Is it Made in America ?
Is it Made in America ?
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Sales data shown is of top 10 selling cars and trucks as compiled by Autodata Corporation.
[align=center][/align][center]"What's American, vs. what's foreign? I can't really say," says the frustrated Luehrmann, a Chicago accountant. "It's not that easy. It's very shades of gray."
The ambiguity creates a quandary for the many who consider "Made in the USA" a badge of honor. To them, the label means putting fellow countrymen to work at decent wages and supporting the U.S. economy in wartime. Some domestic-brand dealers use patriotic appeals to try to rev up the Buy American spirit.
But many consumers are increasingly confused. The world is no longer as simple as us vs. them, Detroit against the Asians and Europeans.
It's a global industry now, in which all manufacturers are touching their automaking toes on the shores of just about every industrialized nation. Even GM, long the icon of American industry, hedges its bets. "We're very proud for the economic role we play in this country," says GM spokesman Greg Martin. "However, we're a global car company that happens to be based in the United States."
The contradictions of a borderless automotive economy are borne out by government figures that track where vehicles are made and their domestic parts content. The search for the American car leads to:
· Foreign cars made in the USA: Honda's Ohio-built Accord is 70 percent domestic parts. Toyota's Corolla is made in a California plant alongside General Motors models.
· American cars made abroad: Ford's hit Fusion sedan is made in Mexico; only half its parts are from the USA or Canada. GM pitches its small HHR sport utility and giant [URL=http://autos.aol.com/chevr
Interesting Read
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[align=center][/align]Is It Made in America?
[align=center][/align]How Do You Tell Which Car Is More American?
[align=center][/align]By CHRIS WOODYARD & `Space
[align=center][/align]Toyota Fears No. 1
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Joe Luehrmann likes American cars, has owned a string of them and is considering buying another. But he faces a problem in trying to figure out what's American anymore.
His brother just bought a Chevy Equinox, but some of its parts are from China. And he knows all about the Kentucky-built Camry, but buying a Toyota ships the profit to Japan.
Toyota brags in ads about its growing list of U.S. plants, yet it imported 37 percent more cars from Japan last year to meet increased demand. General Motors promotes its trucks in TV commercials to strains of This Is Our Country but makes some of its best-known SUVs in Mexico.
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Joe Luehrmann likes American cars, has owned a string of them and is considering buying another. But he faces a problem in trying to figure out what's American anymore.
His brother just bought a Chevy Equinox, but some of its parts are from China. And he knows all about the Kentucky-built Camry, but buying a Toyota ships the profit to Japan.
Toyota brags in ads about its growing list of U.S. plants, yet it imported 37 percent more cars from Japan last year to meet increased demand. General Motors promotes its trucks in TV commercials to strains of This Is Our Country but makes some of its best-known SUVs in Mexico.
Sales data shown is of top 10 selling cars and trucks as compiled by Autodata Corporation.
The ambiguity creates a quandary for the many who consider "Made in the USA" a badge of honor. To them, the label means putting fellow countrymen to work at decent wages and supporting the U.S. economy in wartime. Some domestic-brand dealers use patriotic appeals to try to rev up the Buy American spirit.
But many consumers are increasingly confused. The world is no longer as simple as us vs. them, Detroit against the Asians and Europeans.
It's a global industry now, in which all manufacturers are touching their automaking toes on the shores of just about every industrialized nation. Even GM, long the icon of American industry, hedges its bets. "We're very proud for the economic role we play in this country," says GM spokesman Greg Martin. "However, we're a global car company that happens to be based in the United States."
The contradictions of a borderless automotive economy are borne out by government figures that track where vehicles are made and their domestic parts content. The search for the American car leads to:
· Foreign cars made in the USA: Honda's Ohio-built Accord is 70 percent domestic parts. Toyota's Corolla is made in a California plant alongside General Motors models.
· American cars made abroad: Ford's hit Fusion sedan is made in Mexico; only half its parts are from the USA or Canada. GM pitches its small HHR sport utility and giant [URL=http://autos.aol.com/chevr
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 340
From: Portland, Oregon
RE: Is it Made in America ?
I wish more things were made in the USA. My repro Rally wheels were made in Tiawan. I just found out that my Cloyes true roller timing set was made in Japan. ARG! I tell ya, I'd hate to strip my Monte down to the frame and find non-USA parts on a car made in 1976. The factory stereo was made in one of the Asian countries. It was either Tiawan or Japan. So is my in-dash CD/MP3 player, damnit. Its bad enough finding METRIC garbage on my car. There's nothing I hate more when I work on my car than to be using my standard tools and then come across that God-forsaken metric nut or bolt. When I eventually do a complete frame-off restoration on my Monte, I'm going to make it a point to use as many Made in USA parts that I can. Made in other country parts will be a last resort. Stereo would probably be the only real exception. I'd also be using all STANDARD nuts and bolts. No metric garbage. Okay my rant is over.
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,482
From: Southwestern OH
RE: Is it Made in America ?
Guys (n gals) who own Classic Chevies are screaming the same tune. They're pissed at having to bolt up off short parts on their '55/6/7 Chevies.
Ever since I got my '06 LTZ the dealer hasbeen mailing me monthly newsletters. One I got threedays ago states Toyota has had more vehicles recalled since 2003 or 4 then GM has. To the tune of 9.5 million vehicles.
Ever since I got my '06 LTZ the dealer hasbeen mailing me monthly newsletters. One I got threedays ago states Toyota has had more vehicles recalled since 2003 or 4 then GM has. To the tune of 9.5 million vehicles.
Monte Of The Month -- February 2008
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,286
From: Born in East LA
RE: Is it Made in America ?
Like I posted earlier, if you watch "Made In America" with Cliff Claven from Cheers....
...outside of Crayola Crayons and Sees Candies & Silly Putty, his show is extremely limited to the places he can go to.
...outside of Crayola Crayons and Sees Candies & Silly Putty, his show is extremely limited to the places he can go to.
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