13th Aug 2012, 10:41
In the end, if the argument is that we should all be buying American made products for the sake of it simply being American made, well that in turn would be going against the way the US economy - and global economy - functions. We live in a capitalist, open market economy and as such, the consumer has the choice to buy whatever they see as best fitting their needs. It then comes down to whatever those companies produce, and ultimately if a company can't sell its wares, then it's their responsibility - not the consumer - to remedy the problem. If they can't do so, then they only have themselves to blame.
13th Aug 2012, 11:32
I think you would be surprised to find out how much non-domestic content is in your so-called domestic vehicle.
My previous Jeep (a great vehicle by the way) was equipped with a Japanese 5 speed transmission, and the earlier model Wranglers were equipped with French (Peugeot) transmissions. You can't get more American & patriotic than a Jeep Wrangler, now can you?
All those who think their domestic cars are built with 100% domestic content really need to educate themselves as to how vehicles are really manufactured.
14th Aug 2012, 08:16
Exactly, if the vehicle is built by an import company, it is indeed an import.
If the vehicle is built by a domestic company, it is indeed a domestic.
14th Aug 2012, 08:26
I just installed an Australian hardwood floor in my 650k home, purchased 5 years ago. My home is in the United States. Where does the bulk of this sale remain? A home is typically the largest purchase one makes. Followed by automobiles. Each sale is significant. In my case, my second largest expenditure is 2 of my children in college at the moment. I hope they can find a job when they finish. Or may be they'll be like many that are unable to leave home. Let alone buy one!
14th Aug 2012, 13:06
Still no one gets it. It's not WHERE the parts or made or WHERE the cars are assembled. It's whether the company is based in the U.S. or out of the country. No wonder our economy is in such a mess!
15th Aug 2012, 10:23
Nobody "needs" to "Get it". Buy what you want. It doesn't really matter, because cars these days are basically like any other manufactured good: They're pieced together with a soup of internationally sourced parts in factories all over the world. What it all boils down to is for those who have jobs, and where those workers spend their money. If a worker happens to reside in the US, then he/she is part of the national economic composition.
Either way, this isn't the 1930's. We live in an international economy. Get used to it.
15th Aug 2012, 13:03
I definitely get it. I posted one before you. I am hoping the tremendous global economy brings riches to my children. Most of my family has suffered downsizing. We shall see.
15th Aug 2012, 17:58
Yes, the Peugeot transmissions were terrible, however the Aisin transmissions that replaced them were very reliable.
15th Aug 2012, 18:01
I beg to differ, my opinion is that you don't get it, & it's not worth my time to continue this ridiculous debate, so I won't. :)
16th Aug 2012, 06:30
Get used to high unemployment, loss of jobs overseas, reduced benefits, lower pay due to global competition and cheaper labor cost. Moving plants to areas with less environmental pressures. I am getting used to it. Find it distressing to say the least. I like having the option to drive what I want. But I need to afford it. Seems more likely the future will be driving very small, uncomfortable econo cars, to afford the gas and insurance.
16th Aug 2012, 11:35
Wow! Using that logic - I guess you are implying that when Volvo was owned by Ford, Volvo should be considered a domestic, and the same thing regarding Saab under GM ownership.
Also, following that logic, Volvo is now a Chinese car, Jaguar is an Indian car, Rolls Royce & Bentley are German cars.
Also to further demonstrate how flawed that logic is, if I bought into this argument, my 1973 Opel was an American car! Wow! Who would have thought that?
Sorry, but that logic just doesn't fly.
16th Aug 2012, 15:21
The economy has been global since the beginning of time. So nothing is new here to start with.
Secondly, at this point every major automaker now has plants in the US making cars not only for the US, but overseas markets as well. Also - it goes BOTH ways. At this point all US automakers have plants in China. In some cases they're selling more cars there than in the US. So in that case, that really is a case of money being put back into the US economy via the effects of global economics.
As far as having to "drive small econo cars", a lot of the formerly small econo-cars like the Camry are now pretty much full sized cars - some as large as any of those old-people-boats of the past.
16th Aug 2012, 22:59
I will never get used to supporting foreign industry at the expense our own. It's a shame this doesn't bother import buyers.
17th Aug 2012, 09:29
That is called a joint venture. Ford never built or designed Volvo, same with GM and Saab or even Opel. "WOW!", it all makes sense now.
17th Aug 2012, 10:11
More assumptions being made I see. It's pretty presumptuous that "import" buyers don't care about American workers. How about taking a nice little vacation down to the South where I'm from. Maybe talk to some of the 10's of thousands of American workers employed at Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes, and BMW plants, not to mention the parts suppliers (many of them actually American) and see how they feel about working for a "foreign" company. Ask them if they mind getting paid for working, and putting food on the table and a roof over their heads.
What's more, cars are one thing, but what happens when you go to any of the big box stores (or any store for that matter). What about all of those TV's, microwaves, toasters, vacuum cleaners, light bulbs, batteries, T-shirts, shoes, garbage cans, and so on and so on that are all made overseas? You can't actually NOT buy hardly any of those things any more that aren't made overseas. So it's not like someone could proclaim that they alone care deeply about American workers and whatnot, just because their car might have an American badge stuck on the front - and in most cases the car is full of imported components anyway, and claim they are somehow more patriotic, when in fact they are doing the SAME thing every single day, just by going shopping for anything at all.
But either way, this isn't really much of a debate at all. It's simply the same old story of those who just don't like "Imports" and can't really make a point, simply because that side of the debate is no longer even applicable.
The world changes and will continue to change. Get used to it.
12th Aug 2012, 12:50
Cars draw attention, as typically they are the second largest purchase after a home. That's no mystery. I don't see the global economy as a great asset with shuttered businesses in my city. The newest businesses here are check cashing, cash for gold, and pawn shops, dollar stores and Walmart. Many of the manufacturing plants are closed, and now the businesses are mixed usage, divided into day cares, small businesses and service related businesses. Even some of our power plants are closing up. Great time to be sending our dollars overseas to grow their economy.