What do you drive?

[Captain Morgan]

It does bother me a little, but some imports are actually made in the US, while some domestics are actually made in Mexico.

If I could afford it, I'd buy American, but I have to be a capitalist in my position and get the best bang for my buck.

However, all the money I've saved by buying that Toyota I gladly spend on American meats and beer! Just doing my part for the economy!

 

[ROB O]

I can't believe how many of you drive foreign vehicles. I personaly won't buy one. I like to keep my money at home. Oh Boy, this should stir up some shit! :smt071

Nick, I hear you but I've got four words for you "1985 Dodge Daytona Turbo."

Here's 5 more words: "Head gasket every 12K miles."

I wanted a sports car for me that was safe enough for my family. Only American product that came close was the Cadillac SRX which I tried desparately hard to like but just couldn't.


It was a tough day for me when I finally threw in the towel and bought the 300z back in '89 and I keep looking for reasons to come back. I'm really, really hopeful Detroit will come up with something. Man I had a '67 Buick LeSabre :prayer: What I'm seeing from Ford especially and lately from Chevy give me hope.

Ya' gotta remember I grew up near a dragstrip in York, PA. This stuff's important to me but I'm at a stage of life where...... let's just say a modified 1968 Corvette is probably not an option. Hard to find a safe place for the booster seat behind the headers and the nitrous tank.


For now I just love my ride...... just wait till I get the engine mods on. (There is no greater joy than blowing the doors off a Porsche Cayenne....) :evillaugh:

 

[Greg Rempe]

Not speaking for Nick, but, I think he was referring to trucks not cars! No argument in that arena...USA cars can't hold a candle to ANY import!

 

[ROB O]

Not speaking for Nick, but, I think he was referring to trucks not cars! No argument in that arena...USA cars can't hold a candle to ANY import!

The L06 Corvette (new one) is an awesome beast that must be respected. There is also incredible stuff coming from Ford. They seem to have done a nice job with the new SVO.

By the way have I mentioned I have this irrational desire to see Porsches left in the dust.... especially on the North Shore of Long Island where driving skill seems to be in inverse proportion to the cost of what you're driving?

Only problem: How ya' gonna get your pit in the back of a Vette?

 

[Finney]

Actually there were fewer people sating they had imports than not.

Unless you count the people with Dodge pickups. Many are made in Mexico. Dodge is basically owned by Mercedes. Yes I know thay said it was a partnership, but look at the guys in the exec offices in Detroit. Most are not American any more. (I work for all these guys... trust me)

Even if you say that the DaimlerChrysler relationship is a partnership (marriage), that makes my Mercedes a car imported by an American company.

I don't think any of the vehicles listed are actually imported. Manufactured by foreign companies, yes.

Toyota trucks are built in Kentucky, Nissan trucks are built in Tennessee, my Mazda truck was built by Ford (Ford owns Mazda), etc. Those are all jobs that americans have. And in this countries mindset of exporting jobs left and right, I'll buy from anybody that puts an American to work.



:rant: where's an American flag emoticon when you need one?

 

[Captain Morgan]

I was at a dealership last week and saw the new retro Mustangs....pretty dad gum cool. Available in v8 as well.

 

[ROB O]

To Finney:

My ride was assembled in Santa Clara, CA. But the design and engineering work was split between Japan and *gulp* France. This is a lot of work and profits and experience I'm subsidizing overseas.

I'm not happy about that and really hope Ford and GM can keep up the progress Captain Morgan sites above. That new Mustang really is a nicely done car from all I've seen and read. But that being said.....

I love blowing the doors off of V8's'too :smt077 and all my engine mods will be made and designed and assembled in AMERICA!!!!

 

[Nick Prochilo]

And in this countries mindset of exporting jobs left and right, I'll buy from anybody that puts an American to work.



:rant: where's an American flag emoticon when you need one?

Ill buy that, but American company profits stay here and help fuel our economy. I do construction work and the state of our economy has a direct influence on how much work there is for me. :rant: Yeah, now where is that American flag emotion!! :help:

 

[Finney]

To Finney:

My ride was assembled in Santa Clara, CA. But the design and engineering work was split between Japan and *gulp* France. This is a lot of work and profits and experience I'm subsidizing overseas.
Rob, I don't like that fact either because I make my living doing automotive design and engineering. Jobs are being 'out sourced' every day. Worries my wife to death. (figuratively, so far). I will still happily buy from any company that employs Americans in America. American or foreign owned. "Out sourcing' of jobs is said (by current administration) to be a positive thing for this country. (see link at bottom of page)

I'm not happy about that and really hope Ford and GM can keep up the progress Captain Morgan sites above. That new Mustang really is a nicely done car from all I've seen and read. But that being said.....
I hope so too. Maybe I will have a job in this country until I retire.

I love blowing the doors off of V8's'too :smt077 and all my engine mods will be made and designed and assembled in AMERICA!!!!

