When Will Detroit’s Auto Engineers Start Getting it Right?

Remember the plastic intake manifolds and all the trouble GM has had with leaks and Ford with cracking.
Now go to Wards engine listing, and look at Toyota, last year not 1 single plastic intake.
I expect the same results for plastic oil pan.
If it has in integrated lifetime filter, even worse.
I admit I am an atypical consumer, since I am an engineer it is to be expected. I expect over 200K miles from all my cars, and I drive domestic GM. Most make it easily with minimum troubles, exception was the Buick with plastic intake. At least after the recall, I got my expensive repair money back.
Rod
When cost reduction overides common sense, which is more common in USA mis-managed companies, we have disasters.
Rod

Remember the exploding Pinto\’s that followed after penney pinching Executives took the novel plastic liner out of the gas tank to save a few bucks? They are still in charge.

They can\’t. Americans do not want to buy cars from American carmakers. The don\’t trust them, their executives, or their unions. The only possibility, and it will still take time, is to pretty much copy the bestselling foreign models, adding the American nameplate, and invest in the future with \”free\” auto services, including tires and brakes. There\’s really no magic, though. Put real effort and money into a car that shows, and it will sell.

Doug: You are right on and not getting old. I fought friends and family and continue to buy American. Engineers can do better with technologies that will count economically and environmentally. The very Ford Flex you wrote about - supposed to be a cross over from SUV to car, got bigger than the largest van, why? The well made and excellent sized and featured Honda CRV also got bigger, again, why? Mass is weight and weight translates into gas mileage. Simple math. Engineers are going thr wrong way in size and choice of materials. Refidgerator, in-deed, I hope its big enough to be usefull as a refridgerator when you have to park it because you can no lnger afford the gas to drive it.

I bought American cars over a number of years, but the domestic automakers have abandoned my niche market, which is exemplified by my wife\’s four-cylinder 2001 VW Passat wagon. Its combination of fuel efficiency, safety, practicality, cargo space, ride comfort, styling, maneuverability, handling, workmanship, and fahrfegnugen make it a home-run product, in my view. The only Ford or GM competition in this niche comes from their respective captive Swedish import margues.

I wonder how long these projects have been in development? Maybe 3 to 5 years? I don\’t think it is so easy to just change gears and start redirecting the engineering staff in a new direction. Was that considered in your analysis?

When the great ideas and designs presented as concept cars at trade shows are not dumbed down by overly-cautious executives based on data from focus groups made up of housewives and retirees, American automobile design will finally advance.

I worked on a mild hybrid, the GM parallel hybrid pickup. I could see no likely savings based on the facts that there was extra weight to carry around, and the engine would not shut down if the air conditioning was running. I live near Phoenix and would not consider shutting off the AC. It also boasted of an inverter supplying 120 VAC. Using that required leaving the big V-8 running.

I just dont understand why mild hybrids is not a standard feature in all new cars by now.. It is so simple to implement right now.. It can boost gas mileage by 10-15% mostly in city mileage. It simply shut down the engine whenever one\’s lead foot is off the gas pedal anytime anywhere. Why are we skipping this important stage? I just dont understand!! Carbuyers can afford to pay extra for mild hybrids for energy conservation !

I am retired GM saliried employee. Talked another of my friends into buying Cadilac. Now like last one, is in Lemon Law dispute. Engineers don\’t know what is wrong and can\’t seem to fix the engine/transmission noise.