Given the recent auto bailout, I found this mildly humorous.

[owequitit]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_crushing_cars

1) They now seem to have some renewed sense of "toughness." This wasn't perpetuated by the bailout per se, it just happened to be well timed.

2) They couldn't even pull off a PLANNED PR stunt against an import successfully the first time.

3) I guess Americans are now reaching the stupidity level that allows them to think that buying a Chevy actually means they are buying a "domestic." Back in the day it was true, so it didn't bother me, but now they are usually buying a vehicle made in Mexico, with an engine made in Mexico, a transmission made in Brazil, and other parts sourced from Korea, China, Brazil etc. And to top it off, the "profits" for their chosen company are mostly going to China, who holds large shares of stock in all 3 automakers.

They say buy a "domestic." Funny how they get really pissed off when I tell them "I did. When I bought my last Honda."

[verothacamaro]

My biggest amusement comes from people who say 'Don't Buy Imports, Buy American, because it's Patriotic'.........

as if delving into the ability to purchase any automobile I choose, isn't Pro-America.

Last time I checked, we lived in a Free Market Economy which allows myself and the rest of the country the FREEDOM of purchasing any product I choose. That is the essense of being American.

Not to mention the amount of damage that would come from buying only American.

Economically it would be disastrous. Thousands of people working at Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, BMW, etc would be out of a job.

Companies that supply these 'import' Automakers would be in limbo as well.

How UNAmerican it is to state that by closing off the doors to free trade, there would somehow be advantages to the average citizen.

unwise.

[scudweiser]

my honda was made in ohio i think.

[owequitit]

My biggest amusement comes from people who say 'Don't Buy Imports, Buy American, because it's Patriotic'.........

as if delving into the ability to purchase any automobile I choose, isn't Pro-America.

Last time I checked, we lived in a Free Market Economy which allows myself and the rest of the country the FREEDOM of purchasing any product I choose. That is the essense of being American.

Not to mention the amount of damage that would come from buying only American.

Economically it would be disastrous. Thousands of people working at Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, BMW, etc would be out of a job.

Companies that supply these 'import' Automakers would be in limbo as well.

How UNAmerican it is to state that by closing off the doors to free trade, there would somehow be advantages to the average citizen.

unwise.

Absolutely.

Honda's CEO wanted the bailout to pass, because if the domestics went bankrupt, it would have affected the suppliers, which would have affected the imports. Unlike the domestics, the Japanese still have smart management.

[owequitit]

my honda was made in ohio i think.

You can tell by the label on the door jamb and the VIN #.

If it starts with "1" and says Honda of America MFG, then it was indeed built in Ohio.

Honda has built cars in Ohio since 1982, and today 86% of all Honda vehicles sold in the US are built in the US. Of those, the vast majority of parts content comes from American suppliers that also build stuff in the US. That % has increased almost 10% in the last couple years, and ultimately will continue to increase as their new factory in Indiana gets up to speed building Civics and Fits.

This is a higher % than ANY other multi-national automaker (which would include Chrysler, GM and Ford). They keep increasing production in Mexico, Korea, China and Brazil. The more the US switches to smaller cars, the more pronounced this will become. Typically, most of what is left being built in the US are the trucks, SUV's, and some of the larger cars.

The only remaining argument for the "domestics" is that the profits don't go to Japan. Too bad that is flawed on every level, because all of the auto companies are international. I can buy GM stock in China, and I can buy Honda stock in the US. The ONLY thing that makes these companies "domestic" anymore is the address of the corporate headquarters.

[Tnwagn]

The ONLY thing that makes these companies "domestic" anymore is the address of the corporate headquarters.

Yet there are enough ignorant Americans that would have you think otherwise.

If anyone tells me to buy an American car I'll just tell them sure, "As long as all the products you buy are American made with American products, sure, I'll go along and buy a Ford."

You would die in a week or two if you tried to survive on only American made goods. Either that, or you would go bankrupt.

[Jonas]

if there was ever such a thing as a fully american car... all american parts, all american labor, all american engineering... it would cost about $400,000. ok thats exaggerating but still. seriously. it would be expensive. american labor doesnt come cheap, and every part would be american made. then it would all be american assembled. thats why our cars are made in mexico. mexican labor is cheaper. a union worker in the american market probably makes upwards of 60k a year. a mexican worker probably makes less than 10k a year.


this is a world market. nothing is strictly from any one source anymore. parts, labor, engineering, backing funds... its spread throughout the world. not just with the american makers. nissan is in bed with peugeot. mazda with ford. most of the italian big names are affiliated, if not owned outright, by german comapnies.

if you buy a ford with a 4 cylinder you may have a mazda engine, or at least something that was influenced by mazda. if you buy a 4 cylinder gm you may get a daewoo engine. 4 cylinder chrysler. the world motor.





what someone like that guy is saying isnt "support the economy" its saying "support MY economy!"

[h22sparkle]

On a more serious note dont you know that most cars only cost at the most 5-6 grand total to built with everything. The main reason why we all get charged 20-50 grand or higher is because of other charges. They dont really amount up to the car for the price that they actually ask for.

I was shocked at this like wtf 1,500 for the metal bare and seats 200,rims and tires 500 other shit another 2 grand and oh look at the price 4-5more times the price. It goes to the profits no doubt and a fraction tot he people who actually go to build it.

[Jonas]

the people who engineer and build the cars, the facilities and equipment needed to build the cars, the people who engineer and build those facilities, and the money it takes to effectively market a car far outweighs the cost of the materials.

[owequitit]

the people who engineer and build the cars, the facilities and equipment needed to build the cars, the people who engineer and build those facilities, and the money it takes to effectively market a car far outweighs the cost of the materials.

There are also a TON of middlemen that have to make money from the dealer to the company that finances it. There are flooring fees, transportation fees, storage fees etc.

The total margin on the cars isn't 900%, but there IS a comfortable margin on them, that is how companies stay in business.

Just about the MOST marked up and profitable items ever are electronics.

[Jonas]

all options are seriously marked up. and warranties. warranty and repair work is where dealerships make the majority of their money. dealer profit on new car sales is actually quite low compared to the cost of the car.

[baracuda]

accord ftw!!!! take that chevy

[Jonas]

the accord DID eventually get crushed.

[Leung]

My Accord was made in Ohio, even though i'm not the original owner at least i kept it in the States *cues Patriotic theme music*

[Jonas]

im going to find a cuban engineer. then i'll pay him to design me a car. then i'll pay to have it made in cuba. then i'll smuggle it into the us. it will run only on illegally imported cuban cigars. i will not register it. i will not insure it.

then i will be doing something that doesnt benefit the US economy in any way. otherwise, even if you buy a 100% foreign made car, you're buying it from a US dealer... and it's probably made by a foreign company that has a LOT of US shareholders.