I almost vomited when the package came in

[ocabj]

"Buying American" as far as cars go is subjective. Most Toyotas and Hondas sold in the United States are actually produced on US soil (as well as the parts used). There is an article that was published recently that noted how the Toyota Sienna was 90% US made where as the Ford Mustang is 65% US Made (WSJ Article).

Buying the Toyota would support the US workers more than buying the Ford. But of course, buying the Ford would support the US company.

As far as computers go, it's impossible to "buy American". Some of it may have been designed on US soil, but almost all of it was fabricated on foreign soil.

 

['Card]

I used to own a Nissan pick-up that was built in Tennessee.

I bought a Jeep and found out it was built in Canada and Mexico.

My wife used to own a Chrysler Cirrus that was built in Mexico.

Last year I bought my wife a Subaru that was built in Indiana.

I have a bunch of friends who work at the Toyota plant in West Virginia.

My Honda ATV was built in South Carolina.

So... which ones are the American car companies again?

 

[eghad]

For 15 years service as a civilian Dept of Army Employee I got a certificate and a lapel pin from our higher headquarters. The 15 year service pin was made in China.

 

[mfree]

*shrug* seems to me that the more of a car is made in (northern) America, the better it turns out. Strange, given the propoganda...

Toyotas and Nissans made here end up great
Fords made in Mexico and GMs made in Canada end up badly

Let's see, where are the outliers... Ah, Saturn. The Holy Grail of the used car market, 300K+ milers, made in Tennessee. I speak of the older chassis, of course...

Everything is different, there's no rhyme or reason to it. Where the *parts* come from and how they're sourced seems to make a bigger difference than where it's made. Lowest-bidder bits make for lowest-uptime vehicles, and with the overhead costs the US makers have, they're bidding down to the penny for their subassemblies.

 

[Rugerlvr]

the only thing america makes with any quality and pride in craftsmanship anymore are guns, and those are getting more and more expesnive.

Guitars are a passion of mine, and USA made guitars are still the best in the world. Martin, Taylor, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch... Oh, and guitar amps. We make some damn good ones here: Mesa/Boogie, Fender, Genz Benz, Peavey... unfortunately the tubes all come from Russia, China, or Slovakia...

BTW, to the Buy USAers in the crowd, if you shop at Wal-Mart, you are almost certainly buying cheap chinese crap. It's one of the reasons I avoid it like the plague. That and the fact that in order to keep their prices low, they are forcing American suppliers to outsource their production lines.

 

[carebear]

BTW, to the Buy USAers in the crowd, if you shop at Wal-Mart, you are almost certainly buying cheap chinese crap. It's one of the reasons I avoid it like the plague. That and the fact that in order to keep their prices low, they are forcing American suppliers to outsource their production lines.

That's ludicrous. Wal-Mart isn't buying this stuff to keep for themselves. It isn't "they" who are demanding lower prices and accepting (allegedly) lower quality goods in order to get them; it's "us".

If you demand higher priced goods made at (what you believe to be) higher quality someone will provide them. It isn't in Wal-Mart's business model to do so, so you'll have to give up the one stop convenience and use a little more effort.

Still, consumers drive the train. If they really want something and are willing to pay, the market will provide.

We the consumers (who want lower prices) and we the stockholders (who want higher profits) and we the people (who vote for higher taxes) and we the workers (who demand higher wages and benefits) are what drove businesses to make wise financial decisions and outsource production and move offshore.

Corporations aren't evil faceless entities, they are collections of individuals.

Individuals who happen to be us.

 

[Rugerlvr]

That's ludicrous. Wal-Mart isn't buying this stuff to keep for themselves. It isn't "they" who are demanding lower prices and accepting (allegedly) lower quality goods in order to get them; it's "us".

Ok, I concede that point. I try my damnedest not to shop there, so I am voting with my dollars. I've been into Wal-Mart maybe 3 times in the last two years. Each time to buy something I couldn't find anywhere else at the time.

 

[dfaugh]

i used to try to play the "Made in USA" game...but its gotten almost impossible...There are many items that simply aren't manufactured in the US anymore (most clothing being on example)...And, often the parts are made elsewhere, and it's only assembled in the US, so they can still say "Made in USA". And, frankly, I can't afford to be too picky when it comes to buying stuff, my income (disability) simply doesn't allow it.

It's a shame in some respects, but on the other hand, it allows us to afford things that might be economically prohibitive otherwise.

 

[jeepmor]

US made is nice, but quality is first.

Service matters. If US car makers can't figure that out, then I'll happily throw a some dirt on their coffin.

I feel the same way. I try to be loyal to American products, but quality is key to me. And thankfully, China produces lousy quality merchandise by the container load, so it's rarely an option for a serious purchase.

As far as cars, my chevy's were fine, but I avoid the dealership like the plague and twist most of my own wrenches, but they were not trouble free. My subaru has as many miles as my Tahoe had (100k) and it's only needed consumables like brakes thus far, and some valve cover gaskets. It is a far better quality product than my chevy was, hands down and my luck with Toyota is exemplarly. A Tacoma is in my future unless US automakers can make a truck that won't be a rattle trap in 20K miles. Yeah right.

