Buying American...Does it really mattter?

[Chubminnow]

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily...134034850.html

According to this clip it sounds like Honda has 80% of it's parts sourced in America while certain Ford Models use 65% American made parts. I'm only using Ford as an example, no tellin' what GM and Chrysler are doing.

[DJD]

Interesting info. I know we have been saying this for years but it's nice to get a few stats to back up the thoughts we had on how/where these autos are built.

This idea goes further than autos'. Boat motors, atv's, waverunners, fuel, fishing equipment/lures, electronics and who knows what else fall into this global business model.

I mentioned before that my 1995 Chevy was assembled in Canada but you can buy a toyota assembled in Georgetown that has dozens of local companies who manufacture parts for Toyota?? Which purchase actually helpes the US economy?? I don't know but I would guess the yoda.

I'm all about getting the best quality for my buck so if it means built in america, germany, canada, japan, korea or china then so be it.

Tim I know you mentioned before that buying american isn't as cut and dry as you wish and that you are opening up to new ideas on how folks have foreign made vehicles but now it looks like it should be foreign labelled...I had no idea. Isn't it ironic that the ford escape has less american sourced parts than a Honda Accord?

Good info.

[Chubminnow]

I'm all about getting the best quality for my buck so if it means built in america, germany, canada, japan, korea or china then so be it.

Tim I know you mentioned before that buying american isn't as cut and dry as you wish and that you are opening up to new ideas on how folks have foreign made vehicles but now it looks like it should be foreign labelled...I had no idea. Isn't it ironic that the ford escape has less american sourced parts than a Honda Accord?

"IF" I'm ever going to purchase a "foriegn" vehicle, I tend to keep leaning towards either a Volkswagon or a Nissan. I suspect if that day ever comes for me the decision will be made upon which dealer is the closest to where I live.

Also...we all know Ford is the only one of the "Big 3" who didn't have to rely on bail out money. Makes me kind of wonder if the reason for that was because they use more foriegn parts than the other two?

[MrSplitshot]

It's a Global Economy. That's not really a catch-phrase or a cliche anymore.

There are companies that source their parts all over the world, but call their product "American Made" because it is assembled here. Even my beloved Smith & Wesson revolvers have triggers that are Made in Mexico! (the newer ones)

It's the same way in the Tire Business that I am familiar with. Yokohama Tire, which is a company based in Japan, builds many of their tires that we buy at a real nice plant in Salem, VA that employs a whole bunch of Americans. Firestone Tire, which is a name as American as Baseball and Apple Pie, is actually owned by the Japanese and many of their tires are made in Japan and imported over to the United States. Then, there's a company like Goodyear, based in America, who closed down a lot of their production in foreign countries when the US economy started going sour and brought those molds back to American plants....because they wanted to layoff foreign employees before Americans. I have a lot of respect for that.

The companies that benefit the U.S. the most are the ones that are owned by Americans, have plants here in America that employ Americans to build their products from cradle to grave, and use American made parts. Unfortunately, that list of companies could probably be written down on the back of a Burger King napkin now. They are the exception, not the rule.

When there are companies that I can support who are American owned that build their products in America, I will certainly do it....IF the quality is competitive. I agree with Don on that one - I won't buy American just to buy American if the product is junk. The price also has to be relatively in-line too. I won't pay $60 for a pair of American made jeans if the going rate on some foreign off brand is $30. Denim is denim.

Even though it's a Japanese company that gets the bottom dollar, I see Toyota as a company that benefits the United States (especially Kentucky) tremendously. A lot of folks around here make their living working for Toyota...and I understand that they are a pretty good company to work for as an employee. I can support a company like that. I may drive a Ford, but my wife does drive a Toyota-made product...the quality is great. There are BMW, Nissan, Hyundai, Honda, Mercedes, and other vehicles built in the US that aren't from the traditional "Big Three" American automakers...ask the folks that work at those plants, dealerships, banks that finance the sales, or shops that work on them...and they'll all say that it's pretty beneficial to the US.

All list "Domestic Content" on the window sticker, but Canadian and Mexican made/assembled parts are considered domestic under NAFTA....so what you're seeing isn't necessarily what you are getting.

[kygorski]

several years back my gas string trimmer started to show signs of aging. Went to lowes and bought a troy built. Found out it was made in mexico. It was brand new out of the box, wouldn.t start. Tok it back, the guy who siold it to me said there might be a problem with how I tried to start it. He tried till he was blue in the face. Gave me a replacement. It ran less than one hour, and froze up. Went back, same guy, told him I used the oil that came with the unit. I said I know how to use these things, and that troy built was crap.Bought a husqvarna, worked and works like a dream.Stihl is american made, and probably very good, but the cost was out rageous. Labor costs? Swedes make more per capita than US workers,and the quality is out standing.

[Tim_T]

Split, I didn't know that about Goodyear Tires. I will keep that in mind when I am in the market for new tires. Thanks for the info.

[MrSplitshot]

Split, I didn't know that about Goodyear Tires. I will keep that in mind when I am in the market for new tires. Thanks for the info.

Yep. They still make some overseas, mind you, but they shut down some of the overseas production and brought it home instead of laying off workers here when things got tight.