Are you proud of your american made automobile ?

[panhandler62]

My Toyota is more American than my Chrysler (both assembled in the US) but not quite as American as my 68.

[special-K]

Yes!

[see ten]

I've got three 72 chevy pickups, custody of an 80 Z28, a 54 Chevy 210 and a 2006 Nissan 350Z. I caught some flack from guys around here when I first mentioned bringing a Nissan in to the fold. But I'll repeat what I told em then. Nissan (as well as lots of "foreign" auto companies) provides thousands of jobs for US citizens. We looked at and drove a LOT of cars before bringing home the 350Z. If there had been a US made option that made the same kind of power AND got the same kind of mileage combined with the fact that it was a good looking car....I would have bought it instead. You can't say I hurt the US market when it didn't have anything that compared to what we brought home.

[Dooley]

I keep seeing the bogus excuse that it's ok to have a foreign car because the transplants employ Americans. Bull puckey, I say! The foreign automakers home country has tariffs and roadblocks to the American automakers that guarantee no free market over there. An American vehicle's cost here at home triple and more over there ensuring their people will not buy a foreign car. If the American auto manufacturer got the same protection against imports they do, the workers employed at transplants would be employed in American car companies to meet demand in America. Foreign car companies take American jobs, then take the profits home, plain and simple.

[panhandler62]

A G6 GTP would be a similar performer .. but its looks take some getting used to.

Then there is ...
http://www.pontiac.com/solstice/?seo...tch_|_solstice

http://www.pontiac.com/compare-vehic...25705%5EA24138

But the 350z is cool..

[boatpuller]

i buy american made if i can.i know there are lots of stuff on them thats made in mexico or canada.but,i feel the trickle down and related effect jobs help americans more than a japanese company building in the u.s.the jobs they create for american's are great,but i can't help but beleve the bigger profit portion benifits the japanese.why else would they do it? the goodness of their hearts? i don't think so.and yes i own 3 gm's and have owned over 30 vehicles in my life time and only one foreign a 74 mazda pickup during the gas crunch in the late 70's.

[see ten]

The solstice was only available in a convertible and she wanted a coupe. 300hp in a car that's the size of a go kart makes the Nissan a monster. It also gets 27mpg while driving it like you stole it. Dollar for dollar I couldn't find anything close.

Dooley is also correct. They build em here so that they don't have to pay import tarriffs. Even so Thousands of people in the US have jobs because of them. And as previously stated not all US badged cars are built here. Call Bull Hockey all you want but competition is good for the industry! How boring would it be if all we had to choose from were GM, Ford and Dodge??

[67ChevyRedneck]

Interesting read:

http://www.cars.com/go/advice/Story....ts&subject=ami

[magsnubby]

I love my '56 Chevy 150 sedan. I'll be proud as hell of my '71 Cheyenne once it's finished. I am not proud of my '05 GMC Canyon that had to have the auto tranny replaced with less than 23K on it. I was not proud of my '01 GMC Silverado that went through two auto transmissions in less than 44K miles. I was not proud of my '89 RS Camaro that blew a head gasket at 30K. I bought all three of them new.

If GM ever decides to produce a quality vehicle again, i might buy another new GM product.

[vectorit]

I'm proud of my 68 K20 burb! 40 years old and still running on all of it's original running gear. Sure the engine and trans has been rebuilt, but the rest has not. Just cleaned up and wearing a fresh coat of paint, and inspection covers removed to change lubricants.

My burb has led a very trusty life with my family since new, never leaving the family stranded or even when I have had it by myself.

I've owned quite a few brand names in my driving career, only driving yota's when money was tight and gas prices were high. Since then I have grown attached to the little yota 4x4's, and have one now as a matter of fact since it is small and economical for a person like me.
I don't need to tow anything, don't need room for kids, nor do I live on a farm, so the small truck does me just fine as a single guy doin home projects n stuff. Plus it's paid for. (BTW my 02 Taco came out of the same manufacturing plant as my 68 burb in Freemont CA)

I do plan to buy a new car someday soon, and I will be looking at the Cadillac CTS. (The CTS-V looks frikin awesome! Did the Nurburgring in 7:59.32 Fastest sedan on street tires...)

I do know the older I have become, I am more apt to go American branded on just about everything these days.