Optics, I went with Leupold for my rifle scope, if they're made in the communist block, please bludgeon me, but they are good. I've not tried Burris, so I can't say. I can say that I will be getting Nikon binocs in the mail soon since I could not see any perceptible difference between them and the leupolds besides the price.

jeepmor

 

[1911JMB]

Its nice to see not everybody on THR is a wallmart type.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Bottom line is that the smart consumer should but the best quality product that fits the consumer's needs closest for the amount of money the consumer is willing to spend.

I spent a lot of time growing up at the local Ford dealership where our Fairlane was being repaired. Not only did we support good old USA workers in Michigan, but supported the local USA workers repairing the quality USA product from Michigan. It is stupid to pay for crap more than once, but it makes since to pay for quality just once. Buy the product, not the country of origin.

Why would anyone want to support a product that doesn't support the consumer? If you have that much disposable income to throw away, I am an American, and I could use your money to pay for gun classes taught by an American and I would get to the class flying on American Airlines...if that would make you happy.

 

[Gun_nut]

Yea im a *buy in america kinda guy* and i found the
Brand new balance makes most of there shoes in america but of foreign componets though. But Danner is a great usa made boot company

 

[rustymaggot]

i try to buy from small local businesses if i can. sometimes i cant afford to do that but with guns i will usually try to find the small shop and support that.

years ago when i was in a surplus store i saw a white power dummy who was being obnoxious walking around picking up items and throwing them on the ground saying " i only buy amreican made" so just to mess with him i went up to him and said, 'ya know, it seems to me a guy like you would be fine with foreners sweating for a buck a hour so some 'american' only has to resell the stuff and make more money than if he made them himself" that stumped the white power guy pretty good. racists are just like retarded puppies, cep ya feel bad when you tease the puppy.

 

[Byron Quick]

I just recently sold my '95 Mustang GT convertible. Best car I've ever owned. During warranty, one power window motor replaced, one alternator, and one belt wheel. Replaced the entire coolant system around 150K miles. The radiator burst and I figured that the rest was probably within X number of miles of failure so while it was in the shop, I told them to pull out everything in that system that could be replaced. Other than that, I had to replace a clutch at about a 100K and a universal joint on the drive shaft. It's got about 220K miles now. I'm not easy on vehicles...a vehicle that survived my driving it for 220K miles with no more failures than that is one hell of a vehicle.

I buy American when I can but I'm not a fanatic about it. Except cars. Not only have I never owned a foreign brand of car...I've never set foot on a foreign dealership lot.

Even so, one man's darling is another man's nightmare. There's people that swear by Chevies. If you gave me a Corvette, I'd drive it to a shop where I could buy a 'For Sale' and then drive it to where people could see the neat shiny car with the sign in the window. Won't buy one, won't drive one, won't own one. I'm sure the company suffers unbearable angst because of this.

 

[soutex50]

"Made in America" with John Ratzenburger, (that guy from Cheers?) on The Travel Channel.....Ya'll be amazed how much "stuff" is made in the Good Ol US of A.

And yes, I try to buy American as much as I can but it is becoming harder and harder these days.

BTW, +2 on Danner Boots, five years, two resoles and still kicking!!
Did not buy a pair of Justin Ropers the other day because they were made in CHINA!!!!!! That's down right sacrilegous.

 

[TheotherMikeG]

When we pass the FAIRTAX, American companies will not need to move their manufactuing out of the country to flee confiscatory tax laws.

Apologies for being off topic, but it is impossible in a global economy to exclusively buy American.

If anyone is unfamiliar with or curious about fairtax, pm me so as not to hijack this thread.

 

[rustymaggot]

off topic

soutex50,

leather items last 10 times as long when they are well cared for. people who love their boots and take good care of them usually wear em for close to 20 years.

neatsfoot oil is one of the best things for leather. my belt(not duty, just regular pants belt) is going on 10 years and has very little breakdown. every 6 months leather should get a good coating of oil.

 

[soutex50]

rustymaggot
Appreciate the knowledge shared regarding leather products.....I should have specified that it was five years of continous duty on Patrol when the other guys boots i.e. magnums, rockies, thorogoods, bates, so on don't even make it through one year. bottom line, its the best $250 bucks (Ft Lewis)I've ever spent on my dogs.

Take care and God Bless.

 

[Mark Whiteman]

My old '86 Chevy K20 was built in Canada. I replaced it with a nice Toyota Tundra, engineered and built here for the US market. Other than the sheet metal being thinner (the Chev broke drill bits, the sheet metal was so hard) the Tundra is just as solid, lighter, quieter, more powerful, with a smaller V8 that gets double the mileage on Regular instead of Plus. Lately the thing I object to most is not being able to get away from stuff made in Red China, although the quality has improved markedly in the last 20 years.