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Buying American Cars What Does It Mean?

18080 messages,  Last post on May 22, 2013 at 8:39 PM

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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?

Messages Page 1575 of 1808

#15740 of 18080 Re: Shopping "American" this weekend... [bpizzuti] by berri

Dec 12, 2012 (7:42 pm)

Replying to: bpizzuti (Dec 12, 2012 4:07 pm)
It's too bad we don't see more Focuses and Cruzes exported
 
For Ford, I think the new Focus is already being built in plants around the globe (maybe using a different badge?). Don't know about the Cruze, but is it basically an Opel like a lot of GM's other new vehicles? If that's the case, it too may be redundant to other GM global plants.

#15741 of 18080 Re: The new US manufacturing [steve_] by berri

Dec 12, 2012 (7:44 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Dec 12, 2012 7:27 pm)
If it's got a 59 Impala convertible, it's OK by me

#15742 of 18080 Re: Shopping "American" this weekend... [bpizzuti] by gagrice

Dec 12, 2012 (9:27 pm)

Replying to: bpizzuti (Dec 12, 2012 4:07 pm)
It's too bad we don't see more Focuses and Cruzes exported.
 
I don't think it is practical with UAW labor building them in the USA.
 
The Focus is only 40% US content. The Cruze is 56% US Content.
 
In the case of the BMW X3, X5 & X6 they are only 20-25% US content. With final assembly in the USA.

#15743 of 18080 Re: Shopping "American" this weekend... [gagrice] by bpizzuti

Dec 13, 2012 (6:08 am)

Replying to: gagrice (Dec 12, 2012 9:27 pm)
Yeah, but both are supposed to be "world" cars, which should theoretically mean they could be built anywhere and sent anywhere. Of course, both companies still have quite a bit of overcapacity compared to sales.

#15744 of 18080 Re: Shopping "American" this weekend... [bpizzuti] by robr2

Dec 13, 2012 (6:32 am)

Replying to: bpizzuti (Dec 13, 2012 6:08 am)
Yeah, but both are supposed to be "world" cars, which should theoretically mean they could be built anywhere and sent anywhere.
 
Both are definitely world cars - they are made and sold all over the world:
 
The Focus is made in Germany, Russia, US, Thailand and China.
 
The Cruze is made in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Kazakhstan, Russia, Vietnam, Korea, Thailand and the US.
 
Toss in
Malibu: US, South Korea, China, Uzbekistan
Escape/Kuga: US, Germany, Spain
Fusion, Mondeo: US, Belgium (although the latter is closing)
 
The reason that BMW exports so much of the US based production is because they don't have factories elsewhere to make those crossovers and the value of the US dollar. Believe me, if they could make them cheaper in their markets (Europe) they would.

#15745 of 18080 Re: Shopping "American" this weekend... [robr2] by bpizzuti

Dec 13, 2012 (6:40 am)

Replying to: robr2 (Dec 13, 2012 6:32 am)
The reason that BMW exports so much of the US based production is because they don't have factories elsewhere to make those crossovers and the value of the US dollar. Believe me, if they could make them cheaper in their markets (Europe) they would.
 
And yet GM and Ford seem to be making their cars cheaper in Europe. What's wrong with this picture?

#15746 of 18080 Re: Shopping "American" this weekend... [robr2] by gagrice

Dec 13, 2012 (7:15 am)

Replying to: robr2 (Dec 13, 2012 6:32 am)
The reason that BMW exports so much of the US based production is because they don't have factories elsewhere to make those crossovers and the value of the US dollar. Believe me, if they could make them cheaper in their markets (Europe) they would.

 
Probably the same reason MB builds the ML, R & GL in the USA.

#15747 of 18080 Re: Shopping "American" this weekend... [busiris] by uplanderguy

Dec 13, 2012 (8:12 am)

Replying to: busiris (Dec 12, 2012 1:50 pm)
Suede interior in a Malibu is a 2LT. I think (unscientifically) those were the rarest models of that generation.
 
The 2LT V6 had the neatest wheels, but I think I've seen like two of them.
 
The 2LT 4-cylinder had mirror-finish wheels, which I liked way less than the dark, polished wheels on the cheaper 1LT that we have.
 
I like the feel of the suede inserts myself, although ours doesn't have them.

#15748 of 18080 GM Pickups revealed by ateixeira

Dec 13, 2012 (9:28 am)

It's life or death for GM, these must succeed, no Plan B:
 
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2012/12/the-all-new-2014-gmc-sierra-1500-revealed.h- tml

#15749 of 18080 Re: GM Pickups revealed [ateixeira] by gagrice

Dec 13, 2012 (9:59 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Dec 13, 2012 9:28 am)
Will they still get lousy 15-16 MPG combined? I kind of like the looks of them. With a V6 Diesel they would be a good choice and leapfrog the competition.
 
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/12/13/2014-chevrolet-silverado-and-gmc-sierr- a-revealed/

Messages Page 1575 of 1808

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