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Is Buying American Important To You?
You might have noticed Toyota Motor Corp. ads recently proclaiming just how much the company's extensive U.S. manufacturing presence means to America. The ads mention 32,000 U.S. workers and claim the company has created 386,000 jobs nationwide.

Wrapping oneself in the U.S. flag is nothing new for large corporations, but when it comes to the automotive world, such claims do raise the question of what constitutes an American vehicle and an American company.

What's American?

If "buying American" is important to you, then you need to consider several points; is the car made in America, how much of it is made here, is it made by union, or non-union work force, and if the company concerned is American-owned.

Deeper questions could focus on how long a company has been manufacturing in the U.S., how many plants and workers does it have, what are its remuneration, benefits, retirement and charitable policies? In short, assessing the "American character" of a given company is far from simple.

You should be aware that just because a vehicle is branded with a domestic nameplate, it does not mean it is automatically made in the USA.

One of Ford's top sellers, the Fusion sedan, for example, is assembled in Mexico, as are a significant number of other mainstream models from Detroit brands. Adding to the confusion, some, but not all, Toyota Corollas are made by UAW workers in a U.S. plant.







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Is Buying American Important To You?



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trackturtletrackturtle - 10/25/2006 11:27:57 AM
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An another question people need to ask is: "What makes an American muscle car?" At one point it was defined by big capacity engines with pushrod technology, solid rear axles, and carburators. Now days that's not the case at all. For example, mustangs run around with DOHC, fuel injection engines and they almost put an independent rear suspension. Same for alot of cars in GM's line up. So what makes a sports car uniquely German, American, Japanese? Is it the design mentality? No, Japanese and German cars are being partly design in America as well. Anyone?

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Terminal10Terminal10 - 10/25/2006 12:21:09 PM
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The best example of a global economy is here in the automotive industry parts for cars are no longer supplied by just one company in America they come from all over and are made in many different places there is not much 100% made in America anymore in the auto industry. It really just depends on your point of view of what you consider made in America.

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sold2earlysold2early - 10/25/2006 1:58:22 PM
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My answer is most definitely NO.

If the American car companies can't compete in the global economy with quality products then we deserve to lose. It might be unfair because some of our problems are beyond our control (i.e. union labor costs), but that's just T.F.B.

American manufacturers should stick to what we make best: beer, salted snacks, and cigarettes.

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dumpstydumpsty - 10/25/2006 2:03:22 PM
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I agree with you both as the US gets some pretty powerful vehicles from Europe, Japan, and Australia.

For example, Holden's newest V8-powered offerings are pretty exciting. But wait! Holden is a subsiderary of GM. So when we get Holden-manufactured cars in the US that are badged Pontiac or Buick or Cadillac, are they still American made...as in made by an American-owned company?

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kart1kart1 - 10/25/2006 3:46:21 PM
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I have never owned an American car - so this really doesn't apply to me.

BUT - I really don't want to see Ford and GM go out of business.

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MB3494MB3494 - 10/25/2006 6:14:16 PM
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NOT BUYING AN AMERICAN CAR IS
IMPORTANT TO ME.

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t_bonet_bone - 10/25/2006 8:38:44 PM
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Buying German is important to me. They have hit on pretty hard times, and frankly I'd rather support their economy than my own. Besides, I like to reward companies that care about PRODUCT. Hopefully that will include being able to support Italy's economy when Alfa Romeo returns.

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smshnicksmshnick - 10/25/2006 9:21:33 PM
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When it comes to buying a house... yes. But for everything else, there's Germany!

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S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/25/2006 9:32:37 PM
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No.

Their cars are sup-bar in every category. Sad, really. Cadillac is average at best. Good, but sometimes good isn't quite great enough.

My neighbors, however, are devoted American car buyers. They have an '04 Dodge and an '01 Cadillac, and she wants to get rid of her Durango for something smaller, slightly cheaper, and American. That leaves them with the Chrysler Pacifica and the Ford Explorer. Cross your fingers for the Pacifica.

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NARunnerNARunner - 10/25/2006 10:07:15 PMView My AgentSpace
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If I were in the market for a truck I would buy American (and that's only because my uncle owns a Chevy and a Dodge dealership, poor guy...), but that's about as far as it goes.

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MarkMark - 10/26/2006 7:03:38 AM
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I agree, except I would buy a Ford. Car wise, anything across the pond for me.


LarryLarry - 10/25/2006 10:52:49 PM
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Yes, even though I am big BMW/ Mercedes fan I use to be a all about american cars. The American cars problems were GM for example engineering and research is spread thin over so many brands where as BMW focuses on BMW, Toyota on Toyota, Remember the cadillac cimmaron, also germany and japan's heathcare systems help in lowering labor cost vs. the american cars.

