Japanese car doors still close more tightly than their American counterparts. As a perfect example, my neighbor has a Ford Crown Vic. that is newer than my Civic, and his driver’s side door will no longer close tightly. It is as though the door has 1970s technology.
CR also gives low reliability ratings to “prestigious” brands like Land Rover, Mercedes, and Jaguar.
I see plenty of evidence to back up their findings at the University I work at.
“Upper crust” wannabees that bite off more than they can chew.
It seems to me the folks here poo-pooing CR are mostly just defending the American brands.
“(horrid memories of vinyl seats and that lousy engine)”
I rebuilt several of those engines…Once they’re steel sleeved…they’re actually a good reliable engine. One I rebuilt I even put on a dual carb setup …Increased performance greater then the Cogsworth Vega.
WhiteyWhitey 9:31AM Report
Japanese car doors still close more tightly than their American counterparts. As a perfect example, my neighbor has a Ford Crown Vic. that is newer than my Civic, and his driver’s side door will no longer close tightly. It is as though the door has 1970s technology.
Because it does.
The Ford Crown Victoria is a HORRID example to compare to any modern vehicle. The Crown Vic was last “completely” redesigned in 1991 for the 1992 model year. Even then it still carried over a lot of tech from the LTD Crown Victoria and the LTD that preceded it. It really IS a 1970s design. Reliable as heck, though.
Try comparing a Fusion to an Accord… or a Focus to your Civic…
Is the Ford Focus a domestic car? I thought it was a European design manufactured in Canada and Mexico. 
The Focus has never been manufactured in Canada. Through the 2004 model year, it was manufactured in Mexico and Michigan. From 2005 onwards, all Focuses sold in the US have been built in Michigan.
And while the design is “European”, huge chunks of the engineering was done in the US - the vast majority of Ford’s advanced R&D and most of their powertrain design is done in the US. The european division pieced together the chassis design and styled the thing, but it can hardly be described as a “European” model when more development behind it was done in the US than for any Toyota on the road.
After seeing on 60 Minutes that all the Asian manufacturers legally have never paid any taxes on their profits, I researched and found that they pencilwhip the titles through Malaysia and pay their taxes at a nearly 0% rate allowing their U S subsidiaries to operate at a loss. I buy based on whether or not the American who builds it is a union member making a decent living. You can buy mostly domestic by looking at the stickers. I just bought a Chevy Traverse that is 76% domestic. I know that the people in Lansing could use the work.
"I buy based on whether or not the American who builds it is a union member making a decent living. You can buy mostly domestic by looking at the stickers. I just bought a Chevy Traverse that is 76% domestic. I know that the people in Lansing could use the work. "
A very good portion of Asian vehicles sold in the US are MADE in the US…Honda, Toyota, Nissan and even Hyundai have manufacturing plants in the US paying very good wages to their employees.
[sarcasm] Right, Mike, but since the factory workers don’t pay any union dues, how can they be happy? [/sarcasm]
“Honda, Toyota, Nissan and even Hyundai have manufacturing plants in the US paying very good wages to their employees.”
@MikeInNH - if you’re looking at the number of vehicles built in the US vs the number of vehicles sold in the US, the rank order actually puts Hyundai above Toyota and the gap widening fast. None of them are close to the domestic makers, though. For import brands, Honda is the most dedicated to using US labor… but again, still well off the mark of the domestic brands.
"@MikeInNH - if you’re looking at the number of vehicles built in the US vs the number of vehicles sold in the US, the rank order actually puts Hyundai above Toyota and the gap widening fast. None of them are close to the domestic makers, though. For import brands, Honda is the most dedicated to using US labor… but again, still well off the mark of the domestic brands. "
And that’s very difficult to find out.
Especially when you consider the Asian electronics used in domestic manufacturers…Asian motors used by domestic manufacturers…Asian steel used by domestic manufacturers…Asian robotics used in many domestic manufacturing plants…Domestic models designed by teams of Asian engineers…
Well, the motors, parts, steel, etc… that’s in with the domestic content. The import brand models built in the US and Canada really do match the domestic brand models VERY well in that regard. Their shortfall is in imports from Japan and Mexico, which generally come with VERY low domestic content.
The robotics? That would be VERY difficult to find out.
