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On this forum I've experienced the same sort of attitude that exists on basically every other auto related site: This very obvious, sometimes overly patriotic sentiment when it comes to cars. I don't think this is necessarily an American thing as this same sort of thing exists in other countries as well.
But to me its odd that it seems that out of all of the thousands of industries and millions of products, cars are the one product people intensely focus their nationalistic, emotional opinions on. The consumer electronics industry is enormous and many times larger than the auto industry. We use cell phones, laptops, tablets, vacuum cleaners, microwaves, and TV sets every single day. Just about all of these are made in either China, Taiwan, or Korea. Yet you hardly ever hear people getting into heated debates about American versus foreign-made vacuum cleaners, cell phones, lawn mowers, or cooking utensils. The car is only one of the likely 1000's of things in our home. Yet the car is what gets all of the focus of where its made or what nation of origin its brand is from because let's face it- cars these days are becoming more or less like the electronics industry: They are made of parts from countries all over. The days of cars being these items strictly made in the nation of their founding are long-gone.
I've had so many debates with people and it seems with cars, the same sort of arguments are always made: That all "foreign" cars ( regardless of make) are inferior to anything from the US, or vice-versa and that ALL American cars are crap. I could go on, but almost all of those arguments are not based in technical fact and more so on nationalistic, emotional opinion.
So why is it that the humble car, despite being only a small sampling of the things made around the world became the outstanding symbol of national manufacturing prowess?
Because the height of the American auto industry was the 'Good Old Days' for many Americans, especially Baby Boomers. Many people look at that era through rose colored glasses.
People are naive enough to believe that if Americans would just start buying cars from the American big 3, then the economy would turn around. The whole "Buy American" thing is rather silly, but I digress.
Cars are the last big thing still made in America. There aren't many other products where we have a choice of buying American vs foreign.
Cars are also a lot more iconic than lawn mowers, vacuums, or appliances. Cars have a rich history with the U.S. and there are distinct styles from each era. You associate great memories with cars. I don't get nostalgic about an old cell phone and think of all the good times I had with it.
Primary reason is that I live over 50 miles from the nearest import dealer of any kind and over 100 miles from any variety of import dealerships, which makes situations where I need to visit the parts counter for items that aren't available in the aftermarket or take it to the dealership for repairs that require specialty tools or the expertise of someone who has factory training very inconvenient.
Secondary reason is that there are people in my area who specifically drive imports because they feel that the rural area where we live is beneath them so they feel they have to drive 100 miles or more to find businesses who are worthy of their patronage, and I don't want to be associated with those folks in any way.
So it really has nothing to do with the cars themselves. Most import models sold in the US are built here, largely with North American components, so the idea that buying an import is somehow causing jobs to go overseas is ludicrous. Of course there are the UAW Koolaid-drinkers who feel that building anything in a non-union plant is just the same, but I'm not one of them.
And you're right, the door swings both ways, there are lots of posts on here from import drivers who don't believe that any domestic brand can possible be worth a damn. My experience driving only domestics for hundreds of thousands of miles over the last 30 years tells me they're all wet, but nothing will convince them.
I realize that some people have had legitimately bad experiences with either foreign or domestic models that have caused them to draw the line, but for the most part the attitude is driven by the same fear and ignorance that keeps racism alive, IMHO.
Because most people are morons.. theres not a single 100% american built car or truck made. Even those that are close to 80-90% wouldnt even run if it werent for the parts in it from other sources. If they want to be so hardcore merican, esp those that spout borderline racist about "imports" why dont they not be so lazy and try shopping american in the tens of thousands accumulative everyday purchases they make. Like tvs, clothes etc. It aint easy to fnd all those things made in USA but if its so important to spout like a loon try not being so lazy and do some research. I love asking those nuts in person, "wheres those shoes made, how bout those underroos?" Why not through that "import junk" out now.?...
I just saw a bit of Modern Marvels on the History Channel (?) profiling New Balance and how their shoes are made in the US (using both US and imported materials) and how they play up the fact that they're "only athletic shoe manufacturer still making shoes in the US" but on their own website it's made clear that "Twenty-five percent of New Balance shoes sold domestically are produced by our US workforce, using US and imported materials". While admirable that they are clinging to a US manufacturing base, the fact remains that 75% of their shoes are manufactured elsewhere.
We still make a lot of stuff here but you won't find it in most of the big box stores, and that's why its harder to find. I try at least in some ways to buy American. I use almost all cast iron for my cooking and its all made in the US. So too are a lot of my wool shirts. My old running shoes were made in the US. My truck, though a Toyota, was made only about 25 miles from my House in Fremont, California.
But to me the world we live in has changed. Corporations are perhaps the most international organizations in existence. All carmakers at this point are trending towards making the cars they sell in one country in that country. For example, Buick is one of the best-selling brands in China. They make almost all of their Chinese market Buicks in China. Want to hear something amazing? The current Buick Lacrosse has an interior that was designed in their Shanghai studios. Why? Because Buick in China is a high luxury brand and the studio has experience with those types of interiors. The Toyota Camry is mostly made and sold in the US. Ford has models in the EU that only until recently were sold only in the EU. We now get the Ford Fiesta and Focus, but they still get the Ford Mondeo of which most Americans would go... " Huh? What's that?" Even more so, when I visited the UK, Ford has been there for so long that a lot of British people I met considered it British "Bread and Butter" brand.
I collect vintage electronics. Many of the brands I collect were at one time some of the largest in the world. RCA was at one time the largest corporation on earth with the lion's share of the consumer electronics industry. Other brands like Zenith, Philco, Emerson, Crossly, and Admiral were household names. One by one they all lost their market share and many went under entirely. Now all we're left with are antiques or just the names. So again, its interesting that as we speak, even though there are now equally large, if not larger American electronics companies selling world-famous products, the fact that most are made elsewhere doesn't elicit the same response as you get when talking cars.
I have a late '90s F150 4x4 that seems as as solid as my same model Tacoma 4x4 so, after 45 years of driving mostly GMs and a few Toyotas and Fords, I will likely buy another F150.
Many older Americans are nationalistic about automobiles but they do have a breaking point when it comes to how a company is run.
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