Well, two of them are, according to a recent Rasmussen Reports poll. GM and Ford are at the top of the list of brands consumers will consider buying, with Toyota in the lead among imports. There are more definite GM buyers out there, despite its participation in the bailout, than Ford.
But more are willing to consider a Ford, and 58% of respondents picked Ford as the most likely to survive and return to profitability. In fact, many feel that the government’s participation in GM is going to have a negative effect of vehicle quality.
Here are the results:
* GM: 15% said they will definitely buy a GM product next time they buy a car; 29% will consider it; 24% say no way
* Ford: The numbers are 13%, 35%, 19%
* Toyota: 11%; 40%, 23%
* Chrysler: 4%, 21%, 31%
* Mercedes: 5%, 17%, 40%
* Nissan: 4%, 32%, 25%
* Hyundai: 3%, 20%, 34%
* Volkswagen: 3%, 23%, 31%
RBR-TVBR observation: It will be important for the brands that did well in this poll to strike while the iron is hot. And it’ll be even more important for some of the others to strike in order to heat up some frigid iron.