[Skirkpat]

Some people are really bad at Driving, and or maintaining vehicles. My Mom and Sister are good examples of the later...you cold give them an Abrams tank and they would have parts falling off in a year, they are bad car owners, and as such have no right to evaluate the quality of the products they abuse and mis-use. just my .02

[Shane]

Originally Posted by Dooley

I keep seeing the bogus excuse that it's ok to have a foreign car because the transplants employ Americans. Bull puckey, I say! The foreign automakers home country has tariffs and roadblocks to the American automakers that guarantee no free market over there. An American vehicle's cost here at home triple and more over there ensuring their people will not buy a foreign car. If the American auto manufacturer got the same protection against imports they do, the workers employed at transplants would be employed in American car companies to meet demand in America. Foreign car companies take American jobs, then take the profits home, plain and simple.

Meanwhile GM, Ford and Chrysler continues to move jobs out of the country.

[bhoeger70]

I have a 1994 sub with 222000 on it, I have replaced the starter twice and the alt. once, two drivers side front drive shafts and four mufflers to me it has been a good truck, drivin nicely (60-65) will get me 17 mpg and still get 14 mpg pulling a 3200lb boat. My 2003 Impala will get 30 mpg at 80 and seats 5 with a huge trunk. From what I see fit and finish are on par with the Asian imports. I still think to many people believe what any mag. will write without going to check for themself.

[Skirkpat]

Originally Posted by Shane

Meanwhile GM, Ford and Chrysler continues to move jobs out of the country.

Just wondering what jobs you are talking about? The UAW has not authorized any job outsourcing that I am aware of ? Please explain, I must have missed something

[byrd]

Here is a good read and the REAL reason why the big 3 are having problems.

http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/02/17/ma...acturing-jobs/



Please read the full article linked from that site in a PDF file.
You will see it is really not totally the big 3 and most importantly is IS NOT THE UNIONS fault.
The union does not design and enginerr the vehicles that the big 3 produce. They just put together what they are told to build.

Why is it when the big banks and wall street needed money( BTW we bailed the banks out in 88' as well, anybody remember that?) the government gave them a free handout with no stipulations, meanwhile the same idiots that ran them into the ground are STILL RUNNING THEM!!!
When the GM and Chrysler asked for money they are putting all kind of rules and regulations on them and trying to force the UAW worker to take reductions in the their pay and benefits? WTF??? Now it is fully known that the production workers only build what the desingers and engineers want to produce why is it the production worker that has to take a cut in pay when the fault of the company is not in their control?

PS Thank god for unions,
You know the people that brought you the weekend, 40 hr work week, 8 hr work days and overtime pay so that we may enjoy this life that we have been blessed with and not have to spend every waking minute at work to support our families.

Btw I have 3 GM and 1 Chrysler and will never, I repeat never by a foriegn car, built here or not.

98 chrysler cirrus, 162,000 mile, 24 MPG daily driver, no problems to speak of
05 Cobalt, couple of recalls that GM fixed(first year production model, happens to all manufactors, not just GM)
41,000 and not trouble, 32 MPG
69 truck
67 truck, well sorta

[chevyboy55]

My very first car was foreign(vw bug 57 small window) but it does not count because it never ran. I just bought it because it had diamond button tuck interior,fiberglass fenders & a 8 track stereo & I could sit in the driveway in it listening to Deep Purple & The Doors pretending I was driving to the Huntington Beach pier. My wife & I both own American made vehicles,although I must admit the best lawnmower I've ever owned by far was a Honda mower.

[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.

[special-K]

We died in wool "Buy American" types are fighting to protect the American worker and the corporations who are in cahoots with the foreign companies we refuse to patronize.
It`s in my blood.It`s noble yet futile,IMO.It`s more like "Try American" now.

[RunninLo]

My dad and I used to have this argument about 15 years ago because I chose to drive a Nissan Sentra. It was my first brand new car and I only had to give $6500 at 15 y.o. and paying with my own money the big 3 didn't have an option.
Now my dad drove an S-10 at the time that had more maple leafs and mexican parts on it than anything else. My lil Nissan assembled right here in Good ol Smyna TN. You tell me which is more american?
My fathers argument was that he would rather see his doller go to a handful of white collar american CEO's than overseas. Mine was that I felt the 3400+ blue collar regular working folks there in TN benefited more with my purchase.

The waters of the auto industry have been so muddied over the years by different mergers and partnerships that a car of sole country of origin is a fictional being and this argument is futile. I will continue to support my local bakery, bar, fab shop, barber and mom and pops where I know I can get good quality local goods but when it come to my auto purchases I will not delude my self into thinking I can buy american and thus go for the best for my dollar.

