I don't necessarily agree. It was our lawyers, who advised us to move quickly to mitigate the potential financial exposure and minimize the time and money we had to spend on the suit.

I think both situations are ridiculous and unfortunate for 2 great companies. Stupid nit picky crap like this wastes so much money it not even funny. and in the end the consumer is the one who pays for it all.

NovakTwo, and what do you pay anually to retain your lawyers? Do you suppose you have needed them if there were no opposing lawyers?

Do you think a judge would have nit picked and screwed Novak if it had actually gone to court?

Sorry, lawyers racists liars and theves all make me feel violent. :) I would rather be a happy nice guy.

We have never had (or needed to have) lawyers on retainer. Early on in this matter, our adviser said his job was to keep us "off the beach." So that when the giant, class-action law suit "wave" headed in our direction, we would stay dry.

The lawyers' job is to keep people out of court.

PS....I'm not quite the happy, peaceful person I once was, either......:wink:

It's one of those debates that can go around in circles. We in North America have minimum wages and such. The pay scales fluctuate so badly that those on the lower end have no choice but to find things cheaper. Cheaper is outsourced materials. By buying outsourced, it sends money out of the country. Yet if the people that get stepped on the worst want any creature comforts, they have to. Other countries have people working for less money. I have mixed feelings on unions. I have been in unions where only the union reps benefitted and the union actually protected the wrong people, those that should have been fired but couldn't be. This was the security guard industry. I was office staff (dispatcher and csr) and non union and I had to field all complaint calls. Guys showing up to work with firearms when we are not allowed to carry them, so we move them to a new site rather than fire their arses, because the union fought it. Flip side I was in CAW when working for Ford in the detail shop and we had great reps.

Now the fine line of where no internet discussion should ever go.... politics. Both sides of the border need a better taxation system to allow lower pay scale people to earn more and keep money in the country by being able to afford homegrown items... I am a proud Canadian and one of the non anti USA ones. I'd like to see the Border completely gone and have North America.... At least I can understand what your heads of state are saying LOL... wtf language does Chretien speak anyway. It's not English or French LOL (to end on a lighter note)...

I never heard about that. I have a SS5800 system I would gladly give back with that invitation. :rules:

I'm with you guys on the buy USA stuff, except on some things. For example, on a family car - great, we have a Suburban because it's perfect for our family and it's a well built rig. However, when I think about buying a sport sedan - what is a guy supposed to do? Tell me a car made in the USA that is comparable to the Audi S8 and I'm in. I just can't think of one.

Buy a srt8 charger, much more fun than the audi. Plus audi is very similar to vw, and I just do not see the qaulity in either brand. I fix cars for a living and have driven everything sold for the last 10 years. I have yet to be impressed by a european car, and the japanese stuff is boring. Most of the larger chrysler stuff is based off mercedes floorpans and suspension, and they seem to very nice cars, for the price.

Right on, I can appreciate that. In fact I've considered the SRT8 Charger but it's no Audi S8. The S8 is just in a different level there. However, I will say that the products in that Charger/Magnum family are some of the first USA cars in a while that have piqued my interest. Now if they refine the interior, make it a little smaller, give it AWD . . . we might really have something. I've also been pulling for the CTS-V but it's got a ways to go too. Sorry for the highjacking of the thread here, but cars are just too fun to talk about! :party:

I don't like Audis... but I gotta assume the S8 is a hella more expensive than the SRT8?

There are some really nice American cars out there now. Part of the problem the big 3 have now is image... perception...

When critcizing American cars I think often people use the best cars of the planet as a basis to measure up... (not all cars can be BMW M series) and sometimes people expect German quality and Korean price... at the same time... or it's "not good enough" know what I mean?

