25th Aug 2012, 10:34

Toyotas are Japanese, not American... simple.

25th Aug 2012, 11:47

Look, I own a Jeep - which is about as American as you can get. But inferring that those who happen to buy Toyotas or other imports are "disloyal" to their country is absolutely wrong.

IMO you've lost any credibility you might have had (if you had any to begin with).

26th Aug 2012, 17:30

I can't help but notice that you keep on commenting that owning a Jeep is "American" or "patriotic".

What is that supposed to mean? Is it because they have models called the Liberty or Patriot? If that's the case, then I guess owning a Buick would also be patriotic, seeing how their logo symbol is red, white and blue in color.

26th Aug 2012, 22:26

I've never given any credibility to people who insist that sending money to foreign corporations instead of U.S. companies makes sense. It doesn't. Never will.

27th Aug 2012, 08:02

I never said "owning" a Jeep was "Patriotic" or "American", I said a Jeep was about as "American" as you can get. Meaning given Jeep's history and the fact that they have had an assembly plant in Toledo, Ohio for decades, they are pretty American.

By the way, I will never apologize for believing that folks have a right to spend their money on whatever vehicle they decide best suits their needs. I also think because this site is read all over the world, that folks outside of the USA should know that most folks here do not subscribe to isolationism, and understand the global economy.

With that said I am withdrawing from this debate, because I think everything that needs to be said has been said, much of it over & over again.

27th Aug 2012, 08:07

If you order a new red Toyota with a blue stripe and a white interior, it is still a Japan based entity.

28th Aug 2012, 12:11

And once again, having an isolationist mentality - in that we should never-ever send any of our money overseas, is precisely how you get yourselves into a depression. That's what happened in the 30's. Having a closed economy doesn't work: many countries have tried it and failed.

Besides, you can't actually buy ANY car and NOT send money to some overseas country. Want to buy a "Merican" car? Good for you: you're still sending some of that money to corporations overseas.

28th Aug 2012, 12:43

Since I own a new domestic and a new import, I guess I am partially patriotic. Or neutral, meaning the big profits on one went to Japan and the big profits on my domestic remained in the United States. The one new sale balanced out the other. So I guess I am partially patriotic or completely neutral, depending on your point of view. Pretty profound!

30th Aug 2012, 02:57

12:23 is correct. Any help to the U.S. auto industry from buying his domestic was cancelled out by sending his money to Japan for his import. That doesn't require a Ph.D in economics to figure out!

30th Aug 2012, 09:59

What may I ask is an "Merican" car? Is that supposed to be America?

Back in the 80s, I bought high end imports and looked down on domestic cars. I felt having an import carried some kind of cachet, being foreign. I was maybe more special. Just being honest and upfront about it. To me buying a domestic vehicle was ordinary. I might still be driving them if the quality issues hadn't gone from high quality to less than satisfactory. Since our economy has slowed down significantly from the 80's, it is more pronounced.

The isolationism comment is really unfounded. Taking a brief moment to possibly compare and consider a domestic brand isn't a bad idea. It makes sense that at the moment a lot of people here are out of work. If I can help even a relative few here, it seems a positive step. Doesn't take a PhD to do that.

There are plenty of products that are coming in especially from China. Take a look at that country for an idea of economic growth. The offshore products lining the shelves of businesses here certainly reflect that.

A car is a high ticket item; not everyone is going to buy a domestic anyway. If I go out and buy a Mercedes or a Lexus, it may be my prerogative, but I could at least look at maybe a new Cadillac or Lincoln SUV or crossover as well. Maybe I will be put a few more dinners on the table, or keep a couple lights on in someone's home in America this fall.

31st Aug 2012, 12:12

And yet nobody here has even attempted to answer or acknowledge that no matter what you buy - guess what? You ARE sending money overseas, regardless of the brand or its national origin.

Go ahead - go out and please find any car that is 100% entirely made in one country, and made entirely out of parts from that country, and only sold in that country. But since we're being specific, try and find an American car that is of the above description.

If we're going to get super-specific and technical, and the actual concern is over dollars and cents, workers and dinner plates on the table, then the conversation was determined and decided a LONG time ago. There are Japanese branded cars and trucks that are at this point more "American" than American branded cars. If that car is made with the majority of its components in the USA, by American companies that employee American workers, then where do you suppose the money those companies make goes? It goes into their pockets - that's where. So if we want to delve into the romantic notion of the factory worker or parts supplier happily sitting down to the dinner table, eating food he/she bought with money made producing cars, then WHY should it matter what company he/she works for? Because they're a Japanese or an American company? They're getting paid just the same.

Likewise, if you buy an American car, that even though it's made in America, what if it's your typical car these days where anywhere from 30-60% of the parts in it were made somewhere else? Where do you think the money you spent on that car for those offshored parts goes? It goes overseas and into the pockets of those workers. Hence why an argument that buying American puts money exclusively into the pockets of only Americans isn't any more true than saying that all of the money used to buy a Japanese cars all goes to Japan.

31st Aug 2012, 18:06

I've seen the term "Merican" pop up here and there too.

I'm guessing it's the new slang term originated by a Yota fan.

2nd Sep 2012, 17:44

Ask yourself what an import corporation or a domestic corporation means. Do you feel more money is retained here by buying an import? Even if your state has a Toyota factory, it's not displacing the former domestic plants that are gone. My state has zero now. But good for you.

3rd Sep 2012, 06:45

I just bought some chrome wheel well trim for my classic Chevrolet. The trim was from China. Poor chroming and cheap. But it's an off shore part, that if I keep indoors, should last a while.

3rd Sep 2012, 16:47

I looked a new car recently that indicated on the window sticker that 92% of the components were foreign-made. I said "Thanks, but no thanks". Americans tend to have a very poor concept of global economic practices. 92% foreign made means just that. 92% of your purchasing dollars go to other countries, not to mention the profits going to a parent company that is not benefiting the U.S. one iota.