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What's to be "proud" of? There's no shortage that I'm aware of; I haven't heard of any requirements that have to be met in order to buy a car that is made in America (or any other country, for that matter).
It's all a matter of personal preference, I don't see where "pride" fits into the equation.
I don't get the whole "pride" aspect either. Car manufacturing these days is such a global business that parts come for most models from all over the world and are assembled at various plants. Every manufacturer does this. When I look for a vehicle I look for the best vehicle that meets my needs and suits my tastes. Sometimes it's American, sometimes it's German, sometimes it's Japanese and I really don't care where the parts came from since I understand it is a global business.
Do the people preaching buy American cars also go and seek out fuel for those cars made entirely from US oil? I doubt it, because you probably couldn't even if you wanted to.
My current two vehicles were both built in the United States. My Chevy Malibu is the most American, American car you can buy. My wifes Buick Terraza minivan was also built in the United States. Did that factor into our purchase decision at all, no. We bought what we liked that met our needs. Currently my wife has grown less smitten with her van and is thinking of getting a Mazda CX-9 which is built in Japan. Why, because she likes the car.
My whole point is this. We shouldn't buy American products, whether it be cars, clothes or steel, simply because it is "Made in America". We should buy it because it is the best product. Settling for something just because it's made here helps no one.
After mouthing off to a paying customer, did your lead mechanic get to keep his job?
Yes... The guys is a frequent customer. He brings that truck in here everytime something fails which is about 3 or 4 times a year at this point. He's kind of a smart ass and gives it back as well as takes it. Besides we do great work at a decent price. We're not the cheapest place in town but when we're done it's right.
All the joking is done in fun and most of our customers have been around long enough to know us. It's a fun atmosphere and not as uptight as some places.
My whole point is this. We shouldn't buy American products, whether it be cars, clothes or steel, simply because it is "Made in America". We should buy it because it is the best product. Settling for something just because it's made here helps no one.
Oh yes we should be buying American made products.We have 10% unemployment because Americans buy what is cheapest not what is the best made.
You are right that not all American made products are better than foreign made but when they are than we should be buying them even if they cost a little more.
If you sell products to Americans than you should employ Americans to make those products.
Every single person who is employed by an American owned company manufacturing here should be buying American. THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A JOB.
Everybody cries when America sends relief to foreign countries but they don't seem to have a problem supporting foreign manufacturers.
We get into this argument with Dodge truck owners that come into the shop all the time. Seems like every guy that owns a Dodge feels the need to boast about his truck being American made by an American company, with American employees blah blah blah... That's right about the time my lead mechanic chimes in and says "hey man, I agree with you 100%. That's why I bought a Tundra. Next time you should buy one. At least it's built in this country"..
This really pissed off the last guy as he had his truck in to us for a trans rebuild at 105K. Trucks never been anything but a daily driver. Not a work truck, not a hauler. My mechanics Tundra has 190K+ and has been worked to death everyday of it's life with ZERO problems.
And there are many people whose American-built trucks have also gone 190K+ with zero problems.
Quote:
Hate to say it but if you want an American car buy a Camry.
No, thanks. I don't like to drive boring, egg-shaped cars.
Oh yes we should be buying American made products.We have 10% unemployment because Americans buy what is cheapest not what is the best made.
You are right that not all American made products are better than foreign made but when they are than we should be buying them even if they cost a little more.
If you sell products to Americans than you should employ Americans to make those products.
Every single person who is employed by an American owned company manufacturing here should be buying American. THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A JOB.
Everybody cries when America sends relief to foreign countries but they don't seem to have a problem supporting foreign manufacturers.
If two products are comparable quality and value I would buy American.
But I don't seek out vehicles, or just about any other product, based on the country of the manufacturer.
I bought our 2008 Ford Fusion (made in Mexico) because it was the best buy at the time. But I bought our 2007 Infiniti M35 because it was the best vehicle for us at that time.
It is the responsibility of EVERY company to make their product as desirable as possible. When they fail to do so - their business suffers. As it should.
I think you are wrong about what American consumers choose and why.
Japanese and German cars usually cost more than their American brand counterparts. Only Korean vehicles are really cheaper than American cars.
Oh yes we should be buying American made products.We have 10% unemployment because Americans buy what is cheapest not what is the best made.
You are right that not all American made products are better than foreign made but when they are than we should be buying them even if they cost a little more.
If you sell products to Americans than you should employ Americans to make those products.
Every single person who is employed by an American owned company manufacturing here should be buying American. THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A JOB.
Everybody cries when America sends relief to foreign countries but they don't seem to have a problem supporting foreign manufacturers.
I'm going to post two charts for you.
This is manufacturing as a share of employment:
http://www.aier.org/images/stories/research/manufacturing_share.gif (broken link)
This is manufacturing in terms of actual output from American factories:
http://www.aier.org/images/stories/research/industrial_production2.gif (broken link)
As you can clearly see, while the number of those employed in the manufacturing sector have been declining for generations, actual production from the manufacturing sector has been increasing steadily.
It may shock you to know that the United States is still the largest producer of goods in the world. It is also apparent that declines in the manufacturing sector as a percentage of the workforce was in decline long before the enactment of NAFTA and other trade agreements as well as the Chinese import boom.
The manufacturing sector in the United States is whithering away because what we are producing is changing. We are no longer making toys that get sold at WalMart, but we are producing products that require highly skilled workers such as medicines, food products, construction equipment and heavy trucks, etc. We are producing MORE with LESS people and it has nothing to do with Americans buying foreign goods.
The US manufacturing sector in 2008 actually recorded its best year ever in terms of production, revenue, profits and worker compensation. What is hitting American workers isn't cheap imports from overseas, but the fact that American manufacturing is now a high tech industry that requires vastly less labor to produce goods then it did 50 years ago.
Overall globalization and outsourcing are responsible for the loss of roughly 300,000 US jobs a year. Meanwhile internal factors in the United States are responsible for destroying 2.4 million jobs per MONTH, generally through greater gains in efficiency making those jobs obsolete.
I do agree that we need more jobs and manufacturing is part of that, but it is not the primary driver of our employment woes as the talking heads want you to believe.
Interesting that those charts only go to 2007, the last year of the housing boom and the year of the banking and credit failure. HWat does it look like after that?
But less people making more stuff is also why we have higher unemployment (and underemployment in many areas of the country). We need more manufacturing jobs more than just more manufacturing output.
We have 2 "made in America", 2 made elsewhere. Love em all! Really not a thought about where it's made. I care more that it's something I love to drive.
Last edited by PixiStix; 10-18-2011 at 02:47 PM..
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