American or Foreign

L

Lone_Star1

New member
Well as the title states what would nudge ya'll to consider buying American cars? What is it about American cars that you have experienced that makes you not consider them? Or what have you experienced from foreign models that keep you only considering them? Just trying to figure out why Americas car manufacturers are about to go bankrupt.
 
To answer a question like this you have to look at a LOT more than just consumer preference of the end product. Things like economy, rising fuel costs, rising material costs, stiffer competition, etc. all make a big difference in the status of a company.



I'm sure you will get a lot of very diverse opinions on peoples' individual vehicle preferences, but you might need to look deeper than that to find your answer.



By the way, I like both. If I'm looking for a pickup truck or SUV type vehichle (which I just ordered one two weeks ago), I buy All-American Ford. If I'm looking for all out, ground pounding V8 power, I also buy American, BUT if I'm looking for either a luxury car or an extremely refined sports car that handles like its on rails and screams like an Indy car, I look elsewhere.
 
Well, I have said it a million times before. You can have your Ford Fusion built in Mexico with parts from Mexico and Chine or you can have your Honda from Ohio built with American parts.

Here is something that people will NEVER understand! This is a Global Market. LOL



And before anyone opens there mouth I am in no way Anti American, I just know how business is actually done. I drive a Ford F-150 made in Dearborn, MI.
 
J-- I agree, I guess i was just trying to get a feel for what the pulse is about American cars.



Danase-- I agree with you about some "American" cars being built out of country and foreign manufacturers building their cars here. I can tell you though that the fusion does use as many if not more American parts then Honda. It must also be considered that even though the car is made in Mexico it goes to support American communities.



I wish I could upload an industry article about this. The article basically lays out where the money actually goes from car sales. I too used to use the argument about Hondas built in America, and Fords/GMs made out of country, but it was startling to see how much money goes overseas and how little support of communities Foreign companies do.
 
Lone_Star said:
J-- I agree, I guess i was just trying to get a feel for what the pulse is about American cars.



Danase-- I agree with you about some "American" cars being built out of country and foreign manufacturers building their cars here. I can tell you though that the fusion does use as many if not more American parts then Honda. It must also be considered that even though the car is made in Mexico it goes to support American communities.



I wish I could upload an industry article about this. The article basically lays out where the money actually goes from car sales. I too used to use the argument about Hondas built in America, and Fords/GMs made out of country, but it was startling to see how much money goes overseas and how little support of communities Foreign companies do.
Click to expand...



The profits go to share holders.



Look at it this way. You buy a Honda built in Ohio who supports US workers in their factories. The cars then go to the dealer where US workers where paid to transport them. Then US dealers sell them and service them. My family is a steel worker family. The Honda Ridge Line and Civic get their steel from US Steel in Rouge, MI, not China so you also just helped support the US steel industry. How does a Ford built in Mexico with Chinese steel help the US communities is what I don't get.
 
Danase, I used to think this as well. I will have to dig up the article and email it to you. I was surprised to learn at how little foreign companies support communities. Another thing to consider is that sure a few foreign cars are made in America, but they are made with parts that are shipped from Japan. (Not some, but most) And the fact that most of the foreign cars brought into America are true imports, only a portion are made on American soil.



There is no need to debate this issue as I was just curious as to what make people buy foreign over domestic and vice/versa.
 
I am pro GM so thats the end of my story.

Although I do have a Ford not a mistake I love the car to death and it hasn't lived up the "Found on Road Dead" :nana: yet... Waiting for the new Camaro to come though:chuckle:
 
the new camaro should be nice when it comes out. I am a mustang fan, and wa totally mad when GM killed the slowmaro, I mean fireturd, LOL J/K. Thanks for the input though. So will you then stick with GM no matter what? Even though you bought a Ford......
 
What would nudge me to buy an American car? Way lower pricing compared to the foreign brands, better designs, better fuel economy, better quality, better reliability. I really don't see myself buying an American car for awhile. I'll give it to them that they're trying to improve compared to previous years, but there's nothing about them that says "I have to have that car." I think their products are just way too far behind compared to everyone else. While in Hawaii less than 2 months ago, I rented the new Mustang convertible and that car felt like a POS. I could understand if this was like a 2000 model, but this was an '06. That's just not acceptable, especially if you're company is on the verge of bankruptcy and you're trying whatever you can to stay affloat.



