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

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

Messages Page 684 of 727: 1; ...; 681; 682; 683; 684; 685; 686; 687; ...; 727; Prev; Next; Last

#6827 of 7263 Re: You know what's funny? [andres3] by cooterbfd Dec 17, 2008 (3:01 pm)
Replying to: andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 12:16 pm) That's exactly what we are saying. I'm not saying that the issues you bring up are meritless, as they do have plenty of merit, but what GM has been able to do is restructure their debt as needed, using the credit to pay for things while saving their cash. Now we are in a "credit freeze" and none of the banks are lending the money. So, they must burn through their cash, and now push has come to shove. BTW the employees DON'T make $70/hr That's a FALLACY!!! Their loaded rate is compareable to others in the industry. It is the legacy costs of the retirees that are costing them a total of about $70 per man hr. The new contract is supposed to rectify this added cost, but with bankruptcy hanging heavy, everything is in flux now. Replies to this message: gagrice (Dec 17, 2008 4:30 pm) cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 7:34 pm)
#6828 of 7263 Re: On a SIDE note [andres3] by cooterbfd Dec 17, 2008 (3:05 pm)
Replying to: andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 2:23 pm) "..... lead on reliability, durability, and picture quality on their TV's and Monitors, and flat screens." HAAAA!!! Tell that to my parents, whose Sony TV was always dark (They've had it 2.5 yrs). If not for the extended warranty, it would've cost $1200 for a new projector. Replies to this message: steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 4:19 pm) andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 4:30 pm) cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 7:36 pm)
#6829 of 7263 Re: On a SIDE note [cooterbfd] by steve_ HOST Dec 17, 2008 (4:19 pm)
Replying to: cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 3:05 pm) Back to cars, Chrysler to Close Manufacturing Plants for a Month Starting Friday. Pretty soon we'll have nothing new to talk about but TVs. Replies to this message: andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 4:30 pm) cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 7:36 pm)
#6830 of 7263 Re: You know what's funny? [cooterbfd] by gagrice Dec 17, 2008 (4:30 pm)
Replying to: cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 3:01 pm) BTW the employees DON'T make $70/hr That's a FALLACY!!! I agree that todays UAW worker is paying for retirees health care. Quite similar to current SS and Medicare payments taken from the working man's pocket. It can be blamed on the UAW that was part of that overly ambitious health care program. When those contracts were concocted there was over a million employees in the UAW. Now there is less than 1/2 million working members. And a lot more retirees than contributors. That means more per hour has to be paid to cover the costs. Those are costs that the Imports had enough sense to avoid. Blame it on whomever you like. It is still part of the hourly cost of doing business. For every dollar more the B3 put into labor the Imports can increase quality in content while maintaining equal pricing. Replies to this message: cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 7:34 pm)
#6831 of 7263 Re: On a SIDE note [steve_] by andres3 Dec 17, 2008 (4:30 pm)
Replying to: steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 4:19 pm) Maybe if Chrysler equipped their vehicles with SONY Monitors/TV's, Sony Blu-Ray DVD players, Polk Audio speakers, and a Harmon Kardon or Denon amp, their sales would go through the roof! Replies to this message: cooterbfd (Dec 17, 2008 7:36 pm)
#6832 of 7263 Re: On a SIDE note [andres3] by imidazol97 Dec 17, 2008 (5:29 pm)
Replying to: andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 2:23 pm) >Vizio Who makes Vizio? Replies to this message: gagrice (Dec 17, 2008 5:36 pm) m1miata (Dec 17, 2008 10:30 pm) steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 10:54 pm)
#6833 of 7263 Re: On a SIDE note [imidazol97] by gagrice Dec 17, 2008 (5:36 pm)
Replying to: imidazol97 (Dec 17, 2008 5:29 pm) VIZIO quickly skyrocketed to the top by becoming the #1 selling brand of flat panel HDTV’s in North America and became the first American brand in over a decade to lead major categories in 2007 U.S. TV sales. VIZIO has sold more than 5-Million flat panel televisions in the U.S. alone. My guess is the products are made in China. However the profits stay in the USA. That is a plus. Looking at them side by side with a Sony, you would not buy Vizio unless money was the only issue. They are the entry level flat screen for the masses. Replies to this message: m1miata (Dec 17, 2008 10:30 pm) steve_ (Dec 17, 2008 10:54 pm)
#6834 of 7263 Re: You know what's funny? [gagrice] by cooterbfd Dec 17, 2008 (7:34 pm)
Replying to: gagrice (Dec 17, 2008 4:30 pm) What I don't understand is why the healthcare payments aren't made out of the pension fund, which is overfunded by some $20 billion.
#6835 of 7263 Re: On a SIDE note [andres3] by cooterbfd Dec 17, 2008 (7:36 pm)
Replying to: andres3 (Dec 17, 2008 4:30 pm) Maybe if the Germans had treated them as the equals they claimed them to be when they "merged" instead of the red-headed bastard child, they'd be better off too.
#6836 of 7263 Re: Thought of the Year [circlew] by oldcem Dec 17, 2008 (7:38 pm)
Replying to: circlew (Dec 17, 2008 4:31 am) OW: Don't know much about SUVs - never owned one.. I have to buy 4 door Midsizers to comply with my company's auto reimbursement plan. When I was shopping for a replacement vehicle in May, the Honda and Toyota dealers here wanted about $30K ( total out of pocket including financing) to fix me up with a vehicle comparably equipped to the Saturn Aura I bought for $20, 005 (Total out of Pocket including financing). Hyundai could basically match the price I got on the Saturn, but, were $2K lower on the trade allowance, and couldn't match the financing package. Regards: OldCEM Replies to this message: circlew (Dec 18, 2008 3:57 am) dieselone (Dec 18, 2008 4:40 am) andre1969 (Dec 18, 2008 5:21 am) gagrice (Dec 18, 2008 8:20 am) grbeck (Dec 18, 2008 8:20 am) lemko (Dec 18, 2008 12:59 pm) and 1 more... obyone (Dec 18, 2008 9:24 am) fezo (Dec 18, 2008 12:18 pm) circlew (Dec 18, 2008 12:42 pm) and 16 more... oldcem (Dec 18, 2008 8:48 pm)