Originally Posted By: Jim 5
I'm a free market guy to the core.
My thought behind all of this is that tariffs were not going to be necessary, because the consumer was starting to get wise.
I've done a ton of research on refrigerators and tires lately. I've got a $3500 refrigerator that needs $600 worth of repairs because of carpy off shore parts. Consumer reports says that if you have a refrigerator over 7 years old and a repair costs more than $150, you should just replace it. In the next 2 years I'm told to anticipate the $700 compressor to fail (it's 6.5 years old now). In doing my research, there isn't a refrigerator on the market at any price that isn't made with carpy off shore parts. The life cycle of ~8 years will cost me close to $500/year. Meanwhile, my dad has a 40 year old fridge in his garage that is still running fine.
I'd gladly pay $1000 more for a fully north american made quality product. The manufacturer who figures this out and offers such a product will do well. As more consumers go through this process, the demand for American made quality/value will give enough price signal to rejuvenate the north american manufacturing sector.
I had this same experience with travel trailer tires. 2 blow-outs later I found that I can't buy a US made tire to fit my 2 year old trailer at any price. Even the japanese yokohamas are made in china. The only name brand tire on the market is Goodyear Marathon, which is also made in China and if you google that tire, you'll find nothing but stories of blow-outs.
Again, the Tariff will force the issue, but I think consumers would have gotten there anyway. I'm prepared to pay extra for quality. When I buy a fridge, I want it to last, just like any other big ticket item.
If some north american manufacturers would start manufacturing on the basis of quality not purchase price, I think many consumers would pay extra. It costs less to the consumer in the long run. I hope to see a new era in manufacturing. The winning manufacturer in each product line will be the first to do it, and it will be a good thing.
The best I could do with North American made when I bought my washer was a Speed Queen Commercial. I too got sick and tired of [censored] foreign parts failing after a few years.