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AmazingBimmerAmazingBimmer - 10/26/2006 2:41:53 PM
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id buy an mwerican car before i buy audi, or vw or a "lowly" engineered mass produced car. Other than that.. all german for me baby!

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S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/26/2006 10:38:21 PM
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Wow, you are still mentally challenged, aren't you.

Do you not get it?

Audi makes the 2nd most fun to drive luxury car on Earth- only behind BMW.

And in addition, their luxury features are second to none.

I'd rather own an Audi than a BMW, because I don't want to end up like you.


rockerrocker - 10/26/2006 3:18:43 PM
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First choice GM trucks, but after that must evaluate need, cost, resale and of course looks. If I had to buy right now frontrunners would be Lexus GS and CAdillac STS.

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bekenbeken - 10/26/2006 4:21:02 PM
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What does being in a union have to do with being American?
After buying "american" cars for the last 30 years, I bought a MINI. The treatment I get from my MINI dealer/service was a huge eye-opener. I have no reason to consider buying anything from GM/Ford/Chrysler ever again. Even if I happen like American company built cars.

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LokiLoki - 10/27/2006 10:09:49 AM
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Buying American IS important to some - not me - but some yes indeed. My grandfather was a prisoner of war in WWII so he doesn't buy Japanese or German automobiles - it's a matter of principle for him. The fact that I would "support the enemy" (and I use that term loosely) by buying 2 Japanese cars really pisses him off I'm sure. Oh well - I guess if I were forced to eat maggots to survive in a POW camp I'd probably have the same sentiments as he does.

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bigslick83bigslick83 - 10/27/2006 4:40:44 PM
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i read in a gm ad that by toyotas counting methods of employing nearly 400k jobs in america, then gm would employ over 3 million when really i think gm is like a little over 1 million. something that might need to be looked into as the only numbers ive seen are from toyota or gm and not an independant 3rd party.

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RupertRupert - 10/28/2006 10:52:42 AMView My AgentSpace
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will, we don't get many "american" cars. lots of fords, lots of vauxhalls, but they are built, designed andengineered in europe. we get no american fords, and no american gms.
indeed many chryslers are also built in austria for the euro market. many japanese cars are built in britain, including all honda civic hatchbacks, toyota corollas and nissans.

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huu76huu76 - 10/30/2006 12:32:12 AM
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Hmmmm, how many German cars destined for Europe are built outside Germany? I only know of 1 bmw plant (parts I think) in England, and a VW plant in Portugal (might have closed that one).

Again, the Germans thank all the image conscious morons for their money and jobs.

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RupertRupert - 10/30/2006 1:58:54 PMView My AgentSpace
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i belive all vws and vw group cars are made in europe for europe. peugeot, citroen and renault the same, fords built in spain and portugal. mercedes make many cars in austria, and bmw makes many in germany. fiats are made in italy and slovakia. some mercedes are made in the us (ml, gl, r) the x5 is made in the us, i do nto believe we get any mexican built vws though.

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bigslick83bigslick83 - 10/31/2006 4:27:47 PM
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i would say it was a 300 C, but knowing u will i am going to say its a cadi seville/deville

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vdivvdiv - 10/27/2006 11:33:45 PM
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What makes a car an American, is the place were the profits end up at the end of the day. Toyota might do so and so much of their operations in the US, but at the end of the day the fat necks in Japan get fatter not those in the US. Whether that matters is not entirely clear :)

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Jay7Jay7 - 10/27/2006 11:51:51 PM
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To a certain extent, buying American is important to me. Like someone mentioned above, if I'm in the market for a durable, and dependable truck, you can't go wrong with a Ford or Chevy.

Also, GM and Ford cars are more affordable than the German, Japanese, etc. built cars. So, if money is a factor, buying American makes more sense to me. But if you have 40k then buy a lexus, bmw, mb, ect.

All in all, I think citizens all countries should definitely support their national economies by purchasing at least one home built vehicle.

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M53RM53R - 10/29/2006 8:50:59 AMView My AgentSpace
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Can any1 tell me where the chevy tahoe is built? I think im gonna buy 1 soon.

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huu76huu76 - 11/5/2006 5:39:13 PM
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M53R,
Originally Wisconsin, but I believe they build them in Mexico now too.

vdiv,
The fat necks are all the same regardless of country. But they can atleast leave as much of this money in the U.S. as they can in the form of jobs.
btw, if GM makes no money, what money is there to bring back?

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