New Dodge sub-compact from China.

[McPatrick]

I'd be weary with those Chery's for now. In Belgium someone started importing Chery's this year. Then the German AAA did crash tests with them and they got one measly star out of 5. Needless to say the importer in Belgium stopped importing them.
I'm sure they are cheap, but what is cheap if you could buy a perfectly fine used car for a few grand?

[Spule 4]

I guess you all missed the attempt to sell some Chinese cars in Europe, they had a bit of a problem failing their TUeV crash tests:

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/22/b...-anything-but/

The tide is about to change for the US interest in goods from China.....just watch the news.

[GasSavers_roadrunner]

China will someday be the largest car manufacturer in the world, it is just a matter of when. That is why so many auto companies are getting into China.
I heard that on NPR this week, and I believe it will happen.

[lovemysan]

Originally Posted by Spule 4

I guess you all missed the attempt to sell some Chinese cars in Europe, they had a bit of a problem failing their TUeV crash tests:

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/22/b...-anything-but/

The tide is about to change for the US interest in goods from China.....just watch the news.

That car was definitely made of boogers and wafers. They make bad ice cream too.

[Fuzzy5150]

Wow! What a wide range of comments....everything from phobic drivel to some very open and informed comments.

Thanks all......
Semper Fi

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Hmmm... While the QQ may not be the safest thing in the world, considering it's sold brand spankin' new for ~$4-5000 in China, but is slated for $10000 here makes me think it'll go through plenty of upgrades for the US market. It don't take no five grand to ship a car across the Pacific.

[cfg83]

88HF -

Originally Posted by 88HF

Thats kind of an ******* thing to say. People used to feel the same way about the Japanese, then the Koreans. I think the Chinese are doing well, I wouldn't put them down like that.

But are they following the "Japanese Arc" of success? Wasn't Korea already a well established industrial nation when Hyundai came to the United States? The Chinese have volume and cheap labor down pat, but they're doing it at a massive cost in pollution to themselves. How many Japanese food recalls do you remember seeing over the years?

Environment of China
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_of_China
Attachment 709

The Xinhua News Agency has quoted an environmental official, Wang Jinnan, as saying that more than 410,000 Chinese die as a result of pollution each year.[2] The Financial Times said a World Bank report, entitled Cost of Pollution in China, found up to 760,000 people die prematurely each year in China because of air and water pollution. High levels of air pollution in China's cities leads to 350,000-400,000 premature deaths, it said. Another 300,000 die because of poor-quality air indoors. The newspaper article, quoting World Bank advisers and Chinese officials, also said research showing that there are 60,000 premature deaths each year because of poor-quality water.

CarloSW2

[Mentalic]

China has its issues, they will do almost anything to save a nickel even when they know its hurting others. So much in the news about food ingredient substitutions ya have to wonder...
Just this week:

http://metropost.com/let-them-eat-ca...per/2007/07/12

http://mwcnews.net/content/view/15391&Itemid=1

[MnFocus]

Originally Posted by Spule 4

The tide is about to change for the US interest in goods from China.....just watch the news.

Hey Clencher ?! Do you have any sorta local news about one Amy Klobuchar regarding safety of Chinese made goods ? I heard a snippet about something on the radio ( I have no TV and I will not pay for newspapers ) .
This is all I came up with regarding more toys and everday consumer goods . I'm sure the autos aren't much different though.

[MnFocus]

Originally Posted by cfg83

The Chinese have volume and cheap labor down pat, but they're doing it at a massive cost in pollution to themselves.
CarloSW2

Their auto market shows 24 cars to 1000 drivers - expected to rise rapidly . Can they mobilize to fill their *own* potential demand with any quality , much less fill the worlds demand with a decent quality product?
While they have potential for volume production and plenty of cheap labor ...the components to assemble said products are not cheap . Obviously they can make them - but given the history of their production start ups -With What Quality? It took the Japanese auto makers nearly 20 years to recover from the 'cheap car stigma' - something China canNot afford to do . They'll bump quality before attempting a serious export business. (diregarding a few feable attempts by brave souls with money to burn and no ties between ears and brain ...like the Big 3 automakers!?? )