Buying American, is it important?

[VAChesterfield]

Originally Posted by Keef

if GM, and Ford are out of business who will be making them [tanks] for us, the Korean or the Japanese.

Ahhh, US automakers have been out of the armaments business for a very, very long time, and turning auto factories into tank and military truck factories like we did in WWII is lots more difficult, costly, and time consuming than it was in WWII. In short, shifting from F150s to Abrams tanks just ain't gonna happen.

Interesting you should mention the the Korean or the Japanese. Both countries make excellent armored vehicles.

[lorus1966]

If you're looking for a CUT that is built in the US, then you should consider the new Yanmar/Cub machines. They are built with a lot of Japanese parts from Yanmar, but from what I've read they are actually built in the US with US labor at a plant in Georgia.

Not totally US made, but probably more so than any other CUT out there.

I've got a SC2400 with 65 hours and love it. I liked the 32 hp machine even more, but it was too large to get in our horse barn's stalls.

The fact that the plant is in the US was a big selling point for me, especially when combined with the Yanmar reputation.

[redneckford]

Originally Posted by lorus1966

If you're looking for a CUT that is built in the US, then you should consider the new Yanmar/Cub machines. They are built with a lot of Japanese parts from Yanmar, but from what I've read they are actually built in the US with US labor at a plant in Georgia.

Not totally US made, but probably more so than any other CUT out there.

I've got a SC2400 with 65 hours and love it. I liked the 32 hp machine even more, but it was too large to get in our horse barn's stalls.

The fact that the plant is in the US was a big selling point for me, especially when combined with the Yanmar reputation.

Please post pictures of the Factory in Georgia.----Besure and delete the pictures of the containers that bring in the drive trains and the sheet metal. Good product no doubt--- but the saleman needs to tell the "TRUTH" and not spin words. If you do not have pictures please understand someone may have L----- to you. How big is each part and how many hours of American Labor is in each tractor. Sorry to preach but they are spinning words on you!!!!

[Builder]

Originally Posted by Keef

The problem is when we need more tanks and other equipment for the armed forces, if GM, and Ford are out of businsess who will be making them for us, the Korean or the Japanese. We need company's who are American companies to survive and to do well. Even if some of the parts are made in Mexico or Canada.

I thought most tanks and armored vehicles are made by companies like General Dynamics.
Lots of Army trucks are made by companies like Osh Kosh & Navistar.

I'd doubt Ford has anything much left to do with the military execept some Superduty trucks.

GM did partner with General Dynamics to build the new Stryker combat vehicle and the Humvee uses a 4L80E GM transmission.

[crabjoe]

Originally Posted by GCLnIndiana

Do unions have anything to do with the Japanese companies coming here while the American companies are laying off? (This ought to bring a hailstorm)

Yes and no.

Yes because Unions have driven the cost of doing business so high, American companies are moving their manufacturing to Mexico (NAFTA makes this possible).

No because tariffs. Because of high tariffs in some imports, it makes it cheaper for foreign companies to produce their product here in the US.

If fuel prices stay anywhere near where they are, you'll see more manufacturing come back to the US.

BTW, don't look to buy something just because the company is American. Companies only care about the dollar and couldn't give a hoot about you or any other American worker. That's the reason they've been moving manufacturing overseas.

If you were looking to buy American to help America, you're better off looking for "Built in America." This way, you at least know an American was employed and you're helping a community somewhere in America.

[redneckford]

Idea!!! Send the Japs to do the warranty work in I----.We may forgive but we will never ever for----get!!!! Pay American Labor to build an American product!!! and win the war don't wait or depend on them (other countries) for nothing----NOTHING!!!!-----Kill a mule we have to buy another one kill a worker we can just hire an--oth--er !!!! Protect the mule at all COST. How the railroad was built from Kansas City to the Gulf Coast!!! JUST FACT--Grandpa worked there---Unions are not always right but they are necessary for our capitalist system to work. Do you need a job guarding the mules?????

[Builder]

Originally Posted by crabjoe

.....BTW, don't look to buy something just because the company is American. Companies only care about the dollar and couldn't give a hoot about you or any other American worker. That's the reason they've been moving manufacturing overseas.

If you were looking to buy American to help America, you're better off looking for "Built in America." This way, you at least know an American was employed and you're helping a community somewhere in America.

Ehhh, not always. I know some pretty great American companies that were incredibly generous with their employees and bent over backwards, to the point of near bankruptcy, to give world class benefits to their employees and their employees' families, too.

[BlackRaptor]

For me I always try to buy american.

My JD i know isn't totally american but it's still an american company that was started in america to me thats something to be proud of. and I know the frame and a lot of my tractor was put together down south. I talked to the trucker who dropped it off at the dealer and asked where it came from.

As for cars I'll only buy them from american companies. GM mostly for me. I've been through the GM plants out in MI i know people who have worked for them they where started in america and i would like to see them still around in the years to come.

Also you buy japanese a lot of that goes back to japan to line their pockets and they are able to get out of a lot of taxes this way that GM has to pay.

to each there own but I'll try a little harder when I can to buy american.

[whodat90]

I'm with the original couple of replies. If it's equal quality, I'll even pay more for American. If it's poorly made or designed, I don't see the point of rewarding that with my dollars. I recently got a company car, and the owner of the company mandated that it would be an American made minivan. That narrowed it down to one choice, the Dodge Grand Caravan (the chrysler and such are just variations on the same car) It is singly the worst designed vehicle I have ever experienced. It's well built, I guess, but terribly designed. Everything is cheap and everything is tacked onto the original 1997 design, rather than integrated. It even uses the same engine and transmission from the original '97 design.
Oh, and if you ever want to have a good laugh, go to a Harley dealership and try to find anything with a Made In America tag. I'm not even talking about the bikes (which have loads of foreign components) but the costumes, accessories, etc. I went a while ago and finally managed to find some official HD golf balls that were made in America. Shameful.

[porky69]

Like has been said before, don't judge strictly by the corporate name - where head office is doesn't mean they don't have an investment in the "local" economy.

I personally base my purchasing on keeping it close to home. That means regardless of where the product came from originally, not that I don't want to see "North American Made" products in my possesion, I buy from the people in my local market that are going to provide me with the quality and service of product that I need. My first concern is keeping those close to me employed with decent incomes, even if I can save a couple of bucks by buying 50miles from home I won't, I will buy from my "neighbor" in order to get good after sale service even if it costs a bit more.

Yes the whole North American economy needs to be supported but if there is a "foreign" product of equal performance/specification at a lower price in the local market it may be what I buy. I have seen too many people buy products just because of the name on the side it and end up with an inferior product even though they payed a premium for it.

We also need to realize that we have created the reliance on foreign suppliers due to our almight need for "making the big bucks". If we could all accept being payed at a reasonable wage the cost of manufacturing would be reasonable and we could afford to buy/build at home, but when every person on the assembly line figures that they "deserve" to be making $50/hr because that is what they feel they are worth that much, eats up all of the profit margin and then cost of manufacture has no choice but to go up, to the point where foreign products become attractive to the consumer. Foreign countries wage control (resulting in lower manufacturing costs) is another whole ball of wax, but our capitalist ways are our own demise.