Overhaulin'

why don't European cars sell very well in the us? and vice versa?

i saw a graph of us sales and from 1965 to the 2005 european car sale stayed at 5% yet japanese sales went from 2% to 40%, is it because of price, import taxes. US cars designed for the states that shipped over to europe don't sell well like cadilliac, dodge etc. any good reason for either? geoff why does the us hate diesel?

Public Comments

1. European cars are more expensive than the Japanese makes. In addition, many of the Japanese cars are actually MADE in the US, now.
2. American cars don't sell well in Europe because they're ridiculous. I don't know why European cars don't sell in the US.
3. The Japanese have delivered what the people want here in the US, better gas mileage, reliability, price etc. Of course we love BMW, Volvo and Mercedes, but theyre expensive here. I cant blame Europeans for not buying American cars. I wouldnt buy them either.
4. What cars are easier to get parts for? American mechanics are not trained to repair european cars,,,etc. Those are the main reasons.
5. Main thing may be engineering!? It costs more the make a car for the US market. Also many of the cars in Europe are Diesel some 80% while here in the USA outside of our trucks we still hate diesel. Also like the USA it is about perception and winning hearts and minds. For instance many people have been won over by Toyota because they seem to last forever with little or know issues while US cars seem to break as soon as the warrenty is done. US care makers have failed to win hearts and minds so like the US in Iraq they may be doomed to fail.
6. AMERICANS HAVE 2 CHOICES: U.S. PRIDE OR TOYOTA/LEXUS QUALITY BEYOND EXPECTATIONS. ( I KNOW NOONE IN THE INDUSTRY).
7. From the number of VW, Volvos, BMW's, Benzes, Audi's, etc that I see on the road, I would say the market penetration for European cars is higher than 5%. Keep in mind that most of the European manunfacturers are considered to be premium or luxury models so their sales numbers will always be lower than entry level vehicles.
8. Yes. Price, tariffs, ready-availability of replacement parts, special fuel-type adaptations, retrofitting, local specs, different local requirements/guidelines (equipment, etc.) may be different, etc., all of which, combined, may affect overall feasibility, for starters; ...suspect there is more to it than just that.
9. European Cars are still used in USA. Mercedez, BMW etc. However, they fail to compete with Japan on price. It is the same vice versa. US cars are not so fuel efficient and emissions are more than European or Japanes cars. US cars are costly too compared with buying European made cars in Europe.
10. The taxes in Europe make owning a car much more expensive. Larger cars, which are the mainstay here, are even more expensive and hard to park, much less navigate the narrow streets in some places. American cars also tend to get crappy mileage and fuel is, you guessed it, more expensive over there. Reliability and maintenance are also factors.
11. Different folks different stroks
12. European cars are about the same price as Japanese cars, but people think they cost more. I guess its because of public opinion that they don't sell well here. Perhaps its also because of certain brands reputation of being problematic. Don't try to figure out the American buyer, they make little sense when it comes to their rational. They believe anything that is told to them or written down. They're, frankly, gullible. I say this as someone who works in the Automotive industry, American cars don't sell so well in Europe because they have so many tariffs that buying a Taurus in Germany would be the same as buying a Jaguar S Type here. Its the same in Japan. But, if their prices were lower, they might just outsell the vehicles made in those countries, American cars are coveted abroad.