prophet@umcp-cs.UUCP (Dennis Gibbs) (11/21/84)
<>
Now that Reagan has been re-elected President, I am anxious to find out
whether or not the voluntary restrictions on Japanese cars will be lifted
when they expire in (I think) March next year. The only information I have
heard so far came from the October 30 issue of "U.S. News and World Report".
This article stated that the final decision would be postponed until after
the Presidential Election, but that the restrictions are likely to be
renewed.
I personally would like to see the restrictions removed. Currently, it
is a seller's market for automobiles, and removing the restrictions would
lower prices for both American and Foreign cars by promoting competition.
The American automobile manufacturers have demonstrated that the res-
trictions are no longer needed because of the great increase in sales, and
by the huge salaries paid to its top executives.
The problem is, the American automobile manufacturers (for the most
part) favor the restrictions. The Japanese automobile manufacturers also
favor the restrictions because it allows them to push the more expensive
for more profit per car sold. The new car buyer is getting ripped-off by
being forced to pay inflated prices for limited selection of automobiles.
Has anyone out there heard any up-to-date information on this issue?
(Please, no flames about the desireability of American vs. Japanese Cars)
Dennis Gibbs
--
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ARPA: prophet@Maryland2141smh@aluxe.UUCP (henning) (11/26/84)
**** **** From the keys of Steve Henning, AT&T Bell Labs, Reading, PA aluxe!2141smh > Now that Reagan has been re-elected President, I am anxious to find out > whether or not the voluntary restrictions on Japanese cars will be lifted > when they expire in (I think) March next year. The only information I have > heard so far stated that the final decision would be postponed until after > the Presidential Election, but that they are likely to be renewed. The restrictions were only on the number of units and not the value of units. As a result, the US is getting all of the high profit top of the line Japanese vehicles. It is amazing what a big market niche this opened up to the Japanese, something the Europeans have been filling for years. The only true solution is free trade by both the US and Japan. But if Japan will not open up their market, we can't afford to open up our market to them. Perhaps the restrictions could be more intelligently administered next time.
prophet@umcp-cs.UUCP (Dennis Gibbs) (02/19/85)
<>
For those of you who may be interested, I read in a recent issue of
Kipplinger's (sp?) Washington Newsletter that the restrictions on
Japanese Automobiles will be eased after March of this year. They
will be letting about 200,000 more Japanese Autos into the U.S. It
was noted that the Japanese prefer it this way, because if Japan
suddenly removed all of the restrictions, there would be a tremen-
dous influx of Japanese Automobiles, which might cause more clamor-
ing for protection and more restrictions. Kipplinger's said that a
gradual decrease in price gouging should begin soon, and also the
prices on American Autos will not rise because of the increased
competition.
Also, I read an article in the February 17 issue of The Washington
Post that a new foreign car (made in Yugoslavia, I believe) will be
appearing on our shores soon. This car will be priced at least
$1000 below the current lowest price car sold in the U.S. This car
will be a very small limited performance auto for people who want a
new car but cannot afford one.
Dennis
--
Call-Me: Dennis Gibbs, Univ. of Md. Comp. Sci. Center.
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ARPA: prophet@Marylanddoug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) (02/21/85)
> For those of you who may be interested, I read in a recent issue of > Kipplinger's (sp?) Washington Newsletter that the restrictions on > Japanese Automobiles will be eased after March of this year. They > will be letting about 200,000 more Japanese Autos into the U.S. Because the current restrictions are on number of units, not dollar value, Japan has been sending us their higher-priced (higher absolute profit per unit) car models. As the restrictions ease off, we can probably expect to see more of the inexpensive models being brought in. -- Doug Pardee -- Terak Corp. -- !{hao,ihnp4,decvax}!noao!terak!doug
pete@umich.UUCP (02/23/85)
> > Also, I read an article in the February 17 issue of The Washington > Post that a new foreign car (made in Yugoslavia, I believe) will be > appearing on our shores soon. This car will be priced at least > $1000 below the current lowest price car sold in the U.S. This car > will be a very small limited performance auto for people who want a > new car but cannot afford one. Actually, the new foreign car is coming from Korea, and a lot of people over here in southeastern Michigan are starting to take this "Korean invasion" seriously. The Hyundai Motor Company (means "Modern Age" in Korean) has been selling a $4800 (fully loaded) car very successfully (sales are 400% over initial expectations) for a year in Canada. This same subcompact, called the "Pony", will be hitting US shores in the late summer. Also, GM has started a partnership with the automobile division of the Korean conglomerate, Dae Woo. Apparently, GM intends to build all of their subcompacts in Korea. Reviews and customer satisfaction on the Hyundai Pony have been excellent. It might be worth waiting for if you want a new car, but don't want to spend more than $5k. -- The Asian Prince
mark@cbosgd.UUCP (Mark Horton) (02/25/85)
Last summer I test drove a Hyundai Pony in Canada. It was basically the most stripped down, economy minded car I've ever seen. It had poor accelleration, little or no safety features, and little or no pollution control equipment. There were essentially no options, just three "lines" with minor variations (different trim, mostly.) It probably gets great gas mileage. It was, of course, a tiny subcompact, sort of like a Chevette or a Starlet (but it had 4 doors.) I think it cost about $6000 Canadian (that's about $4500 US.) My overall impression was that Hyundai is a startup. The dealer operated out of a defunct gas station. With no options, they have a very limited selection. There was a choice of 4 colors, but you could not get air conditioning, for example. If Hyundai is going to start selling cars in the USA, it's going to have to be a different car. Once they put all the pollution control stuff on that little engine, it's going to have to become a bigger engine. The cost will go up. There will have to be a service network or a deal with an American company to sell and service them, otherwise nobody would buy a car that they can't get fixed when it breaks and leaves them "High and Dry." (Actually, the blurbs say this is pronounced "Hoon Day", I think.)
