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Auto tariffs make perfect sense when you realize every car in the market except Tesla are going to cost 25% more starting next week.

cf100clunk 2y ago
''Is there such a thing as a Made in America car anymore?'': https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/made-in-america-cars-1.7494979 https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/made-in-america-cars-1.7494... And then see this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43511253 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43511253
overfeed 2y ago
[flagged]
SV_BubbleTime 2y ago
I can promise you the cars are not moving right now and the 25% extra cost will not fly and that’s a silly proposition anyhow. However… as an automotive engineer, Tesla has the best automotive supply chain in the world. People think that 2008 car-pocalypse was about GM and Chrysler. It wasn’t. It was about Bosch, Johnson Controls, Delphi, Yitzhaki, Omron, Continental Tevis, Reccaro, Ford Honda Toyota Mercedes Tata Geely China Mexico Canada… every single manufacturer was going to have a massive problem if all the suppliers and people involved went under, because everyone runs so goddamn, incredibly lean that no one can handle a single bump in the road. If GM or Chrysler shut down, it would’ve dragged Johnson controls, if that happened, Honda and Toyota aren’t building cars either. People like to pretend that there’s a big difference between all these cars, and there is some in decision decisions, but as far as something like antilock brake controllers there’s Bosch and continental Tevis. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen another one, at least not in 10 years. You can get all fussy about Elon Musk if you want or Teslas or try and confuse your political ideology for virtue for whatever reason… but Tesla makes enough of their own vehicle that if GM went under, Tesla is still building vehicles. It took them a long time to figure out that a car wasn’t just a computer with wheels. And when I touch or work on a Tesla, I can tell that they’re made differently. Short version, cars will not be 25% more expensive next week. The Tesla is in a good position to be an almost entire domestic manufacturer.
- esalman 2y ago
  > everyone runs so goddamn, incredibly lean Yeah. This is why major automotive innovations are hard to come by without massive scale. When they started out, no supplier wanted to work with Tesla because they simply did not have the scale. How exactly do you think Tesla still managed to innovate and build the best automotive supply chain in the world? Answer: it was decades of (Democratic) government subsidies. Tesla was exclusively backed by the US government and it's promise towards climate goals. That's why they didn't go under. Despite all the naysayers and massive short interests. > Tesla is in a good position to be an almost entire domestic manufacturer Literally my point. And also, they are now backed up by the anti-science, anti-climate, anti-ev, pro-coal Republican government. How the tables have turned. I do not fuss over Elon Musk. I admire him. He is arguably the best, most genius con man of our time.
- e40 2y ago
  It is still the case, though, that Consumers Reports ratings are consistent among brands and models. Compared to friends who buy American cars I’ve had 10x fewer problems and kept my cars far longer.
  - SV_BubbleTime 2y ago
    There are differences in how things are designed. Ford trucks for example have a TON of tubes and hoses for their engines, plastic with cheap fittings. I think it’s a bad idea. Compare that to the RAM trucks that are much more basic and lowered featured but should last a lot longer. The electronics and manufactures are all the same. As far as “customer satisfaction” and “problems” there are hit and misses with all brands. I’ve been in the industry for 25 years and never once had any indications brand was greatly better than another, not with so much inbreeding. When I see people write “American is worse than European” I know that person just doesn’t have enough experience with both. Which is understandable. What does the average person have real experience with? 5 cars, maybe?

cf100clunk 2y ago

''Is there such a thing as a Made in America car anymore?'': https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/made-in-america-cars-1.7494979 https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/made-in-america-cars-1.7494... And then see this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43511253 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43511253

overfeed 2y ago

[flagged]

SV_BubbleTime 2y ago

I can promise you the cars are not moving right now and the 25% extra cost will not fly and that’s a silly proposition anyhow. However… as an automotive engineer, Tesla has the best automotive supply chain in the world. People think that 2008 car-pocalypse was about GM and Chrysler. It wasn’t. It was about Bosch, Johnson Controls, Delphi, Yitzhaki, Omron, Continental Tevis, Reccaro, Ford Honda Toyota Mercedes Tata Geely China Mexico Canada… every single manufacturer was going to have a massive problem if all the suppliers and people involved went under, because everyone runs so goddamn, incredibly lean that no one can handle a single bump in the road. If GM or Chrysler shut down, it would’ve dragged Johnson controls, if that happened, Honda and Toyota aren’t building cars either. People like to pretend that there’s a big difference between all these cars, and there is some in decision decisions, but as far as something like antilock brake controllers there’s Bosch and continental Tevis. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen another one, at least not in 10 years. You can get all fussy about Elon Musk if you want or Teslas or try and confuse your political ideology for virtue for whatever reason… but Tesla makes enough of their own vehicle that if GM went under, Tesla is still building vehicles. It took them a long time to figure out that a car wasn’t just a computer with wheels. And when I touch or work on a Tesla, I can tell that they’re made differently. Short version, cars will not be 25% more expensive next week. The Tesla is in a good position to be an almost entire domestic manufacturer.

esalman 2y ago
> everyone runs so goddamn, incredibly lean Yeah. This is why major automotive innovations are hard to come by without massive scale. When they started out, no supplier wanted to work with Tesla because they simply did not have the scale. How exactly do you think Tesla still managed to innovate and build the best automotive supply chain in the world? Answer: it was decades of (Democratic) government subsidies. Tesla was exclusively backed by the US government and it's promise towards climate goals. That's why they didn't go under. Despite all the naysayers and massive short interests. > Tesla is in a good position to be an almost entire domestic manufacturer Literally my point. And also, they are now backed up by the anti-science, anti-climate, anti-ev, pro-coal Republican government. How the tables have turned. I do not fuss over Elon Musk. I admire him. He is arguably the best, most genius con man of our time.
e40 2y ago
It is still the case, though, that Consumers Reports ratings are consistent among brands and models. Compared to friends who buy American cars I’ve had 10x fewer problems and kept my cars far longer.
- SV_BubbleTime 2y ago
  There are differences in how things are designed. Ford trucks for example have a TON of tubes and hoses for their engines, plastic with cheap fittings. I think it’s a bad idea. Compare that to the RAM trucks that are much more basic and lowered featured but should last a lot longer. The electronics and manufactures are all the same. As far as “customer satisfaction” and “problems” there are hit and misses with all brands. I’ve been in the industry for 25 years and never once had any indications brand was greatly better than another, not with so much inbreeding. When I see people write “American is worse than European” I know that person just doesn’t have enough experience with both. Which is understandable. What does the average person have real experience with? 5 cars, maybe?