6th Jan 2007, 14:35

Most Fords are much more reliable than the current disasters from Toyota. Even the highly biased Consumer Reports rates Fusion as better in reliability than Camry or Accord. Car and Driver (also in the back pocket of the Japanese car makers) rated Camry DEAD LAST in a comparison with the Fusion, Accord, and Hyundai Sonata. Recent reports of massive recalls by Toyota for defective airbags and sticking accelerators, as well as endless complaints about defective brakes and faulty transmissions are NOT the mark of a "quality" car maker. I've looked at the new Camry and Fusion, and not only is the Fusion more dependable, it looks much more pleasing. It also rides smoother, is faster, corners better, and costs several grand less. In our area I'm seeing a new Fusion everywhere I go. I've seen a total of ONE 2007 Camry (appropriately driven by an elderly lady). Of course our state is still somewhat more patriotic than much of the country, and American values are still important to our people here. We don't care for sending our hard-earned dollars to other countries and putting our fellow citizens out of work.

6th Jan 2007, 22:57

Um, the Fusion is built in Mexico, and engineered in Japan, according to "automotive.com". So the previous poster, and folks who agree with that sentiment, might want to find another kind of car to buy. To help out, I searched and found a site (http://www.usstuff.com/cars2005.htm) that seems to have some info on what cars are mostly US-made. No idea if the Fusion's innards come from the US. As always, take internet info with a grain of salt, though. There are probably other sources of info.

I own a Grand Marquis; that's assembled in Canada, but much of its content comes from the US.

7th Jan 2007, 08:50

It's good to see patriotic Mexicans supporting their home country by buying cars made there. Thank God he didn't buy a Camry, you know, since it's designed, engineered, built, and sold BY AMERICANS.

And around here Camrys are everywhere driven by all sorts of people. Fusions are a rare site. Guess my part of the country is more patriotic than yours, you know, keeping Americans instead of Mexicans working and all.

26th Jan 2007, 20:47

Ford is an American company, putting money into the American economy. Toyota, Honda and Nissan are all foreign owned. The profits these firms earn in no way benefit Americans. The small handful of U.S. citizens employed by Japanese car makers can in no way be regarded as benefiting our country when all the corporate profits are funneled out of the country. That's comparing pennies to millions. Buying an American car (whether it is assembled here or not) directly benefits the parent company and encourages more domestic production thru an infusion of profits. If you want to put Americans out of work, then buy a Toyota. If you care about your fellow citizens, and want them to continue to be able to feed their families and pay for their homes, buy domestic. It's as simple as that.

27th Jan 2007, 07:41

Sorry, but you're going to have to prove that statement. The Toyota Camry, the bestselling car BY FAR in America for the past few years (with 400,000 plus units sold per year) was designed, engineered, built, sold, and maintained by Americans in America - that means at every step Americans are being put to work.

Let's compare that to the Ford Fusion, Focus, Crown Victoria, and others that are designed in Europe or elsewhere, manufactured in Canada or Mexico, and are only sold and maintained in America - depending on model.

Ford also continues to lay off workers right and left and close plants. Toyota announced it will build five new ones.

Sounds like if you want to employ Americans you buy Toyota. If you want to put them out of work you buy Ford.

27th Jan 2007, 13:56

With all of Toyota's current problems, such as massive recalls for life-threatening issues such as steering and front suspension problems, defective airbags, sticking accelerators and defective brakes, as well as many problems they are dragging their feet on issuing recalls for (oil leaks, coolant leaks, peeling paint and defective transmissions to name a few) I'm doubtful that they will be opening 5 new plants anywhere. You can't maintain a myth of superior quality in the face of that kind of poor build quality. People are rapidly waking up to this.

27th Jan 2007, 14:45

I see, so the Camry is no longer the bestselling car in America because people have woken up to the inherent superiority of domestic products.

Please. Plus the fact there have been several articles on how Toyota has gone to great lengths to eliminate quality problems that have popped up, unlike Ford that took 12 years to rectify the design flaw in the Explorer that made it the most unsafe vehicle on sale.

28th Jan 2007, 19:42

<< Like Nissan, who was almost bankrupted by the horrible reliability problems of the Titan and Armada, this onslaught of problems with Toyotas is bound to do some damage to Toyota's market share>?.

Do some research. Your Nissan statement is 100% untrue since Nissan's financial problems and its Titan/Armada problems were totally separate.

And people are going to still be buying Toyotas, since the domestic crap still is mediocre at best. Just read the reviews on this site.

28th Jan 2007, 19:43

><<Now that Ford is openly acknowledged as building superior quality vehicles that market share is even more challenged>.

Yes, disgruntled workers that are probably going to be fired as their plant closes down make the best vehicles.

28th Jan 2007, 19:44

<< Contrary to what you might think, some American auto buyers DO read.>.

Really? Guess you'll have to explain why SUVs continue to sell even though every source including the US government confirms they are deathtraps.

29th Jan 2007, 16:37

Only a mediocre DRIVER makes an SUV dangerous. Like trucks, SUV's are top-heavy. The laws of physics dictates that top-heavy things tip over easier. However, virtually 100% of ALL deaths in SUV's are caused by the driver/occupants NOT wearing seat belts. Even in roll overs SUV's protect their occupants MUCH BETTER than smaller cars IF the occupants are properly belted in. My wife and I have driven 3 of the VERY WORST roll over-prone vehicles (the Short wheelbase Ford Explorer Sport). We never had an accident in the 10 years we drove them. We are both former stunt drivers and KNOW how to drive. We KNOW the vehicles limitations and respect them. As for safety, my family will continue to ride in SUV's because they are SAFER THAN SMALLER VEHICLES WHEN PROPERLY DRIVEN and WE KNOW HOW TO DRIVE!!! SUV's don't fold up like a slice of wet bread when hit by a similar vehicle. Toyotas and Hondas DO!!

29th Jan 2007, 17:10

You can post all the disinformation you want, but it doesn't make the fact SUVs are deathtraps any less true.

It is surprising that someone who should allegedly know something about physics and vehicle safety would be so foolhardy as to post something that is contradicted by every piece of evidence out there.

And you are, once again, going to have to explain why highway deaths went UP when SUVs became the most prevalent vehicles sold. Your argument is that people wore seatbelts in cars, but not in SUVs? Please.