Too late
 

Self-centered for sure. But that aside. In Sept 1985, the U.S. became a debtor nation and not long after became the #1 debtor nation. We continued to roll along and haven't looked back since. It would be nice to turn the ship around but, unfortunately, it doesn't seem we have what it takes anymore. We must try to compete in the world. We can no longer be isolationist. Indeed, I don't understand why foreigners continue to take our worthless greenbacks. That may sound harsh, but consider that China holds $1.6 Trillion in treasuries. Let's hope they don't cash out all at once. I suppose we have a mutual interest at this point, China continues to finance our debt and we continue to buy their products. Unless we get smart, we'll be the big losers some day. For now, maybe keep shopping at Walmart.

I think the vast majority of cars we buy are at least assembled in this country.

Many GM cars are made with non-US parts anyway. And some, as mentioned, are assembled in Canada.

We need to learn the new economy or we are doomed. Being isolationist won't help (in my opinion).

I worked on Honda motorcycles from 1976 to 1980 . In 1980 I was lucky enough to switched to Honda cars. In 1985 I started my own independent Honda auto service business. American Honda Motor Company made it possible for me and all the people that I employed to make a very good living.

In the 70s and 80s , american auto manufacturers made crap. You should all be thanking the foreign manufacturers and the americans that turned to MUCH higher quality cars for the US turning things around. The only reason the "big 3" are now making much higher quality is because so many people got fed up with their poor quality and the US companys had to do something. Can you imagine how bad their product would be now if we continued to buy their low quality cars and did not vote with our pocket books by buying foreign?

My father, a WWII vet , said he would never buy any "japanese" cars. After his brand new caddy needed 2 new transmissioins in its first 6 months, he finally switched to Lexus.

The US manufactures and their unions made their bed, and then they had to lay in it. When your workers are making $80 and hour in pay and benifits with no fear of being fired for poor quality work, what kind of product do you think they will make? You have to have incentive, innovation, fear of job loss if you dont perform, and produce quality or you will not survive.

It is NOT the lazy american worker that is the problem. It is poor management and labor unions. When Honda decided to make all their Accords that were shipped east of the Mississippi in Marysville Ohio, many Honda buyers were worried that quality would drop. I saw NO drop in quality in US made Accords and I heard surveys that showed the US Accord was 99% as well built as its Japanese counterpart. But Marysville had no union and great management. Workers there were able to make a great quality car.

I am retired now and look fondly at servicing such a high quality product. 90% of my business was just routine service and replacement of wear items (brakes, timing belts, etc ). American Honda Motor Company was first rate. They were willing to stand behind their cars. I remember when the 90-91 Accord had distributors that were failing after 8 years or more.. I replaced distributors on cars with 135000 miles that Honda paid for because those distributors should have lasted the life of the car.

Anyone that buys a Honda or Toyota ( including Acura and Lexus ) should expect 200000 miles on their engine and trans with no failures. I also see upstart Hyundai making great strides also. Are US manufacturers making a very good product now??? Yes, they have come a long way and are beginning to nip at the heels of Honda and Toyota. THEY HAD NO CHOICE. It was either greatly increase their quality to compete with the Japanese or die.

Many of you die hard "buy american" people will not like what i have said here. Take a minute and let it set in before you start the hate. Do you really think that US cars in the 70s and 80s and 90s were as good as Honda and Toyota? Do you think that the US would have as good as quality today if those unpatriotic americans had not bought foreign?? Those people that bought foreign have probably saved the US manufacturers in the long run.

jeff

Jeff:

You hit the nail on the head for sure. Any consumer should read the yearly April issue of Consumers Reports before they buy. Read the repair records on the American cars. Look at the cars to avoid.Yes the American companies have come a long way but they still have a long way to catch up.
:BigApplause::BigApplause:

Compare my experiences with two cars, one Japanese and one American. The American car was delivered to me with the hood sitting 2-3" lower than the cowl. When I complained, I was told,"Geez, they are made by human beings!" No offer to fix it. I had to go to the sale manager before someone would agree it needed to be fixed. Later that day I returned to pick up my car. Guess what I saw. They had bent the corners of the hood up to meet the cowl. I had to go back to the sales manager again to get approval to repair it correctly.

With the Japanese car, out of warranty, I took it in for routine maintenance. When I picked it up, the service manager asked to see me and asked if I could leave the car for a few days. He told me he noticed the nylon fabric inserts in my interior were degrading and the manufacturer was unhappy this was showing up in some of their cars. So they were replacing the upholstery at their expense with ones that did not have the nylon inserts. Two days later I got my car back with a brand new interior. Out of warranty.

The problem the American companies are having is that those who had bad experiences with their autos in the 70's and 80's and were treated like I was are going to be skeptical about their quality devotion. We remember the Pinto, the Vega, the K cars, and don't want to sink hard-earned money into similar junk. I remember years ago researching used cars in Consumer Reports and seeing the difference in reliability for foreign cars versus American cars 4-5 years after purchase. The difference was astounding. So they are going to have to address the perception of poorer quality before they can entice buyers of foreign brands back to their cars.

