National Press Release
Auto Parts Search |  |
| : | : | : |  |
BUYING USED AUTO PARTS: THE DO'S AND DON'TS
This complete guide is filled with valuable tips on how to buy used parts, where to look for quality salvage parts, how best to determine a fair price, ways to validate salvage yards,
and how not to get ripped off by fraudulent wrecking yards. A must have for anybody buying parts. Get your copy now!
National Press Release
 | Americans Strongly Support Aiding U.S. Automakers, Survey FindsPublished 2008-11-14 12:01By Peter D. Hart Research Associates |
"Americans' broad support for providing government assistance to the auto industry is built mainly on a genuine fear that a failed GM, Ford, and Chrysler could lead to a depression," said
The Hart poll, conducted
Hart said that behind the support for the automakers is a fear that the failure of GM, Ford, and Chrysler in the next few years could trigger an economic depression (with 60% believing a depression would result). Nearly 80% (79%) of Americans believe that the auto industry is very or extremely important to the U.S. economy.
The Hart poll found that Americans have deep concerns about the harmful impacts of the collapse of the U.S. auto industry:
-- 90% fear the harm it would do to America's manufacturing sector.
-- 84% of Americans say it would harm the U.S. economy.
-- 70% fear the harm it would do to America's standing in the world.
-- 68% worry about the lack of consumer choice for America's car
buyers.
"The public sees in stark terms the harm it would do to the country if the domestic auto industry no longer had the resources to produce vehicles," Hart said. "It is recognition that it is the country's central manufacturing base."
The polling organization of Peter D. Hart Research Associates was commissioned by General Motors to conduct an independent survey. GM had no input or review of the design, methodology, content or interpretation of the survey.
The poll was conducted by telephone among a cross section of 804 American adults on
1724 Connecticut Avenue, NW Interviews: 804 adults
Washington, DC 20009 Dates: November 11-12, 2008
(202) 234-5570
FINAL 48 Male
52 Female
Study #8877 [109]
Auto Industry Survey
November 2008
Please note: all results are shown as percentages unless otherwise stated.
1. Do you or does anyone in your household work in market or opinion
research, advertising or public relations, media, including radio,
television, print, or on-line publications, or the auto industry,
including auto sales, manufacturing, or finance?
Yes - TERMINATE [137]
No 100 CONTINUE
Not sure/refused - TERMINATE
2. For statistical purposes only, would you please tell me how old you
are? (IF "REFUSED," ASK:) Well, would you tell me which age group
you belong to?
18-24 4 [138-139]
25-29 8
30-34 13
35-39 6
40-44 7
45-49 12
50-54 11
55-59 11
60-64 9
65 -69 6
70-74 5
75 and over 7
Refused 1
3a. And again, for statistical purposes only, are you from a Hispanic
or Spanish-speaking background?
Yes, Hispanic 10 [140]
No, not Hispanic 90
Not sure/refused -
3b. And again, for statistical purposes only, what is your race --
white, black, Asian, or something else?
White 76 [141]
Black 11
Asian 1
Other 4
Hispanic (VOL) 7
Not sure/refused 1
My next questions are about the American automobile industry. . .
4. How important do you feel the American automobile industry is
to the American economy -- extremely important, very important,
somewhat important, not important, or not at all important?
Extremely important 38 [142]
Very important 41
Somewhat important 17
Not important 2
Not at all important 1
Not sure 1
5. If the American automobile industry no longer had the resources
to produce vehicles, how much harm would it cause to (READ ITEM)
-- a great deal of harm, quite a bit of harm, just some harm, or
very little harm?
THIS TABLE HAS BEEN RANKED BY THE PERCENTAGE WHO SAY A
GREAT DEAL OF HARM
Harm
A Quite Just Very Not
Great A Bit Some Little Sure
Deal ----- ---- ------ ----
----
America's manufacturing job
sector 58 32 7 2 1 [146]
The American economy 52 32 12 3 1 [143]
America's standing in the world 37 33 19 7 4 [144]
Consumer choice for America's
car buyers 37 31 21 8 3 [145]
6. Do you believe that the government should or should not provide
loans to America's automakers so they have the money to
manufacture vehicles?
