Is LMC completely crazy?

[stepside454]

Yep, we all know about that. I make a strong effort to see where the product is made & always try not to buy stuff made in China. Ive been shopping for a new gas grill for monthes, cant find one that isnt made in China.

[kelsfine69]

Sooo

What ever happened to the "Original" stamping dies that they used in the factory?? Were they destroyed or are they sitting in a " Indiana Jones" Type warehouse.

GM should of invested in a "GM Reproduction Just Like Factory" Line of parts. Corner the market.

They always say GM Parts for your GM car....RIGHT?

[CPNEJR]

i think that the problem with trying to use the origninal stamping dies is that those dies get worn out and in the end you will end up with a piece made in america and with the quality of a chinese part

[kelsfine69]

Im sure ther is a way to rebuild them, GM has worn out a few dies im sure

[jb4short]

GM subcontracts most sheetmetal manufacturing (As do a lot of manufacturers). A lot of the manufacturers in the aftermarket business in Taiwan actually manufacture for OE....they had sheetmetal manufacturing capacity before venturing into the aftermarket. Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Hyundai, Nissan, Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW manufacture a fair amount of their production here in the US while Ford, GM and Chrysler continue to export manufacturing.

GM and Ford sell about 700,000 light trucks a year....that's a LOT (An Accord will sell about 400K/yr). They're NOT built to the closest tolerances in the industry and the variances found make it difficult to simply make a fender that's going to bolt right up to any truck that was produced (anyone come away with a fist full of shims when removing a factory fender?) without some adjustment.

The manufacturers that participate in making parts for these trucks WANT to do things right. Detailed constructive feedback on a systemic problem is WELCOME....no one wants to produce problematic parts and without feedback to fix specific issues they won't know there's an issue.

[jamesi20]

Must be a different U.A.W.than I belong to...25$/hr. 2weeks vacation and 5 personal days/year...check out the bonuses and perks that the upper management makes for G.M. and then you'll know why they try to outsource all the work they can to cheap labor markets.everyone will complain about a union worker making 75k a year but a ceo can make millions while his company loses money and nobody cares.when all these manufacturing jobs go overseas belive me,it WILL at sometime effect you and your family

[weasel29gm]

Rule of thumb is the dies are kept 5-10 yrs then junked. I worked 10 yrs in a stamping plant and had a manager who spent 20+ with GM. A few years ago this subject came up when some wanted NOS or repo Blazer sides. Pete checked with guys at GM and thats what he was told. I thought it was super that he would take the time to do that. If you knew how some parts are metal finished before they are shipped you would think twice about some of the new cars and trucks!!! $40 a hr UAW right I made $ 18 and was UAW!!!

[Walts_restoration]

To make america better, we need to get the rich down to the common mans level and spread teh welth. When people are dieing in our streets, and our government overlooks them, and this being a government for the people, where is our govt? We give illegal immigrants more benefits than the legal ones. One day the american people will fight agaisnt the government in a new revolution, and like our forefathers, we will throwout the old and start from scratch following our orignal beliefs. I dont know how many generations it will take, but the United states needs to rely on itself, not its neighbors. We need to put a high tariff on imported goods, to get our industrys booming again,i know this will raise our cost of goods, but in the longrun if we are able to support ourselves and keep our money within ourselves instead of feeding a power hungry nuke over in north korea with his hand above the launch button, we can be helping out the poor and hungry and homeless of the USA. Im a 17 year old who does construction, i want to restore antique automobiles as a living, and i know what that the red of the flag stands for the blood that our forefathers shed to lay out this country, the white representing the hope they had that we could enjoy the freedom we had today, and the blue for endless skys and the future of this nation.

[3/4tonterror]

babies, are the only thing made in the USA anymore!!!

[Walts_restoration]

some of that silicone is imported, haha

[stepside454]

not that many of them either with so many abortions. If it werent for abortions, there would be plenty of people to do some of these jobs that Americans choose not to do.
As far as spreading the wealth, I couldnt disagree more. If you think a socialist govt. is great, take a look at Frances economy.All Americans have gotten greedy. Do I think some of the big wigs should be making millions as CEOs of big corprations? some of them no, of course not. But than some laborers shouldnt be making $ 20.00 + dollars per hour plus great benefits for some of the jobs there doing either.
I made comment earlier of not being able to buy an affordable(under 600.00) gas grill that isnt made in China. Theres an example of ME being spoiled. Not so long ago, only rich people could afford a gas grill, because they were all expensive, now that most are made in China, just about anyone can afford one.
So, Im kind of an odd nut..I strongly support buying American, or atleast NOT buying from China....but on the other hand, I dont support socialist wealth distribution style government , or entitlements.

[prg machine]

19 gauge it is! I googled sheetmetal gauges and there it was, along with 3 gauge 13 gauge and any odd number in between. I guess common stock and reference has always been even numbered stuff. But then again I am not a sheet metal guy.

[Walts_restoration]

Im not saying give everyone fairnesss, i am saying getting yearly salarys in billions is wrong, I also buy pro american as much as i can, hence why i have 20+ year old cars.

[stepside454]

having 20 year old cars is cool...although it doesnt do much to stimulate the economy...but thats ok.
I understand how you feel about execs making big money, but I dont think wealth distribution is the answer either. I think a fair tax plan would be a great alternative....do away with income tax, & use sales tax, that way your taxed once...when you buy something, rather than taxed for making the money, than taxed for spending money, than taxed for you assets, taxed again for dieing....just one flat sales tax. for everyone.
Also, we need to get the trade evened up, Id also like to see some incentive for U.S. companys to produce there products in the U.S.
When I built my truck I made sure every part on it was not made in China, the only exceptions that I know of are the door handles. I didnt buy the wheels I originally wanted, I didnt buy the hood I originally wanted, I didnt buy the water pump I originally wanted. I havent bought a blower for it, all because there made in China.

[Walts_restoration]

I like your deal of having insentive for american companys to keep it in the country, and i know that wealth distribution would fail, and taxes are rigged unfair. The wealthy pay the same percentage, but it affects them less, yet a few hundred dollars seriously affects the common worker.

[stepside454]

theres more than one way to look at that ....keep in mind, Im far from wealthy. Also..keepp in mind Im an independent..politically, however, I do lean right.
The middle class & the poor have gotten some really decent tax breaks recently, thank you President Bush. However, the wealthy does have a lower precentage to pay..., however, the wealthy do spend more, employ more,invest more,than do the middle class, so even though by percentage, they pay less income tax, they docontribute more than the rest.


Sorry, we have gotten off topic here...

[special-K]

Anything that can be made overseas is.If it has to be made on site,they come here to do it.We make things overseas because it`s cheaper,even with shipping.Yet,it gets here beat up...from shipping.It would seem what "we the consumer" get as a product is secondary.The main thing is profit to bulbous corporations.It didn`t start that way.At first,we started producing the greatest products in the world and took payment in exchange.Sure have that all botched-up now.

[stepside454]

I dont disagree. Its also about the high cost of running a factory in the U.S. anymore. The cost of workers comp, unemployment insurance, OSHA regulations, OSHA lawsuits, EPA Regulations & lawsuits, taxes, taxes, taxes, than of course labor, insurance, vactions,sick pay, pensions on & on & on. I always try to support the American worker, but I can also understand why American companys have there products made off shores, I just wish it wasnt China.