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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?
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Replying to: cooterbfd (Oct 22, 2008 11:43 am) Speaking earlier of early 80s American cars I saw a Citation yesterday! Is there another car in the last three decades that did more to kill GM's reputation? This was a two door in white. looked its age but was still going. I am constantly amazed at the mpg numbers one can pull out of old Park Avenues and such. There are times when there's a lot to be said for simpler old technology and buying cars by the pound...
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Replying to: fezo (Oct 22, 2008 8:27 am) Even if domestic automakers assemble cars and pay workers in say, Canada or Mexico, the profits ultimately go back to the home country's companies. Those profits are what help develop new models, more factories and workers in the U.S. The kind of thinking demonstrated here is one reason why U.S. automakers are flailing so badly. Just because a Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, or BMW are put together in the U.S., this does NOT make them an American car and the profits made from those cars do ultimately go back to Japan or Germany; depending on the brand. If Americans do not care about their own industries, don't care about how the government runs the nation or anything else, then any one of those that claim to be a "patriot" is a full on flaming hypocrite.
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Replying to: fezo (Oct 22, 2008 12:14 pm) Sad to see Chrysler cut up and disassembled as a company. Alas, we saw that train wreck a coming down the rail.  As I told the salesman, some months back, that, " is that lifetime warranty for the car or the life of the company?"
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Replying to: myershift (Oct 22, 2008 1:07 pm) At this late stage of the game, perhaps an emergency meeting by the Unions, and the workers taking a 1/4 to 1/3 cut in pay, and paying their own health insurance until the company is back on its feet, is in order. And those retired should take a cut in benefits too. The management should then announce similar cuts for executives. I fear there is no easy solution to GM having too many different brands, and dealerships. They need but Chevy and Caddy, but have no easy way to get there, other than bankruptcy. And that would hurt confidence in owning the cars, thus future customers may shy away. I foresee the US government owning some car company stock, along with bank stocks, within the year. But not Chrysler. -Loren
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Replying to: m1miata (Oct 22, 2008 1:19 pm) My cars were made of at least 65% American parts. Parts made in the USA. Profits from making those parts goo to the suppliers. A large piece of making these was made in paying the labor - 100% American. Once you sort it all out and get down to the actual profit in the car it gets paid to the shareholders. Whether you buy a Toyota, Honda, Chevy, Ford or whatever these people are located all over the world. The idea that Japanese buy Japanese stocks while Americans buy American stocks doesn't hold up.
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Replying to: fezo (Oct 22, 2008 1:46 pm) Remember T.V.? Admiral, anyone? When you make it better, customers take notice. Period. You can't set a price and then give your profits away in incentives to grow sales year after year. Not with a flawed cost base. Oh, and disregard market changes. Reminds me of the British army in the Revolutionary War. Never break formation. OK, easy picken's! Too bad GM did not see their formation being picked off by the Asians. Look out below! Regards, OW
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Replying to: circlew (Oct 22, 2008 1:57 pm)
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Replying to: fezo (Oct 22, 2008 2:22 pm) Does anybody even make tv's in the United States anymore?
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Replying to: andre1969 (Oct 22, 2008 4:15 pm) I'd guess not in the last 25 years. It's sad to say, but I was happy that my Sony LCD I bought a few years ago was made in Japan and not China.
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Its not consumers' jobs to continue to support companies who produce inferior goods. Indeed, continued support to date is the only reason the "Big three" even continue to exist. Chrysler would have gotten out of business already were it not for past government intervention. Supporting mediocrity encourages such behavior, Sure, the big three have improved their products, sbut o has the competition. All things being equal I'd rather buy American, but at this point an american car manufactuer would have to prove a superior product, not just be on par with the imports. I'll save my money and spend it on other American goods and services worthy of my hard earned dollar. The big three focused on short term prfotability without considering long term consequences. They overpaid their workers and retirees (which was supportable at one time), did not invest in product development and caught with their pants down when gas went through the roof in the seventies. They've failed to learn from that mistake and repeated it again in the present. No sympathy here.
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