Here is something to chew on.......

Water-Bug wrote:
Why should the consumer worry about the American made content of anything? The manufacturers don't care, the stock market doesn't care, even our government doesn't care. Unfortunately, the consumer cannot induce enough concern to overcome the complacency of business and government. Our greatest export is technology, which we blindly give away. :(

Agricultural products are the Number 1 export for the U.S.A., thank a Farmer.

I take a lot of flack for owning "foreign" vehicles even though they are more "domestic" than many domestics. I was a GM man for years until inheriting my first Toyota. That's when I realized what a fool I was. I finally had a vehicle that didn't depreciate faster than I could pay it off or need a new exhaust, alternator and head gasket like clockwork at 80,000kms. I'm now on my 5th Toyota and have a local built Honda too.

Here's the way I see it. Yes they are foreign owned companies. They built factories here to get past the foreign stigma and help sell vehicles even though it cost more to build. In doing this they created good jobs here, employing thousands while putting millions (billions?) of dollars back into the local economy. I see that as a good thing.

On the other side you have several domestic companies (some now foreign owned) that are building vehicles too but are outsourcing for parts and sending much needed jobs to other countries because it's cheaper. This takes jobs away and money out of the local economy. On top of that they are so poorly managed that they require billions of tax payers dollars to bail them out regularly.

So what's worse? A company whose revenue goes to a foreign state but creates jobs and invests in the local economy? or a domestic company that outsources jobs to other countries, lays off thousands as a result and requires your hard earned money (tax dollars)to stay afloat?

Pretty easy choice in my mind (no matter how small you may think it is :B) Flame away.

Passin Thru wrote:
My Chevy is a POS and I am ready to sell it, buy a MH and a Toyota pickup for a toad. We have owned 7 Toyotas and 1 went in the shop at 72000 miles and Toyota put a new engine in i t for free. I can't even get Chevy to pay $940 for the glowplugs which were under warranty. I wrote to Chevys president and they just blew me off. You buy a $45000 truck and you get crap. The hoses from the transmission to the cooler are potmetal, pressed to rubber back to potmetal and tey all leak, leaving puddles in the driveway. You have to remove the fender to replace the fuel filter. Stupid Engineering. I had a 7.3 Ford but the new ones are just as crappy as Chevy. The Toyota Camry has dethroned the Ford F-150 as the "Most American" car,To add insult to injury, Toyota was ruled the most "American" auto manufacturer, beating out Ford. What does GM mean? Government Manufacturing?

Two worst cars I've had since I began buying vehicles were Toyota's. One a '73 Corolla and a '07 Matrix. Both bought new, both multiple, expensive problems. Best vehicles I've bought over the years, with the exception of a '76 Chevette....GM.

My Nissan Titan was made in Mississippi and my Camaro was made in Canada. Go Figure.

Ahh getting your information from "www.fool.com"
Explains a lot now that I think about it :B
Sorry I didn't bother reading much of anything after looking at the URL :W
I'm sure there is a " www.yourafool.com" URL also :R
You know I'm kidding you buddy, ah I guess that's a loose term :E

Chrylser maybe American made but they're not an American company no more and that's a real shame! :M

I will continue to buy American made products from an American company when I have the option! :C

And that's the way it should be! :W

My Chevy is a POS and I am ready to sell it, buy a MH and a Toyota pickup for a toad. We have owned 7 Toyotas and 1 went in the shop at 72000 miles and Toyota put a new engine in i t for free. I can't even get Chevy to pay $940 for the glowplugs which were under warranty. I wrote to Chevys president and they just blew me off. You buy a $45000 truck and you get crap. The hoses from the transmission to the cooler are potmetal, pressed to rubber back to potmetal and tey all leak, leaving puddles in the driveway. You have to remove the fender to replace the fuel filter. Stupid Engineering. I had a 7.3 Ford but the new ones are just as crappy as Chevy. The Toyota Camry has dethroned the Ford F-150 as the "Most American" car,To add insult to injury, Toyota was ruled the most "American" auto manufacturer, beating out Ford. What does GM mean? Government Manufacturing?

This is what I have been telling a lot of family and friends. I feel strongly about buying American autos, and before I get worked up debating this with my friends that insist on foreign, I look at the fact that GM sells the most autos each month. That puts a smile on my face!! They must be doing something right!! Ford is right there too. BUY AMERICAN !!! I bet your grandpa did !!!!!!

Back in 1983 we bought a new Chevy 3/4 4x4 6.2 diesel and a new Subaru wagon. People sometimes gave us a hard time over buying a foreign made Subaru. If they'd stay around for a moment, I'd raise the hood and show them the plate saying it was built in the USA, I think in Kentucky and I'd tell them that my new Chevy truck was built in Canada. If they were still around, I'd tell them I was thinking of selling the Chevy so I could buy more American Subarus............

Bill

Why should the consumer worry about the American made content of anything? The manufacturers don't care, the stock market doesn't care, even our government doesn't care. Unfortunately, the consumer cannot induce enough concern to overcome the complacency of business and government. Our greatest export is technology, which we blindly give away. :(