>The cost that they have to allocate to pay for workers' health care costs.
>
>Iacocca used $1,200 per car for in the US versus $200 in Japan.
>
>I've seen $1,600 quoted as per car to cover employees' health care costs for GM.


Thanks for the clarification. Yes, that is a significant advantage. The U.S. automakers really have no one but themselves to blame. They operated on the assumption that they would always have a near monopoly (between them) and could afford such generous benefits. The same thing has happened to other mature American industries.