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Well, the other thing they know how to do is make a product that people actually want to buy. Not sure how Chinese manufacturers are going to be able to do anyt

Well, the other thing they know how to do is make a product that people actually want to buy. Not sure how Chinese manufacturers are going to be able to do anything to change that. There is a specific demographic who will buy ONLY these trucks for their personal use. They are rugged, reliable, and last forever with proper service.

throwway120385 2y ago
If the chinese enter the market with something sized more like a kei truck then I will buy one even if the electrical is total crap because it's the perfect form factor. As it is now I'm probably going to buy a van instead of a truck because trucks are totally impractical for actually hauling anything.
AstroJetson 2y ago
They are rugged, they make that trip to the grocery with ease, no pot hole will stop them. They last forever, or until the owner that gets a new truck every 4 years gets rid of it. Ford is about repeating sales, they don’t sell you a truck and think “Nice guy, hope they come back in 20 years to get a new one. It’s all about current profit. Remember how the US crushed millions of used cars to help the auto industry and destroyed poor peoples chances of an affordable car? I’ll bet it happens again very soon.
- jtbayly 2y ago
  That should have been a huge scandal. I hope it doesn’t happen again, ever. Why do you think it will happen again, soon?
  - AstroJetson 2y ago
    Because Ford isn't building EV cars, they are focused on the Monster Pickup line. And that's going to end and they don't have a plan B. So they will / are jamming dollars into the C* level people, the end will come, they will go "We are too big to fail and Congress will help them out." They got a $6.9 billion loan in 2019 that still isn't paid and a more recent $9.2 billion to fund EV in 2023.
wongarsu 2y ago
> Well, the other thing they know how to do is make a product that people actually want to buy. That's the other way around, they are great at making people want to buy the products they make. They make trucks because the chicken tax makes foreign trucks and vans unattractive in the US. And the trucks grow bigger every year because it's easier to satisfy environmental regulations with bigger vehicles (since the goals depend on vehicle size). They then make really good propaganda^w marketing to make people want to buy those vehicles. If people only wanted rugged, reliable, long-lasting vehicles they would buy Toyota.
- jtbayly 2y ago
  Toyota trucks are very popular. And big. I’m not sure what your point is.
  - wongarsu 2y ago
    In the best-selling vehicles of 2023 the most popular Toyota truck (the Toyota Tacoma) is only place 11, far behind the trucks from Ford, Chevrolet and RAM. And that trucks are that popular at all is already a symptom of the "issue". Most people who drive trucks would be served better by hatchback, or if you want a bigger front grill an SUV. But trucks are cooler, manlier, more American. Which isn't an idea people got on their own. Which isn't an idea people got on their own, it's carefully cultivated in the US.

throwway120385 2y ago

If the chinese enter the market with something sized more like a kei truck then I will buy one even if the electrical is total crap because it's the perfect form factor. As it is now I'm probably going to buy a van instead of a truck because trucks are totally impractical for actually hauling anything.

AstroJetson 2y ago

They are rugged, they make that trip to the grocery with ease, no pot hole will stop them. They last forever, or until the owner that gets a new truck every 4 years gets rid of it. Ford is about repeating sales, they don’t sell you a truck and think “Nice guy, hope they come back in 20 years to get a new one. It’s all about current profit. Remember how the US crushed millions of used cars to help the auto industry and destroyed poor peoples chances of an affordable car? I’ll bet it happens again very soon.

jtbayly 2y ago
That should have been a huge scandal. I hope it doesn’t happen again, ever. Why do you think it will happen again, soon?
- AstroJetson 2y ago
  Because Ford isn't building EV cars, they are focused on the Monster Pickup line. And that's going to end and they don't have a plan B. So they will / are jamming dollars into the C* level people, the end will come, they will go "We are too big to fail and Congress will help them out." They got a $6.9 billion loan in 2019 that still isn't paid and a more recent $9.2 billion to fund EV in 2023.

wongarsu 2y ago

> Well, the other thing they know how to do is make a product that people actually want to buy. That's the other way around, they are great at making people want to buy the products they make. They make trucks because the chicken tax makes foreign trucks and vans unattractive in the US. And the trucks grow bigger every year because it's easier to satisfy environmental regulations with bigger vehicles (since the goals depend on vehicle size). They then make really good propaganda^w marketing to make people want to buy those vehicles. If people only wanted rugged, reliable, long-lasting vehicles they would buy Toyota.

jtbayly 2y ago
Toyota trucks are very popular. And big. I’m not sure what your point is.
- wongarsu 2y ago
  In the best-selling vehicles of 2023 the most popular Toyota truck (the Toyota Tacoma) is only place 11, far behind the trucks from Ford, Chevrolet and RAM. And that trucks are that popular at all is already a symptom of the "issue". Most people who drive trucks would be served better by hatchback, or if you want a bigger front grill an SUV. But trucks are cooler, manlier, more American. Which isn't an idea people got on their own. Which isn't an idea people got on their own, it's carefully cultivated in the US.