Are you proud of your american made automobile ?

[67Cowboy]

Then post your photo and reason at the link below and spread the word to your buddies that are proud of their AMERICAN MADE AUTOMOBILES !!!



http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...=DailyBriefing

[Wrenchbender Ret]

Yes. I drive Buicks. I get 30 MPG. They are dependable & comfortable. I have driven Olds & pont. for many years & always get 2-3 hundred thousand miles out of them. Why anyone would buy a foriegn car is beyond me.

[powell72]

I have never had a vehicle that wasn't made by GM and don't plan on it either, my wife wants a newer Lincoln and it's killing me! I'm trying to talk her into a Buick. I have no use for foreign cars, and I'm a foreign car mechanic.

[big_al_71]

I am very proud to be an american but after working for toyota for 23 years sorry boys and girls they are built in the USA and GM, Ford or Chrysler cant compare..

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by big_al_71

I am very proud to be an american but after working for toyota for 23 years sorry boys and girls they are built in the USA and GM, Ford or Chrysler cant compare..

Originally Posted by powell72

I certainly won't knock Japanese dependability.

I will.

10 - 15 years I may have agreed with you. However, now that Toyotas are equipped with all the options and creature comforts that domestic cars are, they are way less reliable than they used to be. The trannys are junk in a lot of the Tundras and Honda Pilots well as the ball joint failures that have a wrecked (and killed) lots in the Sequoias. There have been recalls on the Sequoias and even the replacement balljoints are prematurely wearing. A guy here in town sued Toyota over this issue because even after the balljoints were replaced on the recall the second set failed and caused his wife to wreck.

When Toyota, Honda, etc were building 2500 lb s---boxes that got 35 mpg but were low on power and features they were a shining beacon of reliability. However, now that they've been forced to Americanize their lineups and build bigger, heavier, more optioned and complicated vehicles, their reliablity has fallen off as well. The reality is that a cheap, simple , effeicient, reliable car isn't good enough for most people. My dad used to say the more you put on it is more tyo tear up, and there is truth to that. Most Americans want a vehicle with every option available including a butt massager, seating for 8 with TONS of cargo space for their evergrowing collection of crap that just HAS to taken with them wherever they go, 350HP and they want it to get 40 mpg. I wanted to marry Kathy Ireland, but that ain't happening either.

[Skirkpat]

Originally Posted by big_al_71

I am very proud to be an american but after working for toyota for 23 years sorry boys and girls they are built in the USA and GM, Ford or Chrysler cant compare..

After working in the Design and Launch division of FoMoCo for 13 years, I think that you should check your facts, being in the industry for so long I am sure that you understand things like warranty claims per 1000 vehicles, you should look at Toyotas, not nearly as impressive as many believe. I wish people would leave personal bias out of the comparison of Foriegn VS. Domestic autos...Toyota builds a great car no question, as do most Forign companys, but the Domestics have gotten a bad rap(yes they deserved it in the 70's and 80's),but like disco and mullets that is old news, they really are just as good, and in some cases better now (look at VW's #'s they are sad).

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by big_al_71

I am very proud to be an american but after working for toyota for 23 years sorry boys and girls they are built in the USA and GM, Ford or Chrysler cant compare..

They may be built in the USA, but that money goes right back to corporate in Japan.

[LuckyHenriksen]

I do love american cars, but I love european cars too. Specifically Volkswagens and Audis. They offer such good handling platforms, eps. all wheel drive models. I DD an '06 Jetta GLI and love it, 2.0 4 cyl running on 16 pounds of boost and a six speed. Fast, agile, and gets 30 MPG if I drive like grandma. I just think the styling of new american cars is mostly bland, but bring on the classics! Or a ZR1

[powell72]

I certainly won't knock Japanese dependability.

[El Jay]

Originally Posted by powell72

I certainly won't knock Japanese dependability.

When somebody tries to tell me how reliable their Japanese car is, I simple reply, "Get back to me when your car is 40 yrs. old."

End of conversation.

[RunninLo]

Originally Posted by El Jay

When somebody tries to tell me how reliable their Japanese car is, I simple reply, "Get back to me when your car is 40 yrs. old."

End of conversation.

There was this little Honda from the 60's, gran daddy to the CVCC that sat under a tree in the middle of the local salvage yard. Not sure what it was doing there but it had been there as long as I could remember. It and the tree were a staple and navigating point of the yard. A couple years back right before they closed up the owners son took an interest in the lil car. It took a lil fresh gas, some air in the tires and a battery and he fired it up and DROVE it out after sittting some 20 years that I know of. Now I have a similar story involving a 69 LeMans so I know domestic can do it too but there's your 40 year old reliable import.

