The I hate my HHR Rant Thread
Senior Member
Joined: 07-05-2008
Posts: 5,464
From: Akron Ohio
As with Harley's is like most comapnies and parts are bought from suppliers and often the only suppliers are not always in the country the bike or car is built. Also factor in the lowest bidder gets the contract.
The pedal in issue at Toyota was designed in Japan but made in Indiana. None of the issue is on where it was made as much as what was designed based on Toyotas explantion of the issue.
People buy Harley because they are like the styling, sound and image. Add in the resale factor that is higher tan most other bikes because they may have small improvments but the styling remains for longer times and is not replaced with a totaly new model every 3 years.
Like em or not Harley is a icon like the Vette and other American imaged products that sell because of what it represents and not so much what it is. It is marketing that many companies would love to attain and kill to get.
Just look at how many MFG have tried to copy the Harley image often with better bikes. But the one thing they so not understand in Japan is Herritage in product can not be designed it has to be earned over years. Just look at the cars from Japan that try to be a Ferrari killer only to fade away because they are not a Ferrari. Better products do not always make for better sales.
Just to toss another aspect here is that the new Harley engines also had a lot of work done by Porsche Engineering. They took the Harley design and fixed some of the issues that needed address., Porsche Engineering has done a lot of work on cars even for GM. Note the new suspenion on the 1988 Fiero was designed by GM it was tuned by Porsche. Many for years claimed it was the GM owned Lotus was involved but they were not. But lotus did do the ZR1 in the 80's and 90's.
We live in global market so get used to it. Even today most of GM's cars are now designed nd built with Asia, North America, Europe and Austrailia involved. But it will remain a American based company.
The pedal in issue at Toyota was designed in Japan but made in Indiana. None of the issue is on where it was made as much as what was designed based on Toyotas explantion of the issue.
People buy Harley because they are like the styling, sound and image. Add in the resale factor that is higher tan most other bikes because they may have small improvments but the styling remains for longer times and is not replaced with a totaly new model every 3 years.
Like em or not Harley is a icon like the Vette and other American imaged products that sell because of what it represents and not so much what it is. It is marketing that many companies would love to attain and kill to get.
Just look at how many MFG have tried to copy the Harley image often with better bikes. But the one thing they so not understand in Japan is Herritage in product can not be designed it has to be earned over years. Just look at the cars from Japan that try to be a Ferrari killer only to fade away because they are not a Ferrari. Better products do not always make for better sales.
Just to toss another aspect here is that the new Harley engines also had a lot of work done by Porsche Engineering. They took the Harley design and fixed some of the issues that needed address., Porsche Engineering has done a lot of work on cars even for GM. Note the new suspenion on the 1988 Fiero was designed by GM it was tuned by Porsche. Many for years claimed it was the GM owned Lotus was involved but they were not. But lotus did do the ZR1 in the 80's and 90's.
We live in global market so get used to it. Even today most of GM's cars are now designed nd built with Asia, North America, Europe and Austrailia involved. But it will remain a American based company.
Senior Member
Joined: 07-13-2009
Posts: 414
From: NC
Hi HyperV6,
"....Like em or not Harley is a icon like the Vette and other American imaged products that sell because of what it represents and not so much what it is...."
I know that for a while there was a "gold chain crowd" market for the Vette, but methinks that is an obsolete observation these days. I don't own or aspire to a Vette, but good gracious those are some high performance cars these days.....in anyone's book. Even by Italian standards. The base Vette is a land rocket, and the ZO6 and ZR-1 are even hotter. "What it is" is an exotic level performance car at a modest price.
I was shocked in a performance test a couple of years ago to see the Vette tested was the lightest vehicle in the comparison, a hundred pounds lighter than the tested 911 Porsche which was next lightest.
No flies on the Chevy engineers when turned loose.
God Bless, Marc
"....Like em or not Harley is a icon like the Vette and other American imaged products that sell because of what it represents and not so much what it is...."
I know that for a while there was a "gold chain crowd" market for the Vette, but methinks that is an obsolete observation these days. I don't own or aspire to a Vette, but good gracious those are some high performance cars these days.....in anyone's book. Even by Italian standards. The base Vette is a land rocket, and the ZO6 and ZR-1 are even hotter. "What it is" is an exotic level performance car at a modest price.
I was shocked in a performance test a couple of years ago to see the Vette tested was the lightest vehicle in the comparison, a hundred pounds lighter than the tested 911 Porsche which was next lightest.
No flies on the Chevy engineers when turned loose.
God Bless, Marc
Senior Member
Joined: 01-13-2008
Posts: 4,708
From: Washington State, where it rains
Fad today... fade tomarrow.....both Harley's and Vette's have been around for a long long time......and will probably be around alot longer....
now, I still don't have a reason to Hate my HHR
now, I still don't have a reason to Hate my HHR
Joined: 02-06-2010
Posts: 5
From: Alaska / Arizona
My first post here. Just finished picking up my HHR panel. I love it. Heard over the years folks complain about almost every manufacturer. Domestic and foreign. I usually take such complaining with a grain of salt.
Case in point:
A friend of mine complained he constantly had to replace the pads and rotors on his Chevrolet Astro van. He said the rotors were constantly warping. I've rode with the guy lots.
One of those souls who rides the brakes until they're smoking hot.
What does he expect?
How you drive and maintain a vehicle has a lot to do with its problems. I have friends who don't change the oil until the low oil light comes on.
Not all vehicle problems are a fault of the car/truck. Some problems begin with the person sitting behind the steering wheel.
Case in point:
A friend of mine complained he constantly had to replace the pads and rotors on his Chevrolet Astro van. He said the rotors were constantly warping. I've rode with the guy lots.
One of those souls who rides the brakes until they're smoking hot.
What does he expect?
How you drive and maintain a vehicle has a lot to do with its problems. I have friends who don't change the oil until the low oil light comes on.
Not all vehicle problems are a fault of the car/truck. Some problems begin with the person sitting behind the steering wheel.
