Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire US made cars vs. Foreign made

I wanted to ask this question in the "Best affordable small car" thread, but thought I would start my own so as not to infringe any further on that topic.

I'd like to solicit opinions on buying a vehicle from a US corportation vs. a non-US based corportation. I'm currently in the market for a new/used vehicle and much of what I read and hear says that the Toyotas, Hyundais, Kia's, VW, etc. are all better quality/value over the Fords, GMs, Chryler's, etc. However, I have a personal hang-up (if you want to call it that) about buying a "foreign" car. In my mind I just can't make that leap. I certainly don't want to buy GM, and lean towards Ford or Dodge. But with all the recommendations for "foreign" built vehicles in the previously mentioned thread, I thought I would see what everyone's real thoughts were on this subject and if, from a US business support standpoint, I can justify buying from a non-US car company. What say you?

I always bought Ford or Chevy vehicles. Well after taking a azz burnings from both I bought my wife a new Toyota Highlander. It's been great. It does not have to keep going back for warranty work because something quit working. By far the best vehicle I have ever bought.

When I buy a new truck I hope it says Toyota on the front of it.

Dink

Many cars made with a foreign nameplate are made here in the USA and many cars with a domestic nameplate are made outside the USA.
That complicates the entire buy US thing for me.
I know that Subaru Legacy and Outback are made in IL and the Camry too in the same plant.
Many others are also made here.

In my opinion, buy what you like and what excites you and let the chips fall where they may.

some "foriegn cars" are far more built in the US than some American companies which have Mexico doing alot of work....Honda and Toyota have manufacturing plants here and make some of their vehicles here in the US.....

I was the same way. Always owned GM. Got a great deal on a Toyota Tundra the last time around. It will take a lot for a US auto company to lure me back.

My Tundra has 160K on it and I have put two sets of tires, one set of front brake pads, and regular oil changes, etc.

Any other truck I ever owned would have had some significant maintenance costs by this point - even if I had done my part with PM.

Yep. I have my fireproof pants on. I can already feel the wrath of those that will tell me I should be supporting Detroit forthcoming. Have at it. When I spend my money, I buy the best product available that I can afford. For me and my needs, that isn't available from Detroit.

Yep. Pennsylvania's legislature passed a law a few years back to require the state to buy "made in USA" vehicles. They had to very quickly modify or repeal it. None of the big three made vehicles that met the qualifications.

Most of the parts in US made cars are foreign made. Also, as far as who gets the profits, it doesn't really make much difference what company makes it. The stockholders for most big corps are scattered all over the world and they're the real owners. The only real difference is whether a car is made by the UAW or a non-union company, either on or off shore.

Of the two you're 'leaning' toward, I'd say the Ford may have the edge - but keep in mind many parts of 'US' vehicles are made in other countries.

I think every MSRP has to have the percentage of US parts in the vehicle listed on it somewhere.. And some US cars are made in non-US plants.. Take a look at a vehicle's ID # (VIN) If it begins with the number 1 or 4, it's plant was in the US.. If it begins with a #3, that's Canada. #2 is Mexico..

Oh, and if you go with a Ford (new) stay away from the Ford Sync system for another year or so..

Make mine a Toyota.

Ed

I lease a Honda. My lease is up this year and I plan on leasing another one. Hondas are made in America by Americans. As far as I'm concenred, that's an American company. YMMV.

I buy Toyota for personal use, GM for my business. I buy the GM strictly for 2 reasons, 1. Toyota doesn't make a 3/4 or 1 ton truck.
2. Duramax.

We work in several U.S auto plants, as a matter of fact I'm going to Toyota, San Antonio in the morning, for a 3 day project.


If you saw the way the ,"BIG THREE', workers really are, versus Toyota, Izuzu, Hyundai, Honda or Nissan, you wouldn't buy a Ford Dodge or GM product for scrap prices.

Currently have a 1995 AWD Toyota Matrix (105,000 trouble free miles) and a 2012 Ford F150 with the Ecoboost engine (the 7th F150 that I've owned since 1979). Very happy with both vehicles.

Can't help you with the Duramax option, but the Tundra IS a 3/4ton truck and has to be registered as such, at least in Texas, due to the GVW.

Ed

There are many out there that will remain brand loyal for life, whether it be what their parents/grandparents drove, or their first car brand. I certainly see the merits in buying Made in the USA products, and do so when I can.

However, life is short. I like to own quality things that work well, look good, are safe, etc. We learn (or should) from our mistakes, and if I buy something that's crap, or learn about crap from someone else, I'd be hard pressed to buy it because of an emotional attachment to where it's made. That statement includes cars and trucks.

