What is too much to pay?

Unfortunately, America has a love affair with the automobile. For decades, American auto manufacturers have had no interest in new technologies or fuels. They have a problem with compact cars period. In the late 1970's, when Toyota started selling their cars, the Big Three (GM, Ford and Chysler)had no interest in properly creating and marketing compact cars. They were more interested in the high profit, gas guzzling muscle cars and the hugh luxury cars. That lack of forsight caused a major recession in Southeastern Michigan, where I grew up, in the late '70's and early 80's. Just recently, they did the same thing by focusing on hugh gas guzzling but high profit SUV's. They are paying the price for their lack of vision. Of course, reliablity wasn't a big priority, either. It use to be a know fact that after an American Car passed the 60,000 mile mark that the owner would have to start replacing everything. It was cheaper for them to buy parts that weren't designed to last long. My ex-father-in-law use to work at the Ford Wayne Assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan in the '70's said that half the cars that came off of the assembly line had to be pushed off because they wouldn't start. It is no wonder why Toyota and the other Japenese auto manufacturers did so well in this country. My brother-in-law complains that Toyota's (my favorite, don't use American steel). If Detroit had produced fuel efficient and RELIABLE compact cars in the 1970's when there was a demand for them, they wouldn't be in the mess they are now! Let's not forget about BIG OIL buying ideas for alternative fuel engines and technologies and then these idea just "disappeared". Jay Leno, of the Tonight Show on NBC, collects cars. He has a hybrid car from the 30's or 40's (I think) that got 50 miles to the gallon. That technology disappeared, too. [Source: an episode of a show Ed Bagley, Jr. did for HGTV, where Ed promoted his passion for his energy saving lifestyle.] The problem won't be solved until the American Automotive Industry and BIG OIL get their act together!