Domestics and Imports....which are the real "american" cars

[nsrZ32]

You guys ever had someone at a car show make a rude "what's that foreign car doing here" or "buy an american car" or "foreign cars steal jobs from american's" kind of comment?

Was getting a bunch of that at a show this fall where we took a good mix of cars : 01 Ford Focus, 67 Mercury Cougar, 68 Plymouth Fury, 90 Nissan 300ZX, and a 98 Nissan Sentra.

Now it was mostly the sentra that got the comments but the Z got some too from either the older group who knows nothing or redneck kids from farm areas or something.

Anywho.....here was some interesting info that I thought of while at the show....The Cougar was made in Michigan, the Fury was made in Canada, the Focus was made in Mexico, the Z was made in Japan, and the Sentra was made in Tennesee. So which are the foreign cars and which are the american cars? Is the Fury not foreign? Is the Focus not foreign? Is the sentra not American? I dunno, it kinda baffles me. Mexican workers make the focus, they get the jobs. Canadian workers made the Fury, they got the jobs. American workers made the sentra, they got the jobs. Does it matter which billion dollar corporation made the few bucks off the car? Not like the average person would see that money.

I dunno. Just some food for thought.

[gniknave]

You make a good point. I think you could still consider a Sentra Japanese because all of the parts are made in Japan. Not sure about the Focus.

I wondered the same thing about the Ford Motor Company though. Since it owns Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, and...can't remember the others, doesn't that make those cars American?

[The Mic]

lol nice sig

[JDMaholic]

Yup, my parents Accord was made in Ohio, and the parts came from all over, I think Nissan has Engineering offices in like Farmington Hills, or Detroit, around that area. Even the "American cars" that are made in America mostly have parts made in other countries. I worked at Dana 2 summers and we made parts for mazda, nissan, jaguar, toyota, etc.

[Jesda]

Chrysler is known for building many of its high-production vehicles in Canada (LH-platform) and Mexico (PT). GM gets sweet deals from the Canadian government as well as South Korea.

I forgot which VWs are Mexican. The old beetle was, isnt the new one made down south too?

[AZhitman]

To my knowledge, there are only 3 vehicles manufactured and assembled in the US: All Saturns, the Civic (yes, the Civic) and the Grand Marquis / Crown Vic twins.

This info is a few years old, so things may have changed since.

[AZhitman]

Here you go, GREAT article:

http://autos.msn.com/advice/ar...=News

[Jesda]

The 93-02 Mazda 626 was all-American as well, with over 90% US parts, manufactured in the US.

[Jesda]

Here you go, GREAT article:

http://autos.msn.com/advice/ar...=News

Wow..."

Keith Chartrau, launch planner for VUE, said the so-called domestic content label on 2004 VUEs with Honda's 3.5-liter V6 will show "an increase" in domestic content, because the Honda-supplied engine is built in Ohio. Final, exact percentages on the 2004 VUE's content were still being worked up, he added.

"Previous six-cylinder VUEs had an engine that came from and was built by GM of Europe, which did not count as domestic content because the engines were manufactured overseas and shipped to the VUE's assembly plant in Tennessee. Note, though, that Saturn's parent company—GM—is headquartered in Detroit, and Saturn was designed at GM's studios in the Detroit area. "

[fiznat]

The 93-02 Mazda 626 was all-American as well, with over 90% US parts, manufactured in the US.

Yeah and its a real POS too: REAL hard to work on, everything is behind everything else-- plus its no fun to drive. I know, I own one for a winter beater (95 626).

[Chingon]

The 1st batch of srt-10's came from saltillo coah, mexico. I dont' know if this is still the case, but there are many cars like that. All the new beetles and I mean ALL are made in Mexico, or at least that was the case 'til last year... maybe w/the exception of the new convertible. Anyways, i've read this same discussion before, and ultimately, yes the domestic market ends up putting more money into the american market in terms of jobs, income, etc..

[Jesda]

Yeah and its a real POS too: REAL hard to work on, everything is behind everything else-- plus its no fun to drive. I know, I own one for a winter beater (95 626).

Is yours a 5-speed or auto? I loved mine. Nice snickety shifter, cheap parts. Sold it a few years ago with 250k in very good condition (minor oil leak).

Of course back then, I did no work on the car myself.

-Jesda

[gniknave]

I had a 93 Ford Probe GT (same as Mazda 626 & MX-6). I bought it used and it gave me problems from day 1. check engine light always on and nobody could figure it out, engine started knocking, calipers went bad, overheated, master cylinder started leaking, replaced struts twice in 1 year, rattles, squeaks....only got to 108k miles....

[w1ngzer0]

wow, takes away jobs huh? I guess "american" engineers don't make money. Or what about the "factory" they open which gives i think it was 10,000 jobs per factory.

I love ignorant people

[driverdriver]

Jesda wrote:

"I forgot which VWs are Mexican. The old beetle was, isnt the new one made down south too?"

