The existing patriotic support for American cars is one reason that US manufacturers have been slow to develop more reliable, more efficient and less 3-ton block of steel cars (i.e. cars that might sell in other countries). That and the crazy tax discount on pick-up trucks. If this Trump tariff approach continues the US car manufacturers will get even more complacent. Post WW2 Britain ended up with this problem because of favourable low taxes to ex-empire countries. There was no incentive to improve design or production. In the meantime France, Italy, Germany and Japan leapt ahead. Tariffs can be bad for lots of reasons.
I first visited the US in the late 80s and everyone was driving those old classic US models. When I returned in 2002 everyone had moved on to Japanese cars. It was quite a big change! I’m guessing maybe the old models had lower fuel economy?
They are saying the can’t even export US cars because they don’t fit onto normal roads. You need wide streets.
India has now reduced tariffs on U.S. goods being imported on 22 billion dollars worth of imports annually and is currently negotiating further “trade deals”
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Erm…Ford?
So why the hell aren’t we building our own Swim?
Do like Trump and put tariffs on imported vehicles and make our own. Jobs for the people.
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Because our cars are c#ap
Bring back the Morris Minor or the Austin A35, reliable and easy to maintain
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They wouldn’t have been if we hadn’t priced ourselves out of the market so no money was put into development. If truths known, most of the designs of future vehicles was done by British engineers same as has happened now with Rolls Royce, mini’s and Jaguar etc…
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And that my friend is why there is a growing market for such vehicles, just ask the Mathewsons…
they were rustbuckets
All cars were rustbuckets then Annie, but manufacturers in other countries progressed with car efficiency and the unions here just pushed for higher wages until it killed the industry.
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And the car industry was sold off too cheaply
So they were but, they were special.
Some folks are basket cases but that does not undermine their worth.
Listen my first car was a maestro. I was devastated when I had to scrap it. Really nippy on the motorway and lovely inside. But nothing could stop the rot.
The Maestro, one of Britain’s finest
their loss was my gain. I luckily had an S series engine - but the only time I experienced power steering was when it snowed. I hadn’t realised it was a nationalised company. what a mess
Leyland, beautiful simplicity.
…and rust buckets
Edit:
Ooops - just saw @AnnieS already pointed this out
Anyway it is not really the topic TARIFFS is the topic.
As @swimfeeders pointed out it is too early to tell the long term effect but a US recession is in the offing and that will affect the world in the same way that a turn down in China will affect us.
These tariffs won’t have a big instant effect on this country except for a few small businesses like fashion but who knows what the future brings?
Tariff wars led to WWII
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Donald Trump unilaterally, through intentional and illogical actions, caused the biggest stock market drop since the covid-19 pandemic.
How do you spell “stupid?” T-R-U-M-P!
That should be the chant at anti-Trump rallies. 