To put it into perspective, I'd rather own a Korean car than an American car. When I got my car, I settled for it because it was all I could afford. It wasn't something I wanted, but after owning it now for 6 years, I realize how great of a car it really is. They've come a really long way and I think 10-20 years from now, they'll be up there with the Japanese.



As far as why they're all going bankrupt, I think a lot of reasons go into that but I think the biggest issue that needs to be addressed is how our healthcare system works, otherwise we might start to see other businesses go under. I was watching 48 hour mystery the other night with my wife and it was sad to see that prisoners in this country get better health care than I do. Something about that just isn't right.
 
Black, Thanks for the response and very well put. The pricing will never be way lower given the health care. too many legacy workers, and job bank people pulling profits down. I guess better designs is tough, because I can't stand foreign styling, but I bet you can't stand Domestic styling. I wish you were closer to Michigan so I could give you a ride in a non-convertable mustang Gt that is supercharged. i think that might change your mind a little ;)



I agree that it is sad that healthcare for inmates is better then what I have also. I didn't have it fo almost 3 years because I was not eligible for my parents insurance and I didn't make enough at the restaurant to afford it.
 
A better question might be “why don’t American companies want to consider making any cars that I’d buy?�



We currently own a Japanese car made in Indiana, two British cars made in England (one in a German owned factory) and a Japanese car made in Japan.



If you look at the market segments for each vehicle we own (and the years in which they were purchased and/or built) the American car companies didn’t even bother trying to produce similar or competitive vehicles for three of them. For the fourth car there may have been one or two American products that were sort’a, kind’a similar, but nothing close.



The good news is that there are finally some American vehicles, in certain market segments, I would consider buying. The bad news is that I have no plans to buy anything in those segments any time soon.



I’m not holding my breath that the executives in Detroit will get their act together anytime soon.





PC.
 
the_other, would you mind if I asked which vehicles you would considering buying if they were made (IE which vehicles do you own).
 
Lone_Star, I'm not trying to put down that ALL Mustangs are a POS. I'd consider getting into a supercharged GT as I actually like the new retro styling of the current model. But, even for a basic model I felt they should have "upped" the quality on it a bit. It's 2007, no car's interior should be all made of cheap plastics.
 
I know black. It just makes me so mad that there is still a bunch of lip service when it comes to quality. Another major issue with me right now is that all of the auto companies (even Toyota) are fighting the increase of Gas mileage. WHY? Ford and/or GM should jump on this and try to produce the least fuel thirsty vehicle and hang its hat on that.
 
American? Well I keep waiting for them to make a car that just grabs me. I am not looking for power and I am not looking for SUVness or fancy gadgets and really don't care what you can do from 0-60 in a straight line. I just want the stupid thing to last 10 years with the minimum of pain, I don't want the thing to sound like a bucket of bolts when going over bumps 5 years down the road. But most of all I want to see that I have stepped into a new era of car design when I buy a new car, instead of feeling like I am driving a car with 1970's technology that has been glossed over by new millennium materials ;) I mean its cute and all that the new mustang has the same old live axle and truck like v6 but would it have killed them to put in an independent suspension, to heck with all the old guys who liked that old suspension, be creative for god sakes and show me that you are growing. The Ford Fusion was nice when they released it but would it have hurt to put in side airbags, instead they waited a year to do that, quality is not the problem anymore, stupid decisions is...



I ended up picking up a BASE 2005 Subaru Legacy Wagon, made in Indiana lol with a 20% stake in it from GM for a little under 20k. Same ole boxer engine but the damn thing came with 8 airbags, EBD, antilock brakes, alloy wheels, disc brakes all round, independent suspension and AWD. I mean come on! :) If you want to talk about a no brainer check out the Hyundai's and watch out next year when they come out with their Genesis luxury car, thats progression you can see, it makes you think that there are a bunch of Koreans sitting down trying very hard to make a car better than it was last time even if it isn't true. The F150 is a great truck but it wasn't until Toyota, Nissan and Honda decided to make a challenge that Ford actually became innovative with the truck. Until then it was just the same regurgitated F150 with just enough visual changes to make it look like you weren't buying the same thing your Dad bought 10 years ago. The fact that GM has to go to Australia and Europe to get new offerings is very telling.
 
I haven't considered American cars in my last few purchases because in the segment I am shopping, they have nothing that interests me. In fact, right now if you were to compare the car I own to cars in "it's segment", I am not even sure which American car you would choose. CTS-V, maybe? I dunno.
 
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