Jump to content
Create New...

The Anti-American Road Show


Variance

Recommended Posts

No Yankee Cars: The Anti-American Road Show
From the desk of Paul Belien on Mon, 2005-11-28 16:06

Car dealers importing American cars in Belgium are on the brink of bankruptcy. For the past three months the Belgian government has been refusing to deliver the required safety certificates for the cars. Since 1 September companies importing non-European cars must be able to show European certificates guaranteeing the safety of the cars.

The Belgian authorities are making no problems for Japanese, Korean or other non-American cars, but are refusing to give safety certificates for Dodges, GMCs, Chevrolets, Chryslers, Lincolns and other American car brands. Belgian dealers can import the cars via Germany, where the certificates are delivered without any fuss, but this costs them up to an additional 3,000 euros per car – a surplus which they do not like to inflict on their customers.

There are about twenty car dealers in Belgium selling some 5,000 American cars per year. Since September, however, they have not been able to sell a single American SUV, jeep, pickup truck, or other “big American.” According to Jos Meulemans of Geronimo Automobiles in Blankenberge, one of the largest importers of American cars in Belgium, the American cars are being singled out because their gas consumption or their appearance “do not conform to the European – read: Green – culture.” He says the ministry is pestering the importers of American cars by not answering their requests for information and by claiming that the American safety belts are below standard.

One car dealer, who was interviewed last Friday in Antwerp’s daily newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen, said he is facing bankruptcy as he has not sold a single car in weeks. In the past it took only one week to get an American car cleared, but since September it has become impossible. The dealer wishes to remain anonimous “as he fears more harassment.”

Renaat Landuyt, the Socialist Belgian minister of Mobility, told the paper: “It is a matter of road safety. I will make no concessions.” Landuyt maintained that the fact that his administration is slow “proves that my people take their job seriously. One cannot be too cautious in matters regarding safety.”

Link: http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/523
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, but they have chocolate.  Let's start a boycott of that.  you can start Here

[post="50843"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]


I think I've been inadvertently boycotting them for years. At any rate, I certainly haven't been helping them much.

From the article, it sounded like those dealerships were specializing in larger trucks and SUVs, and made it sound like Americans were incapable of building a good, small, efficient car. Of course, even our efficient ones don't offer 0.3 liter engines, so it's true that they're not designed for the same cultures. Which to me sounds like the real issue here. A backlash against American culture because they fear that it might overpower their own. I'm sure European Fords and Opels are still allowed. Hell, Land Rovers probably are too.

And, uh . . . I thought America had the higher safety standards. If not, why the hell did it take so long for the Elise to get here?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fly: He-he! :P

BV: Love the new sig and the 240 Notchback

And as far as Belgium goes I'm going to quote Adam Carolla:


" Dear Belgium, thank you for the Waffles, ...now F*** off! "
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Almost forgot: WMJ your sig kicks A$$ as well! :metal:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We should recipricate and ban Belgian cars...
Oh wait...
Belgium doesn't have an auto industry!

[post="50839"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]


Belgium has a substantial auto industry. Ford, Volvo and Opel have large plants in Blegium. The Mondeo, Astra, Galaxy, S40/V50 and Ford S-Max are all produced in Belgium, just for starters. So go ahead, picket deliveries of S40s and V50s until they become more co-operative ;-). I'm sure the UAW could have a word with their comrades on the docks. Edited by thegriffon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

But Belgium doesn't have any automakers headquartered there. Mexico doesn't have an industry, though it has a few plants located there because the profits from those plants go out to other countries. There are no Mexican auto corporations just like there are no Belgian auto corporations.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It still counts as an auto industry, and one that the government would like to protect, if only for the jobs it provides. If there's a plant in your state email the article to your local senator and ask for action to be taken. Something like "We appreciate your concern for safety, and will be equally demanding in the inspecton of the 30,000+ Belgian cars imported into the US every year. Will be happy to accept advice on how we can streamline the process and speed delivery of your products in future."
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup in the new millenium unfair practice breeds apathy. I think Griffon has the right idea! :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search

Change privacy settings