I used to be pure Pontiac loyal. I used to draw a paycheck from them in another life. I still have two, and am looking to buy more of vintage. As far as new cars go however, there's a damn good reason to look at everything. I used to travel a lot, and rented many different cars and trucks. I've always found cars of foreign manufacture to be of higher quality, more comfortable, and those I've owned, longer lasting. There's a real good reason why Toyota, Honda, and now Hyundai are doing so well.
Many foreign cars and their parts, including engines and gearboxes, are now made here. The jobs these factories supply are putting food on the table of the American citizenry. There may be an argument towards some of the money going back to Germany, Japan, or Korea, but a good deal of it is staying right here, and the paychecks to these employees are being spent here as well.
One thing I can say for sure, I won't be buying new GM or Chrysler again.

Surely the design philosophy of the company is what counts.

I divide my time between two high mileage cars; a 1996 Saturn and a 2001 Toyota Corolla, both in excess of 250,000 miles, both previously our primary family vehicles.

EVERYTHING besides the power train has broken on the Saturn; both front windows, the radio, the glove compartment lid, the air conditioning (twice), the inside door knobs, the headliner detached and hung down loose, so we cut it off. Needed an alternator and a water pump before 100,000, always smoked at high RPM even when new.

The original motor tanked at 160,000 after about 40,000 miles of poor running despite impeccable maintenance and synthetic oil, now the car has another 100,000 on the new salvage motor.

Basically its our beater, still in use because it aint worth selling, will pass Texas inspection, and it starts when you turn the key. Its also a wagon, so its gets used as a pickup truck on occasion, anything we wouldn't want to haul/wont fit in our "nice" cars.

The Toyota? Actually closing in on 300,000 miles now. An inside doorhandle broke last year, I picked up a replacement at a salvage yard for about $20, took all of five minutes to install.

Other than that, everything is still original. That can't be an accident, it means EVERY component was designed to last.

I wish all cars were built that way.

Birdwatcher

The world turns sometimes in a funny way.
I am about to sell my inherited 1998 Nissan Sentra that gets 37 mpg's and it was built in Tennessee.
I also own a 2009 Nissan Frontier and it too was built in Tennessee.
I almost bought a 2012 Ford Fiesta and it is built in Mexico.
I opted for a new left over 2011 Toyota Corolla that even though a lot of them are now made in the USA this one was 100% made in Japan.
No regrets.
Oh yea,my 1992 BMW K75S motorcycle was built in Germany.

Our present Corolla was built in California. Closing in on 100,000 with no problems.

Only beef I got is it has an electric gas pedal. Its a standard, the fact that its a computer running the throttle and not a direct link via cable from the gas pedal robs most of the "feel"when shifting/starting out. Worse, it is surprisingly easy to stall out when starting from a stop because of that lack of "feel".

You would think having a computer involved oughtta make it harder to stall through some sort of safeguard circuit, but not so. This unpredictable stalling out can actually be dangerous at busy intersections. All I've ever owned/driven is manual transmissions, but if electronic gas pedals are the way things are now, my next car will prob'ly be an automatic

Birdwatcher

I'll buy a Ford. I fully realize that it might not be an 'American' car.
Recently I bought a Ford Transit small panel truck. Made in Turkey, with a Spanish motor. Oh well.

I do the majority of my own mechanical work on both of our vehicles.
95 Lexus ES 300 178,000. This vehicle has been a pleasure to maintain. Toyota used high quality fasteners and everything comes apart with ease.Last fall I did a complete overhaul of the suspension.I had it apart and back together in about eight hours.That time includes taking the new springs to a shop and having them press in new struts and re install the bearing plates.
This car is as clean underneath as it is on top!

98 Durango 147,000. Everything I do to this POS is a fight! I was in an accident a few months ago and the other driver's insurance cut me a check for enough to fix everything that needed done if I did the work my self. I had to replace,both front fenders,front bumper,radiator support, driver's door and rear hatch ,repair holes in the undercarriage and fix the bottom of the LR door.The accident only damaged part of the bumper and LF fender and headlight, everything else was RUST.
I keep both of my my vehicles clean.I pressure wash the undercarriages on a regular basis and keep them waxed. so a lack of attention is not the issue. The issue is that the foreign designed/engineered vehicles are far superior than domestic ones in my opinion.
If I were in a better financial position I would have let the insurance company total the Dog and looked for a Landcruiser.
I have had my fill of domestics!