Chinese Tacoma Knockoff

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The Chinese culture is very, very old. They are just reinventing themselves and they will continue to progress in their quality.

Been there several times and have watched China evolve .... just like Japan did after WW2.

The old-timers here remember when "made in Japan" in the 1950s meant junk. Now, Japan makes some of the best vehicles in the world (especially for the prices paid for their products).

China will kick our ass someday, if we are are not very careful. With China's new ties to Africa (the continent) they will have a built in projected market (the population of Indian & China combined) to sell their second rate products until they become first rate products through their (quickly learned) "synergies of engineering & production". Basically, the more you do ... the more you learn ... especially when you copy with no R&D costs.


--> Example(s) ....
--> US company spends a $1.00 in R&D costs and another $1.00 in manufacturing costs and sells the product for $3.00 with a product with a "product quality score of 97 points".
--> China copies and spends 10 cents in R&D and another 50 cents in manufacturing and sells the product for $1.00 with a product with "product quality score of 80" points. Walmart helps them with this policy to sell cheaper good at cheaper prices.

You, the consumer, will probably not pay 2 or 3 times the price for a 15% better quality product (that provides American jobs). I am all for the US competing in international markets, but with a level playing field. Al of of the above does not even take into consideration the under valued Chinese currency, that China purposely keeps low to sell more products abroad and discourage buyers in China from buying foreign goods.


They were just recently caught by the FBI stealing our "newly developed draught resistant corn seeds" by digging up prototypes from Monsanto and other R&D companies working on this project (especially for feeding & selling products to an emerging Africa) that will have a potential market bigger than India & China combined. .... Get the picture ??? China wants Africa in its' pocket in the next 20 years.

Good example of one test project on this is ... Harbor Freight (which is still junk at this point) but is getting better via coping and etc.

Other more sophisticated examples are (good name brand) tools (ie. Craftsman, Klein, Porter Cable, Milwaukee & etc) you buy in made in China (to US specs) that you will be buying later with a Chinese only names on them.


The world is "China's Oyster" to copy & hack (without the expensive R&D costs) ... then they make a less than perfect copy that later becomes a better copy through their experiences (synergy in engineering & manufacturing).

The US and the rest of the world needs to wake up fast to these problems.

They have 1 area (several buildings) with over 50,000 engineers hacking, copying and "reverse engineering" ... stolen products and services from all over the world. They are serious about being "N0. 1" in the world.

PS ... China is also locking up (legally) as many raw mineral rights and fuels (oil & gas) as possible .... all over the world .... to later feed their developing industrial base and perhaps even to resell to other countries (like the US & Europe) at highly inflated prices. Like we did to Japan (before WW2 when we shut off their oil and sold it at higher prices to others). Just one recent deal with China & Putin was $400 Billion with Russia (oil & gas that could have gone to Europe later at lower prices).

EDIT ... Australia (our long term ally) is now snuggling up to China because of their location and trading policies with China and Australia does Not want to side with the US again, because they feel that the US cannot defend them anymore. The newer Australian leaders have been vary vocal about this too. China is also trying to drive a wedge between the US and Japan, while also pushing Japan on some territorial disputes. China is also pushing their old ally, Vietnam, to take some of there off shore holdings. China wants Japan and the old "Chinese Island Taiwan" that is still free for now. If China takes over these areas ... China still has hard feeling about WW2 with Japan and Taiwan for leaving the mainland.

What will hurt China is China and their internal political & economic policies (their political structure has not kept up with their rapid growth) and many workers are forced to invest their savings to build cities (to keep jobs going) with no one living in them ... completely newly built empty cities with all the malls and shopping centers ... EMPTY. This can not go on forever.

My near term fear is IF China falls in a slump and needs cash (Trillion Dollar loans to US) and we have to repay fast and this would cause our economy to go crazy with overnight sky rocking interest rates and cash drying up very fast. This will plunge us into a full depression IMO.

So much for my "semi-off-subject rambling for tonight" ... off to bed now ... and will correct my "typos" as I see them later ...

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Oh, for all you "punks" that ragged my ass for leaving Toyota after owning over a dozen Toyota trucks ... My next vehicle will probably a be another Tacoma ... love the Ridgeline though ... but it is not me ... the ONLY thing that wife says may keep me in a Ridgeline is the "great STRONG Tailgate that opens BOTH ways" ... love that ... especially for loading certain things ... and getting in and out of the bed from the rear ...

 

Point taken...excellent post SOS.

 

notice

no crumple/safety zones
no airbags on that

these things crinkle from front to back like a water bottle when in a accident,
crushing everything. there is zero structure dedicated to safety

 

But who cares? As long as there is a "radio cassette player" and "power window glass"?



Bet the English owners manual is a real hoot to read too....

 

^^^ I think you might be missing the point. There is no English Owners Manual...

 

I'd rather drive a Ridgeline... No wait, maybe not!

 

Too funny.

 

Yeah, I saw this crap and looked up their entire line up. Everything they have looks like something sold or made here in the States. GM is copied a lot by this company.

https://www.google.com/search?q=kno...a=X&ei=7TwmVIuEKonyoASdsYLICQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg