03-04-2025
- Automotive
- Wall Street Journal
The Auto ‘Invasion' Was a Boon to Americans
Your editorial 'Trump's Giant New Car Tax' (March 28) correctly points out that imported cars give American car buyers more choices at lower prices, enabling them to buy 'more and better cars than they could a few decades ago.' This simple yet potent argument could be reinforced by pointing out that one of the reasons that importing cars expands choice, improves quality and reduces prices is the salubrious effect that competition from imports has on domestic manufacturers. The same is true of every other good too.
Those of us of a certain age remember driving the cars that the then Big 3 regurgitated onto the American market in the 1970s and much of the 1980s. With a few exceptions, reliability was lacking, fit and finish was dicey and fuel economy was woeful. When the Japanese began aggressively exporting Toyotas, Hondas, Datsuns and Mitsubishis to our shores, the Big 3 were forced to improve their products to survive. The Japanese thus gave the Big 3 the kick in the keister those bloated, overly contented giants needed to become the vastly more competitive enterprises they are today.
Competition, regardless of where it comes from, benefits all market participants. Protection from competition breeds complacency and lethargy to the detriment of consumers and producers.
Mark M. Quinn
Naperville, Ill.
