Blue-staters on each coast, from Los Angeles to Seattle and from Boston to the District, are the most likely to drive foreign cars. Domestic brands have their highest levels of market share in the mostly conservative interior of the country.
In some blue states - where a Democrat has won at least three of the last four presidential contests - foreign cars have as much as 60 percent of the market, as measured by vehicle registrations. It is mostly in red states - Republican strongholds - where domestic cars have 74 percent of the market or more.
This pattern holds in 36 states and the District.
The three politically purple states - those that have evenly split the last four elections - strongly prefer domestic cars.
Be careful with that party label, though - and check out the union label.
Its true that liberal Democrats are the least likely group to consider an American car, according to a recent Gallup poll. And conservative Republicans clearly prefer domestic cars. But one species turns the car-buying political spectrum inside out: conservative Democrats. The commitment of this group to buy American cars is so strong that conservative Republicans look downright bicoastal by comparison.
You can argue that GM, Ford, and Chrysler have nothing to do with America. I disagree. America is mom, apple pie, and a Chevy Impala. America is a full size, quad cab pickup truck, or a Chevy Tahoe towing a man toy.
Says the guy who drives a Saab. Hey, I'm a sucker for a turbo. At least it WAS owned by GM.
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3 comments:
Think your missing it here Buzz. I've always had big 3 cars personally and for my business. I have had full size pickups or suv's for 25 years and I'm done. I wont spend any more money on a domestic car. Every dime spent this way may as well be a proxy vote for a democrat. The uaw has hijacked the government with the GM and Chrysler mess. I'm done supporting them
I know. I'm just trolling.
The dynamics of who buys into what marketing is interesting. Those foreign cars are often built in Red States: BMW in South Carolina, Mercedes in Alabama, Toyota in Texas, etc. etc. etc. So hard core late-sipping Democrats are supporting blue collar Republicans.
And the Big 3 are built by the UAW, which so much as elected Obama.
It's just a weird dynamic.
I'm generally a GM guy myself, but I might switch to Ford. My next vehicle may be a Ford Explorer when my Saab lease expires.
I also don't think it's about what company as much as it is the engineering, quality, etc. Until recently I had owned only two non-GM vehicles since getting my license (1990). A Nissan Maxima in high school and a Honda Accord for my wife before we had two kids.
With the 2nd kid we went back to GM for a Venture van in 2000. In 2008 we finally replaced that van. We looked at everything Gm had and even bought an Uplander. It SUCKED!!! We like roomy vehicles and that van is not. We ended up with a new Kia Sedona and I highly recommend them to anyone. My brother traded a 2006 Ford Crew Cab and a Cadillac Escalade for two Kia Sorentos and is much happier.
The Big Three are so far behind the foreign manufacturers in design it's unreal.
I'm still driving my 2002 suburban, but I'm considering its replacement. GM is probably not in the running.
Not due to stupidity, but rather, they simply don't produce anything I want anymore.
BTW, my Bro-in-law is the GM at the local GM dealer so my price is killer, but it's still not good enough.
And to round out your stats, my parents, who are both dems, own 4 cars...a newer Toyota van, 05 Tahoe, 85 Chevy truck, and a 69 Malibu.
As long as GM keeps ignoring needs and simply builds ridiculous, fancy crap they will not return.
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