[scirocco22]

I was just wondering if it is still "dangerous" to drive or own a Japanese car in Michigan?

Never been to Michigan but I know that a few decades ago, friends were telling me not to go driving around in Michigan in a Toyota.

Just curious.



--'rocco

[TurboState]

What is a Japanese car?

90% of most American Car Parts are from overseas. 96.5% of the parts on a Honda are from the USA.

Sorry but the whole "Buy American" movement was shipped off to Mexico, along with our jobs. They can shove it if they want me to drive their Mexican built US cars.

[Virginia1]

Well I will be moving up sometime this year to Michigan and my fiance lives in Flint so I have visited of course many times, driving up this Wed. with my BMW 328i flying down those Michigan 70 mph highways. Over a seven year period I have driven up previously in a Toyota Celica, Volkswagon GTI and a Isuzu Trooper. I have never had an incident. I think my fiance's Dad who is a retired GM man through and through called the GM mafia to leave my car alone when it's parked at his daughters house I would like to think so LOL. I think I went down a couple of notches in the family, but my babe loves the Beemer. We are visiting Frankemeuth this weekend, so I will be bringing a real German toy through town. But seriously, you will be fine, auto manufacturing is so global now, we know it, but the die hard old school shop rats might not.

[iamweasel]

Originally Posted by TurboState

What is a Japanese car?

90% of most American Car Parts are from overseas. 96.5% of the parts on a Honda are from the USA.

Sorry but the whole "Buy American" movement was shipped off to Mexico, along with our jobs. They can shove it if they want me to drive their Mexican built US cars.

Look, the state's companies are struggling enough as it is so there is no need to post information that is an extreme exaggeration. 90% of american car parts are not from overseas (yet) - for GM, Ford and Chrysler it's closer to 20% and for the imports it's more like 75%.

Still amazes me how some people like to rip on the home teams. Did a GM employee run over your mom or something?

To answer the question, yes, it's perfectly safe to drive whatever model car you choose here.

[M TYPE X]

It's not an issue outside of the worst union strongholds. In my hometown of Rochester Hills, when I got my Acura new 6 years ago, the local GM accountant neighbors came up and said "nice car." They make their son drive a Pontiac Firebird, but I think he would prefer an Accord Coupe.

Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids have a lot of imports per capita, similar to other cities in the Midwest (not as many as California or Virginia, but more than say Detroit).

[Torrey]

I wouldn't own an American made car if it was given to me. I'd promptly sell it and buy Japanese. My Land Cruiser is 100% Japanese made, just the way I like it. I wouldn't buy a Toyota or Mercedes built here in the U.S. Those cars are more likely to fall apart like their American counterparts.

GM and other American made vehicles are built with shoddy engineering, and shoddy parts by people who do not demand perfection. That's the difference between the manufacturers here and there. The Japanese are PERFECTIONISTS by nature. That is who I want building my vehicle that I spend my hard earned money on. Not some guy who is only interested in hurrying up at work so he can get home in time to catch the super bowl. In short, American auto makers have failed the American people. "Lets build em cheap so they fall apart faster so they buy a new one sooner". Bad thinking. My old Land Cruiser which I STILL own has 400,000 miles on it. I bought a new Land Cruiser and still own the old one. I know it's reliable. Friends of mine who owned Ford and Chevy vehicles have switched to Toyota. Their trucks fell apart slowly but surely while mine looked like it was practically new. Their former trucks are in other peoples hands now, probably in need of constant repair while I still own mine and they run perfectly.

[M TYPE X]

My Acura Integra is in the shop here in Illinois, due to a run-in with a baaaad car wash. The car wash's insurance company is paying for a rental car: Dodge Stratus, made in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

I personally think it's funny that I am from metro Detroit and drive a car made in metro Nagoya, but it's not funny when I have to drive a Chrysler product around for nearly a month, waiting for the body shop to get my car back in one piece.

You can go shopping at Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights/Utica. I just don't recommend buying the car made down the road.
I think a premium midsize at Enterprise is a Hyundai Sonata or something like that ... if you check off "penalty box" on the reservation form, you get a Stratus.

[superstition]

You can't just not tell the story about the car wash.

[Alltaurus]

It's not dangerous, but I would say it may be frowned upon by many. Why not American cars are the majority of Michiganders bread and butter; directly or indirectly.

[Bhaalspawn]

I doubt you'd have a problem.