Why do American cars cost the same/more than imported ones when there's no pricy import cost involved?

Question

Transporting foreign cars to the US is the costliest part of making the car, and US made cars don't have that huge shipping expense, so why do they mark up the prices so much when the quality is so much poorer to begin with, then cry that they're not doing too well???

Answer 1

Most of the foreign cars, sold here, are not "imported", but built in American factories owned and run by the foreign companies. The big difference is that most of them came in late and don't have the huge union wages, benefits and retirements that the American companies are saddled with. GM, for instance, pays more in benefits and retirements than they do in wages. As to wages, one union rule is that everyone gets the same pay regardless of their expertise. An 18 year old, right out of high school, is paid the same wage as a person who has 30 years experience. The unions have just about bankrupted them.

Answer 2

I agree with the previous poster. Greedy unions have been the cause of the downfall of American carmakers. They have been like leeches, sucking the blood from the manufacturers, creating work conditions that don't enourage quality and reliabilty, and making the products more expensive that foreign competition.

Answer 3

The people who work in card assembly plants make a freakin' mint, insurance, pension, time off etc.  The higher price comes from having to cover all them.  

I love my Honda, it was cheaper than any US car, has 100,000 miles and never a single problem.  I'll avoid domestics, they're not well built and cost the same as something that will last twice as long.