Most and Least American Cars
- Thread starter Capt Worley PE
- Start date
Help Support Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum:
I live in Michigan and drive a Camry, so I get some grief for it. When I reply that my car is less foreign than their Chrysler, people don't usually know how to respond.
Local folks seem to think we should still give our money to the Big 3, like we did decades ago when half the people in the state worked for GM / Ford / Chrysler. But those days are passed and the Big 3 has moved as many jobs out of Michigan as they can.
One person in my family now works for GM. But one of my best friends here makes parts for Toyota.
Local folks seem to think we should still give our money to the Big 3, like we did decades ago when half the people in the state worked for GM / Ford / Chrysler. But those days are passed and the Big 3 has moved as many jobs out of Michigan as they can.
One person in my family now works for GM. But one of my best friends here makes parts for Toyota.
Last edited by a moderator:
csb
Well-known member
Hey, I drive an Escape! USA ! USA ! USA !
:unitedstates:
:unitedstates:
Dexman PE PMP
Internationally PMP'n his PE-ness
I saw only 1 Chevy. I guess I'm neither American nor non-American...
blybrook PE
Veteran 10k Spammer
hmm, none of my vehicles made the list; but I KNOW that 3 were 100% made in the USA . Then again, this list is for newer vehicles; my newest is almost 20 years old and recently rolled over 260200 miles...
The 3 weekend vehicles were constructed in Ft. Wayne, Indiana from 1961 to 1980 when they were discontinued (I have the following: '69, '72 & '74 IH Scout).
My daily driver, a '92 Ford truck was probably 80% US made.
The 3 weekend vehicles were constructed in Ft. Wayne, Indiana from 1961 to 1980 when they were discontinued (I have the following: '69, '72 & '74 IH Scout).
My daily driver, a '92 Ford truck was probably 80% US made.
Local production is another thing.
I had a chick tell me not to park my “foreign” car next to her car and that I should buy something that will help the local economy. Camry is assembled in northern Indiana, about a hundred miles from here. She was driving a Chrysler convertible (that I do not see on the “most American” list) which was assembled in Delaware or someplace.
snickerd3
Taking suggestions
we had a camry and have a sienna...so we are doing our part to buy american. My car isn't on the list, but if I recall the sticker correctly, it was a % made in USA . Not anywhere near 100% but also not zero
blybrook PE
Veteran 10k Spammer
I prefer older vehicles cause you can almost guarantee that they are 50% or better US made (including all parts) because they don't have the computers or other crappy pieces of garbage that short out or fall apart.
I won't buy a new vehicle; even though I've been pressured to do so many times. The last time I went into the dealership to discuss a vehicle, I was laughing too hard when the salesman told me that I couldn't customize a vehicle and that I had to get something off his lot as-is.
Years ago, it was not hard to get a 4x4 truck; diesel engine, minus turbo & computer with a 5 or 6 speed manual transmission (including granny & overdrive), heavy tow package and single rear wheel.
Now days, you have to get the turbo & computer; rely on the dealership or an automotive repair shop to even open the hood or change the oil. These types of vehicles are not for me; I prefer to do 99.9% of all repairs myself.
Bottom line for me is that I'll stick with the older vehicles that I can get parts for and repair myself. I'll avoid the computers as long as possible. Them new cars spook me.
I won't buy a new vehicle; even though I've been pressured to do so many times. The last time I went into the dealership to discuss a vehicle, I was laughing too hard when the salesman told me that I couldn't customize a vehicle and that I had to get something off his lot as-is.
Years ago, it was not hard to get a 4x4 truck; diesel engine, minus turbo & computer with a 5 or 6 speed manual transmission (including granny & overdrive), heavy tow package and single rear wheel.
Now days, you have to get the turbo & computer; rely on the dealership or an automotive repair shop to even open the hood or change the oil. These types of vehicles are not for me; I prefer to do 99.9% of all repairs myself.
Bottom line for me is that I'll stick with the older vehicles that I can get parts for and repair myself. I'll avoid the computers as long as possible. Them new cars spook me.
Last edited by a moderator:
Dexman PE PMP
Internationally PMP'n his PE-ness
I had to look up the info for my American muscle car:
US/Canadian Parts content: 60%
Major sources of foreign parts content: Mexico 24%
Final assembly: Oshawa, ON Canada
Country of Origin:
Engine: US
Transmission: Mexico
At least it's almost entirely NORTH American...
US/Canadian Parts content: 60%
Major sources of foreign parts content: Mexico 24%
Final assembly: Oshawa, ON Canada
Country of Origin:
Engine: US
Transmission: Mexico
At least it's almost entirely NORTH American...
