Buying American Cars What Does It Mean?

7263 messages, Last post on May 27, 2009 at 4:31 AM

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What is this discussion about? Car Buying

With parts coming from everywhere, does "Buying American" have much meaning anymore? Is quality and price the bottom line?

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#11 of 7263 . by anythngbutgm Jan 04, 2006 (6:42 am)
My neighbor has a Buick Rendezvous, built in Mexico. Maybe I should go tell him to buy American? A little over a year ago, I got run off the road by some jerk in a Chevy Avalanche. He then proceeded to tell me that I didn't belong on American roads with my Honda Accord. Told me to go back to China... Replies to this message: corvettefan427 (Jan 04, 2006 3:58 pm) rockylee (Jan 04, 2006 4:03 pm) anythngbutgm (Jan 04, 2006 5:07 pm) corvettefan427 (Jan 05, 2006 7:15 pm) and 3 more...
#12 of 7263 Buy American by rorr Jan 04, 2006 (7:52 am)
I used to know what this expression meant. But no longer. Obviously, if you intend to support American WORKERS and parts suppliers rather than just the corporate offices (is Chrysler even a domestic brand anymore?), one would be inclined to buy vehicles with a high 'domestic' content. The problem is, when the UAW pressured Congress into passing the labeling laws requiring the manufacturer's to post the % of domestic content, 'domestic' was defined as being EITHER of U.S. or Canadian origin. Why is Canadian origin anymore 'domestic' than German/Mexican/Japanese origin? Simple; the Canadian plants were Union plants - overseas plants aren't. I think the "Buy American" slogan is really just a thinly veiled "Support the UAW" slogan.
#13 of 7263 Re: Buy American. [corvettefan427] by dglozman Jan 04, 2006 (8:06 am)
Replying to: corvettefan427 (Jan 03, 2006 5:12 pm) Based on your profile you are driving 1996 Toyota Corolla.... Replies to this message: asafonov (Jan 04, 2006 8:16 am)
#14 of 7263 Re: Buy American. [dglozman] by asafonov Jan 04, 2006 (8:16 am)
Replying to: dglozman (Jan 04, 2006 8:06 am) Based on your profile you are driving 1996 Toyota Corolla.... Is it ok because it was likely built at a union NUMMI plant jointly operated (and owned?) by Toyota and GM?
#15 of 7263 American cars by mirth Jan 04, 2006 (9:24 am)
I judge a car to be American based on how much of the parts were built by American manufacturers and whether it was assembled in America. Here's the breakdown of American content in cars: Big 3: 80% Japanese: 31% Germans: 5% Koreans: 2% I think it's great that all of these companies are building assembly plants in the U.S. - the more American jobs the better. But let's not fool ourselves about who is providing more American jobs or American healthcare - it's the Big 3 (or Detroit 3). I don't want people to buy an American product if they find a superior import. But I don't understand the vitriol of people who seem to actively want the Detroit 3 to fail. Talk about your economic and health care crises. It'll effect everyone, not just the midwest. Replies to this message: qbrozen (Jan 04, 2006 10:06 am) 210delray (Jan 04, 2006 10:09 am) johne417 (Apr 05, 2006 4:44 pm) rockylee (Apr 05, 2006 5:40 pm)
#16 of 7263 Re: American cars [mirth] by qbrozen Jan 04, 2006 (10:06 am)
Replying to: mirth (Jan 04, 2006 9:24 am) we're getting repeats over in that UAW discussion. I just posted there how an Accord is 70% US parts, built in the US, etc, while something like a Chevy Aveo is just a Korean car. So let's not give the US manufacturers a free pass just because the bulk of their business (trucks) offsets the foreign cars they are passing off as their own. Look at the car itself, and not the badge. Replies to this message: 210delray (Jan 04, 2006 10:09 am)
#17 of 7263 Re: American cars [qbrozen] by 210delray Jan 04, 2006 (10:09 am)
Replying to: qbrozen (Jan 04, 2006 10:06 am) Agreed. I'm sure my Frontier (built in Tennessee) and my 2 Camrys (built in Kentucky) have more than 31% American content.
#18 of 7263 This is what happens when you dont buy American..... by reddogs Jan 04, 2006 (10:25 am)
The story is devastating as it shows what happens to American jobs when a major retailer, in this case WalMart changes from selling American goods to Chinese made goods... http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/ The most horrifying part is when they ask the Walmart executives if American jobs are important and they come up with "Low Prices" are the most important thing in retailing.....