Government should provide loans 55 [147]
Government should not provide loans 30
Not sure 15
7. President-elect Barack Obama has stated that one of his first
economic priorities as president is to make sure that the
American automobile industry continues to be able to operate, and
he favors an economic assistance program to help them. Do agree
or disagree with him?
Agree 64 [148]
Disagree 25
Not sure 11
8. Do you believe that America's automakers will face bankruptcy
without government loans?
Yes 60 [149]
No 22
Not sure 18
9. The federal government has recently provided financial aid to the
insurance and banking industries to make sure that these industries
do not fail. Do you feel that providing financial aid to ensure
that the U.S. auto industry does not fail is more important, just
as important, or less important?
More important 14 [150]
Just as important 55
Less important 27
Not sure 4
10. If General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler were to go out of business
in the next few months, how likely do you think this would be to
trigger an economic depression in the U.S. -- extremely likely,
very likely, somewhat likely, not likely, or not at all likely?
Extremely likely 33 [151]
Very likely 27
Somewhat likely 29
Not likely 7
Not at all likely 2
Not sure 2
11. I'm going to describe several reasons some people say it is
important to ensure the survival of America's automakers. Please
tell me how important you feel each reason is using a
zero-to-ten scale, on which a "ten" means that you feel that
reason is extremely important, and "zero" means you feel it is
not at all important.
(AFTER EACH ITEM READ:) On a scale of zero to ten, how important
is this as a reason to ensure the survival of America's automakers?
THIS TABLE HAS BEEN RANKED BY THE PERCENTAGE WHO SAY EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT (SCORE OF 9-10)
Extremely Not At All
Important Important Cannot
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Rate
-- - - - - - - - - - - ----
To protect
American
Jobs 51 10 15 9 3 5 1 2 1 1 1 1 [152-153]
To keep
this
recession
from
becoming a
depression 37 11 18 9 5 8 3 2 2 1 3 1 [154-155]
America
can't
afford for
China, Japan,
South Korea,
and Europe
to lead the
way in
building
cars that
run on
alternative
fuels 39 7 15 7 6 13 2 2 3 1 3 2 [158-159]
America will
be a weaker
nation if it
can't
manufacture
cars and
trucks 31 10 15 11 6 11 4 4 2 1 4 1 [160-161]
Because
America's
manufacturing
base is
important
for national
security 29 8 15 12 8 11 3 5 1 1 5 2 [156-157]
12. Let me read you four facts about the auto industry's effect on the American economy.
1. The U.S. auto industry affects numerous other American industries because
it is the largest purchaser of steel, copper, plastics, electronics, and
computer chips.
2. The U.S. auto industry provides pensions to seven hundred and
seventy-five thousand Americans and health benefits to two million
Americans.
3. The U.S. auto industry supports approximately five million U.S. jobs in
all fifty states.
4. The U.S. auto industry has fourteen thousand dealers in nearly every town
in America employing seven hundred thirty thousand people.
Knowing this, if General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler were to go out of
business in the next few months, how likely do you think this would be
to trigger an economic depression in the U.S. -- extremely likely, very
likely, somewhat likely, not likely, or not at all likely?
Extremely likely 44 [162]
Very likely 32
Somewhat likely 18
Not likely 4
Not at all likely 1
Not sure 1
13. If you learned three to five years from now that America's
automakers had successfully weathered the current economic
challenges and emerged as leaders in the worldwide automobile
industry, how important would that be to America -- extremely
important, very important, somewhat important, not important,
or not at all important?
Extremely important 44 [163]
Very important 38
Somewhat important 16
Not important 1
Not at all important -
Not sure 1
14. Which of the following types of vehicles, if any, do you or
members of your household own or lease?
A hybrid vehicle 3 [164-165]
A compact car 25 >
A full-size passenger car 22
A mid-size passenger car 31
A station wagon 4
A minivan 16 CONTINUE
A pick-up truck 35
A small SUV or crossover 9
A mid-size SUV or crossover 16
A large SUV 12
Other (VOL) 5
None/do not own or lease any vehicle (VOL) 3 Skip to
Not sure - FACTUALS
(ASK RESPONDENTS WHO SAY THEY HAVE A VEHICLE IN Q.14.)