You Go Boy!


one of may articles[/b]

 

[LarryWolfe]

Our work trucks last us 12 - 15 years doing construction work, constantly overloaded, but never fail us

Yeah Nick the F150-450's will all last 12-15years. But how much $ in repairs (engines, trannys, suspension, etc.) is put into those repairs? The only reason Ford, Chevy and Dodge are what make up the majority of the "Work Fleet" is because Toyota and Nissan do not make Heavy Duty trucks here in the states at this time. Once they do become a player in the market, I will be curious to see how loyal the "Die Hard" American truck buyers will be willing to fork out their hard earned $'s, towards a lower quality , far less reliable "Domestic Vehicle". When they can spend a few more dollars in the beginning, for a superior quality built vehicle and a time proven reliability record. I am on my 4th Toyota Pick-up right now, and have in no way been easy on any of my vehicles and have had close or over 200k on every one of my trucks. This one has 151K, and I have never done a thing to any of them whatsoever other than routine maintenance, (front brake pads only, oil/filter change religiously 3k, spark plugs, etc.) I use my trucks to haul a 450lb ATV, along with pulling a trailer, run them through mud up to the door handles, pull bushes and tree stumps up, bottomline is I take my truck anywhere my wheelchair can't get me. And then I take it home wash it off and drive 600 miles a week back and forth to work with the peace of mind that I will get back and forth from work in a reliable American Built Toyota Pick up truck!

BTW, I do alot of surf fishing on the NC coast and have had the pleasure of being able to help fellow fishermen by pulling their Chevy 2500 4x4 and a Jeep Grand Cherokee out of the sand.

 

[Woodman1]

Yeah, I hear you about those foriegn cars. That's why I own three Honda's. All of em built right here in good old Marysville, Ohio!! Not like them darn Daimler Chryslers built up there in Canadia!! Put Americans to work. Right now, the big three are all trying to figure out how to build em in China!! WM

 

[ROB O]

I don't know the first thing about trucks. I don't know the second thing either.

I do know Larry's right about one thing:

"Toyota and Nissan do not make Heavy Duty trucks here in the states at this time. Once they do become a player in the market, I will be curious to see how loyal the "Die Hard" American truck buyers will be willing to fork out their hard earned $'s, towards a lower quality , far less reliable "Domestic Vehicle". When they can spend a few more dollars in the beginning, for a superior quality built vehicle and a time proven reliability record."

Caterpillar and JI Case learned this lesson the hard way about a decade back. They learned got competitive now they're kicking some butt overseas.

Hope the big three learn it before it hurts folks like, well, us.

That's why I'm so excited about what Ford's doing. The GT is a piece of art and is taking on Ferarri and Porsche and by some folk's estimation winning. This is exactly what they did in the mid to late 1960's when a pretty good Chili cook by the name of Carolle Shelby designed a car called the GT that went 1-2-3 at LeMans and then we got all those American muscle cars we all love. Ford vs Chevy LS6 vs hemi. Who ever heard of a BMW back then? (Jim Minion's Sunbeam aside but that had an American Engine and Mr. Shelby had a thing or two to say about the chasis setup as well.)


Beat them at their own game on their own turf. Like Caterpillar's doing and hopefully Ford (GT and Mustang) and Chevy (Corvette) are doind as well. Then bring it back home. Then maybe I can get angry about those Envoy's, Tacoma's and SRX's clogging the left hand lane instead of those freakin BMW X5's , Lexus RX330s, and Porsche Cayenne's.

OK, I'll put away the :rant: Got to figure out how to get a WSM into the back of my *Nisan product*. All I can say in my defense is that nobody's ever acused me clogging up the left hand lane.

So if you ever look in your rear view mirror and see wood smoke coming out of the top of a late model Infiniti pull over. I'm not sure I've figured out how to use the break pedal. Hope I never do. Now which direction is Detroit in?

 

[jminion1]

I'm the fleet sale manager for 9 different auto manufactures producing cars in the USA, Canada, Germany, Japan,Mexico and Korea. The parts are from around the world. The auto manufacturing business is international no matter which one you talk about.
Jim

 

[Guest]

I remember you, James! You hosted BBQBob's pic's new pit pics ~ bbqbob/newpit/. Hell of a pit he's got there, eh? Welcome aboard!

 

[Woodman1]

Why is the background all green and full of color? What's up with that? Shouldn't it be all grey and white? I'm all confused. Yeah, I just looked out the window. Grey and white is what it's supposed to look like :? :?

 

[Bruce B]

Grey and white here, too. I think he's from another planet, Woodwinter.

 

[Smokin' U]

Caterpillar and JI Case learned this lesson the hard way about a decade back. They learned, got competitive, now they're kicking some butt overseas.

Please let me stand on my soap box for a minute. I work for the Komatsu dealer in Ohio and I would put the Komatsu excavator,dozer, and loader up against any competitor.

 

[Greg Rempe]

Having been on the periphery of that industry for 5 years, I would agree with you Smokin' U! Espically on the excavotors...I've known companies that use all CAT stuff, but when it comes to excavators, they only buy Komatsu! They dig harder, faster and deeper...there words not mine!

 

[Woodman1]

Caterpillar and JI Case learned this lesson the hard way about a decade back. They learned, got competitive, now they're kicking some butt overseas.

Please let me stand on my soap box for a minute. I work for the Komatsu dealer in Ohio and I would put the Komatsu excavator,dozer, and loader up against any competitor.

Smokin U , I care. Where in Ohio?

 

[Smokin' U]

I work out of the Richfield location. Corporate is in Columbus.

http://www.columbusequipment.com