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?

Outline

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#6807 of 7263 Re: I still have to wonder [bpizzuti] by 62vetteefp Dec 15, 2008 (6:14 am)
Replying to: bpizzuti (Dec 15, 2008 5:46 am) But the point was that there are not another 5 levels of management at GM over Toyota between the CEO and the guy on the floor. Maybe one but I am just not familiar with the Toyota system. I think we can agree the plant manager at either concern is not giving direct orders to the floor guys. From there on I do know that at the GM plants I worked at the guys under the plant manager were very concerned with and were on the floor on a daily basis seeing what was going on in their areas. And these area managers (body shop, trim, paint, etc.) are in charge of more than just the hourly workers and their supervision (used to call them General Foreman and Foremans) but also on quality and efficiency and everything else in their area. From what I can tell they do not have General Foremans any more. They have guys in charge of shifts responsible for everything also. Guess I would call them General Foremans.
#6808 of 7263 Re: Thought of the Year [joshuag] by andres3 Dec 16, 2008 (4:32 pm)
Replying to: joshuag (Dec 10, 2008 5:27 pm) Maybe lazy is the wrong word for UAW workers. How about sloppy uncraftsmenlike unprofessional work ethics and pride??? It was probably UAW workers that built my Dodge Neon afterall. Maybe they weren't being lazy, but they were definitely careless, negligent, and unattentive.
#6809 of 7263 Re: Thought of the Year [oldcem] by andres3 Dec 16, 2008 (4:37 pm)
Replying to: oldcem (Dec 10, 2008 9:43 pm) When I buy expensive cars like yours, I negotiate for a factory extended warranty no matter who builds it. If I had paid $1 for an extended warranty on my 2003 Accord V6 Coupe, it would have been an utter and total waste of that dollar as that dollar would have been nuch better spent on GM stock shares rather than extended Honda warranties. LOL! Replies to this message: oldcem (Dec 16, 2008 8:09 pm) circlew (Dec 17, 2008 4:31 am) gagrice (Dec 17, 2008 6:52 am) and 2 more... oldcem (Dec 17, 2008 7:38 pm) and 27 more...
#6810 of 7263 If the Big 3 get Bailout Monies!!!! by andres3 Dec 16, 2008 (6:57 pm)
I'm going to have a hole burning in my wallet and pockets to dump a load of cash on a 2008 Acura TL or 2009 Honda EX Coupe V6 or 2007 335i or 2009 Audi A3 or 2009 370Z. If I win the lottery, I'm getting an R8. Too bad I don't play the lottery.
#6811 of 7263 Re: Thought of the Year [andres3] by oldcem Dec 16, 2008 (8:09 pm)
Replying to: andres3 (Dec 16, 2008 4:37 pm) I'm glad you're getting good service out of your Accord. However, if you get a Honda like the last 2 I bought you'll wish you had the extended warranty. Sorry, I don't buy into the mythical reliability of Japanese cars based on my family's experience with them, and, will not pay premium prices to own one. Regards: OldCEM Replies to this message: circlew (Dec 17, 2008 4:31 am) gagrice (Dec 17, 2008 6:52 am) circlew (Dec 17, 2008 10:38 am) atb2 (Dec 18, 2008 8:42 pm) oldcem (Dec 17, 2008 7:38 pm) circlew (Dec 18, 2008 3:57 am) and 26 more...
#6812 of 7263 This was interesting by dieselone Dec 16, 2008 (8:15 pm)
My '07 Expedition had developed a severe exhaust rattle the past week. It sounded like a loose heat shield. It got to the point where it was driving me nuts, so I decided to take a look to see what was loose before making a trip to the dealer. Well, I got underneath and was looking around the drivers side exhaust before the Y where the exhaust combines to the muffler. I was looking at the heat shield where the clanking was coming from. You'll never guess what I found. A Snap-On LED flashlight! No joke, it was sitting between the heat shield and a frame cross-member adjacent to the transmission. The only thing I can think of is I had the trans serviced by a Ford dealer back in July. The tech must have left it up there when he was servicing the trans. I can't imagine that it came from the factory. The flash light still works but it's pretty beat up with some heat damage. I'm debating whether I should return it to the dealer, I'm sure it's an expensive light. I don't have a charger to recharge the battery and the on/off switch is on its last leg.
#6813 of 7263 Re: Thought of the Year [oldcem] by circlew Dec 17, 2008 (4:31 am)
Replying to: oldcem (Dec 16, 2008 8:09 pm) Considering I paid $22,500 for a 2008 AWD CR-V EX (which is the same price I paid in 1997 for my GP GTP), I hardly consider that a premium price. I cross-shopped an Equinox and it was a premium to theCR-V. Regards, OW Replies to this message: gagrice (Dec 17, 2008 6:52 am) circlew (Dec 17, 2008 10:38 am) atb2 (Dec 18, 2008 8:42 pm) oldcem (Dec 17, 2008 7:38 pm) circlew (Dec 18, 2008 3:57 am) dieselone (Dec 18, 2008 4:40 am) andre1969 (Dec 18, 2008 5:21 am) and 4 more... obyone (Dec 18, 2008 9:24 am) and 18 more... oldcem (Dec 18, 2008 8:48 pm)
#6814 of 7263 Re: Thought of the Year [circlew] by gagrice Dec 17, 2008 (6:52 am)
Replying to: circlew (Dec 17, 2008 4:31 am) I cross-shopped an Equinox While I have not been in the new CRV, I did rent an Equinox for two weeks in Hawaii. That is a rattle trap POC. I usually rent Trailblazers or Explorers. Alamo did not have my Trailblazer when I arrived and gave me an Equinox. I will not settle for that again. Alamo gave me an HHR in Alaska to drive. That is not much of a vehicle either. I have rented over 100 vehicles in the last 25 years. All but 3 were domestic. I do not see a lot of improvement since the 1980s when I rented Ford Thunderbirds almost exclusively every 3 weeks for several years. I liked driving those rental Tbirds from Hertz. I would get consistent 30 MPG on the highway. They were nice driving and quiet. I left Hertz when they quit building the Tbird and put me in a Taurus which I hated the looks. Switched to Alamo and got lots of Grand Prix and the like. I just did not like those cars. I have rented a few Malibus which are better than the Pontiac with the little trunk opening. What were they thinking? I have never bought a new GM or Ford car. From all the Domestics I have driven the 1989 to 1997 Thunderbird was my favorite. Not much else since 1960 that I liked. Now all the PU trucks look like crap. With their plastic bumpers. That is not a truck. They all went down hill in the 1990s and none have come back to what a PU truck should be. HP is not everything. Replies to this message: circlew (Dec 17, 2008 10:38 am) atb2 (Dec 18, 2008 8:42 pm)
#6815 of 7263 UAW at work? by obyone Dec 17, 2008 (9:22 am)
UAW at work?
#6816 of 7263 Re: Thought of the Year [gagrice] by circlew Dec 17, 2008 (10:38 am)
Replying to: gagrice (Dec 17, 2008 6:52 am) That's why the Asians prevail. Affordable, reliable transportation. Seems like their formula has destroyed GM, F and C....along with the economic crisis, which pulled the trigger to put them out of their misery! Regards, OW