One word answer to the critics: Corvette :D

speaking of hella expensive and audi: R8. wow in every way.

i agree - corvettes rock, and surprisingly insurance is cheaper than that of a mustang or camaro. at least, that was a year or so ago when i looked into it (GM discount and all :smile:).

i have to say my favorite GM cars out now are the new cadillac CTS and STS. they look wicked, have incredible performance, and cadillac has one of the highest customer service ratings in all the classes.

True, but I wouldn't be looking at a new vehicle either way. The S8 can be had in it's last iteration for $20k or less. That's the 2001 - 2003 model. The new S8 is about $100k but it also has the Lamborghini V10 under the hood. I'm not biased in any way here - really. I just don't see the American sedans living up to the German or even Japanese in many areas. And there's more to it for me than just performance numbers. For example, another car I would consider as my next ride would be the new Lexus IS350. Again - I just don't see anything from the US that is comparable to that and I'm trying. I would love to say there is, but there's not.

And yes, Vettes are great - I think the C6 is their best go at it yet too. But those are starting to get close to the $100k mark once you are looking at the Z06. And even if the performance is better in the Z06, I would probably still get the R8. Those are gorgeous inside and out!

Huuuuh???
 

Are you buying one of these Audi's or are you just dreaming out loud? Most people will never see vehicles in that price range in their liftime. Lexus, Infinity, Porche, Lamborgini. If you can aford any of these vehicles then why are you wasting your time on forums talking about it. Come back to Earth and deal with what most of us can really afford. Sure foreign made vehicles have some uniqure characteristics and pros that make them desirable to own, but the cost of owning one is rediculous. Purchasing one is only the begining of your nightmare. Between insurance and maintenance that is a half years sallery right there for most people. Do you know that very few people over here in Europe can not afford one wither. Most of the BMW's and the like are company owned vehicles, because the cost is out of reach even for the people who make them. European and Japanese cars are really not that much different than American cars. Every car maker out there has simlar vehicles to their competitors, and they all copy each others ideas. The money just goes into the pockets of the countries that are swallowing up the USA year after year. Once again quality is relaitive to price. If we Americans would stop trying to live above our means and focus on what is really important we would support our oun countries products while we still are able to do so:lol:. Spoiled rotten:whistle:.

You know, it would have been enough for me if you simply said you didn't agree with my statement that cars are just too fun to talk about :mdr:. Obviously you have some emotional investment here or you wouldn't be going hog wild on me. What that is, I'm not sure. My best guess is that you're reading into my posting something that's not there.

I'm a car nut and love talking about them. Do I plan on buying the $100k S8? No. Never said I did. I am however considering the 2001 S8 as I stated in my post. If you have a problem with one of the cars I've stated, that's great - give me some concrete info and I would love to hear it. But don't just start throwing venom at me like I insulted your mom or something. Why would you start cracking on me about "coming back down to earth" or "wasting our time on these forums"? I just stated a non threatening opinion about cars I like. If you disagree, tell me like an adult and we can both learn and grow. I don't know everything about cars and would love to hear more.

And about them all being the same - that's just intellectually dishonest. How can you even say that?

Feelings???
 

Sorry if I have hurt your feelings Sir:angel:. If you read my post closely I was not threatening you in any way:whistle:. My experiences are based on the fact that I have traveled all over the world for more than 30 years and I have driven so many vehicles that it would take hours to name them all. Yes there are dream cars that we would all love to own and drive on a daliy basis, but a car has four wheels and a motor. Outside of the basic creature comforts the rest is a form of vanity for the most part.

This thread started out about American made stuff with foreign parts in them (CC) in general, and being proud of our country to the point of buying only American made items as Linc so nicely put it. It has metamorphed into issues about Americans purchasing American products in general instead of buying foreign vehicles. The only one getting offended here seems to be you. This was not a discussion about dream cars, it is about the compitition between countries, namely their auto makers. I did not attack you personally, and do not wish to engage in any kind of personal dispute with you. But We can dispute the issue all night long if yo so like. Good luck with that.:lol: This is a friendly open forum and there is no need to get angry about anything here.