Decided to go with Kubota.

[aesanders]

Not commenting on unions, their need in todays world, or their value to America in general, other than to say they aren't high on my Christmas card list, BUT.... The FIRST Toyota plant to produce Tundra pick-ups is in Princeton Indiana. The employees there are members of the United Auto Workers. So are Toyota workers at the Georgetown Kentucky plant that produces Camry's.

I think you have some wrong information. Not 100% sure about the Princeton plant (although I'm pretty sure it is non union), but here is a recent article in May this year about the Georgetown plant being a NON-Union plant.

UAW shacks up at Holiday Inn near Toyota's Georgetown, KY plant - Autoblog

 

[gemini5362]

Builder your admonishing me about taking things out of context is a hoot. I have guilt about buying anything made in america or anywhere else. I feel that to compete we have to make at least equal quality products. I feel that american companies do make equal quality or better quality products in a lot of cases and I buy american when I see that or can. I have a whirlpool washer and dryer that is made in arkansas, I use baldor motors again an arkansas product. But those are relatively simple products in terms of production. As far as I know there are no tv, radio, computer products made in the US. Just about anything with wheels and a motor is made up of parts made all over the earth. If you try to buy items with the highest per centage made in america parts that you can I am proud of you. My ownly regret is that you dont have a larger selection to pick from. I try to buy everything based on the quality I need at a price to match. If I am buying tools that I am going to use one time and then toss in a box in my shop I will probably buy chinese because of the price difference. If it is something I am going to use once a month or more it is the highest quality I can get and I hope it is made in the USA. If it is something that is not made in the USA but for my needs or desires it is a better fit then I buy outside of the US. Since you keep mentioning my Porsche the only American Made production car that is in competition with it is a corvette which has a lot of parts made in mexico in it. I happen to prefer the Porsche over that Corvette. If someone makes an american made sports car that is comparable to the Porsche I will look at it. I also happen to have a 2006 silverado diesel. I believe the engine on it is made by Isuzu. I have to look but I believe you said you had a Ford super duty. chances are the fuel injectors for it are made by Bosche. as I said earlier I wished you could buy more american made products but the world is shrinking every year.

 

[Builder]

Builder your admonishing me about taking things out of context is a hoot. I have guilt about buying anything made in america or anywhere else. I feel that to compete we have to make at least equal quality products. I feel that american companies do make equal quality or better quality products in a lot of cases and I buy american when I see that or can. I have a whirlpool washer and dryer that is made in arkansas, I use baldor motors again an arkansas product. But those are relatively simple products in terms of production. As far as I know there are no tv, radio, computer products made in the US. Just about anything with wheels and a motor is made up of parts made all over the earth. If you try to buy items with the highest per centage made in america parts that you can I am proud of you. My ownly regret is that you dont have a larger selection to pick from. I try to buy everything based on the quality I need at a price to match. If I am buying tools that I am going to use one time and then toss in a box in my shop I will probably buy chinese because of the price difference. If it is something I am going to use once a month or more it is the highest quality I can get and I hope it is made in the USA. If it is something that is not made in the USA but for my needs or desires it is a better fit then I buy outside of the US. Since you keep mentioning my Porsche the only American Made production car that is in competition with it is a corvette which has a lot of parts made in mexico in it. I happen to prefer the Porsche over that Corvette. If someone makes an american made sports car that is comparable to the Porsche I will look at it. I also happen to have a 2006 silverado diesel. I believe the engine on it is made by Isuzu. I have to look but I believe you said you had a Ford super duty. chances are the fuel injectors for it are made by Bosche. as I said earlier I wished you could buy more american made products but the world is shrinking every year.

Maybe it's a hoot, but it's true, you are taking my comments out of context as this is turning into more of a witch hunt than a discussion.

It's this simple:

2 products similar in price in quality. (1) made in US, (1) made offshore.

I try to buy the US made product. It's that simple my friend. You keep coming back to me looking for trouble, but there's no trouble to find.

