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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#6929 of 7263 {They've got to} Show us the MONEY! by wtd44 Jan 28, 2009 (3:21 pm)
Perhaps there is a derivable formula that can quantify the balance between capital and labor provided by Americans, versus capital and labor provided by foreign countries. Canada is not 100% foreign, just face it. We are them and they are us, to some degree. Labor is a pretty easy entity to identify, so we can say that if an item is not labor, then we will place it in the other category (capital). Now! The idea is to quantify all input into producing a vehicle. I will want to favor the situations in which this imperfect mathematical contrivance seems to show the greatest monetary/numerical preponderance in the American side of the equation. Does this make any sense at all? Replies to this message: gagrice (Jan 28, 2009 6:52 pm)
#6930 of 7263 Re: Chrysler T & C [imidazol97] by xrunner2 Jan 28, 2009 (3:35 pm)
Replying to: imidazol97 (Jan 28, 2009 3:12 pm) A foreign company possibly closing a plant in US and moving elsewhere? Why pick on foreigns? Haven't American/US based companies been closing factories in the US and moving production outside the US for "DECADES"? Where is the allegiance of thousands of American companies?
#6931 of 7263 Re: Chrysler T & C [imidazol97] by wvgasguy Jan 28, 2009 (4:00 pm)
Replying to: imidazol97 (Jan 28, 2009 3:12 pm) It's better to have a US company building in Mexico and Canada, our friends, that by a company of a foreign nation who has no allegiance to us and can close that factory and move production elsewhere on a whim or a retaliation move. I have not heard of any "foreign" companies doing that, but there are many American companies demanding tax cuts and other concessions from states and local governments with the threat of moving if they don't get what they want. Even Pro Sports Teams are guilty of that, It's the American way. I'm sure the foreign's will learn that from us Remember too that the money that goes back to the corporation actually goes back to the stockholder. In 2003 when the new 350Z came out I bought Nissan stock along with the Z. The stock performed a lot better than the car on the short term. I cashed in on both and lost on the car and made a good profit on the stock. When American companies make cars in foreign countries, the only thing we'll get here are dividends if we own their stock. And if you own their stock right now you're probably wishing you had bought Toyota or Nissan instead. Replies to this message: fezo (Jan 28, 2009 4:38 pm) 62vetteefp (Jan 29, 2009 5:20 am)
#6932 of 7263 Re: Chrysler T & C [wvgasguy] by fezo Jan 28, 2009 (4:38 pm)
Replying to: wvgasguy (Jan 28, 2009 4:00 pm) Building and closing plants is always an interesting bit of "what will you do for me" and "what have you done for me lately?" We had a huge Ford plant in Mahwah, NJ. It opened in 1955 with a 25 year sweetheart deal on the property taxes. Exactly 25 years later Ford chained the gate and left. 29 years after that they are still dealing with all of the junk Ford dumped nearby. While it was going it was a massive money machine for the locals.
#6933 of 7263 Re: {They've got to} Show us the MONEY! [wtd44] by gagrice Jan 28, 2009 (6:52 pm)
Replying to: wtd44 (Jan 28, 2009 3:21 pm) Canada is not 100% foreign, just face it. We are them and they are us, to some degree Not exactly. We have a big trade deficit with Canada. They are our number one Oil supplier, Mexico may still be number 2. Canada probably builds better cars than their counterparts in Detroit. However I have not forgiven them for destroying the US lumber business when BC subsidized their logging industry and put a lot of our people out of work. Canada is a very rich nation in resources. Just not run very well.
#6934 of 7263 Re: Intersting reading [captain2] by dave8697 Jan 28, 2009 (7:40 pm)
Replying to: captain2 (Jan 28, 2009 9:19 am) Plain and simple...GM improved their warranty because they knew the products were reliable and therefore it would also be affordable. Replies to this message: captain2 (Jan 29, 2009 7:16 am) grbeck (Jan 29, 2009 7:41 am) captain2 (Jan 29, 2009 8:26 am) and 1 more... 62vetteefp (Jan 29, 2009 8:30 am) gagrice (Jan 29, 2009 8:56 am) and 1 more... captain2 (Jan 29, 2009 9:04 am) and 13 more... circlew (Jan 29, 2009 1:47 pm)
#6935 of 7263 Re: Chrysler T & C [wvgasguy] by 62vetteefp Jan 29, 2009 (5:20 am)
Replying to: wvgasguy (Jan 28, 2009 4:00 pm) When American companies make cars in foreign countries, the only thing we'll get here are dividends if we own their stock. And if you own their stock right now you're probably wishing you had bought Toyota or Nissan instead. What about all the engineers and everything else at the home country? A plant only has a couple thousand employees, most at non professional wages, while the engineering/corporate facility has 10's of thousands at professional wages.
#6936 of 7263 Re: Chrysler T & C [imidazol97] by mikefm58 Jan 29, 2009 (6:19 am)
Replying to: imidazol97 (Jan 28, 2009 3:12 pm) It's better to have a US company building in Mexico and Canada, our friends, that by a company of a foreign nation who has no allegiance to us and can close that factory and move production elsewhere on a whim or a retaliation move. Our friends? Get real, will you. There are no "friends" in business. Close that factory and move elsewhere on a whim? What planet do you live on? American companies have been doing that for decades. Last time I called Delta customer service, someone with an Indian accent named "Frank" answered and I couldn't understand his English. My own company just moved part of their help desk to Puerto Rico. But that's OK right? Isn't Puerto Rico one of our "friends" too? Replies to this message: lemko (Jan 29, 2009 6:22 am) mikefm58 (Jan 29, 2009 6:31 am) fezo (Jan 29, 2009 6:57 am) and 2 more... imidazol97 (Jan 29, 2009 7:01 am) steve_ (Jan 29, 2009 7:26 am) gagrice (Jan 29, 2009 8:50 am)
#6937 of 7263 Re: Chrysler T & C [mikefm58] by lemko Jan 29, 2009 (6:22 am)
Replying to: mikefm58 (Jan 29, 2009 6:19 am) Puerto Rico is a U.S. possession. Replies to this message: mikefm58 (Jan 29, 2009 6:31 am) fezo (Jan 29, 2009 6:57 am) cooterbfd (Jan 29, 2009 3:20 pm) and 1 more...
#6938 of 7263 Re: Chrysler T & C [lemko] by mikefm58 Jan 29, 2009 (6:31 am)
Replying to: lemko (Jan 29, 2009 6:22 am) Puerto Rico is a U.S. possession Yes it is, I knew that already, just making a point. All companies will move business around, even to a neighboring state if it makes good business sense. Replies to this message: fezo (Jan 29, 2009 6:57 am) cooterbfd (Jan 29, 2009 3:20 pm) fezo (Jan 29, 2009 6:37 pm)