WASHINGTON -- People who used to be loyal customers of American cars are turning to imports because of lagging quality and safety defects that U.S. automakers are unable or unwilling to fix, a survey showed Tuesday.
The Center for Auto Safety said its survey is based on letters it received from owners who 'bought American' the past few years to help the U.S. economy and who later decided their cars were inferior to foreign makes.
The survey is based on 100 complaint letters, more than 80 percent of which alleged safety defects. Many of the letters were copies of those sent to automakers.
The center said more than 50 percent of the letter writers surveyed indicated they either had decided to buy, or were considering buying, a foreign car next time.
Dan Howell, a center staff member, said the complaints came from Americans whose patriotism once made them U.S. car makers' most loyal buyers.
'If the domestic car companies' most loyal customers are shifting to foreign cars due to poor quality, as our report suggests, then the overall market situation can only be worse when you add in consumers who do not have such demonstrated American brand loyalty,' Howell said.
The survey said one of every two reported their cars' defects were not fixed the first time and 30 percent said the problem was not fixed at all. It said nearly 50 percent reported of getting the run-around when complaining.
The center said while 43 percent complained of non-safety defects, these were usually accompanied by reports of potentially dangerous problems.
Some of the complaints included stalling, an engine that blew up at 23,000 miles costing $1,900 to fix and rude service.
The center quoted from a letter by Nancy Melniker, of Topsham, Maine, who complained to Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca about her 1981 Plymouth Horizon. Ms. Melniker said three months after she bought the Horizon she was getting dizzy from riding in it because the vinyl interior was giving out fumes.
The center quoted from a letter by Nancy Melniker, of Topsham, Maine, who complained to Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca about her 1981 Plymouth Horizon. Ms. Melniker said three months after she bought the Horizon she was getting dizzy from riding in it because the vinyl interior was giving out fumes.
'A safe, dependable car is a necessity, a convenience,' Ms. Melniker wrote. 'I have even begun to think of it as a luxury. This car is a lethal weapon to me and to others on the road. As soon as it is fixed I will trade it for a car not made by an American company ... I consider myself lucky to be alive after nine months in the Horizon.'
John Dobrovolsky, Bergenfield, N.J., wrote to General Motors about his 1981 Chevrolet Citation:
'I put in 39 months in World War II and I vowed I would never buy a German or Japanese car but all is forgiven. My next car will definitely be a Honda or a Mercedes.'
