A Letter to American Car Manufacturers

I drive a Toyota Camry. My previous cars included a Mazda 626 and a Toyota Celica. My wife drives a Camry. My dad drives a hybrid Camry. My mom drives a Camry Solara. My sister-in-law has a Honda Accord. Only my brother is driving an American car, a Chevy Tahoe, and only because he can't sell it now because it's worth next to nothing in these times of petroleum scarcity.

That said, I want to buy one of your cars. I do. I sincerely do. But you're not making it easy.

Every time I pass a Honda Fit on the road or a Toyota Prius, I think to myself, "There's a car I'd like to own." I sometimes pass Mustangs or Corvettes and think, "That might be fun to drive for a bit, but there's no way I'd own one of those."

And here's why: American cars are not as safe as Japanese cars. American cars do not have the fuel economy of Japanese cars. And, shockingly, American cars are more expensive than Japanese cars.

Now, you might say, "That's because American cars are made by Americans who demand more in wages and benefits." And I would be inclined to believe you, except for this one thing. It's not true.

In fact, more of my Toyota car was built in America than some American cars.

But that's enough picking on you, American auto makers. I just want to give you some advice. Please, please, please, for all of our sakes, start considering what people want and what people need. Please make a safer automobile. Please make a fuel efficient automobile. Please make an automobile that will be reliable. And if you can do those things and make sure it's built here in the U.S.A., I will buy that car, even if it costs a little more than the Japanese equivalent.

I want to buy American. I do. But you're not making it easy. Right now, the choice is between a good car and an American car. I'd like those two things to be the same.

Sincerely,
Dr. Pants, M.D., Ph.D., D.D.P.