Josh

[screwballl]

At age 31, almost all of my vehicles have been US made (or at least in name):

79 Chevy Luv 4x4 (made by Isuzu)
60 Ford F250
89 Olds Cutlass
76 GMC C1500
99 GMC Jimmy
91 Suburban
04 Durango

Now the wife has had 2 different years of Nissan Pathfinders (95 and 01) but I do not claim them since neither was ever in my name, and I talked her into our current 04 Durango.

I myself am a GM nut, and have no problem with Chryslers... but always had problems with Fords so I refuse to buy any more. I personally see no problem with a limited number of these non-big3 but the way so many US businesses have bend over forwards to take it up the tail pipe just bothers me so I keep with the 2 brands I trust... even if the newer ones may be 35% canadian parts, I never buy new anyways...

[big_al_71]

somehow there will always be the "Buy american" arguement.

I personally buy whatever fits my needs and I can get more bang for by buck. It does not matter to me who,where or how it was built or by who.
At the end of the day all it matters to me is that we make as much money as possible and stay profitable so we dont have to ask for a bailout

[69gumby]

The fact is Honda and Toyota are Japanese car companys not American. Everyone that buys one of these cars sends their 20 odd thousand dollors out of this country. They use and pollute our land to make their money while paying a few bucks for labor. I have and always will drive American Cars even if the Big Three go under I'll just have to keep an old American car running till the day I die. I will not buy a car from a company that is owned buy a country that attacked us and tried to kill my father along the way. Let them build their cars in their own country and let us charge an import tax. Now let's see how well you all like your Toyotas and Hondas.

That said I drive a 2000 Pontiac with almost 96,000 miles and my 69 truck. I have never had to do anything other than the routine maintenance. The paint and upolstry are perfect. That's an American car.

[Skirkpat]

Originally Posted by RunninLo

My dad and I used to have this argument about 15 years ago because I chose to drive a Nissan Sentra. It was my first brand new car and I only had to give $6500 at 15 y.o. and paying with my own money the big 3 didn't have an option.
Now my dad drove an S-10 at the time that had more maple leafs and mexican parts on it than anything else. My lil Nissan assembled right here in Good ol Smyna TN. You tell me which is more american?
My fathers argument was that he would rather see his doller go to a handful of white collar american CEO's than overseas. Mine was that I felt the 3400+ blue collar regular working folks there in TN benefited more with my purchase.

The waters of the auto industry have been so muddied over the years by different mergers and partnerships that a car of sole country of origin is a fictional being and this argument is futile. I will continue to support my local bakery, bar, fab shop, barber and mom and pops where I know I can get good quality local goods but when it come to my auto purchases I will not delude my self into thinking I can buy american and thus go for the best for my dollar.

Josh

Did you by chance mean " More U.S." There is more than one country in America Josh, Canada, and Mexico are both American Countrys. I know what you meant though.

So your argument is that A Japenese company that sends all profits to Japan, Sources all parts, or most from Asian companys, and simply assembles a car here is more American or U.S. , than a Company That is based in Michigan, and employs American union labor, and at the time you are reffering was sourcing almost all parts from U.S. companys ( even if they sub-contracted to Canadians, and Mexicans)? You have an argument, just not a good one, sorry your Dad is right.

What really makes me laugh is all of the people sticking up for the foreign companys and saying they are more "American" than the Big three...

You do not have any Idea how the industry runs, the reason G.M., Ford and Chrysler source from Mexico, and Asia is because of this Country's unrelenting assault on the manufacturing base, We cannot be competitive, because The United States Government, And the American workforce has made it immpossile to compete with the company's that you are Comparing here. You cannot build a wiring harness in the U.S. and compete with Toyota building one in Asia if we built parts here the cars would cost as much or more than BMW's,

I know that what I am saying is not going to get through to most of of you working at Min. Wage with no benifits , but If you ever want to make more than $7.00/hr. and would like to be able to send your kids to the Doctor without the taxpayers footing the bill on Medicare, We as a Country sould try to salvage the few well paying jobs that we have, not criticize men who EARN every penny they get. You should start looking at who you support, if you want to buy a Toyota, say it's because you like them better, or the ashtray is bigger to hold my butts, or the little guy on the commercial makes me giggle, but leave the Patronizing Patriotism out of it..You are an Citizen of the U.S drive what you like, thats what we are, FREE, if anyone tells you that it is unamerican to do what you want , tell them to exercise there right to go away in the car they like, whatever it is!

Just My Opinion, Sorry if it offensive.