Ameri-Guilt

No guilt here, just a solid investment

2005 Tacoma - Bought used for $16,500 - NADA Clean Retail Value today $16,950
2006 Explorer - Bought used for $19,500 - NADA Clean Retail Value today $12,825

You do the math

 

My truck is made down the road from me in Fremont,CA. The plant is enormous and supports thousands of local workers. I'm pretty particular about where things are made so I look at the tags on lots of components under the hoods of cars. My truck is 65% domestically produced. A lot of the drivetrain components come from Denso USA from TN ( home state turf).

My Brother's 98 Avalon is made in Kentucky. Next door neighbors to TN, thus pretty much "kin". The way I look at it, it is all about supporting American workers and getting a good product. I try to buy American when I can. I even recently bought some cast iron pots and pans that are made in Pittsburgh, TN by Lodge Inc. My mower, weedeater ,and a lot of my tools are made in the USA too, as is a lot of my knives.

I support quality. I will admit that American carmakers have gotten a lot better lately. The new Malibu is impressive and if I wanted a family car, I'd consider it. The upcoming Taurus is extremely nice looking and is loaded with features. Ford also got top honors in consumer reports and JD Power. Then again, I don't trust them enough to buy them... yet. The Ford F-150 seems like its becoming a very well made product too, but I don't need a full size truck.

But lastly, I've NEVER had a major problem with any Toyota I've ever owned. Why screw with a good thing?

 

Here's a question for all this twisted mess. We are expected by UAW & union supporters to buy American products & show patriotism towards inferior products & greedy self serving management at the consumers expense so why would it be unpatriotic to support American workers producing a better product on our soil & reward ungreedyism & management that keeps shit realistic to keep company profitable where the workers can keep their jobs? Brand name doesn't automatically mean that company is doing anything to hurt or help our local economies now does it? Let's try focusing on what goes on behind the name & what benefits consumers for a change. If what you are spending your money on has no benefits for you then why up the coin to begin with? It's beyond time for all companies to start considering this.

 

well put, i would never buy a domestic vehicle with the intent based on supporting our economy or the big 3. They are the ones that manufacture $50-$60,000 SUV's that depreciate by 50% in 2 years, with the build quality of a Lada. (well not that bad, but you get my drift i hope)

 

I give Ford Credit for what they have done so far without gov bailout. I don't think they have yet at least. And they were the first to reach a new agreement with the UAW

 

I don't know if this means much, but I sell parts at a Chevy dealer and very rarely are the parts made in USA. Most of the parts come from Mexico or China. The automotive industry is a global business and last year GM sold more than 8.5 million vehicles worldwide. That is more than enough to make huge profits, instead the company bled billions. The problem runs much deeper than selling cars. JMO.

 

Dead-on. In fact, over the last 5 years I've replaced the water pump, starter, clutch, and fan clutch on my taco: All of them except the fan clutch were made in China. Of course I could've gone OEM, but Toyota wanted 3 and 4 times as much for the part as the Chinese versions. So far the chinese parts have held up fine.

 

I too would give them credit for this action if they had done it on a voluntary basis before all the shit started hitting the fan where it would look like something proactive vs. doing it to save their asses from their dmb asses. They are not good guy trend setters, just the 1st ones to realize they are going down the drain.

And expect those parts to last 1/4 to 1/3 as long as the oem did. I won't do it unless broke down somewhere & have to to get home. Then swap it out for a real part.

 

I support what keeps benjamins in my pocket

 

Unions don't always suck, they have pros, And cons.
Usually Manufacturing unions are the one people should bitch about.

I am a teamster We work our asses off 40+ hours a week. WE Don't make $20 Don't get crazy breaks or time off, And get fired when needed. We do worry about our job everyday working for a huge company.

And i to had to deal with the ameri-guilt factor with the past two Toyota's I bought. but last month when I bought my Taco I used simple logic. It was assembled in California by an American workforce. Some of Toyota's assembly plants are union. (Not UAW) And last Toyota understands that the worker is the key to succses! After hearing the story of the Tundra plant shutting down for a little while, And toyota not laying their full time emplyees off, But instead putting them to work in the community I was guilt free!
If only american companies would follow their lead!

American auto companies have failed, Corperate greed and an inferior product. I love this country! but there is something wrong here.

I used to think unions were the problem, till I worked in one.
I can say some things aren't right, But when i look at the corporation I work for, And see the blatant waste outside the union, And how they are alwways yelling cut labor costs it sickens me. Even my management agrees with this.

 

If i did what the neighbor's thought i should i would've bought a 5 series BMW or E Class Benz instead of the Acura TSX i bought in the fall (one of the biggest selling points on the Acura was that it is 100% assembled in Japan. The quality is unreal)

And i sure as hell wouldn't be buying a tacoma, i'd buck up and buy an X5.

Guess what? i can't afford nor do i have any interest in an $80,000 German car, and even less in a $90,000 German SUV.

Buy, drive, and live how you want. that is what makes America (or Canada) free.

 

Dont be to harsh on the UAW, they make a lot of the Tacoma's!

 

Ehh Unions are like cars some are good quality and some are not. I work a federal law enforcement job and we are unionized. I have seen the union protect staff members from crappy managment many times. I also see where in a manufacturing job it could price the product out of the market. I think there has to be some happy middle ground.

I have a 1987 Mustang GT. I woud put the 302 engine up against any japanese engine in terms of toughness. However it was designed in the 60's before CAFE standard and such gotso out of hand. I think goverment emmision standards, greedy top managment and poor engineering have done more to hurt the american auto companies than the unions.

 

reaaally....

 

Isn't having a union as a government employee basically just a "club." Unions in the Gov't don't have the power the UAW has with Ford... need an example?

Google: PATCO (Professional Air Traffic Controllers Association)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_Air_Traffic_Controllers_Organization_(1968)

 

REAAALLLLLYYYY. I love my toyota and all, but yeah I feel this a very well designed engine. I have beat on it hard for the 10 years I have had it and it still has never had a valve cover off.

 

Not really they have alot of power actually. Example: we used to be required to show up 15 minutes before our shift began for a briefing, bt we only got paid fro 8 hours. The union filed a grievance on this that ended with the goverment having to go back 3 years and pay each of us 15 minutes OT for each day we worked. This took a while but we each got a nice check.

 

If the big 3 reinvested a lot of the money they made back into the company instead of insane salaries and bonuses they may not have come to their current situation. They lived like they didnt have to worry, that the money would always be rolling in. The people that ran these companies screwed their employees(the working man and woman) not someone who buys a Toyota. I wont go broke financing some incompetant asshole who makes 100 times more than I do. They made the shit sandwich now their bitching cause they gotta take a bite. Boo Hoo.

 

You know the worst part of it is is that GM and Ford will probably not be allowed to fail because all they have to do is point to the millions of people working for them and mention that if several million Americans lost their jobs all at once, the psychological impact would be brutal to the economy. So they'll be kept alive for years.

Lastly, GM is losing Bob Lutz, who in my opinion- with perhaps the exception of Ed Welburn - was the only person worth anything at that company. If they are going to survive, they need to find more true car guys like these two.

 

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