Of God, BMW Safety, German Engineering and "Buy American"

It's interesting to read about the failings of the US auto industry. Of late we (the US Government, a/k/a the taxpayers) have pumped money into the major US companies only to hear that GM may still be forced into bankruptcy and Chrysler's possible Fiat merger may be off. Common thread? Unions... If wage concessions don't happen (and fast) bankruptcy will loom large for GM and Chrysler runs the risk of being split up and sold in pieces. I have owned a few Chrysler products and enjoyed them and I actually have a lot of respect for US auto makers right now. My son and I visited the NY Auto Show preview on our recent Spring Break trip and found several hot looking models (and I actually mean the cars!). Cadillac had a cool CTS wagon that caught our eyes and the Pontiac G8 is a hot rod. The upcoming Ford Fusion Hybrid gets an astonishing 40 MPG I've heard and the new Focus will finally be a decent looking European model. What does all this mean? IF the industry survives the economic downturn, there are many great vehicles to consider. Prices are low, dealer price concessions are high and again, quality is up. After you buy your home (or refi your mortgage) go buy a car!

Our 'fleet' of autos contains nothing newer than a 2000 model year and all have mileage over 100,000 miles. They are also all older German luxury cars and we do pay a premium for parts and service. You know what? If I could, I'd replace them with an expensive German car all over again. Why? In a word-SAFETY. On her way to work last Monday, my wife was in an offset head-on collision (she's safe, by the way, just banged up and sore) in our 2000 BMW Z 3. The car was a total loss, but it did exactly what it was designed to do and that was protect Susie at all costs. Thanks to divine intervention and great safety features she was safe. The car, well, not so much. See for yourself; both airbags blew and the seat-belt tensioners did their trick and the engine dropped down so that it did not intrude into the passenger compartment (the driver's door opened and closed fine even after the wreck!). I have personal knowledge of 3 horrific BMW wrecks and each time the driver walked away safely, my wife included (well, if we can get her neck/chest/ankle to not be so sore). If you have the wherewithal to purchase a German car I'd say go for it. Our cars are all used and were bought from family members so we got good deals. If you seek safety (AND sporty/luxury) don't just look to Swedish imports; try the Germans... My 2 cents.

Either way--go buy stuff; the economy needs you!