Foreign Carmakers: More "Domestic" Than Detroit

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I drive a Nissan Altima which is built in Tennessee. When somebody says that you should drive a domestic car, it depends what your definition is. The Altima was designed in Japan and built in the USA. Is it domestic or import? It's built by American workers which support the economy. I live in Cambridge, Ontario where Toyota builds cars - they contribute a lot to the local economy. Funny, you don't see a lot of Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai or other Asian cars built in North America covered in stickers saying that buying foreign will put you out of work.

Shaun C 12:57PM February 04, 2010

Is it an American car if it is built by one of the Detriot 3 but actualy made in Mexico or Canada. Or is it American if it is made in the U.S But built by a Toyota or Honda.Toyota has about 10 plants in the U.S with more coming. The Tundra is Built In Sanantonio Tx and the Camry is Built In Ca. In fact Automotive news named the Camry as the MOST AMERICAN CAR beating out the Ford F 150. Also. Honda and Toyota according to Consumer Reports has Higher Resale Value and Lower Cost of Ownership then any thing the Detriot 3 have and Even Nissan and Mazda are overtakeing them. What the Detriot 3 need is to not just make flashy or kool looking cars and trucks. But to make them as good or even better then Toyotas or Hondas. But that will NOT happen till the UAW GETS OUT OF THE WAY! and let the people who know how to do there job.So the Saying of Buying American is a little more cloudy then it used to be.

Mike. of TX 2:31PM August 19, 2009

first of all the transplants through legalized bribary(lobbyist) got the definition of made in the USA changed from actually making the part in the USA to packaging it in the USA a machine picks the part up from the assembly line and drops it in a new box marked made/Assembled in the USA using no American Labor. It used to say Made but some very smart judges decided the made was misleading under the truth in advertising law( to bad we can't get big pharma under the same law for the misleading seniors are happy with part d ads)
to the Impeach Obama people here is what I have to say Patrick Henry a great patriot said that those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither and here is what I think Try for High Treason Dick Cheney for violating his oath of office.

Eric Schichl of MI 11:54AM July 11, 2009

what did the labor union do for you all that big business did not do. You live in the south where you have so call no rights. It is a right to work state. where you go in and the boos says your a fired no reason given. you can collect unemployment. what is that compared to your job. Listen up folks big business does not care about the workers any more than the repukes. Since old ronny reagan big business has ruled the day. Wages for the common worker has stayed the same or has declined while management and CEO pay has increased by over 400 percent. You tell me who the companies care about? So you disdain unions but they are the ones that you get your fair share of the pie not big business.

george of PA 10:46AM July 11, 2009

I have worked in the Auto Industry for over a quarter of a century... primarily domestic. I even created a catch phrase "Bowtie til the day I die".
Unfortunately, many comments about the quality of domestic vehicles is all too true. GM has not offered an attractive vehicle in my opinion in many years, Chrysler's quality and Q.C. is unforgivable, and Ford's "Quality is Job 1" wained quite a bit over the last 2 decades. The domestic's engineering and R&D has been to "put them on the road & see what breaks" whereas the Asians have a much better Q.C. in place.
And the Big 3 have been castrated by the U.A.W.
I do reside in the South, and have been witness to the growth of Auto Manufacturing and subsidiary companies employing multitudes on local labor (just as qualified as the U.A.W. employees).
Consider the Mercedes facility in Alabama... the UAW tried to get their greedy little fingers in there as well - HA!
(UAW) "We can get you this" (fill in the blank)
(Local Labor)"We already have that"
(UAW) "What about this?
(Local Labor) "We already have that in place also"
The only difference is that the UAW doesn't get "Their Pinch" go and squander on a resort or whatever they do with the millions they've plundered.
Honda, Mercedes, Toyota, Hyundia, Nissan, V.W. (Kawasaki, Yamaha - the list goes on & on & on) are welcome here and welcome to stay here in the South. So are the Big 3... just not the UAW.

partsgt of AL 10:47AM July 10, 2009

Hey Obama you said I should buy American I Did I bought a Camry made in the USA not a Chevrolet Cobalt made in Mexico or a Camaro made in Canada or a Ford made in Mexico Get It Straight Buy a car made in the USA. Yes the profits go to Japan but they invest them in the USA . The Ford Gm and Chrysler get the Profits and invest them in other Countries
The USA for the USA the Hell with Canada and Mexico .
Obama you communist stay out of private enterprise stop wasting and stealing the money of the people of the USA
I'm sorry I forgot you just a Crook county Crook along with Rod B and Todd Stroger . Impeach Obama before it's to late
Impeach Obama before it's to late
Impeach Obama before it's to late
Impeach Obama before it's to late

Eddie G of IL 11:40PM July 08, 2009

Susan from MI,
You state that "Your executives were getting fat off cheap labor in Mexico, that's where!"
Selective blame I think!
You forgot to mention a "few" UAW workers who felt entitled to $45 plus an hour to bolt the seats in your Grand Prix, Jeep, and 300M!
Oh yeah, they had some pretty good benefits too as I recall!
Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen ALL received handouts...OOPS..."incentives" to locate their US assembly plants where they did (Toyota's new TX plant- building full size trucks no less- got its parents LOTS of state $$ while GM's attempt to modernize its TX plant to remain competetive got squat) and now fill them with non union workers.
Wonder why??!!

Gary S. of IL 10:32AM June 30, 2009

This debate always makes me smile! I don't care where your Toyota, BMW, Honda, Mazda, Mercedes, or Ford was BUILT...
Tell me where the PROFITS go!
Toyota: Most recalls of ANY car company 2 years running!
Oh, what a feeling!
Toyota is where GM was 30 years ago and poised for the same crash if they don't correct their "we can do no wrong" mentality!
Complacency is what kills many businesses (not just the car business) and those that fail often have no one but themselves to blame.
As for all of you patting yourselves on the back because you bought a Honda built in Ohio (so it's relly a domestic car, right?) enjoy it!
Your friends and neighbors who are facing severe financial hardship and are out of work appreciate your attempt to buy "American".
Wake-up! Your $50 microwave oven and $100 digital camera had a hand in this too...China, Korea, India, Vietnam...check the label in the shirt on your back! Jobs leave, we lose!
Yes, the transplant auto makers do create jobs here (and prove that the American auto worker builds just as good a vehicle as his or her foreign counterpart)...BUT...a far greater amount of money leaves our shores to benefit the homeland!
I'm not going to apologize for the American auto makers' past mistakes (they did a lot of this to themselves) but those of you that fail to grasp the concept of "earn it here, spend it here, keep it here" have yourselves to thank for record unemployment and the rest of the hole we now find ourselves in!
OOPS...this is America...none of this is YOUR fault! Must be those mean banks, evil corporations, and your neighbors!

Tom Gorr of IL 10:16AM June 30, 2009

I feel compelled to write how sick I am of the whining "Big Three".
They have been laying off US auto workers for years! This is nothing new it is just on a larger scale.
Here's to the "BIG THREE" Where were you when the transmission went out on my 300M at 36,000 miles and some change?.............. "mmmm sorry"
Where were you when the rear brake calipur on my Pontiac Gran Prix needed repair six times?.............."mmmm sorry"
Where were you when the door panels peeled off of my Jeep Grand Cherokee?.......... "mmmmm sorry"
Your executives were getting fat off cheap labor in Mexico, that's where!
AND NOW you may not build your new plant in Lake Orion Michigan?!$%$^^
And now you need us to buy American?.... "mmmm sorry"!
You suck! You may have my tax dollars but you'll never have my business.

Susan Sereno of MI 1:12PM June 15, 2009