Foreign or domestic

I know this has been touched on previously but I'm leaning towards buying a domestic vehicle but I'm afraid, especially since the mass recall by Ford. Should I be concerned?

 

Boots, this only the 5th thread you've started today. Better pick up the pace, I expected at least a dozen by now.

 

Which reminds me of the Don & Mike radio program, which did a bit called "Foreign or domestic."

They had a phone book with all the listings for 7-Elevens across the USA.

You had to guess if they called, say, Salt Lake City, if the person answering the phone was F or D.

Good times.

*****
As to the car question, I'm inclined towards Japanese iron (much of which is, of course, assembled in the U.S.) at present, but the best U.S. assembled "domestic" cars are much better than a few years ago.

I just have the sense that the average "Japanese" car is better appointed and has better reliability than the average "U.S." car. But those are labels that are often hard to sort out due to the whole assembly issue.

 

Go buy a Consumer Report. Make an educated decision.

 

do both. Buy a made in the USA Toyota.

 

The only thing foreign or domestic about the car is the nameplate. Toyota trucks are built here and most of its parts are U.S.-made, for example. It may be the most American in terms of assembly and parts content, yet it's not because it's Toyota, a Japanese brand. On the other hand, a Chevy could be sitting in a showroom drape with the Stars and Stripes and have maybe 2 parts made here; the rest was made in Mexico or Canada. So I don't worry about it.

If you really want to know, check the first charater of the car's VIN. If it's a 1 or 4, it was assembled in the U.S. If it's a J, it was assembled in Japan.

 

How about a made-in-Canada Chevy?

 

I have never had a problem with a Honda -- Civic or Accord. You know, except for a Mack truck. I'll never buy anything but a Honda.

 

I politely disagree on the sorting out part of your post, HH. That's dead-on easy to me.

All that the domestically-assembled Japanese cars have proven to me is that Americans are perfectly capable of piecing together a good vehicle, an issue that seemed to be in question as the domestic vehicles were being left on showroom lots in favor of those shipped in from abroad the last 10-15 years. It also shows that the Japanese are much less willing to cut corners on engineering and quality of parts, and that has been - and is still - separating the Japanese vehicles from the domestics.

(Untouched is the issue of many Japanese-designed and engineered vehicles now built in the U.S., yet the Americans - complete with GM's territorial ads thanks to John Mellancamp's crap - have many of their products made outside the States. Hmmm ... )

An easy decision, Boots. I've owned nothing but imports, and have watched too many friends and colleagues have too many issues with their domestic vehicles.

 

Buy American, unless you hate America

 

Boots, I just bought a Toyota Highlander and also got a BMW convertible as a gift. I do like Toyota and it is very popular with consumers.

Just don't get the Toyota Solara. It pales in comparision to a BMW 360.

 

You know, I have to make that decision like, almost every week.