Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 6, 1994, Winnipeg, Manitoba Inside Story Winnipeg free press january car wars Rev up As sales fall by Carreen Maloney staff reporter Industry insiders Call this the most competitive Era in automotive As the japanese slowly slip in the North american manufacturers Are scrambling to take their and a recent Caa Survey of almost members shows the big Ford and gaining year has been treacherous for the asian car said Toronto based consultant Dennis in new car sales in Manitoba peaked at by last that number had nosedive to about As the Market North american manufacturers Are getting hoping to grab a bigger piece of the pie from japanese theres going to be a said one automobile Industry the current High Cost of the japanese yen Hast has pushed up import but even if the big three Are winning the it wont be an easy the japanese Are expected to bring new weapons into the Michael president of the said the japanese Are not going to take it sitting going to fight that May come in the form of slashed prices or More bang for the with safety and Comfort features coming As Standard he pointed out that the japanese were first off the Mark in the providing radios As part of a cars Basic japanese companies May also Cut production costs by moving some of their manufacturing in the some asian companies Are manufacturing As much As 50 per cent of the products and in Canada its up to 20 per Mazda Western Canadian Arm is new Light truck sates in Canada of Mil foot Stiv 1992 1993 aft Oral 4515 i 578 227 automotive corp chants inc i tide has a1 111 191 12542 5447 1911 379 151 t 30 0 weathering the storm particularly said Douglas Wilson of Gerry Gordons Mazda in the company is Selling More cars in that Region than any other our product is always going to be higher Quality and keeping them North american manufacturers on the Wilson the first asian automobile manufacturers to jump into the North american Market in the late 1950s were Toyota and from 1968 to Honda and Mazda waded in on the second japanese the 1980s brought Isuzu and that was a decade of stunning growth for japanese the 1980s with just 15 per cent of the Market they held 25 per cent by the Early that sent North american companies into scrambling to gain Back what they lost from the the big three shifted More resources into research and for the fruits of that labor came in the form of the la which has enjoyed great it includes one revamped new two new the intrepid and the this Chrysler is pinning its Hopes on the new an Economy starting under expected to compete directly with the the resurgence of North american cars comes As no Surprise to everybody believed the japanese were going to take he general Ford and Chrysler had to get their ducks in and they Ford announced yesterday it was recalling million cars because Road Salt might cause parts of their frames to corrode and experts believe most car companies will soon begin trimming their marketing which grew fat from a proliferation of products intended to cover every Corner of the there Are currently More than 500 models and Many have High advertising costs that Arent justified by their Small and while the japanese companies used to put More emphasis on research to develop the latest efforts Are currently being funnelled into producing cars with More widespread free press Kelly general manager for pm dealer Jim sees More imports traded new car buyers in Drivers seat by Carreen Maloney staff reporter with japanese and North american automobile manufacturers pulling out All the stops in the car it is clearly the Consumers who become the fighting to regain the slice of the Market they lost to japanese automobile their North american counterparts Are starting to build better according to the the japanese cars have always had the impression of being a better impression now is that the North americans Are building a better car than they used said Brian general manager of Woodhaven stung by Market big three improve Quality people have started leaning towards North american automobiles in the past two said Jesse a California analyst with Auto facts an automotive research and consulting he said the japanese can no longer command a Premium Price because of their Edge in the difference in Quality has been virtually Snyder there used to be a Clear advantage for japanese manufacturers with Winnipeg Ger John Berozuk used to be a diehard import has owned six in 10 a week he purchased a Ford the import cars Are getting awfully Berozuk Kelly general manager of Jim Gauthier Chevrolet Geo Oldsmobile Cadillac said he sees the swing on the front we have imports being traded in Here have been Toyota owners for 10 Irvine a recent Caa Survey of its members found that safety and Comfort including air Power door steering and and air conditioning Are considered higher priorities than they used to safety features Are More important than Ever before 17 per cent thought it was among the top the highest figure in Many cars now come with airbags As Standard analysts believe some of the flashier features May be eliminated from japanese they Arent Worth their research costs Snyder because they dont sell More having the latest whistles and Bells Doest excite customers like it used Snyder one expert said that while the Basic automobile produced by the North american car companies has been they Are still not keeping up with the fit and finish of the japanese the americans have caught up in their ability to make the car wont leave you he but As far As the car that comes off the Assembly Treyve still got a Way to David Griffiths of Winnipeg is one consumer who he has owned four hondas since and said he will watch future service records before buying a North american id much rather wait to see a total performance picture is he Keith Boyd of Birchwood pm said As the new car Market dealers Are putting More emphasis into their dropping prices to compete with f franchised specially service firms regaining owner loyalty a december Canadian automobile association Survey of motorists showed q owner loyalty to North american manufacturers is up to per it has been climbing steadily since when it was just 47 per the jump from last years per cent is mainly attributed to More Loyal Chrysler own q loyalty to asian Auto Mak ers is Down to per cent from per cent last q loyalty to european which traditionally captured less than 10 per cent of the has dropped to As Low As 49 per cent in 1992 from As High As 58 per cent in last it hovered at per q cars made by asian companies continue to give higher satisfaction than North american in the Caa per cent of owners of North american vehicles com pared to per cent of asian car the Caa predicts that May change As the newer North american cars Start to make up More of the q but North american companies have made great ten years owner satisfaction sat at 50 per do you have a Bright idea that being put to use in Canada know of anyone else who has if 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