The extinction of the BRITISH car industry.

[MGJohn]

How about that. Who knew?

They are all gorn
..

[Fast Alan]

As Ruppert says, if you see a Lotus broken down by the roadside, people tend to snigger, make cruel remarks about British build quality and remind everyone that ‘Lotus’ actually stands for ‘Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious’. But broken Ferraris are forgiven as temperamental Latin thoroughbreds.

Funny I go up the M1 everyday,and look at broken down Volvos,Audi and BMWs and really wish I wasnt driving a Rover

Now Ive just cursed myself

[MGJohn]

Originally Posted by Fast Alan

As Ruppert says, if you see a Lotus broken down by the roadside, people tend to snigger, make cruel remarks about British build quality and remind everyone that ‘Lotus’ actually stands for ‘Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious’. But broken Ferraris are forgiven as temperamental Latin thoroughbreds.

Funny I go up the M1 everyday,and look at broken down Volvos,Audi and BMWs and really wish I wasnt driving a Rover

Now Ive just cursed myself

Just one of the many myths about our cars in the land of the self-inflicted.

Back in the 1960-70s when I travelled high mileages in my job and most cars on our roads were British, it was rare to see any car broken down at the roadside and unheard of new ones broken down. Not now, brand new or not so new, just about every trip so called quality premium cars are a frequent sight on the hard shoulder with their bonnets up and folks up on the grassy banks away from the hard shoulder.

In fifty years of motoring, I have never had to call out the AA or RAC and my wife has insisted that I carry an AA card with me at all times. Never had to use it. Some folks I know call the rescue services 2-3 times a year!

By the way, our AA cover is for the recovery to home service if unable to repair at the roadside. I consider that if I cannot get it going then chances are the rescue services cannot either. The only time my wife has had to use her card was when she borrowed a 'spare' 620ti when her own car was being repaired following a rear end shunt. Sod's Law yet again. She was touring the Lake District with two lady friends and a stone from a newly gritted road holed the radiator. sensibly she knew something was not right and called the AA. The car was brought home all the way to Gloucester on the flatbed the AA provided. Good value that service and I just happened to have a good spare 620ti radiator ~ another ebay bargain .. just in case.. .

[denis747]

I don't have a breakdown cover. I used to have one but my cars never broke down so I cancelled it. I studied Aerospace engineering at uni, so I service my car and try very hard to make sure everything is in good working order the same way an aeroplane would be serviced so that it(the aeroplane) doesn't give problems whilst at 37,000 feet up in the air where you won't be able to carry a repair on a turbo fan engine. If you service your car properly it will be less likely to surprise you by breaking down for example. I have, so many times, come out, using my car to go and help my friends by e.g jump starting their cars and their cars happened to be the so called (mythically believed, I might add) reliable non British cars.

[traineecollins]

The comments below the article are saddening.

[Clifford]

It really is sad that there is no mass production British-owned car companies anymore. The situation is a lot less bleak than people often make out, as with most sectors of the British economy we have moved into the high-end of production and design. We may no longer have mass car manufacturers but our expertise is being used to show the rest of the world how to build cars and what the problems are with their designs. Not to mention we still lead the world in motorsport engineering.

Certainly the British car industry as we knew it has ceased but I think we still have an industry and indeed expertise to be proud of!

Clifford.

[Huff]

Originally Posted by Clifford

It really is sad that there is no mass production British-owned car companies anymore. The situation is a lot less bleak than people often make out, as with most sectors of the British economy we have moved into the high-end of production and design. We may no longer have mass car manufacturers but our expertise is being used to show the rest of the world how to build cars and what the problems are with their designs. Not to mention we still lead the world in motorsport engineering.

Certainly the British car industry as we knew it has ceased but I think we still have an industry and indeed expertise to be proud of!

Clifford.

^ the man speaks sense.

