Ralph Greene Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 The Japanese came over here, looked at what kind of vehicles we made, how we manufactured them, and how the labor cost was handled. They beat us....in this category. It's how global business is done....someone figuring out how to make a better mousetrap. We do the same to them in many areas. Mostly hi tech complicated stuff....much medical stuff, agriculture products, all kinds of stuff. Coke? Pepsi? McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King? Their citizens are always complaining to their governments about how unfair the Americans are? If you take a world view....things tend to balance out. The US still leads in world manufacturing where we have a comparative advantage. However....any 3rd world company now has the labor to build a vehicle. Few barriers to entry with their cheap wages. Over 100 car companies in US have come and gone in last 100 years....what's so different now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 The Japanese came over here, looked at what kind of vehicles we made, how we manufactured them, and how the labor cost was handled. They beat us....in this category. It's how global business is done....someone figuring out how to make a better mousetrap. We do the same to them in many areas. Mostly hi tech complicated stuff....much medical stuff, agriculture products, all kinds of stuff. Coke? Pepsi? McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King? Their citizens are always complaining to their governments about how unfair the Americans are? If you take a world view....things tend to balance out. The US still leads in world manufacturing where we have a comparative advantage. However....any 3rd world company now has the labor to build a vehicle. Few barriers to entry with their cheap wages. Over 100 car companies in US have come and gone in last 100 years....what's so different now? Some very good points. Most people tend to have a pretty short term view of American history, if they have any knowledge of it at all. (I wonder what percentage of Americans these days can even correctly name who we fought in World War II??) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92merc Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 The Japanese came over here, looked at what kind of vehicles we made, how we manufactured them, and how the labor cost was handled. They beat us....in this category. It's how global business is done....someone figuring out how to make a better mousetrap. And yet, they don't allow US automakers to put any real auto factories over there in fear that they can take over the local market. Not a level playing field. In the next 10 years, it won't matter. Ford will just build in China and export from there to SE Asia. Japan's local business will die off, Ford moves in anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pioneer Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 In the next 10 years, it won't matter. In another 10 years, the United States will be a third world country, and China and India will be exporting low paying jobs here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 In another 10 years, the United States will be a third world country, and China and India will be exporting low paying jobs here! :rolleyes: Your pro-labor/anti-corporation engines are firing on all pistons today, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30 OTT 6 Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 In another 10 years, the United States will be a third world country, and China and India will be exporting low paying jobs here! I watched an interview with a former CIBC Economist last night on TV (The Hour, CBC). He predicts that future energy costs are going to drive manufacturing back to where the consumer demand is located, ie United States, because it will be cost prohibitive to ship the raw materials or goods overseas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
417strokers Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 The only two country's that don't have a protection law to keep the foreign companies out are Canada and the USA! There is no way that Americans own more of Toyota than the Japanese do japan has a law that states that manufacturers need to be at least 50.1% Japanese owned . We are the only ones that are willing to take it up aZZ and like it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pioneer Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 :rolleyes: Your pro-labor/anti-corporation engines are firing on all pistons today, huh? Can't afford to take a day off with all of the elitists on this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Can't afford to take a day off with all of the elitists on this board. Sounds like someone with a chip on their shoulder...then again some of those same elitists you call them have that same damn chip on their shoulder... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reigner92 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Wow, just Wow is all I can say about this bullshit article on MSN front page. Check out the slide show of 10 ways to buy American and there isn't one GM or Ford, but they throw the Toyota Camry in #5. <a href="http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/ConsumerActionGuide/10-ways-you-can-still-buy-american.aspx/?gt1=33002" target="_blank">http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Savin...aspx/?gt1=33002</a> SEE! This is what i have been talking about...Media bias... Foreign companies like to claim they build american, and therefore are american...and the media just goes ahead and backs them up. They do the exact same thing saying that they are better and all that shit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blksn8k2 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 When other countries like Japan start opening their markets