen! ?

 

I had been lambasted by family and friends that I
would never buy another American made car after
I paid huge repair bills on my Buick and then on my
Ford. They got me once; they got me twice; screw them
if they cannot make better American cars. It affected
my pocketbook and I've had enough of their bullshit.

I am not surprised by their typical short cut methods
to make good on unsuspecting American customers.

I am tired and annoyed with these companies and
their cheap labor & un-American tactics to up the
unemployment rate in this country. How un-American
can businesses get? Check out the many companies
that have abandoned American employees.

 

I've long respected Mazda, for its Omaha Plant. When lay offs were due in the mid 80's, employees were placed by negotiations b/t the City, State, and Mazda. Together they found ample work, building or refurbishing Parks, Bldgs, et al. These laid off Mazda Employees were paid by Mazda, without any cut in pay, for One solid year. Now that is a company that definitely is rare and one of the very few, that looks out for their employees.

One can buy any Ford, GM line, et al. with more foreign parts on an American Car, than there are Parts made by Americans. At one time, I was a UAW Union Employee, and an AFL=CIO, & IAMAW. I hated paying dues, for nothing in return. I followed a Union Problem in Tennesse, where American Cars were allowed to park up front, and anyone driving Foreign Cars had to park in the back 80. Until, One Employee stood up, challenged the system, showing how Mazda had more American parts, than a Chevy, et al.

 

NTM- I had a heated 2 day debate with an asshole Union Rep, when I was a Salary Mgmt. Employee. The Union Rep., happened to drive a fkn Fiat. I drove a 1970 Chevy Pickup.

I fired a kid, who didn't come to work but half a year, for 3 years in a row, previously; until he found his way into one of my Departments.

The Buck Stopped there, as this kid had so many different alibis, all medical, (ntm-His Grandma died 3 times, no shit). Human Resources even called his Dr. on all his problems, who came clean saying He hadn't even seen this kid in a Year.

After that- was done, we continued to argue for 2 days on issues. The biggest argument was, I have worked in Union Shops, and Non-Union Shops, and found Non-Union Shops, have a helluva lot less problems overall, and also paid a shit load more than Union Shops, including Benefits, Union Shops did NOT have.

A year later, I found myself leaving the Shuttle Program 5 mos prior to Delivery, to slip beneath the Iron Curtain of the B2 (Non-Union) Program. A $2.50 cent raise per hour, via a Salary, and a major upgrade in Position.........Thank You Northrop (prior to) Northrop Grumman= Vought (LTV), and Westinghouse Electric.....

 

...on the road to socialism.

 

Fiat (Fix It Again Tony). In '74 arriving for my 2d tour of duty in Germany I wanted to buy a TR-6. Upon finding out what the insurance costs would be I took a few steps back and bought a Fiat-128 that had the American Specs so I could bring it home after the tour was finished. The Damn thing was more at home in the shop than on the road. It got totaled in a crash with a VW Bug after 1.5 years of not so faithful service. Back in the State in '78 I mad e the mistake of buying an MGB Roadster. BRG, tan interior, top down, tonneau on, sharp as a tack, on the highway dead as a door knob. Since those days I've had American Cars and few problems. Getting ready now to go blood and guts and get a Jeep Wrangler, V6, 6 speed, drop top and bop.

 

^^^I had 5 Triumphs in my younger years...a Spitfire (my first TR) that was little more than a go cart...a TR7 which almost broke me....and 3 different TR6s ('69, '73, and a '76)...the TR6s were GREAT cars. Every now and then I see them for sale on ebay and I also check out videos of them on youtube, just so I can hear that throaty sound again.

 

That TR-6 was a very handsome car with a reasonable cost in '74. and as I recall insurance in Germany would have been about 2400 a year it was 950 for the Fiat. My sister had a '66 Spit that I enjoyed driving, also drove one prior to selecting the "B".

 

...a friend of mine had an MGC which was the same car as the MGB except the C version got the 2500 cc TR6 straight 6 instead of the standard 4 cylinder...very rare..they only made 'em a couple of years I think.

 

My Sister owned a 73 Triumph Spitfire, bought it new. 1 Week after buying it, She lent the Canyon Cruiser to me one night to take a Chick on a date. (My car was down for mods), and My date feared Motorcycles.

When I picked up the Triumph from her, I called my Date, told her I was feeling ill, and spent til sunrise flying around Canyons. Incredible little 'rag top' with outstanding torque, instant power, and great corner handling.

I dropped the Car off at my Sister's house before She woke up. I got a call a few hours later, my sister; yelling, you mothufkr, you put 300 miles on my Car. Shit, I forgot to undo the cable to the Odometer, which one could in the old days. She told me, she'd never loan me another car, which was ok by me, I only wanted to try out the Triumph, and compare its power to the Bikes made by Triumph...both incredible works of art, and engineering.....

 

I love the sound of a nice Muscle bound engine, damn near as much as the crowd roaring at any MLB Field......