Made in China insanity

[Culvercreek hunt club]

What I love is all the Hippies you see driving around with Buy Local Stickers on their cars.The you look and they are driviing a Toyota's Prius.

Now all you guys be careful on the "American Made" statements if we are going to take a side trip into the world of automobiles. Some of those rice burners might fool you

[steve863]

Now all you guys be careful on the "American Made" statements if we are going to take a side trip into the world of automobiles. Some of those rice burners might fool you

Yeah, let's not even go there. I love it when they tell me that American vehicles are better, and then they tell me that the only thing they have replaced or fixed on it was at least a dozen different things in all of 5 years owning it, while I have yet to replace or fix ANYTHING on my Japanese vehicle in the almost 13 years that I have owned it other than tires, battery and front brake pads once.

[shawnhu]

Unfortunately, a lot of Japanese vehicles have been outsourced to North America now. I wonder if the Japanese people are bitching like we are about how their vehicles are outsourced.

[tughillhunter]

i had a honda prelude once.... only japanese vehicle i had. The timing belt went on it, causing the head to be junk. that non-sequential design thing. In my opinion, all vehicles are junk, dont matter if its ford, dodge, chevy, or toyota.... they all have problems.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

In my opinion, all vehicles are junk, dont matter if its ford, dodge, chevy, or toyota.... they all have problems.

AMEN!! I am convinced that they design them to break about 3 miles after the warranty...lol

[fasteddie]

I have owned many American vehicles . The best was a Buick SkyLark that they quit making . I have owned VWs and Hyundais and had good luck with them .

Had a Chevy S-10 and couldn't afford to keep up with the repairs . Bought a new Subaru Forester in 2009 and it's running great . The only thing I never replaced on the S-10 was any part of the exhaust system . They held up great !

You would be surprised as to how many foreign parts go into an American Car !!!

[shawnhu]

i had a honda prelude once.... only japanese vehicle i had. The timing belt went on it, causing the head to be junk. that non-sequential design thing. In my opinion, all vehicles are junk, dont matter if its ford, dodge, chevy, or toyota.... they all have problems.

Most of the older Japanese cars utilized timing belts to drive the cams instead of chains because it was quieter when ran by belt. The only problem was that belts break after certain rated mileage and/or years. With that said, I've never heard of a belt going on a Japanese vehicle before it's rated time or mileage. Do your part, and the car will do theirs.

P.S. Interference engines is what it's called when the pistons slam into the valves, destroying the head.

Edited February 14, 2012 by shawnhu

[jusputtn]

Why is it that some folks choose to bitch about goods from Southeast Asia, India, etc.but certain products like a Belgium made Browning, French wine, anything with German engineering, Italian shotguns, etc. are perfectly acceptable to most people?

BTW, are any of you following this thread typing away on an American made computer?

If America wants to be a leader in manufacturing again, the price needs to be competitive. The quality already is in most cases. I've been getting squeezed by increased day to day costs of living, increased insurance costs and no raise for 2 years. Price is an important factor in my life.

[sits in trees]

So now you all are starting to see just why our economy can take cyclical ups and downs, but never any real meaningful and permanent forward progress. We don't make anything anymore. We are simply a "service" country. We flip a mean burger, and have the art of selling trinkets and gadgets (produced by others) down pat, but we really don't crank out any hardware. I'll say it again....if we want to compete with the chinese, we are going to have to live like them. U.S. industry cannot (will not) support our current lifestyles.

But then, none of this is new. It's been going on for decades. We (U.S. corporations) have exported our technology, our expertise, and consequently our jobs to various 3rd world countries. We have even exported our demand for products overseas by raising (with our jobs) the standard of living of foriegn countries until they have made our internal consuming (U.S.) less necessary. Some strange things have happened to what used to be our domain, and apparently we all slept through it. And I guess U.S. corporations have absolutely no feelings of loyalty toward the country that spawned their success.

you make some good points, but what are we supposed to do?

[Doc]

If America wants to be a leader in manufacturing again, the price needs to be competitive.

And the only way that is going to happen is when the American family has finally reached a 3rd world's standard of living. You want to successfully compete with them for your job, you have to learn to live like them. That's pretty much an economic certainty. Those prices don't become cheaper just by wishing them so. Why do you think our jobs went overseas to begin with. Cheaper wages, no environmental corporate harassment, and a willing corporate mentality that sees no problem with screwing the American worker and economy. Don't be blaming the American consumer, just understand that the glory days of our country are slipping away, and there appears to be nothing that can turn it around. When we have reached the proper level of ruin, the jobs will return. Just simple economics 101.

[tughillhunter]

Most of the older Japanese cars utilized timing belts to drive the cams instead of chains because it was quieter when ran by belt. The only problem was that belts break after certain rated mileage and/or years. With that said, I've never heard of a belt going on a Japanese vehicle before it's rated time or mileage. Do your part, and the car will do theirs.