------------------------------------------------------------Virtually every VW sold in North America is made in Mexico, That includes the Golf, Jetta, Passat and Toureg. They have been made in Mexico since the mid 90's (my family has owned two-but the mistake has been corrected ). The only exceptions are the VW Jetta Wolfsburg, Any VW with 4 motion and the Phaeton, those come from Germany.

Incidently, Mercedes Benz's S series are all assembled in India for North America since 2001. The new Chevy Malibu and Equinox and Pontiac G6 both have engines and powertrains manufactured in China and India and shipped to the assembly plant.

[s13EastTN]

Well i worked at a factory this summer that made ignition modules for saturn vues (just my line) so i probably counted for .0005% of a Vues American made parts.

[skydragoness]

You guys ever had someone at a car show make a rude "what's that foreign car doing here" or "buy an american car" or "foreign cars steal jobs from american's" kind of comment?

Was getting a bunch of that at a show this fall where we took a good mix of cars : 01 Ford Focus, 67 Mercury Cougar, 68 Plymouth Fury, 90 Nissan 300ZX, and a 98 Nissan Sentra.

Now it was mostly the sentra that got the comments but the Z got some too from either the older group who knows nothing or redneck kids from farm areas or something.

Anywho.....here was some interesting info that I thought of while at the show....The Cougar was made in Michigan, the Fury was made in Canada, the Focus was made in Mexico, the Z was made in Japan, and the Sentra was made in Tennesee. So which are the foreign cars and which are the american cars? Is the Fury not foreign? Is the Focus not foreign? Is the sentra not American? I dunno, it kinda baffles me. Mexican workers make the focus, they get the jobs. Canadian workers made the Fury, they got the jobs. American workers made the sentra, they got the jobs. Does it matter which billion dollar corporation made the few bucks off the car? Not like the average person would see that money.

I dunno. Just some food for thought.

It's funny that there are still a lot of nimwits out there that think American cars are 100% American made. Ha. Or that Japanese/Euro cars are solely from overseas. If they removed everything that was Japanese from their so-called "american" cars, they wouldn't run anymore I particularly like the argument that American car companies create American jobs, when in fact they outsource to other countries. And a lot of Japanese manufacturers have their plants here in the US.

[SmithSR]

Car and Driver, Nov '04 says the new Pathfinder is built(assembled) in Smyrna, Tennessee, and the engine is manufactured in Decherd, Tennessee. Made in America.Page 118. They give the original Pathfinder high marks and praise Nissan for delivering another solid package at a good price point.

Anybody who asks "What's wrong with Detroit cars?" doesn't realize that there's no such thing as Detroit cars anymore..

[krazy skwerel]

Maybe I should sneak into Nissan's plant in Smyrna and Declare that all the workers there are not american because they work for a foreign company. I could use the PA system! I must agree that the "American" car is no more. They are just like our population. Diverse and becoming better. We all work together to make better vehichles. Except for Chevy who couldn;t build a decent car model if it were a snap tite...

Excluding the Vette

Yeah that probly made no sense but it did to me...

[Ubernoober]

I can unequivocably GUARANTEE all my cars were made on the planet Earth.

[nismofly]

I had a 93 Ford Probe GT (same as Mazda 626 & MX-6). I bought it used and it gave me problems from day 1. check engine light always on and nobody could figure it out, engine started knocking, calipers went bad, overheated, master cylinder started leaking, replaced struts twice in 1 year, rattles, squeaks....only got to 108k miles....

haha my dad had an 89 626 with a 5 speed, the only thing that ever went wrong with it was the windshield washer pump, it had to be replaced once, other than that my older sister got it a few years ago with over 200k on the odo and its still going strong to this day.

to bad cant be said for my dads volvos though, hes going back to "japanese" as discussed cars when the lease on his current volvo is over, i know im looking forward to it though because he has an s60r right now, and hes going to be looking for something similar, ive got him really thinking about a g35 coupe with the greddy twin turbo kit

[gabossie]

I can unequivocably GUARANTEE all my cars were made on the planet Earth.

Not mine. I think there were parts sourced from uranus

[JESTER]

I too use to be one of those ignorant red necks. When I was 16 I was like Chevy all the way, and Harley Davidson.

Until I owned a few Chevys, and had nothing but problems with them. Same for the Harley-Davidson. I am out for quality and performance. I prefer Japanese brands, due to not having issues with quality, such as my Toyota Tacoma (sold last Saturday ) and my Nissan Sentra R.I.P.

I do find it interesting where these vehicles are made. Good information.

[nismofly]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

but rednecks still swear by them, only becuase theyre not fords.

thats the only argument i ever get from chevy people when i ask them why they have one, then i mention japanese cars and theyre like, "oh theyre not all that reliable,"

[JESTER]

They lie. I would put my Toyota up against any Ford, Chevy, or Dodge, as far as quality and reliability. Well, okay not Dodge. They dont deserve to be in the same line up as Ford or Chevy.

Started driving a Ram on Sunday, and man it sucks big time. But I guess I dont have a lot of room to complain, my friend was nice enough to let me drive it, until I get my car fixed. I just wish the heater hadnt stopped working yesterday.