Do you feel obligated to buy American?

[Jim]

StangerBanger96;299565 wrote:
Yeah if you think German/European cars are so superior, then I guess one must consider how much money must be sunk into the average BMW/Benz vs the average Ford/Chevy to get the car 200,000+ miles. I'd wager a good amount of money that if you treated both equally, the BMW/Benz would take a LOT more money to maintain vs the Ford/Chevy. I'm sure Jim knows that, while the build quality of a BMW is VERY nice, it also requires some decent dough to maintain it.

Ehhh... a car is a car. Replacement parts are expensive for whatever.

It really just depends... I'd agree on the Benz front, that shit is stupid expensive. BMW's... not so much. My parents have sunk more money (like double) in to thier Durango then they have thier BMW for sure with equal amounts of miles on both. If you talk to them, they won't own another American made car for the trouble.

I've got like 160k on my sedan, still going strong. The coupe has like 120k without any major problems.

Honestly though, who cares where a car was made, the money gets spread all over the place, especially in today's globalized world, half the shit was outsourced to be made out of the country anyway. It's not like 80% of the shit we use everyday wasn't made in China, so I don't really get the hangup over where cars were made. Buy what appeals to you, and what can get you the best deal for your money, if American companies want your money they will appeal to consumers by building a better product. Competition in the market SHOULD make both products better... right? hhaha.

[bubba]

Jim;299568 wrote:
Competition in the market SHOULD make both products better... right? hhaha.

I think it's making Japanese cars into big boats, that are getting worse mileage than the past (which is completely unappealing), and american cars into even bigger boats...

[DrifterExtreme]

I will buy what i like regardless of where it is made, but there is only one place i will buy a truck from that is ford/chevy/dodge. It really comes down to what your looking for, and lately i can't say i like any of the new cars from any manufacture.

They just don't appeal to me.

[Parker]

bubba;299573 wrote:
I think it's making Japanese cars into big boats, that are getting worse mileage than the past (which is completely unappealing), and american cars into even bigger boats...
Yeah.... not so much......

[Eurofan]

Parker;299575 wrote:
Yeah.... not so much......

Broken link!

[Parker]

:icon_scratch::icon_scratch:There was no link.

[GreenLantern]

Eurofan;299536 wrote:
Is it honestly "right" to support something American that is, in all actuality, inferior to products that other countries have to offer (Japan, Germany, Korea... ect ect)? IMHO

I haven't read the rest of the thread, but i will comment on this initial post.

Since the US is founded on the basis of Capitalism, buying something for any reason other than quality vs price would be fairly backwards. In a capitalistic society, those who succeed, make money and those who dont, fall apart. Now there are interwoven problems with letting an American institution fail in lieu of buying foreign products where our money is traveling overseas never to return; however, many of the 'foreign' companies like Toyota and Honda have become global businesses with branches in the US as well as overseas. Its a long, conveluded discussion, but i still stand behind buying the best product for the least money. My whole family has adopted that mindset as well. I have an Acura, my father has a newer Accord, my brother has a Civic and my mother has a Mazda 6. They're debatably foreign cars, but i think, better than the majority of their competition.

[capitlj]

The "quality" of a new import versus a new domestic is debatable, in the past it was true that the import makes were better built cars, not so much anymore. I have said this before and I will probably bring it up next time this debate is brought back up, I sell as many parts for imports as I do domestics. Proportionate of course to the number of each in the area, i.e. there are far more Chevy pickups around here than civics so of course I sell more volume there. Were the equation reversed I'm positive the outcome would be the opposite. Now when it comes to initial value it matters a whole helluva lot more what you want than where it was built. If fuel economy is all you are after you are not going to buy an excursion are you? I am currently looking to move back into a truck and there isn't a single import make in consideration, because frankly they can't build a good truck.

[capitlj]

Oh and FYI for those who want to check, the first digit of your VIN is country of origin.
1 = USA
2 = Canada
3 = Mexico
W = Germany
J = Japan
Z = Italy for those lucky enough to have an Italian ride

[MisterCMK]

Jim;299568 wrote:
My parents have sunk more money (like double) in to thier Durango then they have thier BMW for sure with equal amounts of miles on both. If you talk to them, they won't own another American made car for the trouble.

Its a Dodge, whattya expect?

[thrash]

Ford is the only US car maker I would consider buying new from, as only they are not owned by the Obama administration.

I buy the car that fits my needs best, irrespective of where it comes from.

[Trafik Jamz]

thrash;299825 wrote:
Ford is the only US car maker I would consider buying new from, as only they are not owned by the Obama administration.

I buy the car that fits my needs best, irrespective of where it comes from.

Just out of curiosity, if/when GM pays off their bill in June (as projected) and gets the Fed out of the board room, will your opinion change to buy them? I'm not trying to start a flame/political thread, because I actually agree with you on your reasoning.

In my mind, no I still won't because I just don't see GM making any vehicles that I'd want to own other than a corvette (well, maybe a 3/4 ton turbo diesel, but other than that none...)

[thrash]

if there is truly no federal involvement in GM at some point in the future, sure.