Buying American, is it important?

[Keef]

For me, if the quality of the American product (Company is American) is as good as the foreign, I want to buy American. However if the foreign is better and is in the same price range, I admit I am tempted to buy the foreign. What are your thoughts on this?

[ultrarunner]

I ask where a product is made when I buy material for work and given the choice, I choose American Made.

Mom got some grief when she bought her only new car in her life... a 2002 Toyota Corolla...

We watched her car being made and drive off the line at the Toyota NUMI plant in Fremont CA... so to me, it is Made in America, by my friends and neighbors... even if it says Toyota...

I feel the same way about my BX23.

[RoyJackson]

Unfortunately, if you're in the market to buy a CUT, more then likely you'll be buying an import.
It may be a captive import, like the small Deeres, or an independent such as Kioti or Mahindra.

[Builder]

Originally Posted by Keef

For me, if the quality of the American product (Company is American) is as good as the foreign, I want to buy American. However if the foreign is better and is in the same price range, I admit I am tempted to buy the foreign. What are your thoughts on this?

Prepare to get roughed-up in this thread. I think I'm getting some pangs of post traumatic stress disorder already.

My thoughts are similar to yours. If I can buy an American product that's as good as a foreign product, then I'm buying American. I might even spend a few more bucks to buy American so long as the quality is as good as foreign.
It's my money and I spend it the way I wish.

Trouble is, you gotta buy a pretty big piece of tractor or equipment to even get a partly American made piece most of the time these days.

What you lookin to buy?

[crashz]

Its very important. But the American consumer has been burned in the past, therefore higher quality or bargain basement prices have shifted consumers to foreign made products.

Its tough to find much of anything that is made here anymore. I try my best, but clothes and shoes are near impossible to find made here. Even if you are willing to pay more.

[wolc123]

For me, it was the most important issue regarding my new tractor purchase a few years ago. Luckily, for the first time in many years, one could find an under-50 hp, American-made tractor (JD 4000 - 20 series). It certainly didnt hurt that it outspec'd the orange and blue competition, and was tied with blue for cheapest of the 3 when similarly equipped. Since there has never been a foriegn tractor on our farm, and I am the 5th generation to run it, I did not want to be the first to end the family tradition. These tractors are assembled in Georgia, USA. The engine may be from Mexico, and the loader is from Canada, but I have friends in both of those North-American countries. You will not find much of anything completely made in USA any more, but this tractor was close enough for me. I have not been dissapointed after 3 years without a single problem of any kind. The foriegn jobs may or may not have held up that well but thankfully there was no need for me to find out. I have also only owned Chevys and Fords and none of them has let me down. Sure I have done a few minor repairs over the years, but I have never once been stranded out on the road or had to repair an engine, and I have run a few of them 10 years and close to 100k miles. My own, personal experience has caused me to trust the American worker more than any other.

[MessickFarmEqu]

I can't post to this thead without getting hate mail... so I just deleted what I wrote. Its a sad day.

[Keef]

Originally Posted by MessickFarmEqu

I can't post to this thead without getting hate mail... so I just deleted what I wrote. Its a sad day.

Just state the things you have observed and leave out the emotional feelings part.

[LD1]

If your talking tractors, it is hard to find one made entirely of US parts, your just paying for the name.

When you are talking small cars, which I just bought a Nissan Sentra for the wife, again it is hard to fine one made entirley in the US. Honda, Nissan, and Toyota all employ thousands of american workers at there assembly plants and factories which all help the american economy. The only difference is where all the money goes. To the CEO's in detroit, or the CEO's in Japan.

The way I see it, I would rather buy a better quality car, from a Japanese company that is bringing jobs to america, than buy from the big three and outsourcing jobs to other countries.

[tjkadar]

Its a global economy. I purchase the best possible quality for the most reasonable price. It usually isn't the cheapest, but it is rarely the most expensive. Country of origin is rarely an issue. My tractor is a John Deere (after 28 years of Kubotas), my truck is a Ford, the farm owns a GMC truck, and our two cars are Mazda Miatas. If I were independently wealthy, the car would be a Ferrari.