Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Automotive News & Views Buying American Cars What Does It Mean?
7263 messages, Last post on May 27, 2009 at 4:31 AM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
With parts coming from everywhere, does "Buying American" have much meaning anymore? Is quality and price the bottom line?
|
|
|---|---|
|
Replying to: dave8697 (Sep 26, 2008 4:38 pm) Everyone does, that is why they live here. That is why everyone wants to come here and people risk their lives to do it. The media runs this country and shapes the thoughts of enough people to get the polls to show we have no confidence in each other or our system. I think the media is showing that the system is broken. I think its our job to help fix it. Its not the time to give up and go home, its the time to figure out how to fix things and do it. The news? all we heard was how violence in Iraq was this and that. When the violence went down, there WAS NO NEWS about it. At the same time, when the military went through and destroyed a 1000 years of cultural artifacts in the region, there was no news about that either. I agree that they over-sensationalize violence but at the same time, there isn't a lot of demand for stories about things that are okay. Maybe you can name a few towns where housing has gone down in real dollars since 2001. Michigan, not just automotive towns, Pfizer left Ann Arbor and put things in the pooper there too. Flint is the scenario you were describing though. I know a couple of people that just got great deals on foreclosures in Orlando and Tampa, and the condos on the west coast seem to be bottoming out. I just think the auto industry is worth saving. I agree. Every other nation treats their auto industry as a partner in growth and development and in the US its treated like a red-head step child. With regard to the military. Freedom isn't free. $100 Billion a year for military procurement was cut to $90 Billion when Clinton became president. So he saved 10 billion dollars with no appreciable change in security? That sounds good so far. I got laid off and had to live away from my family and 8 month old son for almost a year due to that. I am sorry for your misfortune, but apparently the feeling today is the world doesn't owe anyone a job, you and I included. Today the media tells me not to buy an American car because it will cost 500 dollars a year more in true cost compared to a foreign one. Wow that hasn't been my experience. The domestic vehicles I have owned (designed here/built here) have been the best cars I have owned. I actually hadn't seen that anywhere either. I will not ruin my country's base to save 500 a year, as I did not think it was worth 500 a year to destroy our military back in 1992. I didn't realize it had been ruined. All I know is the prior president started a half-a** war and then his kid decided it was a holy war he had to finish while ignoring the real threat. Maybe if our president wasn't a idiot, we wouldn't need to have so much military spending since everyone wouldn't be pissed at us. What I don't understand is since it costs so much to make Fords in Europe, why the hell don't we make them here and ship them back? Get some Euros flowing back, might as well take advantage of a worthless dollar somehow.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: bumpy (Sep 26, 2008 5:09 pm) MR2 Spyder I stand by my initial comment. |
|
|
Replying to: larsb (Sep 26, 2008 1:40 pm) 
|
|
|
Replying to: lilengineerboy (Sep 26, 2008 5:46 pm) You are EXTREMELY lucky! Only recently has quality improved incrementally but not faster than the worlds best. Second at best in desirability and quality. The market continues to speak. Perhaps soon the entire US model will be forced into severe improvements. The products currently offered will not exhibit a bright future, IMHO. A glimmer here or there is not enough. Regards, OW
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: circlew (Sep 26, 2008 7:09 pm) Its based on perception. The Malibu and Fusion are both valid entries in their competitive set as are the Accord and Camry. They appeal to different buyers who are looking for different things from their vehicles. The reliability of recent model Ford vehicles is in with Toyota and Honda in both JD powers and CR. Ford had so much trouble with the dealers complaining about a lack of warranty work they helped them open quick lube places to offset the revenue. It is going to take a while for everyone who had to replace the head gasket on their Windstar or the transmission on their Taurus to trust Ford again. Likewise every X-body owner or worse yet, Vega owner, is going to have a healing process before they trust GM again. And you can ask that bitter kid with the lemon Neon about Chrysler. The market is changing, its a good time overall. The products currently offered will not exhibit a bright future, IMHO. A glimmer here or there is not enough. The new Fiesta seems like it will be a great ride, the Saturn Astra is a great ride. The Fusion will have all kinds of drive-trains in 2010 and the Saturn Aura/Chevy Mailbu platform is a valid entry into the class. The Taurus offers a lot of value in the full size car arena. Do they have drawbacks or short-comings? Yes I can think of a few already, but I can also think of a few in their competitors. It is going to take a while. Some people are never going to buy a domestic car. They are done. Neon dude is in that list. But others, like grad-something dude's parents picked up a Taurus and it hasn't blown up yet. My neighbor got a CTS and seems to like it. It just takes a while. |
|
|
Replying to: circlew (Sep 26, 2008 7:09 pm) Needing to own what is percieved to be the best of a type, where all in the type are mid level anyway, gets you to what, the next level? Where does it land your country? Severe improvements? Am I in the right country? |
|
|
"Abandon your own country because of .3 of a problem per hundred cars" You're correct that U.S. quality isn't as bad (anymore) as people say. But I apply your standard of abandonment to the U.S. automakers. I question how they could move their factories to foreign countries just to boost their stock prices, while continuing to wave the flag in our faces. Seems the only time THEY get patriotic is when they need some cash -- $25 billion, or so. Obviously, Mexico isn't going to "loan" them any money. And the drug cartels that run that country would probably kill the auto execs just for asking. No sympathy for GM, Ford, or whatever Chrysler is these days. They took full advantage of the poverty and corruption created by our southern neighbor when times were good. Now they want to come crying home to mamma when times are bad. I don't think so. |
|
|
Replying to: circlew (Sep 26, 2008 7:09 pm) Well. Most of the rags will tell you that American quality is BETTER than the Europeans, and gaining on the Japanese, though not there yet. But you are right, the European cars are more desirable right now.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: dave8697 (Sep 26, 2008 4:38 pm) Amen.  >Today the media tells me not to buy an American car because it will cost 500 dollars a year more in true cost compared to a foreign one. They don't include the typical service patterns and the extra addons at many "in demand" foreign car stores in their basis. The US brand cars come out better in overall cost. But the media and some others slant the attitudes of the public. 
|
|
|
Replying to: cooterbfd (Sep 27, 2008 4:42 am) The latest problem was the air-bag sensor decided to fail. This occurred on the same day she took the car to the dealer to check out an Engine Light. That turned out to be a loose gas cap and we took the car home. After 2 hours, the Air Bag Service light came on and we took the truck back where it was determined the sensor failed. $600 after negotiations to eliminate the tax! This was not covered by the extended warranty so this one cost me. My small example makes a difference to me and even my wife does not want to buy ANY US produced vehicle, period. (She liked the Enclave but will NOT have more problems with GM junk). I understand the imports have had their problems also. The point, to me, is when you are loyal but things never change, and then you taste the better products made elsewhere, you'd be nuts not to try the competition. If you are happy with US products, more power to ya. My BMW is an example of a taste of a premium product which delivers satisfaction in spades. Yea, Caddy's CTS is getting better but it took near disaster to provide a competitive product?? Typical dumb business strategy. I had a Lincoln LS, 2003, which added 300 higher quality parts to the previous generation. While the car was good, this BMW is great. I plan to buy my daughter an import when she gets her license in 2 years. My wife wants a Toyota or Honda and she NEVER follows the auto industry at all. Go figure. Regards, OW
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Automotive News & Views Buying American Cars What Does It Mean?
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
