The big city newspaper printed yesterday that Fiat Chrysler reported their factory in Saltillo, state of Coahuila, has produced 3,000,000 Pentestar V6 engines used in many Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep vehicles. If someone is curious, just say so and I will type in the list of 12 models which use the engines.
This has been a six year production run. Simple math says that would be 500,000 engines a year.
The article also included comments on President Trump and GM change of plans.
I’m curious about the models. Since there are 12, I guess some must be exported to the US for installation in vehicles assembled here. Is that correct? I don’t have a problem with either, I’m just curious.
I don’t know. Here are the cars listed:
Jeep Grand Cherokee; Dodge Durango; Chrysler Pacifica; Chrysler Pacifica Hibrida (I assume this is hybrid); Dodge Grand Caravan; Dodge Charger; Dodge Challenger; Chrysler 300; Jeep Wrangler; Ram 1500; Dodge Journey; Ram Promaster
The article also stated the new Jeep Compass will be built in Toluca, not far from Mexico City. It did not stater the new model would use the motors or not.
I guess I don’t have a problem with stuff being sourced from different places but just a few examples of how many in the public have become concerned: I bought a Bosch router-made in Mexico not Germany. I bought a Porter Cable saw and drill-made in China. I bought a Toro snowblower-engine from China and housing made in Mexico. 20 years ago this stuff was made in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Tennessee, etc. As Ross Perot warned-that giant sucking sound and politicians paid off in one way or another. Walmart used to brag about everything they had made in USA but since the kids took over, the items are rare. At some point we need to get away from finding the lowest labor cost world-wide and the least pollution regulations for manufacturing because there will always be someone less fortunate willing to under-cut the general market. Not to start anything but just how many in the US are feeling.
Customers want acceptable goods at the lowest price. We could find a way to make foreign goods cost more and make US equivalent products cost competitive, but that is essentially welfare for those that get jobs this way. I don’t mind people working, but I do mind paying more than I need to to prop up businesses that can’t make it in the market on their own. It lowers my standard of living. Japan for many years had jobs for life, and that made them uncompetitive. They changed that and are now back in the game.