to US manufacturers I might consider buying one of their cars. Since that is never going to happen in my lifetime I will just keep on buying my American junk and I will sleep just fine. :shades: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reigner92 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 When other countries like Japan start opening their markets to US manufacturers I might consider buying one of their cars. Since that is never going to happen in my lifetime I will just keep on buying my American junk and I will sleep just fine. :shades: well said! More Americans need to take that same stance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 There's nothing inaccurate here; Well, aside from the fact that the Liberty and Nitro may, mercifully, no longer be produced. :shades: I thought Toyota/Honda's workforce here was not unionized? No its not. It is to buy products manufactured in America. Which sadly there aren't nearly enough. The article is trying to cover a wide range of consumer products. And as they state in the article not many are made in America any more. eg consumer electronics we buy 1/3 of the worlds supply yet produce only 4%! However it would have been nice if they had one of the big 3's products in the lineup preferably ford. Also as has been pointed out the camery is made here as are most of its parts so it does technically qualify. It may qualify, but they could've just as easily put a Focus, Taurus, MKS.....etc. (or GM/Chryco product) in there. I'm pretty sure both the Cobalt and Focus surpassed that at some point last year or in late 2007. I seem to remember one crazy sales month last year when Focus sold ~23,000 units. And we have Ford making some of their hi volume bread and butter vehicles in Mexico....asking us to buy American. Ironic. But....I'm still a Ford fan. But don't try to use that "Buy American" stuff on me I will when they do. Only because of the union contracts at the time. Had the new/current contracts been put in place before the CD3 triplets were debuted, I think we would've seen them built in the US, and I'd think any future CD3 plants (if necessary) will be in the US, but that's just a guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mettech Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 (edited) I thought Toyota/Honda's workforce here was not unionized? Toyota does have a union (UAW) plant here in the USA. Edited May 28, 2009 by mettech Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang_sallad Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 (edited) Personally, I think it's more important to talk about where the jobs are than where the profits go. I care about creation of jobs for every day people, not about whether the profits are going to an American millionaire or a Japanese millionaire. All that to say, I'd rather support a Japanese company's product with all its engineering and manufacturing going down in North America, than an American company's product that's completely manufactured in China, for example. Edited May 28, 2009 by mustang_sallad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 All that to say, I'd rather support a Japanese company's product with all its engineering and manufacturing going down in North America, than an American company's product that's completely manufactured in China, for example. How about a Fusion that's manufactured in Mexico? Not so black and white is it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribunius Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 The only two country's that don't have a protection law to keep the foreign companies out are Canada and the USA! Not so the US most certainly has protectionist laws. Have you ever heard of the phrase "American content"? Mainly applies to high value items and anything that federal money goes towards. Canada on the other hand is as you say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Not so the US most certainly has protectionist laws. Have you ever heard of the phrase "American content"? Mainly applies to high value items and anything that federal money goes towards. Canada on the other hand is as you say. And there are certainly still tariffs on many imported goods ranging from electronics to food. They may not be as high as those imposed by other countries in some cases, but they do still exist. No economy on the planet is left entirely to its own devices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang_sallad Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 How about a Fusion that's manufactured in Mexico?Not so black and white is it. Obviously not, but i was just arguing that the Camry being designed and built in the US means more to me than the fact that the profits go to Toyota. I would take the Fusion over the Camry simply cause it's a way nicer car and I like Fords anyways! Besides, North America is close enough for me. I live in Canada. In general, we probably buy close to as many American built cars as Americans buy Canadian cars. Maybe the same applies in Mexico, I hear they love F-150s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Toyota does have a union (UAW) plant here in the USA. Oh, didn't realize that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Oh, didn't realize that. NUMMI in California that it shares with GM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 NUMMI in California that it shares with GM. Oh....duh. So they don't have a plant that they solely own/operate that is unionized, as I thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordPaul Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 What a goofy article. It's full of unrecognizable niche brands and they throw a Toyota hybrid in the mix! WHAT?! I agree. I never heard of most of that stuff and have no clue where to buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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