15. What brands of vehicles do members of your household own or lease?
Acura 1 [166-168]
Audi 1 >
BMW 2
Buick 5
Cadillac 3
Chevrolet 26
Chrysler 10
Dodge 11
Ford 32
GM 9
Honda 14
Hyundai 2
Infiniti 2
Jaguar 1
Jeep 4
Lexus 2
Mazda 4
Mercedes Benz 2
Mitsubishi 2
Pontiac 4
Porsche -
Saab -
Saturn 2
Scion -
Subaru 3
Toyota 21
Volkswagen 3
Nissan 7
Volvo 1
Kia 1
Oldsmobile 2
Mercury 1
Lincoln 1
Other 3
Not sure 2
FACTUALS: Now I am going to ask you a few questions for statistical purposes only.
F1. What is the last grade that you completed in school?
Grade school 1 [176-177]
Some high school 5
High school graduate 24
Some college, no degree 17
Vocational training, 2-year college 9
4-year college/bachelor's degree 26
Some postgraduate work, no degree 2
2-3 years' postgraduate
work/master's degree 11
Doctoral/law degree 3
Not sure/refused 2
F2. Are you currently employed? (IF CURRENTLY EMPLOYED:) What type
of work do you do?
(IF NOT CURRENTLY EMPLOYED:) Are you a student, a homemaker,
retired, or unemployed and looking for work?
Currently Employed
------------------
Professional/ manager 25 [178]
White-collar worker 20
Blue-collar worker 16
Farmer, rancher -
Not Currently Employed
----------------------
Student 2
Homemaker 7
Retired 23
Unemployed, looking for work 5
Other -
Not sure 2
F3a. Are you registered to vote, or have you not had a chance to
register?
Registered 91 [215]
Not registered 7
Not sure 2
F3b. Generally speaking, do you think of yourself as a Democrat,
a Republican, an independent, or something else? (IF "DEMOCRAT"
OR "REPUBLICAN," ASK:) Would you call yourself a strong
(Democrat/Republican) or not a very strong (Democrat/Republican)?
(IF "INDEPENDENT," ASK:) Do you think of yourself as closer to the
Republican Party, closer to the Democratic Party, or do you think
of yourself as strictly independent?
Strong Democrat 28 [216]
Not very strong Democrat 7
Independent/lean Democrat 8
Strictly independent 17
Independent/lean Republican 6
Not very strong Republican 8
Strong Republican 17
Other (VOL) 3
Not sure 6
F4. If you added together the yearly income of all the members of
your family who were living at home last year, would the total be
less than ten thousand dollars, between ten thousand dollars and
twenty thousand dollars, between twenty thousand dollars and thirty
thousand dollars, between thirty thousand dollars and forty thousand
dollars, between forty thousand dollars and fifty thousand dollars,
between fifty thousand dollars and seventy-five thousand dollars,
between seventy-five thousand dollars and one hundred thousand
dollars, between one hundred thousand dollars and one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars, or would the total be more than that?
Less than $10,000 1 [217-218]
Between $10,000 and $20,000 7
Between $20,000 and $30,000 8
Between $30,000 and $40,000 6
Between $40,000 and $50,000 6
Between $50,000 and $75,000 17
Between $75,000 and $100,000 15
Between $100,000 and $150,000 12
More than $150,000 8
Not sure/refused 20
The accompanying poll results are from a survey conducted by the polling organization of Peter D. Hart Research Associates for General Motors on
The national sample for this poll was drawn in the following manner: 350 geographic points were randomly selected proportionate to the population of each region and, within each region, by size of place. Individuals were selected in accordance with a probability sample design that gives all landline telephone numbers (both listed and unlisted) an equal chance to be included. One adult, 18 years old or over, from each household was included, selected by a systematic procedure to provide a balance of respondents by sex.
The data's margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for 804 adults at the 95% confidence level. Sample tolerances for subgroups are larger.
SOURCE Peter D. Hart Research Associates