Last edited by a moderator:
cdcengineer
Sharp as a piece of beach glass
Once upon a time, I was a union electrician. When I had to attend meetings at the local union hall, they wouldn't let me pull my 01' Tacoma into the lot. I explained that it was made (primarily) in California by UAW workers. That didn't matter. Only US cars in the lot..
jeb6294
Well-known member
I'm sure my '04 Malibu is on it's last legs with ~110k miles on it and I'm sure not moving for about a year while I'm deployed isn't helping any. I'd like to see if I can keep it going until I'm done with all this Afghanistan nonsense before getting a replacement. Saw something the other day while messing around on eBay that definitely would have warranted a looksee if I were home...a 1957 Chevy 4-door station wagon. No computers, no wires everywhere, no emmisions crap, just a good old fashioned V-8 with a <gasp> carb.
Last edited by a moderator:
I like the idea but I need a car for longer trips. I can't find an old truck that gets 30 mpg.
I had a friend working for GM circa 1995, who owned a Jeep and a Geo. He could park the 100% foreign Geo in his plant's closer lot because it was a GM car. The nearly 100% American (at the time) Jeep had to be parked in the far lot.
blybrook PE
Veteran 10k Spammer
Believe it or not, but my '74 International Scout II with the 258 straight 6 will get just over 20mpg with the plow on it. My '92 Diesel averages 14mpg regardless of the load. Since I don't do much cross country driving and most of my instate driving is also with a load of some sort, I'm more than happy to have something reliable & safe. Diesel is currently around 4.30 / gallon in my neck of the woods, so it gets expensive to drive on the longer hauls.
Master slacker
Something awesome.
My daily driver '92 Mercury Tracer is 100% American - straight from Michigan. My fun '96 Impala SS is 100% American - straight from Arlington, TX. Our '02 Rav4 is just a little Japanese...
NCcarguy
Well-known member
The PROFITS still go overseas though, so when you buy a Honda for instance, you may have purchased a car that was put together here, but the bottom line dollar heads to Japan. It's still worth buying American in my opinion.
wilheldp_PE
PE, LEED AP, SPAM KING
Who cares where the profits go? It's not like Americans have some great benefit by the profits staying in America. We probably get more tax revenue out of the foreign companies exporting the profits than we do from American companies keeping profits domestically. Plus, the foreign companies are re-investing more of that profit into new factories/jobs in America than American companies are.
Nice job toeing the union line, though.
Nice job toeing the union line, though.
Master slacker
Something awesome.
Warning: Lobbing out a grenade here.
Several years ago I read an article about foreign company profits on American soil. Long story short, as long as the foreign company does not have a "headquarters" on American soil, a large tax burden can be avoided. Thus, the majority of post-sales dollars go back overseas. I'm not a business person, nor do I care, at this time, to pursue such business / MBA skills, so I didn't fully comprehend everything.
wilheldp_PE
PE, LEED AP, SPAM KING
That may be true, and I really don't care either way. I do know for a fact that American companies set up "offices" in Ireland and Holland, and do some fiscal gymnastics to hide overseas profits from the American taxman. It's been proven, and the US government is in talks with the governments in Ireland and Holland to close the loopholes. I put offices in quotes because most of the time, it consists of 1 person or just a mailbox in those countries. They don't actually keep a staff there.Warning: Lobbing out a grenade here.
Several years ago I read an article about foreign company profits on American soil. Long story short, as long as the foreign company does not have a "headquarters" on American soil, a large tax burden can be avoided. Thus, the majority of post-sales dollars go back overseas. I'm not a business person, nor do I care, at this time, to pursue such business / MBA skills, so I didn't fully comprehend everything.
Last edited by a moderator:
NCcarguy
Well-known member
That may be true, and I really don't care either way. I do know for a fact that American companies set up "offices" in Ireland and Holland, and do some fiscal gymnastics to hide overseas profits from the American taxman. It's been proven, and the US government is in talks with the governments in Ireland and Holland to close the loopholes. I put offices in quotes because most of the time, it consists of 1 person or just a mailbox in those countries. They don't actually keep a staff there.Warning: Lobbing out a grenade here.
Several years ago I read an article about foreign company profits on American soil. Long story short, as long as the foreign company does not have a "headquarters" on American soil, a large tax burden can be avoided. Thus, the majority of post-sales dollars go back overseas. I'm not a business person, nor do I care, at this time, to pursue such business / MBA skills, so I didn't fully comprehend everything.
I think you're confusing company PROFITS with government taxes. I don't care if the government get's any more than they do now. I wish companies would find more ways to keep thier earnings and use that money to pay higher salaries, put money into improving thier product, or just spending it all on McDonalds gift certificates for the employees families, just don't want the government to get thier hands on it and hire more beauracrats,