However, I still don't like your Porsche/Vette comparison because as you said, the porsche costs twice as much as the Vette.. What does the American Vette have to do? Outperform your Porsche AND cost 1/2 as much for you to buy it? I'm confused because I'm comparing similarly priced products.

Not for you because you have enough money to spend twice (I'm presuming $60K) as much for a car that handles better. I won't ask for proof, I'll believe you that it handles better. I would think with minimal effort & expense, the Vette could be made faster in a straight line race, if it already isn't stock. The vette might have some off-shore parts, but it's still an American made sports car. my guess is your Porsche has parts made outside of germany, so what are we talking about here? Nothing.

Me? I'd rather have the Vette and $60K in the bank, but that's my preference as I think you should have your's.

Have fun and don't be so astonished/indignant when someone expresses an opinion that's different from yours.

 

[DmansPadge]

A lot of threads end up like this... it's pretty ridiculous. Buy what you want to buy regardless of what the other guy does. We have problems in this country that are FAR WORSE than buying foreign engineering and/or manufacturing... and if those problems were fixed than discussions like these wouldn't even take place. Move on... please!! After all... this is a tractor forum.

 

[DavesTractor]

...... Since you keep mentioning my Porsche the only American Made production car that is in competition with it is a corvette which has a lot of parts made in mexico in it. I happen to prefer the Porsche over that Corvette. If someone makes an american made sports car that is comparable to the Porsche I will look at it. ......

I guess I'll have to drive a Porsche. I have a C5 Corvette and I can't imagine something handling better, at least significatly better. The acceleration is phenominal, sub 5 second 0-60, stock 1/4 mile times at about 13 seconds even, very nice build quality, and right at 30 MPG consistently at 80 MPH on cruise out on the open road. Built in Kentucky, and very impressive. Probably you are more skilled at driving at the edge of the envelope, and perhaps the Porsche has an advantage at that point. I know they are great cars and people love them. There is just something about an LS1 Vette going through the gears at or near redline...it's hard to beat!

I sell Mahindra tractors built in Japan, Korea, and India....so I guess I take an international/global look at things, but I still really appreciate a USA designed and made product. There just are not many, if any, genuine USA built small tractors. I know some assembly is done here and some content is from the USA, but there is no pure USA compact tractor as far as I know. Even our Japanese (Mitsubishi) built tractors have final assembly in the USA and use tires, batteries, loaders, backhoes, seats, etc., from the USA. So even the Mitsubishi product is a mix.

 

[gemini5362]

I guess I'll have to drive a Porsche. I have a C5 Corvette and I can't imagine something handling better, at least significatly better. The acceleration is phenominal, sub 5 second 0-60, stock 1/4 mile times at about 13 seconds even, very nice build quality, and right at 30 MPG consistently at 80 MPH on cruise out on the open road. Built in Kentucky, and very impressive. Probably you are more skilled at driving at the edge of the envelope, and perhaps the Porsche has an advantage at that point. I know they are great cars and people love them. There is just something about an LS1 Vette going through the gears at or near redline...it's hard to beat!

I sell Mahindra tractors built in Japan, Korea, and India....so I guess I take an international/global look at things, but I still really appreciate a USA designed and made product. There just are not many, if any, genuine USA built small tractors. I know some assembly is done here and some content is from the USA, but there is no pure USA compact tractor as far as I know. Even our Japanese (Mitsubishi) built tractors have final assembly in the USA and use tires, batteries, loaders, backhoes, seats, etc., from the USA. So even the Mitsubishi product is a mix.

Dave you have to go to a 911 to start getting the type of power in a porsche to match your vette. I have driven vettes before although not as much as my porsche and I feel like I can do more with the porsche. I do not drive it on the edge I am sure the porsche can take the corners I like to drive on a good 40 per cent faster with no problem. I dont have the reflexes or the nerve to push it to the limit. Owning the porsche is like a lot of other things a personal choice. I am kind of suprised at your gas mileage. My wife can get 29 mpg out of the porsche when she drives I get about 19 when I drive but 30 out of a vette is very good. Actually for pure fun driving check this car out I think it would put both the corvette and the porsche to shame in any kind of driving test you want to put it in Welcome to the Ariel Motor Atom web site

I have a montana tractor which has a mitsubishi engine and so far it has been a good tractor.