As for the engineers, many of the engineers employed by the domestic brands in the US likely are of Asian origin. The point? They’re based in the US… and nearly all are US citizens or permanent residents…
The point? They’re based in the US… and nearly all are US citizens or permanent residents…
No their not…GM/Ford and Chryco have major design engineering campuses in India and China.
Who owns Chrysler now anyway? Should we group them in with the European car makers, the American car makers, or the Asian car makers?
My vote is for “European” because I think they used to be owned by Mercedes, and I think they are now are owned by Fiat. Is that right?
“Hay Buddy, I see you drive a PT Cruiser. Why do you hate America?”
Why no comment on all the profits leaving the country and a total lack of taxes paid? The unions are now matching the Asians with their new hires at about $14 an hour with reduced benefits because they have no choice, cut wages, or die. Any one of you smart guys want to assemble cars for that kind of money? When your job finally goes overseas we’ll see who’s sarcastic. (whitey) And I am not an autoworker nor do I have family in the business. I just see our country sinking into a financial disaster with lower standard of living for all of us if we don’t support each other.
“Is the Ford Focus a domestic car? I thought it was a European design manufactured in Canada and Mexico.”
How much more domestic does it get than Mexico and Canada? Ask Docnick and irlandes! And after all, President Clinton declared them domestic with NAFTA.
OK, I am being flip, but I do agree with NAFTA and other efforts to bring neighbors into the market. If we can get them good jobs then turn them on to our goods and services, we can expand our economy, too. Then we have friends, partners, and customers.
When your job finally goes overseas we’ll see who’s sarcastic.
I work in a field that has the LARGEST portion of jobs off-shoring then any other job sector.
I do have relatives working at auto factory workers…Brother-in-Law retired plant manager…2 nephews who work for Chryco on the assembly line…I also have at least 3 cousins who work for GM in different capacities as mid-level managers.
I don’t know too many places in this country where a 20 something with only a high-school diploma can make $14/hr as a starting wage. When you live in areas like Detroit or upstate NY where the cost of living is very low then that is a very good wage.
$14/hr equates to $28k/yr WITHOUT overtime…Plus their benefits while greatly reduced are still much higher then the average worker in the US…Compare that to a starting teachers salary of $21k yr (Minimum of a 4 year college degree) here in NH where the cost of living is a LOT HIGHER that of Detroit or upstate NY.
After 10 years on the job that factory worker will be making about $40k/yr…The teacher in NH…maybe $30k…
kriley, the problems Americans have with declining standard of living isn’t going to be solved by being xenophobic. The USA isn’t going to be competitive by supporting companies that don’t make the best cars on the market.
Let’s say I have a choice between two widgets, one made in the USA, which costs more and is inferior, and one that costs less, and is superior, but is made outside the USA. If I spend extra money for the inferior widget, my dollar doesn’t go as far, and by definition, my standard of living declines. The only people to benefit are the people making the inferior widgets, and trust me, their marketing departments count on your xenophobia in their marketing plans.
MikeInNH July 13 Report
The point? They’re based in the US… and nearly all are US citizens or permanent residents…
No their not…GM/Ford and Chryco have major design engineering campuses in India and China.
Did I say ALL their engineering and R&D was done in the US? NO. The MAJORITY is, though. GM/Ford both get around 1/3 of their sales in the US. FAR more than 1/3 of their engineering and R&D is in the US - in reality, it is closer to 70%. OTOH, Toyota gets around 35% of their sales from the US, but just 5% of their engineering and R&D is in the US.
Why is it that it is considered evil for GM/Ford/Chrysler to have engineering in India or China to support vehicles they sell there?
The Asians that they have working in the US are almost ALL either US citizens or permanent residents.
jtsanders July 13 Report
"Is the Ford Focus a domestic car? I thought it was a European design manufactured in Canada and Mexico."
How much more domestic does it get than Mexico and Canada? Ask Docnick and irlandes! And after all, President Clinton declared them domestic with NAFTA.
Actually, Mexico is not considered domestic, it is simply not subject to tariffs. As for Canada, production there has been considered domestic since the US government sold us out in the 1960s and signed an auto pact with Canada that essentially forced US automakers to build large numbers of plants there or suffer enormous tariffs both ways across the border.
(and again, the Focus is made ONLY in Michigan, and has been starting with the 2005 model year - earlier years SOME were made in Mexico, but none were made in Canada)