Industry goes in cycles, from primary to secondary to tertiary and beyond. As the birthplace of the industrial revolution in Europe (arguably the whole world) we were a good 50 years ahead of everyone else when it came to building stuff. Now we have moved on to a point where we design the stuff and let everyone else build it. You only have to look at how many F1 design teams are based here or employ British engineers to see that the knowledge is still there.

The big players in Europe may not be foreign owned now, but give it another 10 years and that could very easily change. Car manufacturing in Europe is vulnerable to take-over, probably from Asia and it will start to happen in the near future.

[great_kahn]

The wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time can make all the difference in the world.

Virtually every major decision and event in history is probably directly effected by no more than 500 people, out of what im told is a total of 7 billion.

Amazing to think the British car industy was probably ruined by a handful of people.

[Clifford]

Originally Posted by Huff

the man speaks sense.

First time for everything!!

In all seriousness though the industry in this country is very heavily tertiary now, as Huff said this is mainly down to our early entry into industrialisation. Tertiary economies have their advantages and disadvantages, one disadvantage being increased exposure in recessions, but I think we're doing fairly well out of our shift to be honest.

Clifford.

[MalcQV]

Originally Posted by Fast Alan

As Ruppert says, if you see a Lotus broken down by the roadside, people tend to snigger, make cruel remarks about British build quality and remind everyone that ‘Lotus’ actually stands for ‘Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious’. But broken Ferraris are forgiven as temperamental Latin thoroughbreds.

Funny I go up the M1 everyday,and look at broken down Volvos,Audi and BMWs and really wish I wasnt driving a Rover

Now Ive just cursed myself

Are you kidding! I have been broken down by the side of the road in a Ferrari. I have stood with a friend whilst the recovery services came for his Ferrari. People laugh, point (with their middle finger) and find plenty of mirth in it

We are nation that get off on other (especially if they appear better off) folks misfortune. To quote MGJ OITUK.

[Fast Alan]

Originally Posted by MalcQV

Are you kidding! I have been broken down by the side of the road in a Ferrari. I have stood with a friend whilst the recovery services came for his Ferrari. People laugh, point (with their middle finger) and find plenty of mirth in it

We are nation that get off on other (especially if they appear better off) folks misfortune. To quote MGJ OITUK.

Ha ha I believe that,think I would have had a quite snigger too,as long as things arnt really in malice,a prime example that really I should be ashamed of laughing at was at the college I work in,every day an old lady would walk up the hill and past the college,her back was bowed to the point she looked straight at the floor as she bumbled along,one day a few of us were stood chatting as she went past,the plumber looked and said ....no wonder I never find any change on the floor anymore........

[MGJohn]

Originally Posted by Fast Alan

Ha ha I believe that,think I would have had a quite snigger too,as long as things arnt really in malice,a prime example that really I should be ashamed of laughing at was at the college I work in,every day an old lady would walk up the hill and past the college,her back was bowed to the point she looked straight at the floor as she bumbled along,one day a few of us were stood chatting as she went past,the plumber looked and said ....no wonder I never find any change on the floor anymore........

I too have a very old lady with stooped back story too.

About ten years ago, one old girl like that was a regular sight shopping at the local supermarket less than a mile from where I live. I saw her one day struggling to get into her car. A bright blue Subaru Impreza complete with gold wheels.... She did drive it with her nose close to the steering wheel though. Way to go Granny!

Could not believe my eyes and saw her several times afterwards. No sign of her or her Subaru for some years now.

Funny old game folks and their cars...

More seriously, I have never laughed at another stranded motorist but, often slow down and ask if they need help, no matter what they drive. Even one of those ... .Not long ago, at my property in a remote part of the county, I was parked outside the gate locking up when a Motorist in an Audi A4 pulled up asking if i needed help. That made a refreshing chnage... I thanked him for his kindness ... seeing my Rover at the roadside in the middle of nowhere he put two and two together .... afte all, it's a Rover and everybody has been conditioined to know these are very unreliable ...
..
.