P.S. Interference engines is what it's called when the pistons slam into the valves, destroying the head.

because of incorrect timing due to timing belt failure. Yea, i know, couldnt remember the exact term, was thinking zero tolerance but didnt sound right, but im sure that was another term for it.

[tughillhunter]

Why is it that some folks choose to bitch about goods from Southeast Asia, India, etc.but certain products like a Belgium made Browning, French wine, anything with German engineering, Italian shotguns, etc. are perfectly acceptable to most people?

BTW, are any of you following this thread typing away on an American made computer?

If America wants to be a leader in manufacturing again, the price needs to be competitive. The quality already is in most cases. I've been getting squeezed by increased day to day costs of living, increased insurance costs and no raise for 2 years. Price is an important factor in my life.

yes. i am typing away at an american made comp, well, an american named computer founded by 2 americans in a one car garage....

[Doc]

you make some good points, but what are we supposed to do?

I honestly don't have a clue. As soon as we adopted the notion of global economies and new world order, etc. and began decades ago to export everything we ever knew about making a product, and invested gobs of money educating foriegn workers to do our jobs, and plowed money into foriegn infrastructure so they could successfully ruin us, the wheels of US decline began to entrench itself, and there is nothing that I can see that will ever turn it back. That's not to say that there are no solutions. I'm only saying that I am not smart enough to know what they are.

[tughillhunter]

Before I got in the ironworkers, i worked for a boiler manufacturer. They decided to outsource alot of the work to china, laying off countless guys, and gals, and eventually going non union. Needless to say, Chinamen and chinawomen cant weld worth a damn, sending back countless boilers with countless failed welds, and some sketchy welds to boot. Needless to say, now they are kicking themselves in the butt.

[HectorBuckBuster]

Even though some of the Import cars are assembled here, the profits the companies make still goes back over sea's .

[WNYBuckHunter]

because of incorrect timing due to timing belt failure. Yea, i know, couldnt remember the exact term, was thinking zero tolerance but didnt sound right, but im sure that was another term for it.

And now most of the American cars use timing belts too. My Dodge Intrepid used a chain, that wore out the guides, eventually snapping all of the guides and the chain, sending shrapnel throughout the front case, ruining everything in there and bending valves. It can happen to either system. Cars are machines, machines inevitably break, it's not a matter of if, but when. Some last longer than others. I've had American cars that have lasted great, and others that were crap. My current car is a Mitsubishi built piece of junk with a Chrysler badge on it. Biggest piece of garbage I have ever owned, and 100% japanese. I am looking forward to the day it finally gives up the ghost and I can get back into another American vehicle.

[Kelty]

There was a tv show I watched the other night called Shark Tank, the show is about millionaire entrepreneurs who invest their money in new businesses. One guy invented a gadget to fit on a pick up truck to carry ladders etc. He wanted money to set up a small factory in his hometown to employ local people. The "sharks" showed interest in his invention but would not invest money in him unless he manufactured his product overseas. He stood his ground and refused to manufacture overseas. He went away without any money. Sometimes corporate greed overides morals I think.

[erussell]

Chin made products are 100% more inferior to American made products. Unfortunately we have allowed the socialists in our government over the last 50 yrs slowly choke the life out of the American economy with high taxes. NY is the worst culprit followed by most of the northeast. The south has it right and is experiancing an economic boom right now. Most of my family has moved to NC and jobs are plentifull and good paying. While the socialists of the north slowly enslave the people with welfare. I figure it is only a matter of time before I jump ship also and head back south. As far as American cars go, I own 2, a Chevy HHR and a Pontiac vibe ( 1/2 pontiac 1/2 jap car made in america ) Both have never given me a problem. My former vehicle was a 98 Toyota Tacoma. Loved that truck but it was a huge pc of crap and broke down constantly. I eventually got rid of it in a buy back from toyota becausef the cheap chineese steel in the frame rotted out. Got $10,500 for a 98 with 100,000 miles on it. Went out and spent it on an american car and after 100,000 miles on that all ive replaced is brakes, muffler and oil and the usual upkeep. Oh and there is hardly any rust on it too. So put that in your Commie Asian product loving pipe and smoke it.Only thing worse than buying an Asian car is buying a euro trash car. Buy american and stop putting bullets in the gun that will eventually enslave your kids and your Grandchildren.

Edited February 15, 2012 by erussell

[Doc]

I like the Consumer Reports with their unbiased, extensive, standardized, testing and reporting to guide me in terms of quality. I find that to be much more reliable than just a couple of anecdotal comments here and there. Browse through a few of those reports and then you will have a better idea of how the quality of each auto source really is.