Foreign companies don't make American cars. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. I don't care where a Toyota or a Honda or a BMW is made, it's still a foreign car. The engineering, parts and sub-assemblies come from foreign countries, and the profits go back to foreign countries. When we went to war, it was the American companies that tooled up to build our fighting machines, and when we go to war again, the foreign countries won't have our best interest in mind. When the American car companies go out of business, the foreign companies will have no reason to build cars here anymore, and they'll move production back overseas like they did in other industries and jack the prices up because there won't be any domestic competition. It is of course to their benefit to muddy the waters on this subject, that's why they're all trying to present themselves as America-loving American companies. Screw them. This topic has been debated to death, there is only one outcome for me. I have not and will not ever own a vehicle manufactured by a foreign company, and I don't do business with companies or individuals that do.
I support you stand on this.....and we all used to feel this way 30 yrs ago. What changed our minds? QUALITY! American manufacturing stopped supplying us with quality and we went elsewhere. We can build quality here again, ...but it will cost more and it will have to pay more to make it...and many corporations dont wanna deal with that dilemma.
I also support your stand on this. I often say but the profits go back to the foreign company or country which is the bottom line not just some current paychecks for an American blue collar worker. Bill you have a valid point. "..but it will cost more and (we) will have to pay more to make it .."(and for it)) The real grey area comes in when you try to decifer what that true "cost" is.. at least if you are considering more than just the immediate monetary or price for the vehicle.
I also support your stand on this. I often say but the profits go back to the foreign company or country which is the bottom line not just some current paychecks for an American blue collar worker. Bill you have a valid point. "..but it will cost more and (we) will have to pay more to make it .."(and for it)) The real grey area comes in when you try to decifer what that true "cost" is.. at least if you are considering more than just the immediate monetary or price for the vehicle.
HERE!!!
The profit largely goes here. If the article is correct, the domestic parts content is greater than 75%. This does not just mean "assembled in America". This means 75% or more of the parts come from American companies.
When Toyota buys 75% or more of its parts from US companies....they pay what the US company charges. Those US companies charge enough that there is going to be profit left after the sale. If I manufacture alternators, and toyota wants to buy into my product for their cars....me...an American business, makes the profit on that sale of that part. An American factory will get paid to bolt that alternator on the car during assembly.
Who knows how many different US manufacturers it takes to create 75% of the parts....but they all see a profit.
The profit that goes overseas is profit on the sale of the car at the dealership. Everything else is profit for American companies, and keeping Americans working via manufacturing the parts and building the cars.
If you buy an "American" car that is largely built from outsourced parts and even possibly assembled somewhere else...well the only Americans you supported are one or two guys at the top of the food chain of said American car company.
You sure didnt pump much, if any money into the hands of US citizens. Maybe just a couple grand in profit of the sale to the owners.
Toyota is a foreign can and the natural disaster in Japan clearly pointed that out. There is a Toyota plant near me and I have friends who work there. Their shifts were cut back and no overtime after the disaster and it stayed that way until the plants in Japan could make the parts required for the cars they assemble here. There was no local manufacturers that were given any projects to make parts for Toyota. Don't look where the car is assembled, follow the money and you'll see it's a Japanese car, not American.
Foreign companies don't make American cars. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. I don't care where a Toyota or a Honda or a BMW is made, it's still a foreign car. The engineering, parts and sub-assemblies come from foreign countries, and the profits go back to foreign countries. When we went to war, it was the American companies that tooled up to build our fighting machines, and when we go to war again, the foreign countries won't have our best interest in mind. When the American car companies go out of business, the foreign companies will have no reason to build cars here anymore, and they'll move production back overseas like they did in other industries and jack the prices up because there won't be any domestic competition. It is of course to their benefit to muddy the waters on this subject, that's why they're all trying to present themselves as America-loving American companies. Screw them. This topic has been debated to death, there is only one outcome for me. I have not and will not ever own a vehicle manufactured by a foreign company, and I don't do business with companies or individuals that do.
that's how I see it as well. They are not taxed as an american company either, they get huge breaks, unlike the big 3. A lot of our tax money goes to building these "american" toyota and honda plants.
Toyota is a foreign can and the natural disaster in Japan clearly pointed that out. There is a Toyota plant near me and I have friends who work there. Their shifts were cut back and no overtime after the disaster and it stayed that way until the plants in Japan could make the parts required for the cars they assemble here. There was no local manufacturers that were given any projects to make parts for Toyota. Don't look where the car is assembled, follow the money and you'll see it's a Japanese car, not American.
Also, within the past couple years GM has turned around significantly as an automaker. They are no longer the company that most people viewed in the '80's and '90's as being a mediocre company, making mediocre products with poor quality. They are headed in the right direction, having business sense that's industry leading, and products that are becoming class leading as well.. Same thing with Ford and hell even Chrysler. The "Big Three" have improved by bunches, and it's a good thing to see.
Chris Van, I appreciate your input. Nothing wrong with an opposing view point. While their is value in what you said profit of some even most of the parts manufacturing / supply is not net profit of the car sale. The cost of doing business may put some chillings it smaller supporting american companys & workers the bulk of the money doesnt stay with us. While some here profited and that is important and has value THE profit went back to the owners and the control of those plants & our workers also remain there.
I would like to see American companys bring back more of the manufacturing & parts supply to America at least with regards to what parts we can supply competitively. It is a complicated and grey subject. After Clinton signed NAFTA much of our manufacturing went overseas or to Mexico but many of those companys have found out that cheap labor especially that which does not natively speak your language has other costs. A few of the plants have returned and others are considering it as things evolve.
BTW for a job I deliver parts to Honda & Acura dealerships. Lol. Almost all of Hondas supplier/servicing companys are Japanese owned. All the major suppliers or servicers even it they are useing American workers. Although I have a buddy who works at a small machine shop that supplies things for a Honda plant its chump change in the skeam of things.
I breifly read throught this thread but here is my opnion on how North American car companies can get back to the top. Lets face it GM leetting go on pontiac wasnt quite the solution. What they really should have done was wheen out the cars that just are not needed. for example we dont need GMC trucks. just keep it Chevy and we dont need 10 diffrent engine options just bring it down to 4 engine options and keep them all the same brand and put them in all your production cars. 4Cyl , v6 , turbo 6 , v8 and diesel engine. after that let each Division only have 3-4 cars a year for sale. lets say Pontiac keeps the vibe , g5 ,g6, g8 ect .... ect after that we need to stop out sourcing. with the lower cost and less production facilites along with less property needed to make the cars they could sell the cars a whole lot cheaper then there rivals. Then once American cars become the dominant car we can begine to upscale are options again and make more plants. I know this all would be alot of work for GM to do but it would be worth it.
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