Buy American?

dalparadise

Even a Japanese auto purchase keeps a lot of Americans at work. The dealership that sold you the car is most likely American owned. The salesperson who earned his commission is an American. The service guys and make-ready staff are all American. The local advertising guys are too. The national ad guys, who are paid by a charge embedded in the sticker price are most likely Americans, as are their bosses.

The tires can come from a variety of countries -- many come from the USA -- and have their own chain of dealers, sales and marketing staffs ans such who are connected to this country. The XM subscription supports a US company. The oil and gas you run through the engine may be sourced overseas, but ultimately finds ways to profit Americans working for American companies -- including the initial fill-up you get "free" with your new car. Most likely that came from a nearby station or perhaps a local distributor who pays an American trucker to bring in gas to the dealer's on-site tank. If they buy it from the corner station, there's another chain of distributors, truckers, brokers and such who are Americans and lined their pockets with your Japanese purchase.

Of course little things like light bulbs, hinges, filters, belts, hoses may or may not be sourced from here, but if they are, each can lay claim to a long chain of Americans who depend upon that purchase for their livelihood.

And don't get me started on the insurance and financing required to drive the thing off the lot in the first place. A lot of Americans feed their families from those parts of this "foreign" purchase.

Fact is, you couldn't make an exclusively foreign car purchase in this country if your life depended on it.

antennahead

Yep, now how do we educate the "buy American" rednecks?

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Time is a companion, who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment............ because it will never come again

dalparadise

All that said, there's nothing wrong with buying a Chevy or even feeling better about the purchase if that's your thing. But, if you think someone is betraying the country or neglecting the American worker by buying foreign, you're just ignoring some really visible facts.

antennahead

Oh I agree, no problem with anyone purchasing any make, but I do have a problem with the misguided thinking we are "anti American" by purchasing a foreign brand.

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Time is a companion, who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment............ because it will never come again

dad

Foreign brand-I do not consider it (Z), a foreign brand. I know your not referring to it(Z), as a foreign brand. But, you are referring to the people that suffer from idiopathic mental capacity.

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We can do without any article of luxury we have never had; but once obtained, it is not in human nature to surrender it voluntary.

antennahead

I don't consider it a foreign brand either. My statement was to the ignorant "buy American" haters who "think" they know what is American made versus a foreign brand. As was discussed in previous posts, everything from design to parts to assembly to sales is a conglomeration of origins.

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Time is a companion, who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment............ because it will never come again

dad

Hey John, I included you. I know you well enough, that your not referring to it(Z), as a foreign brand. I'm sorry if I wasn't clear in my post.

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We can do without any article of luxury we have never had; but once obtained, it is not in human nature to surrender it voluntary.

fullmonty

If you really want to upset them, tell them the Z is about as American as the new Challengers and Camaros which are built in a Canadian plant with the majority of the parts coming from outside of the USA.

370Zsteve

In my (37 years and counting) time owning cars, trucks, bikes....I can say from first-hand experience that Japanese cars are, by far, the most reliable and American cars/trucks, by far, are the least reliable. German comes in somewhere in-between.

Examples:

Subaru GL-10 wagon...I put 280,000 miles on one , I think it was a 1984. The only thing I ever replaced was brake pads, tires and the timing belt twice). But it was a heap o' rust when I gave it to me nephew for college...he put another 50,000 miles on it By far the slowest car I've ever owned.

1991 Mazda Navajo 4WD (Ford Explorer Sport). This is an American truck with a Mazda badge. 3 sets of rotors replaced in 135,000 miles (I'm easy on brakes, too). 1 water pump. 1 fuel pump. Sunroof leaked. Matte black paint on certain exterior items wore off at about 50,000 miles. 1 alternator replaced.