 

[Taiser]

Doesn't look like that thing has wipers, so it would never pass a safety to drive up here in Canada!

Looks pretty sweet though!

 

[Builder]

A lot of threads end up like this... it's pretty ridiculous. Buy what you want to buy regardless of what the other guy does. We have problems in this country that are FAR WORSE than buying foreign engineering and/or manufacturing... and if those problems were fixed than discussions like these wouldn't even take place. Move on... please!! After all... this is a tractor forum.

So what should we talk about? terrorism? Border security?

Of course there's far worse problems in this country! That's 1/2 the reason a lot of us come here-to get away from those very problems and have a good ol friendly debate and learn from each other. Gemeni and I might not agree, and I'll kick his butt 24/7 (just kiddin gemeni, you know I like ya), but we can still be civil and keep it about equipment, trucks, tractors, etc.

No need to talk about global warming just because it's more important.

 

[excelagator]

Builder,
I guess this sums it up for me. I buy is the best when it matters. Example, I recently bought a Millermatic 210, made in the good old US of A! This welder should last the rest of my years and I am supporting Wisconsinites in Appleton. My hat is of to ANY company that builds a great product and stands behind it. That is what sells people on a company.

If you would ask me to buy a American made car NO! I went down that route and had alot of problems with a 96 S-10 Blazer. I have had Toyota 4x4s and I currently have a 2001 Nissan Xterra that has 110,000 miles. I work it more than most that have a full size truck.

Since someone bought up unions I will comment on it that too. If someone is backed by a union why would they really care at doing a good job? It is rather hard to fire anyone with union backing. I have had first hand experience with union work. I worked for a company that has a job out of Canada. The welding work and pipe work had to be union for the for the contract to be honored. Yes, we did from raw to finish too at our company. So we got 2 local shops to do the work. The welding on the frames were horrible, 1/2 out of square on 6 out of 8 frames and the work was crap. The pipe fitting looked like a monkey did it and the work took twice as long. If the work was done in house it would have been much much better and non-union. I asked that how can we accept this kind of work and one said, "That is union work". Now that is my experience with union work.

Dan

 

[Builder]

Builder,
I guess this sums it up for me. I buy is the best when it matters. Example, I recently bought a Millermatic 210, made in the good old US of A! This welder should last the rest of my years and I am supporting Wisconsinites in Appleton. My hat is of to ANY company that builds a great product and stands behind it. That is what sells people on a company.

If you would ask me to buy a American made car NO! I went down that route and had alot of problems with a 96 S-10 Blazer. I have had Toyota 4x4s and I currently have a 2001 Nissan Xterra that has 110,000 miles. I work it more than most that have a full size truck.
Dan

Dan,

The only disagreement I have with your vehicle experiences is that GM and Ford have come a long way since 1996. Their vehicles have undergone tremendous improvements. I've owned several in the last 10 years and even though they get more complex, they seem to get better, quieter, and more comfortable with huge increases in HP.

Take my GMC 3500, for example. It's an '07 with 360HP, 650ft lbs torque, a 6 speed allison auto with gradient braking and a manual shift mode....quiet as a gas engine and gets 13-15 MPG in city driving. If I ordered that exact same GMC 3500 truck in 1996, it would have come with a 4 speed auto with no special features and a whopping 195HP/425 TQ diesel that was noisy and got ~13-15MPG. (I actually owned a '94 GMC 3500 with a 6.5TD). It can also tow more, carry more and has bigger differentials and suspension.

So in summary, what we have here is a 84% increase in HP, a 54% increase in torque, a much heavier duty transmission with 2 more gears and features only big trucks come with, and a much quieter inside/outside cabin noise but little or no loss in fuel economy. All that copupled with the ability to tow & haul more weight on a heavier suspension.

I think you'd experience similar improvements in your 1996 blazer example compared to today's 2007 GMC Envoy.