As for us vs foreign there's no such thing in the auto game anymore. Sorry to all you Flag waivers out there. I love my country as much as the next guy but there is NO SUCH thing as an american made automobile hell even that great american Icon Harley Davidson has more foreign than american parts on it. I about fell over when I could see made in Japan plain as day on the guages of a Harley.


Fact of the matter is the only way to be american made is to buy vintage and make your resto parts yourself.

There's my nickle
Josh

[see ten]

I watched a friend of mine (Marine corps veteran) walk out of a Harley dealership in Dalton when he saw that an accessory he had wanted to buy was made in Korea! He was very vocal about it while he was exiting.

[welsh kev]

Originally Posted by RunninLo

there is NO SUCH thing as an american made automobile hell even that great american Icon Harley Davidson has more foreign than american parts on it. I about fell over when I could see made in Japan plain as day on the guages of a Harley.

Have been for many years. I've recently replaced the old speedometer on my 72 Ironhead with a NOS made-in-Japan unit, which reads accurately and doesn't behave like there's a windscreen-wiper motor driving the needle like the old one did; although to be fair that was Italian not American.

Hitachi starters have been standard equipment on Shovels for many years, back to the Ironhead it has a Bosch voltage regulator and I could list many other examples.

As far as I know virtually all the MoCo's clothing is made outside the USA, along with luggage, bolt-on shiny bits and all the other accessories which Harley probably make more money on than they do the actual bikes.

If it's of any comfort to you, over here there are regular media campaigns to "buy British" but since we don't have a large-volume motor industry any more (except the all-American NASCAR stuff which us Brits do so well ) it's mainly British food that gets promoted.

[Andy4639]

My dad is retired from GM and I have never owned Oh wait a minute I have never bought a foriegn car for myself, all GM except for my daughters 2 eclipses she has had. I owned both of them and still do...Ha

[Longhorn Man]

moved to proper forum

[Dooley]

I have never bought a foreign car. Doubt that I ever will. GM, Ford, and Chrysler helped build America. Mitsubishi bombed Pearl Harbor. Foreign vehicles made in America make profit for a foreign company. The quality gap that had existed is gone, yes it is. I'm proud of my American Iron. Never bought a new Ford, had some used ones. I bought a new Plymouth once, had some used ones,(first car was a 1950 Plymouth Sport Coupe!). I've bought many GM, new and used. I was proud of every one of them. I still am.

[70cst]

My 2004 AWD Buick has 170,000 miles and is still going strong.

[MonteSS454]

Originally Posted by Dooley

Mitsubishi bombed Pearl Harbor.

That is probably the greatest thing I have ever heard!

[67ChevyRedneck]

I've owned several Toyotas and several Chevys. I got rid of all of my Toyota's. Then I got married and inherited two more 'Yotas, damn it!

I'm proud of my Z71 and my S-10 has actually surprised me. Other than the huge door gaps, the truck is well built, drives comfortably, and on a 250 mile "backroads highways" round trip where I went 55-60mph the whole trip I got a whopping 32mpg

[Soxfan05]

I just bought an HHR about a week ago and love it.I hated them until I blew the motor in my monte carlo and needed a knew daily driver.I have to admit that it's a pretty cool car.I've also never owned anything other than a Chevy or GMC.

[Shane]

I'm very proud of my Made in Canada GM product. USA all the way.

And my wife is equally proud of her Ohio made Honda.

[texanidiot25]

Originally Posted by Shane

I'm very proud of my Made in Canada GM product. USA all the way.

And my wife is equally proud of her Ohio made Honda.

Depends on what you bought.. Many of the trucks, and all of the SUVs ares till made in the US. 'Burbs, Hoes, Yukons, and 'Lades roll out of Arlington TX.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by texanidiot25

Depends on what you bought.. Many of the trucks, and all of the SUVs ares till made in the US. 'Burbs, Hoes, Yukons, and 'Lades roll out of Arlington TX.

...and Mexico.

Look at the first # in the VIN.

1=USA
2=Canada
3=Mexico

[70cst]

Geeeeee...I forgot to mention that I recently sold my 99 Taco TRD so I could fund the Circuit Rider. My Taco sold for $2000 over Kelly Blue Book plus the buyer paid to ship it fom Oh. to Ca. That being said...it was a nice truck but...which would you rather be driving...a 70BB CST or a 99 Taco? The Taco had it's place in my life but my 70CST will meet every need that my Taco was asked to do and I'm going to have a lot more fun doing it. I'm driving what made America great...an American Truck made by Chevy and no Honda nor Toyota will ever be able to say that. JMHO

[texanidiot25]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

...and Mexico.

Look at the first # in the VIN.

1=USA
2=Canada
3=Mexico

The majority roll out of TX. Most your engines come from Mexico..

Don't even have to look at a VIN these days, it says right on the sticker.