How can I help America?

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The only American car I've always liked were the Lincoln LS V8 and the Chevrolet Corvette.

When my parents emmigrated here in 1975 from Korea, Their first car was a 1969 Ford that caught on fire. For every 5 years, my parents always bought a new car and it was either a GM or Chrysler. My father's only excuse for buying domestic was "The dealership is nearby" or "because it's cheaper to fix". Well, let's talk about helping America out. If I buy an American car, let's say a Lincoln LS, How much am I helping America?
 
What's your definition of "American car"? Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Maxima are all American cars because they are made here in the States.

Honestly, buying a car because it's "American" is buying it for all the wrong reasons. Buy something that you like and that you feel provides good value for the money. Buying a product based on its country of origin and ignoring other aspecs such as whether it's inferior or not serves no purpose other than delaying that manufacturer's inevitable demise. If they make a khrappy product, no amount of customer sentiment will help them in the long run.
 
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Originally posted by Quattro Pete:
What's your definition of "American car"? Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Maxima are all American cars because they are made here in the States.

Honestly, buying a car because it's "American" is buying it for all the wrong reasons. Buy something that you like and that you feel provides good value for the money. Buying a product based on its country of origin and ignoring other aspecs such as whether it's inferior or not serves no purpose other than delaying that manufacturer's inevitable demise. If they make a khrappy product, no amount of customer sentiment will help them in the long run.


American cars, as in American companies. (i.e. big three)
 
I can see this thread going south quickly as well.

I'd like to help america too, but i don't want to help the greedy big three. Dilemma.
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American car loyalists still see it is "you're an American and you should be giving your car-buying cash to an American company." Little do they know that gone are the days of all the money going overseas when you buy a Toyota. It stays right here now, to pay the American workers working at headquarters as well as in the plants. The baby boomer generation is the last group I've witnesses with this loyalist stance...everyone I speak to (with the exception of my teamster brother) at or around my age plans to spend their money on quality products that satisfy them, regardless of the maker. This is just another way of thinking that will eventually get bred-out of society with each new generation of consumer.
 
I think you mean Big Two. Chrysler is not American anymore. It was taken over by Diamler in their "merger".
 
Calling a car "American" just because it was assembled here is not considering the big picture. Car companies pay people to do design, engineering, assembly, parts manufacture, sales, marketing, purchasing, accounting, management, customer service and a whole host of other jobs. For the most part, the foreign makers that assemble cars here only do the assembly, sales, marketing and some parts sourcing in the states. Engineering, design, and all the other corporate stuff is controlled from overseas. If you think all of the money the foreign brands make here stays here, you're kidding yourself. If you want to support America, look at the company you're buying the car from and look at the people - ALL of the people - responsible for bringing that car to your local dealer. Pick the company that spends most of its dollars in this country. EVERYONE sources parts from overseas. It's part of doing business in this industry today and you can't really compare one company to another based on where they get their parts, at least not without taking all the other factors into consideration.
 
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If you think all of the money the foreign brands make here stays here, you're kidding yourself.

By the same token, the so called American companies assemble some of their cars abroad (Mexico, Canada).
 
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Originally posted by Quattro Pete:

quote:

If you think all of the money the foreign brands make here stays here, you're kidding yourself.

By the same token, the so called American companies assemble some of their cars abroad (Mexico, Canada).


It goes way beyond just assembly.
 
To answer the question;

Vote and stand up for your self as a worker, get good value for good services rendered.

Don't go into debt to the point you are "owned" by your employer or loan company.

Corporations that make cars are multi nationals not defenders of one nation.
 
To help America, buy the best car you can for the money. If it is a "foreign" car, that will help America by forcing American car companies to stop building junk and become competitive.
 
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Originally posted by otis24:
To help America, buy the best car you can for the money. If it is a "foreign" car, that will help America by forcing American car companies to stop building junk and become competitive.

+1...I buy from companies who I believe make a good product not there origin. I believe that is the whole point of globalization
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Hi

quote:

Is relevant to lubrication in some way? I can see this turning into an import bashing thread.

My work car has 241,000 on it with the original 4t60e never having been out of the chassis, and the '05 Chev Colorado 4x4 CrewCab gets 25-26 mpg.

With results like these, I see no need to sully the driveway with rice.
 
The content is on the window sticker, at least on my GM cars they list the % and source of the major components like engine/trans.

My Lansing, MI built Cadillac CTS has an engine built in USA, Trans built in France and rear axle built in Germany (Getrag) or do they have plant in US as I have been unable to find that out. Window sticker has the US content in the 80%+ range.

Btw-The Getrag axle went South with only 2100 miles on the car.
 
The first "import"
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bash award goes to: lght1.
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I could honestly give a rats nasty rear where a car is built, as long as it's built like a tank and can rack up miles trouble free. Why do you think you'll help America by buying a big 2 when 90% of the things you purchase at Walmart are made abroad??? I still think a lot of people are pent up about the WWII Pacific Theatre!
 
Well I will never buy an import brand car/truck so give me 2nd place.

I do own a Honda ATV that is designed and built in the US (SC) but mainly because relatives sell them.
 
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