Patriotism
 

I think that any reasonable person reading most of the previous post here would realize that neither union busting, nor lack of patriotism, nor lack of sensitivity for American workers is driving the car buying decisions of consumers. If they build a better car-as good or better than those with foreign names, I am positive that we would buy them.

PS:chilout that assumes that the prices are competitive

Cars
 

With all the conversations about our UNIONS today I would like to think they care for the American people but they don't. That being said the American car Cameo is being build in Canada. Remember is all about the almighty buck and don't let anyone tell you any different. I don't trust any unions anymore, I use to work for one years ago.

Oh yeah.... The U.S Made in Georgia Kia.. I heard that the laid off GM workers in Georgia were real glad to find a job with Kia when their GM plant closed..... We should also mention the New tire plant that was built in Macon, GA to build the KUMHO brand tires for the new Kia SORENTO auto plant. Those 2500 rubber workers and truck drivers and support suppliers are real happy to be working and spending their Dollars earned at the Korean plants right here in the USA. .......But what do I know ....I buy all my gasoline at SAMS CLUB or the Murphys gas station that WalMart owns....Oh I remember why I buy my gas there....it is all Domestic production Crude oil that is refined right here in the USA with US workers and US truck drivers doing the deliveries.

Support our country, Buy american
 

I was born in America, I have always lived in America, and I will die as an American, Therefore I will always support the American economy at all costs! I also know people who have American made cars and trucks that they have driven well over 200,000 miles. Especially Ford and GM. If you take pride in your car and service it as recommended, you will also own your American car or truck for many years.

Admirable and I always had American cars until this past year. I got a great deal on a Toyota for my daughter and after driving it and noting the quality, I traded in the last American car I had and bought a Toyota.

Everyone who is adamant about buying USA built goods, does this apply to everything you buy or just automobiles ? For example, almost all consumer computers these days are completely designed, developed, tested and built overseas someplace. Then, the label of the company (Dell, etc) is placed on it and it is shipped from China or Taiwan or another place like that. Same with software. Much of the "US companies" software is actually architected and developed overseas and then shipped using the "American companies" logo.

Which would you rather have, American companies who have all their work offshored or international companies who have manufacturing and development facilities in the US ? It is all about money.

American or Foreign?
 

I drive a Japanese Honda Accord made in Marysville, Ohio. Best of both worlds.

I own two cars. One Ford Explorer (made in USA) and one Volkswagen (made in Germany).

Explorer: The bad, all the time some repairs. Second alternator, third starter, need alignment all 6 month (drive just on highway), Electric has when car is cold flicker and goes up and down and many more problems.

The good: All parts are very inexpensive and easy to repair.

Volkswagen: The good. Nothing ever was wrong, just the regular waer parts.
And is build with high standards and quality.
The Bad: All the parts are very expensive, almost triple price compare to American parts.

And the resume: I love both of my cars in different ways, and I do not care about the origin.

American? Foreign?
 

I drive a Pontiac. Obviously, that's American, though now an orphan killed off by GM.

Or is it American? I drive a Pontiac Vibe (which was killed off even before the whole Pontiac line). It was made in Carmichael, CA ... in a Toyota plant. And, I'm told, is a clone of the Toyota Matrix.

BTW, I bought it used. At a Honda dealer.

An international economy, right here in North Florida.

I don't think it is a union's business what type of car an employee drives. The antics by union people as explained in earlier post upset me. During the bailouts the unions undeservingly received a % of the business while legitimate creditors (bondholders) lost their right of claim. The government will always contend that the bailout was necessary but it was not and if allowed to go through bankrputcy procedures would have come out of it just fine.

After the bailout were complee the unions asked for all the concessions they made to be returned and a week later the top management of GM divided millions in bonus to each of them

I was in the process of buying a car and because of the unions demand for return of concessions and senior management division of millions I called the Cadillac agent and told him I would not complete my sale with him and had given him the reason. I purchased a comparable Honda product which was my first choice but ...I wanted to buy American The problem is these American Auto Mfg could care less anymore about having pride in working toward brand loyalty.

Up until January of this year we had a Pontiac Vibe too (great car!). Yes it is the exact same car as the Toyota Matrix with different body work. All Toyota mechanicals. The interiors are identical. We preffered the exterior styling of the Vibe vs. Matrix.

BUY made in USA
 

With the state of the economy, we need to buy products made or assembled in the USA. Your children and grandchildren's futures depend. Washington is talking about cutting SS and medicare now. The funding comes from payroll taxes in the USA not some foreign country!
Not "self serving" we do not have children and are 9 years from collecting SS, just an American for 56 years.

I will buy all goods with an "MADE IN USA" label on them. And yes, everyone knows that you cannot purchase ALL items only made in the U.S you are not the only person in the world that has this knowledge. And furthermore "my" "personal" opinion is that the new american manufacturers have the same quality as Toyota or Nissan etc. "And "my personal" opinion is people who purchase Toyota vs. American manufacturers have a bias and only look as far as Toyota and never even look at a Chevrolet, Chrysler, or Ford product and see the "true quality" these new products do have.

I agree and that includes the big three automakers but also includes Toyota, Honda, Hyundai etc that all have manufacturing plants here in the USA

Cars/Unions
 

Can't one support teachers and not a union?.....My BMW was made in South Carolina; I'm a retired educator.