slana@crystal.UUCP (02/26/85)
> > > > Also, I read an article in the February 17 issue of The Washington > > Post that a new foreign car (made in Yugoslavia, I believe) will be > > appearing on our shores soon. This car will be priced at least > > $1000 below the current lowest price car sold in the U.S. This car > > will be a very small limited performance auto for people who want a > > new car but cannot afford one. > > Actually, the new foreign car is coming from Korea, and a lot of > people over here in southeastern Michigan are starting to take this > "Korean invasion" seriously. The Hyundai Motor Company (means "Modern > Age" in Korean) has been selling a $4800 (fully loaded) car very > successfully (sales are 400% over initial expectations) for a year > in Canada. This same subcompact, called the "Pony", will be hitting > US shores in the late summer. > Ok, I'll admit that the Korean car is low priced, but there IS a very low-priced car coming from Yugo. According to R&T's 1985 Road Test Annual and Buyer's Guide, a Yugoslavian car called the Zastava will be imported into the U.S. by early summer with a base list price of (no kidding) $3990. This is a three-door model, powered (to use the term loosely) by a 1.1 L 4-cyl, reportedly seating 5, although it will be the smallest car sold in the U.S. (smaller than Chevy Sprint). The "DELUXE" model will list around $4700-4800, with a 1.3 L engine. One interesting point in the description mentioned that the importers (something called IAI) were working with some Euro. companies to make this the first car sold in the U.S. with a Continuously Variable Transmission. Does anyone know how this works? ----- The above opinions are solely representative of my own perverse mind. Chuck Slana *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
ee161ang@sdcc13.UUCP (ee161ang) (02/26/85)
You are correct, the Haiundi IS coming soon, but so is the Yugo 55! E. Orange
alien@gcc-bill.ARPA (Alien Wells) (02/27/85)
> ... Yugo car called the Zastava will be ... > ... the first car sold in the U.S. with a Continuously Variable >Transmission. Does anyone know how this works? The basic idea behind a continuously variable transmission is that you run the engine at its most effecient speed (with perhaps two settings for economy and power) while you vary the transmission gear ratio to vary your cars speed. The most common way to do this is to have a belt running over two 'gears'. Each 'gear' is a pair of cones pointing toward each other. Push the cones together and the belt rides higher, thus increasing the 'diameter' of the 'gear'. While you push the cones together in one 'gear', you pull them apart in the other, thus you have an analog transmission. Volvo has a model in Europe that does this. Quite a few manufacturers (US, European, and Japanese) are playing with them. Once they are perfected, they will offer better performance AND mileage than a manual transmission. Right now they seem to be maintenance headaches. Alien
doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) (02/27/85)
> and Buyer's Guide, a Yugoslavian car called the Zastava will be imported > into the U.S. by early summer with a base list price of (no kidding) $3990. I had been under the (probably mistaken) impression that the current US import duty on new cars amounted to about 3 grand. That would mean that the base price only allowed 1 grand for manufacturer, shipping costs, dealer, etc. Doesn't seem quite right. Where did I go wrong? -- Doug Pardee -- Terak Corp. -- !{hao,ihnp4,decvax}!noao!terak!doug
jeff@rtech.ARPA (Jeff Lichtman) (03/01/85)
> One interesting point in the description mentioned that the > importers (something called IAI) were working with some Euro. companies > to make this the first car sold in the U.S. with a Continuously Variable > Transmission. Does anyone know how this works? > > Chuck Slana > > Rokon (an obscure motorcycle manufacturer) used to make a bike with a continuously variable transmission. It used manifold vacuum to determine the load on the engine. If the vacuum was low, it would assume a high load on the engine and select a low transmission ratio. If the vacuum was high, it would assume that the engine was loafing and select a high ratio. It did this using a belt running in a special pulley with conical halves. Moving the halves closer together or farther apart would change the effective diameter of the pulley by changing where the belt rode. -- Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.) aka Swazoo Koolak
ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems) (03/01/85)
> > Ok, I'll admit that the Korean car is low priced, but there IS a very > low-priced car coming from Yugo. According to R&T's 1985 Road Test Annual > and Buyer's Guide, a Yugoslavian car called the Zastava will be imported > into the U.S. by early summer with a base list price of (no kidding) $3990. > This is a three-door model, powered (to use the term loosely) by a 1.1 L > 4-cyl, reportedly seating 5, although it will be the smallest car sold > in the U.S. (smaller than Chevy Sprint). > The "DELUXE" model will list around $4700-4800, with a 1.3 L > engine. One interesting point in the description mentioned that the > importers (something called IAI) were working with some Euro. companies > to make this the first car sold in the U.S. with a Continuously Variable > Transmission. Does anyone know how this works? > There are several ways to make CVT's. One I saw on a riding lawn mower had a spinning disk with a wheel running on it. By moving the wheel closer to the center of the disk, you got 'low gear'; moving it to the rim got 'high gear'. A trick used by Volvo on one of their cars used two pulleys and *BELT* drive. The pulleys were tapered split disks. By varying the closeness of the two sides of the pully, the belt ran closer or farther from the hub. The two pulleys were adjusted in opposite directions to maintain constant belt tension while varying the 'gear ratio'. The last one I saw proposed used two cones with parallel axis and the pointy end of one near the wide end of the other. A disk ran as an 'idler gear' between them. By moving the disk closer to one fat end or the other the 'gear ratio' was changed. I am sure there are other ways... E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems Computo ergo sum The opinions expressed by me are not representative of those of any other person - natural, unnatural, or fictional - and only marginally reflect my opinions as strained by the language.