[Dr.Buck]

Originally Posted by MGJohn

Not long ago, at my property in a remote part of the county, I was parked outside the gate locking up when a Motorist in an Audi A4 pulled up asking if i needed help.

Are you sure he wasn't just a piekey looking to scope out your lock-up?

[MGJohn]

Originally Posted by Dr.Buck

Are you sure he wasn't just a piekey looking to scope out your lock-up?

Where folks are concerned, you can never be sure but he appeared a decent type. there are still some about in the former G and P.

I have removed all my cars from that site now anyway.
.

[hongkong]

However, buses are still being designed and built in Britain, and are being exported:

http://www.alexander-dennis.com/medi...D=1&itemID=125

[david87]

Originally Posted by hongkong

However, buses are still being designed and built in Britain, and are being exported:

http://www.alexander-dennis.com/medi...D=1&itemID=125

amazing how sucessful a company can be when the press and politicians ignore it XD

[Stu C]

Originally Posted by hongkong

However, buses are still being designed and built in Britain, and are being exported:

http://www.alexander-dennis.com/medi...D=1&itemID=125

Indeed, as are lorries still being made at the Leyland trucks factory in Leyland. Daf and then (still now) Paccar have kept the factory open for development, research and production of the DAF LF, CF and XF.

http://www.leylandtrucksltd.co.uk/history.asp

[MGJohn]

Originally Posted by david87

amazing how sucessful a company can be when the press and politicians ignore it XD

Hmmmm ... thinks.

Right I'm off to 'shop 'em' to the BBC's negative slant on Brit Industry Newsroom just as soon as I can get any of my very unreliable MGs and Rovers started.

So watch out cushioned against reality media types.

ACE media type MGJohnGATE is on the job.

Thinks... I'm be famous ... hugely over rewarded even. No more old Rovers for me. Where's those new BMW brochures. Sod British Manufacturing workers, I'll be alright.

Now read the small print.

.. No German or Nipponese manufacturers will be harmed as a result of this posting.
.

[MalcQV]

^ Very good that

[iburnley]

Originally Posted by MGJohn

Just one of the many myths about our cars in the land of the self-inflicted.

Back in the 1960-70s when I travelled high mileages in my job and most cars on our roads were British, it was rare to see any car broken down at the roadside and unheard of new ones broken down. Not now, brand new or not so new, just about every trip so called quality premium cars are a frequent sight on the hard shoulder with their bonnets up and folks up on the grassy banks away from the hard shoulder.

In fifty years of motoring, I have never had to call out the AA or RAC and my wife has insisted that I carry an AA card with me at all times. Never had to use it. Some folks I know call the rescue services 2-3 times a year!

By the way, our AA cover is for the recovery to home service if unable to repair at the roadside. I consider that if I cannot get it going then chances are the rescue services cannot either. The only time my wife has had to use her card was when she borrowed a 'spare' 620ti when her own car was being repaired following a rear end shunt. Sod's Law yet again. She was touring the Lake District with two lady friends and a stone from a newly gritted road holed the radiator. sensibly she knew something was not right and called the AA. The car was brought home all the way to Gloucester on the flatbed the AA provided. Good value that service and I just happened to have a good spare 620ti radiator ~ another ebay bargain .. just in case.. .

British Cars well probably never as bad as painted but then again not that great either, In my view it wasnt until the late 1980's that Austin Rover produced cars with a good enough build quality level, as for breakdowns well my Dad did around 40,000 a year throughout the 60's and 70's and he had his fair share of breakdowns but overall I guess not too bad considering the mileage he did, and that was in a variety of Fords, Vauxhalls (when they were all british built) BL and Rootes Group cars. Build quality on them all was crap as was the tendancy to rust quickly.

of course cars were much simpler then and someone with reasonable knowledge might be able to fix them, where as these days youve got no chance in most cases.

I think we should also remember that owned car manufacture really ended in 1994 due to our mentality of flogging off all our manufacturing to any foriegner who wants it, but at the time of sale the company wasnt doing too badly.