1978 Ford Fiesta (Ford of Germany) I owned three of these, one was raced. Fantastic cars, no problems noted at all. Total miles driven (All 3) about 200,000. It really needed a 5-speed, but I could stil smoke the GTI's

1968 Buick Skylark - 3 water pumps, 1 alternator, 1 fuel pump, many electrical bits replaced in 89,000 miles. A piece of **** with the crappiest 350 V8 that GM ever made.

1999 Mercedez-Benz ML320 - 1 crankshaft timing sensor, 1 steering rack, 140,000 miles. I still own it. The paint is still flawless. No rust.

1996 Subaru Legacy Outback Wagon - 120,000 problem-free miles. One electrical issueemerged at 120000, but I traded it in and have no idea what it was.

1999 Ford Expedition. - Nothing has ever broken in this engine. Can't say the same for the rest of the vehicle. 3 sets of front rotors, 2 alternators, 1 starter motor, various suspension bits, many more, too many problems to list. 10 mpg. Doors are rusting, rear fender wells are rusting. It has 135,000 miles on it. The last Ford I will ever own.

1996 Toyota Camry - our "station car" and the car we drive and park anywhere - we don't have to worry about it getting stolen. It only has 73,000 miles on it and has never had anything break except a window motor. A bring but fantastic car. 28mpg from a 4-cylinder.

1974 Mazda RX-3 - bought new, raced briefly, a real sleeper car..I remember smoking an Olds 442 off the line, the driver was pissed! The apex seals gave out at about 40,000 miles and the engine had to be rebuilt. I also destroyed the shift forks by beating the snot out of them at stoplight burnouts.

1974 Mazda Rotary Pickup Truck - Bought new. Craziest rig I've ever driven. Stupid lightweight, not much weight in the rear, truck gearing. You could smoke the tires for 20 feet at stoplights and scare the crap out of old ladies, muscle car drivers, and children. Apex seals again, and I think I blew up the differential. Everything is hazy due to enhanced drug use back in the day.

1984 Alfa Romeo GTV-6. Modded, catalyst deleted, Ansa exhaust, racing cam, tuned headers. The head gaskets blew at 37000 miles, exactly 1000 miles after warranty expiration. Apparently they all did, as the gaskets were redesigned for the Milano. 3-plate clutch gave out at 50,000 miles. Rust apparent at 50000 miles. Interior parts would just fall off. Paint issues. A freaking money pit. And a ton of fun.

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SOLD MY Z MARCH 2018 - another Core OG moves on - new ride 2019 Z Corvette Grand Sport - no mods necessary but already have eyes on HFC and intakes LOL IT NEVER ENDS.

ianthegreat

made me laugh a bit.. honestly true.

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antennahead

It's cool. I wasn't upset with your post at all, was just trying to clarify mine

__________________
Time is a companion, who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment............ because it will never come again

Modshack

Yeah...Every Honda you guys buy contributes to my Pension (and I'm American).......

# More than 367,000 private sector jobs, and $17 billion in annual wages and salaries, are generated as a result of Honda’s total U.S. operations.
# Almost 152,000 private sector jobs are a result of Honda’s direct employment in the United States. Associated wages and salaries are estimated to be $9 billion.
# More than 215,000 private sector jobs are generated by Honda’s dealerships and Honda product-related retail employment in the United States. Their estimated associated wages and salaries are approximately $8 billion

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earwicker7

30 minutes outside of Los Angeles and they're all over the place. Not quite as bad as growing up back in Indiana, but you can't get away from them. I'm sure there are rednecks in China, India, Mexico, etc..

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2009 Magnetic Black 370Z with Touring, Sports and Navigation Packages--Fast Intentions CBE with 12" Resonators/Carbon Fiber Mufflers and LTH--Stillen G3 Cold Air Intakes, Underdrive Pulley and Grounding Kit--Uprev Tune

antennahead

Great post It's sad the ignorant don't understand this!

__________________
Time is a companion, who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment............ because it will never come again

antennahead

Nice to know we don't have a lock on them here in the deep south

John

__________________
Time is a companion, who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment............ because it will never come again