#19 of 7263 wow, lotta stuff going on here on this thread... by harrychezt Jan 04, 2006 (10:45 am)
Dude who was run off the road(few posts up): I have had some people ride me, maybe due to what I drive. In your case, the guy said so. I told this to a friend of mine who lives close to Chicago. He has a newer Impala. He said people in some trucks, cars(say pre-2000 models, ride his bumper, harass him, because he has a New(er) vehicle than they do. An of course, he says people will(intentionally?) bang into his vehicle with their car doors, or throw a shopping cart into his vehicle at Wal-Mart, for examples. My spouse, new car, 5 years ago(Tiburon), she saw this lady just push the cart-unintentionally- into the car, too lazy to walk 50 feet and put it into the cart holder... she almost got the lady, except some old guy got in the way(long story). it put a ding in the fender. I do find a lot of trucks(some cars) will ride me, or give me dirty looks, because of where we live( farmer county) and had one kid, 18, 8 years ago, ask me why I drive what i drove(a 90 sentra xe, built at the time in Smyrna, TN), I told him, and mentioned even GM made coin on the deal: GMAC financed the vehiocle in 90, at nearly 12% interest! Sold to us from a Chevy/Nissan place in Georgetown,S.C. GM made a few grand off of us,via GMAC. He had no come back, lol, dropped the harassment, and we sort of became friends ------------------------------------------------------ about jobs: without naming names(as not to get booted from edmunds site): I am a DAV(disabled American Veteran, and served during Gulf War I time frame, also). I thought when I got out(well, I was told by the VA reps, before hand) I would get "special considerations" as a Veteran, a disabled veteran, when it came to hiring people, at almost any job. Never happened. I even went to a few factories, one made mixers, one makes trucks and cars: the one factory saw my medical discharge, and never considered me, told me to come back when I get factory experience?" The other, well, they told me they do not hire you unless you have a relative in the factory already working for them. Neither factory would even direct hire me for any job, even cleaning the rest rooms! So, as far as buy American to save American jobs falls on deaf ears, as you can see why, in my posts above. I served my country, needed a helping hand(a good job) and I got nothing but told to go away, and this was in 95 and 97, when the economy was really good. So... if Wal-Mart's good enough for a DAV, good enough for anyone else Been a janitor, baker, and deli worker at Wal-Mart. Even got a 2 year degree, Business, Commercial Arts, but since I am "old", no one will hire me (or about 40 others who also took the same thing in the past 5 years, that I know). It could be worse. -------------------------------------------------------------- anyhow.... add head-leg,shoulder room GM, to cars like Cobalt, HHR,etc, and lower MSRP of those G6's permanently(instead of red tag, family -friend -relatives & my-fellow- countrymen sales), I may be back one day. DAV 83-94
#20 of 7263 Re: Buy American. [corvettefan427] by 151ranch Jan 04, 2006 (10:49 am)
Replying to: corvettefan427 (Jan 03, 2006 5:12 pm) Between the big 3 and their respective divisions, anyone can find a product to satisfy their needs/wants. Um, no. I want a sedan with a stick, side air bags, leather interior, and decent handling for less than 30k. Any Americans? no. OTOH, we also need a four-door, 4WD truck that will pull a really heavy trailer. Definitely American. I have test driven many 04-05-06 domestics. The only ones I would remotely consider: Corvette and Focus. Would have bought the Focus two years ago but could not find a stick. Economically speaking, it is more expensive to build cars in Japan or Europe and ship them here than it is to build the same exact car in the US. It is cheaper to build in Korea, China and Central/South America. IOW, Toyota is just a much better run company than Ford or GM. Honda is peanuts compared to Toyota. Toyota will rule the car world for the next 20 - 30 years, at least. FWIW, I own 2 Hondas, a Ford, a Chevy, a Volvo and a Kubota. Replies to this message: corvettefan427 (Jan 04, 2006 4:05 pm) krony (Aug 08, 2006 4:23 pm)